And if the power supply does fail, it is best not to repair it on your own. Transformers are sized by determining the total load required (in amps). Best bang for the buck for command are the Lionel 180W Powerhouse bricks IMO. Ryan Kunkle is a nationally recognized professional model train expert and writer with over 25 years of experience. Actually the choice of transformer is secondary to the choice of control systems since you can operate O gauge trains with most any good modern transformer. But Lionel now produces four Track Expansion Sets, which expand this basic loop into something more exciting. While it is tempting to go with the biggest wire possible to guarantee excess capacity, there are drawbacks to putting in more than you need. Below weve listed these transformers in numerical order in the Numerical Index. Then power every other one with one of your smaller transformers. A large number of the Lionel Collectors Club UK use this set up to good effect. Apparently there is a difference between old conventional and new conventional power. As time goes on you can add higher wattage bricks one by one. A rule of thumb from the elders, (I had to go to the mountain top for this one), Add 2 more watts for Spankybird's fun-filled layout! Lionel 1033 90 Watt Multi-control Transformer (102) $9.99 1 bid $16.00 shipping 2d 9h Lionel Type Z 250 Watt Transformer & One 167 Whistle Controllers. As far as new transformers go, someone else may be able to help more than I can. The customer will still need a step down transformer to get the 220V to 110V. Anyway if it takes me 100 years to finish this thing one thing is for sure I will not have to worry about powering anything and everything. As your layout grows so, too, will its power demand. Our community is FREE to join. Do not connect this product to any other power supply. A: According to Lionel's head of customer service, on the underside of their CW80 transformers, starting in late 2009, the vendor applied a sticker that states "QC50" on it. The Lionel motor is a collection of four electromagnetic plates with a rotating sweeper arm called a brush. The typ miniature incandecents we use average about 100 ma of current each. The backside of a control panel can turn into a "rat's nest" of wiring very quickly. I have one R transformer from which I run everything - but only 1 train at a time and a few accessories for a layout in a space about 24 by 10 ft. Mike, The size of the transformer is dictated by what you want to run, the more you run the more power you will need. HO gauge is very popular because of its size. It is 5" long. Thus an appliance with a 15-ampere plug (the usual kind with parallel blades) must draw no more than 12 amperes. Starter sets almost always include a power supply along with the track and train. He directs production at Lionel, the premier model train manufacturer, and he istheformer president of theConrail HistoricalSociety. This will solve the slowdown problem. The Lionel RW also happens to be a great transformer for Marx or American Flyer trains too, when you connect the track leads to the B and U posts instead of the A and U posts youd normally use for most Lionel setups. LGB throttles 51070, 52120 and 52121 will all work with the 50061 and other LGB transformers. In addition to the wire itself, connectors like crimp-on terminals and terminal blocks must also be purchased in larger (and more expensive) sizes. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. It's expensive, but the same factors that drove KW prices down are also driving ZW prices down. 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 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. Most recommend the TPCs over the powermasters The CW 80 will work to begin with. Traditionally, Lionel trains run on AC but there are exceptions. This tool will allow you calculate the KVA that you need. Take the hint. If you have the proper wire size and a properly-sized circuit breaker, you should not have any problems using the old transformer. Buyers truly want all-original trains that have never been tampered with. Some great beginner accessories are the #12052 Fastrack Highway Signal set, which is a set of highway signals that blink as the train goes by. 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. June 5, 2022; cleveland open chess 2021; mexican martial arts xilam Adding more freight or passenger cars [also known as rolling stock] to your set is another way to quickly expand your railroad. A starter set is the best way to start with the train hobby. It is also a good idea to run your accessories off of a separate power supply and wire grid from the trains themselves. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. "What size wire should I use?" M3103. Tales From Harmon Shops, WTB: LIONEL AUTRORACKS SPECIFICALLY SOUTHERN,GRAND TRUNK,BNSF,FERROMEX. If they do, follow their recommendations. It is not uncommon to see 50-year-old transformers still going strong on a model railroad. The whistle requires more power than the outfits that don't have it. As you can see, a lot of great helpers here. QUOTE: by Skyray "Typical engineer--you need a technician. Plug one of your transformers into each Fixed in. I talk more in depth about the 1033 here. 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Forgot about light bulbs since I don't got some yet. 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. what size lionel transformer do i need. I justhave a very basic 027 set (guessin' mid 80's?). Lionel and other train manufacturers have worked hard to make adding to a set easy, affordable, and fun. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. To amplify CTvalley's very valid instructions: A forum community dedicated to model train owners and enthusiasts. Plan on using the KW's for the big layout and 1033's like I did before. (Electrical Contractor with dear old Dad for 30 years) Regards Steve. Ryan Kunkle is a nationally recognized professional model train expert and writer with over 25 years of experience. $7.89 delivery Feb 2 - 6. These can all have uses for your layout. I know this has nothing to do with Mike's original problem but is more of a reflection on Trainman's reply. All Lionel transformer comparisons should include the common 1033, RW, LW, KW and ZW transformers. Scale cars almost always have the number 7 as the second digit in their number [17623, 27241, etc]. Are you running command or conventional? I got a lot of lightweight transformers that came with starter sets over the years. However, in the future if you continue in the hobby and your roster expands you may acquire motive power which requires larger curves than what came with your set. All of the transformers that have more than 90 Watts are in great demand today as more collectors are operating retro-layouts. Ive written more about the Lionel ZW here. Lionel is also introducing a new 180 watt transformer to accompany the 80 watt CW 80. For more realistic operation, you need some kind of speed control (throttle) between the 10340 Automatic Reversing Unit and your transformer. If you were to get a ZW 275 you need external short protection. This is because the demands for power are becoming more than your transformer can handle. Everything you need to get going is included, its reliable, and setup is usually very easy. Make your Christmas complete with a Lionel HO Train under your. Viola, DCS on alternate power blocks, Max signal, Happiness. They do not include a track or power supply, so you will need to buy both separately. I'll take this information and run with it to help get me started. Because the runs are short and power demands so low, this fine wire poses no safety threat. The larger wire is usually more expensive and more challenging to work with. If youre buying a transformer, youll be able to easily find one that a professional refurbished and upgraded with the links I provide below. A model railroad train set designed for use in the United States will have a 115V AC 60Hz power requirement. In the middle range, Lionel made a lot of other transformers. (NEW/LIKE NEW), running TMCC And DCS engines with DCS handheld, terrible crash in Greece, multiple fatalities, Its.Public Delivery Track ..NEWSpecial run corner, Improving Appearance of 0-gauge Tubular Track. Twin coil machines have a higher current draw when in motion but are also much faster-acting than the motorized versions. Turn on the throttle, then short the A and U posts (in the case of Lionel) or variable and base posts (in the case of Flyer) with a screwdriver or a piece of wire for a maximum of five seconds. A bigger transformer is better and always looks nicer too! What do I need to do that with? Classic cars have a 5 or 6 as their second digit [25051, 16686, etc]. Here are some guidelines for the most common wiring jobs you'll find. Effort. Transformer sizing for new systems For a 300W set up this will cost you about 100. Amperes = VA/Secondary Volts or 40VA/28V = 1.43 amperes. Just not quite as much. You should always, always test your transformer for safetybefore you set it up, andunplug it when youre not using it. Reading & Northern, Reading Company, Reading Lines, Philadelphia & Reading. Why Sign In? Heavier insulation not only adds to the cost of the wire but also makes it harder to bend. It is much easier to be ready ahead of time then to have to do some changes afterwards. With the ever-increasing amount of small electronics in today's sophisticated models, this protection is more important than ever. The thing that eats current is a lot of light bulbs on the layout. With multiple switches, lights, power supplies and more all concentrated in a small space, color coding and neatness pay off. Serious or fatal injuries may result. This signifies compatibility with 50 Hertz power. converting a 2-rail freight car to 2-rail with Atlas trucks, My Triple Level Layout -FREEBIE UPDATE- 3/2/23, Successful Open House Upstate (NY) Model Railroaders, FS: Lionel MPC and modern traditional size rolling stock. From 25 Watts to 275 Watts, a Lionel transformer could be found for every power requirment from simple circles of track to extensive railroads. That could also be the reason the other transformers don't work. 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. Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. Most feeders will be only a few inches long so the smaller diameter wire will not be a problem. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. 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. It can run four tracks at one time, so you layout can grow. A solid and stranded wire of the same gauge will be the same total diameter. This comes primarily from the locomotive(s) but also from lights and other accessories. Ive talked more about the Lionel RW and the LW as well. Lionel developed and perfected its model designs and layouts during the Pre-War Era (1901-1942). The Lionel ZW has four sets of posts and six controls. If you like fixing things, fixing an old transformer is rewarding. This wire is very fine and can be found in many color combinations. ransformers were issued by Lionel thoughout the Post War period. Not wanting to give up, I experimented with an 80 watt modern Lionel transformer and got great results. Sell Your Trains Yourself On eBay. Then the K's will do siding and switching yard duty. The choice of a control system is somewhat, but not necessarily, dependent on which manufacturers engines you prefer or have the most of. Most command systems use a constant AC power supply, and trains are controlled by impulses sent through the rails. Some DCC systems also recommend solid wire for certain applications. the amount of track is not what is important here. Model train power falls into one of three categories. The first Lionel electric trains were powered by wet-cell batteries, which were, of course, dangerous. Been there, done that. Please see our article on Fastrack here for more information. If mixing both non-command as well as command engines, both by the way will run without any thing other than the appropriate transformer, it really depends on the budget. The Lionel Multi-control 1033 is a 90 watt transformer produced from 1948 to 1956. 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. It can be a great secondary power supply for lighted buildings, signals, and other accessories. Price Received. Needless to say the "Spring into Spring" train show very nearly became unsprung! The motor takes electricity through a small wire attached to a metal wheel that rests on the middle rail underneath.