It has FasTrack connectors on one end and O Gauge track pins on the other. Remember, the only silly question is the one that you did not ask. Within that range, it is generally recommended to go for the most robust power supply possible. Smaller layouts (a typical 4 foot by 8 foot being a good example) can usually get by with Number16 since the length of the run from the power supply to the track is never more than a few feet. The Lionel 1033 is a great choice for small or medium-sized layouts. CW80 Transformer. Apparently there is a difference between old conventional and new conventional power. Dave, the nice thing about Lionel transformers is you can run them until the bimetallic breaker pops and then you let it cool and you are back in action (after shutting a few things down)! The 1044 is just a 1033 in a different case. Some of the variables are obvious, others not so much. Which Lionel transformer do I need? you ask? The only time you might not get your full moneys worth is during operation of locomotives equipped with Lionels TMCC or MTHs DCS command-control systems. To participate you must either login or register for an account. "What size wire should I use?" As cheap as the 1033 is, if youre going to buy a transformer, you might as well pay a few dollars more to get a 1033. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. I know my train club had an issue with conventional locomotives not running properly on a layout with DCS and TMCC and apparently solved it by replacing a Lionel transformer with an MRC transformer that puts out a pure sine wave. This is a old school approach for sizing cables & transformers or appliances in the electrical trade, & has never let us down. Tales From Harmon Shops, WTB: LIONEL AUTRORACKS SPECIFICALLY SOUTHERN,GRAND TRUNK,BNSF,FERROMEX. I can remember a time when a Lionel ZW would set you back $275. They have everything you need for a basic setup, and the larger ones are capable of running the smaller layouts you see in the train magazines, so they have some room for growth. While those locomotives and their sound systems are designed to operate using conventional transformers like your ZW, digital controllers are needed to activate additional features like special sound effects and coupler activation. This signifies compatibility with 50 Hertz power. If you want a transformer with power to spare go get a ZW! We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Please see our article on Fastrack here for more information. When they were manufactured by The American Flyer Manufacturing Company, they were made in Standard Gauge and a version of "O" gauge. Tech Support for the OGR Forum (NOT FOR TRAINS), PRR fellas!lets build an S2!! The best of the best Lionel trains are very valuable. There are a few standards when it comes to the color-coding. editors report that most of the wiring issues they address involve basic principles of electricity - the stuff that Ben Franklin played with when he flew his kite. It does run on conventional power but not great and no whistle or bell. In addition to the wire itself, connectors like crimp-on terminals and terminal blocks must also be purchased in larger (and more expensive) sizes. Dang, this math makes my head hurt. Subscribers, sign in to access exclusive content. If you want to connect ten landscape lights to a magnetic transformer, and the lights use 30 watts each, you would need a 375 watt transformer. That was before all the technician assemby work was outsourced overseas and they left the poor engineers to fend for themselves. If you add a lot of track and find that your train slows down as it gets farther from your transformer, you will need to run jumper wires to the opposite side of your track layout. Now, I am going to make a suggesstion that you use a larger diameter curve for your corners. The first is the traditional or classic size, which are the cars that match starter sets. Early issues used a Bakelite case while later releases had a case made out of plastic. Lionel is also introducing a new 180 watt transformer to accompany the 80 watt CW 80. A small set that came with track, transformer, etc. The Lionel 1033 can be used for small or medium-sized layouts. I would check yoour connections and wire size, just to be safe. In the middle range, Lionel made a lot of other transformers. Price Received. Use this index to see additional details about the individual transformers issued by Lionel during the post-war period. DCC decoders are one good example where the wire colors are critical. At auction, Lionel train sets, pieces, and accessories can sell for a few hundred dollars or for a few thousand dollars, depending on the rarity and condition of the piece. Ok our layout is 10 x 20 = 200 sq ft x 2 = 400 watts. Lionel Trains|MTH Train|Lionel Train Sets| HO model Trains| G Scale|Dept 56 --Heck, watching one train run is great, Ill bet TWO would be even more fun! The wire can also be purchased as solid or stranded. Lots of good information for building any size O Gauge layout. A large number of the Lionel Collectors Club UK use this set up to good effect. A locomotive on a mile-long loop will draw as many amps as it does on a 4x8 platform. Lionel Multi-Car Freight Sets + More MTH Halloween! Lionels HO Gauge items are back! Number 24 to Number20 wire will all work with most layouts. Atlas and Bachmann have the same transformers with 80 watt outputs as well that get good reviews and would be appropriate for a smaller layout. --I wish I had some more cars to put behind the engine. --Build a Better Toy Train Layout, by John Grams and Dick Christianson. Alternating current (AC) is the preferred power for most O Gauge three-rail trains as well as some two-rail systems in smaller scales. Like all electronic products, you want to make sure your power supplies are rated by the appropriate body for your country (UL for example). Sell Your Trains Using a Live Auction House. --The O Gauge Railroading Primer, by Christopher Ritchie. I have purchased diodes to put into the older transformers to see if this resolves the issue with newer tenders. Make sure you are getting the right type of power supply for your layout. However, if you begin to add lighted cars, or more than a couple accessories, you may find that your train will not run as fast, or that it will shut off entirely. Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership. The chances are that little power supply isn't going to keep the train running over a full mile, however. As an example, look at these two cars closely: While both are gondola cars and run on O Gauge track, note how the car on the left is much longer than the one on the right. DCC is less common in starter sets, but some are available. The Lionel 1033 is a great choice for small or medium-sized layouts. It is not uncommon to see 50-year-old transformers still going strong on a model railroad. To determine the required transformer VA, multiply the secondary voltage by the required amperes: For example, VA=Volts x Amperes or 28V x 1.2 amperes = 33.6 VA. To determine the maximum transformer current, divide the transformer VA by transformer secondary voltage. The larger transformers could operate up to four trains independently. Enter your e-mail address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by e-mail. There is no reason why your Lionel ZWs and Flyer big ones cant be used to run AC-powered trains of any vintage new or old. Sign-up for email today! Everyone wanted the two-handled, football-shaped, 275-watt powerhouse that was the ZW. Price Received. I thought an ENGINEER was the guy driving the train? Accessories often interact with the train, such as a crossing gate that lowers as the train passes. Pretty much suffered the same fate, too. Lionel makes two expansion sets for this purpose. Atlas and Bachmann have the same transformers with 80 watt outputs as well that get good reviews and would be appropriate for a smaller layout. This will spread the load of your lighted passenger consist across the two transformers. This would be more than enough for any single train and a few accessories. To amplify CTvalley's very valid instructions: A forum community dedicated to model train owners and enthusiasts. Yes, but the train will probably run too fast, depending on the output voltage of the transformer. They are fun to have. Used 1033's for sidings and the switching yard its self. I have a basement that offers an 18" concrete ledge that goes around theentire perimeter of the house that lends itself perfectly to a neat layout. For a transformer less or equal to 500 kilovolt-amperes, a typical %Z impedance may vary between 2.3% and 5.2% based on the voltage level. HO gauge is very popular because of its size. All power supplies will be rated for volts, amps, and watts. This tool will allow you calculate the KVA that you need. IF the Engineer is the guy that drives the locomotive then theTechnician must be the fireman is this correct? If you have the proper wire size and a properly-sized circuit breaker, you should not have any problems using the old transformer. These systems still require a power supply but it only needs to supply a constant voltage to the rails. The Lionel Track & Power catalog is BACK with the latest information for more ways to make your layout even bigger, better and more powerful! It will require a minimum of 108' of track just to do a basic rectangle before I add any switches, etc. I thought you wanted information related to your layout not operations at a trains show. $7.89 delivery Feb 2 - 6. Lionel uses red and black (red always for the center rail, black for the two outer rails) as a standard in its instructions and most 3-Rail O Gauge layouts are probably wired this way. Effort. For a classic setup of a single freight train running on a 48 (or smaller) sheet of plywood, a 90-watt Lionel 1033 or 1044 is an excellent choice. Never Enough Room, Time or Money for all the Trains! Adding more freight or passenger cars [also known as rolling stock] to your set is another way to quickly expand your railroad. They run on O Gauge track, but they are not exact O Scale cars. If this happens, you will need another transformer to share the load. We use a ZW 275 and a KW on this, so 405 watts. As you progress with your layout there are a lot of people here who will help you with any questions you have. A solid and stranded wire of the same gauge will be the same total diameter. Effort. Here are some guidelines for the most common wiring jobs you'll find. If you found this post informative or helpful, please share it! You don't really need a diagram -- you want to pick your interval (some would recommend as often as 3'), drill a hole down through your base, and connect a wire to a bus which runs beneath the layout and connects to your transformer (obviously, you need two wires, one for each powered rail). TRANSFORMERS ransformers were issued by Lionel thoughout the Post War period. If you plan to just run MTH go with their DCS system if you plan to have a number of different engines or the MTH DCS Remote Commander which is limited to running only one engine at a time. If the transformer fails, you most likely have a short or overload somewhere in the control circuit. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. This is different from the stranded wire in that the different individual wires, each with their color-coded insulation, is placed inside a secondary insulation wrap. However, there are times when the solid wire has advantages, particularly when soldering in small locations. The larger transformers could operate up to four trains independently. "O" Gauge is what Lionel is today, along with "O27". Lionel has a new 180 watt transformer due out soon that will be a nice upgrade. :-). While better starter sets usually include a more robust transformer, as a general rule the power pack supplied with your starter set is just thata start. Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 1901-2022. Sign up for new product releases, promotions, and more. Lionel Model Railroad and Train Transformers Lionel Model Railroad and Train Transformers Best Selling Lionel 1908080 O Gauge CW80 Transformers - Black (4) $147.85 New $110.00 Used Lionel Legacy Powermaster Lnl637146 (13) $134.99 New $90.00 Used Lionel 634120 TMCC Direct Lock-On Transformer - Silver (21) $58.99 New $49.99 Used This means that you will have about.5 volt drop if your train draws 5 amperes. But if you already have a 1034 and dont need a whistle button, go ahead and use it. This tool only evaluates common voltages for North America (ie. Although I am an electrical engineer, I just add stuff until the transformer gets too warm and then I branch off and add another. It is also a good idea to run your accessories off of a separate power supply and wire grid from the trains themselves. This thing has more power then I will ever need. (10 lights X . The choice of a control system is somewhat, but not necessarily, dependent on which manufacturers engines you prefer or have the most of. I covered the more common ones, but if you have another vintage Lionel transformer of more than 75 watts and its in good condition, theres no reason not to use it. If your layout is bigger than 48, you may actually find trains run a bit better with a KW than with a smaller transformer. The two types of cars will connect together just fine, but when side-by-side in a train, they may look a bit odd. Serious or fatal injuries may result. What about removing flanges from diesel wheels? All Lionel transformer comparisons should start here. I run an MTH 4-6-2 PS-1 pulling five Madisons on about fifty feet of track and the transformer I am using (Z-4000) has a digital amp readout. Lionel introduced a few LionChief Plus 2.0 starter sets in 2022. We feature Lionel, American Flyer, MTH, Atlas O, Williams Trains, K-Line, Weaver Models, and more. Improve ready-to-run freight cars with a little paint. Below weve listed these transformers in numerical order in the Numerical Index. Another classic is the Automatic Gateman. . But a 12-gauge solid wire is one strand, while a 12-gauge stranded wire may be made up of more than a dozen much smaller individual strands spun together. In either case, however, voltage and amperage draw is low and peak for only brief periods. By only supplying power to the trains that need it, you can greatly reduce your needs. If you fried a wire going to the track it may not be a transformer problem. It's expensive, but the same factors that drove KW prices down are also driving ZW prices down. It states: 1.25 amps for each motor, 0.2 amps for each bulb. It is much easier to be ready ahead of time then to have to do some changes afterwards. If you're experiencing problems with your wiring due to humidity, for example, you are going to face even greater issues with the trains and tracks themselves. What size Lionel transformer do I need? There are also numerous static accessories that do not operate but add visual interest to your layout, such as the #24219 girder bridge. For a 300W set up this will cost you about 100. It also has an optional bell sound that can be turned on and off. The smaller the number, the larger the wire. Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers' Henry V. I am a person with a very active inner child. The multi-conductor wire is also available. All of the transformers that have more than 90 Watts are in great demand today as more collectors are operating retro-layouts. They're controlled with a simple handheld remote control and run on easy-to-connect plastic track. Will get a Z4000 one day [this summer probably, unless I find a good deal on an older ZW] just to say I have one. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. All Lionel transformer comparisons should start here. Three conductor wire is common for household use. Sell Your Trains Yourself At Train Shows. Amperes = VA/Secondary Volts or 40VA/28V = 1.43 amperes. LGB throttles 51070, 52120 and 52121 will all work with the 50061 and other LGB transformers. You can also minimize voltage drop at the rail joints by soldering the rails together. You can also run Lionel TMCC/Legacy Command Engines using the MTH DCS system with the addition of a Lionel command base and an additional cable. Should it be a Lionel or should it be an MTH with command control? Does Lionel still make standard gauge trains? I bet they would be great for running lights and unloading the main transformer. The power supply that comes with these sets is usually a very small wall pack plug-in that cannot be easily expanded. The 1033 is not the same as the 1044. They give a true 180 watts and have excellent electronic breakers. The first Lionel electric trains were powered by wet-cell batteries, which were, of course, dangerous. Ryan developsmodeltrainlayouts for public andprivate display. Like tankist stated.It's only running multiple engines that I run into issues. An Essential Guide for Toy Train Enthusiasts! If you have a very long run, you may want to consider Number 12 wire. If you need a device that converts from different voltages so it can power another device, then a transformer will fulfill that role perfectly. But after a little while, you will likely want your train to do more, and youll start thinking along these lines: --It sure would be neat if it did more than run in a circle. When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Because of this, like with lighting and accessories, your power supply and wiring for switch machines do not need to be as robust. Outdoor railroads are, of course, an exception! Lionel made these for years and kept them in production under a different model number well into the 1970s because it was a reliable, dependable design and had enough power for a typical starter set while leaving some room to grow. --Toy Train Collecting and Operating, by John Grams. The 110-wattLionel RW is a cheap option, and the 125-watt LW, while a bit more expensive, gives a bit more power. 24v, 120v, 208v, 240v, 480v, and 600v). M3103. Why Sign In? Like command control, these trains still require a constant voltage to the rails. So far, I haven't seen any way to do this except to take amp measurements or just wing it and see how hot your transformer gets. Mint-in-box examples of vintage Lionel trains are still valuable and will continue to appreciate in value over time, because there are so few of them. Lots of good tips for building a layout from two of the most experienced people in the hobby. It is important to remember that the real test of the power supply is the load you'll place on it. Lionel, LLC continued to manufacture and market trains and accessories in O scale under the Lionel brand and S gauge under the American Flyer brand. I paid $75 + shipping for mine a year ago. The Best Technical and Innovative Podcasts you should Listen, Essay Writing Service: The Best Solution for Busy Students, 6 The Best Alternatives for WhatsApp for Android, The Best Solar Street Light Manufacturers Across the World, Ultimate packing list while travelling with your dog. And of course, Lionel also makes lots of figures to populate your town. I use to use one KW for 70 feet of main line, sidings and switching yard entry track. If you're looking to only have one loop with multiple sidings then you'll only need 1 source of power for the whole layout. I have noticed that my old transformers do not work well or not work at all with newer electronic whistle tenders. The larger wire is usually more expensive and more challenging to work with. If your track joints aren't near perfect or if you should want to split that loop into two blocks, you'll double the voltage drop. To my knowledge, you should have no compatibility issues with a pure sine wave track feed with any major brand locomotive. I have a basement that offers an 18" concrete ledge that goes around the entire perimeter of the house that lends itself perfectly to a neat layout. its the amount of engines you need to worry about, I'm currently running my entire layout on a single DC power supply that came with an Athearn engine/track set. Controlled Magnetics has the manufacturing experience, knowledge, and facilities to repair a wide variety of electrical power transformers. I didnt mention the 1034 above because its easier to find a 1033. Part of the Lionel line since the 1930s, the gateman today is offered not only with a regular railroad-type figure, but also in versions with Santa Claus and a nutcracker figure for the Christmas season. The good news is, Lionel made a lot of good transformers over the years. At an average 14 volts - this is 9x14 = 126 watts - the ZW is getting quite warm and I have not run an accessory or another train yet! So, if you want to connect eight landscape lights to an electronic transformer, and the lights use 20 watts each, you would need a 160 watt transformer. Lionel Ready-to-Play is a large sized train that's made to be affordable and easy-to-use for both kids and adults alike. As the motor takes in more electricity, the arm turns faster and faster. That transformer will only prolly handle 1 engine and depending on how long it is will depend on how many extra feeders you will need around the layout. Forgot about light bulbs since I don't got some yet. Transformer capacity is rated in KVA (kilo-volt-amperes). For a classic setup of a single freight train running on a 48 (or smaller) sheet of plywood, a 90-watt Lionel 1033 or 1044 is an excellent choice. By creating alternate routes, more complex loops, and storage tracks, your trains will suddenly be even more interesting to watch and they will begin providing you the feeling that they are going somewhere and that you are running a small railroad. The load voltage and load amps must be known to calculate KVA rating. This wire is very fine and can be found in many color combinations. A bigger transformer is better and always looks nicer too! For Lionel power the 45 watts is good for a 4 by 8 as a rule of thumb to compensate poor track you just use more feeders. It would be advantageous if OGR magazine would put an article together comparing the major manufacturers transformers output waveform compatibility/ incompatibilitywith the various manufacturer's locomotives - Atlas O, Weaver, 3rd Rail, MTH , Lionel etc and conventional , DCS , TMCC, Legacy command control. This drawing illustrates all of the key functionality of a Lionel KW transformer. A Veteran, whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve, is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life.". Not wanting to give up, I experimented with an 80 watt modern Lionel transformer and got great results. If youre buying a transformer, youll be able to easily find one that a professional refurbished and upgraded with the links I provide below.
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