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Messages - TrainLarry

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421
Power & Control / Re: fixed voltage supply to 022 switches
« on: December 18, 2014, 05:05:00 am »
When using a separate transformer to power the switches, the ground lead must be connected to the same ground as the transformer for the track, ie; an outside rail on your layout. The transformers must be phased together properly when doing this.

Larry

422
Power & Control / Re: fixed voltage supply to 022 switches
« on: December 17, 2014, 08:11:51 pm »
Welcome to the forum!
I doubt that 20 volts will harm the switch motors, as they are receiving power for only a fraction of a second when energized. When these switches are used in a command control environment, they are subject to 18 volts of power from the command system setup. The only components that would be stressed would be the bulbs in the switch machines and the controllers. I would recommend replacing them with long life, cool operating LED's. These are drop-in replacements for the bulbs, either screw-in or bayonet type.
http://www.autolumination.com/trainbulbs_leds.htm

If you are running only 1 train with the KW transformer, you could use the 'B' throttle to operate your switches, and adjust it to a lower voltage in the 14-18 volt range.

Another option to think about would be to get another transformer just for your switches, like a 1033. Properly phased to the KW, you could again dial in any voltage to operate the switches smoothly and consistently.

Larry

423
O Scale / Re: Scared
« on: December 15, 2014, 08:34:53 pm »
Welcome to the forum!
No need to be scared of anything pertaining to Lionel trains, as there are many people out there to help you in anything you may encounter with your trains.

First recommendation is to not even think about plugging in the transformer if the AC power cord is brittle, **** or in other than perfect condition. If  the cord needs replacement and you are capable of doing the job properly and safely, go to it. If not, a trip to your local repair shop is in order.

The picture shows the voltages available from the various terminal configurations. Terminals B-U giving 10-18 volts would be the place to start to run your trains. The conventional hookup is to connect the 'U' terminal to the outside rail, and the 'B' terminal to the center rail, although the transformer can be hooked up the other way also. The trains will run properly with either hookup.

Be aware that the transformer may not have a circuit breaker to protect itself from a short circuit or overload condition. An external automotive 12 volt@ 6amp breaker should be wired in series with the 'B' wire to the track.

Larry



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424
Glad you found the problem.

Compliments on your multi-gauge layouts. You have packed a lot into a small space.

Merry Christmas!

Larry

425
O Scale / Re: 700E
« on: December 15, 2014, 02:03:05 am »
Welcome to the forum!
The 700E Hudson locomotive was only manufactured during the pre-war years, and is distinguished by the road  #5344 under the cab window. It was a scale model, and the most detailed of the Hudson locomotives Lionel made until recently.

Other Hudsons were made, namely the 763 and 773, but they were not as detailed as the 700E was. These Hudsons had the 763 and 773 markings under the cab.

Here is a listing of a 700E that was sold, to give you an idea of the price range you are looking at. http://www.dakotapaul.com/items/showitem.asp?iid=2915

Here is a listing of a post-war 773 that was sold, also for the price point notation. http://www.postwarlionel.com/cgi-bin/postwar?ITEM=773

Larry

426
The North Pole Central set is a fairly modern set, from 2009, and the locomotive has a DC 'can' motor and an electronic e-unit.

The servicing information referenced pertains to the older AC/DC universal motors and the legacy electro-mechanical e-units.

The DC motors of today, as well as electronic boards, are not serviceable for the most part, and just get replaced if found to be faulty.

If the track, wheels and pickup rollers are clean, and the transformer passes the voltage test, then the likely problem is either the DC motor, or the electronic e-unit board.

You may wish to put a drop of oil on the locomotive axle bearings and a dab of grease on the gears to make sure the locomotive is lubricated properly.

You may also wish to run just the locomotive and tender alone to eliminate any of your cars from causing a problem.

Larry

427
Welcome to the forum!
To properly diagnose the problem, a few steps need to be taken.
  Is the transformer powering only the North Pole Central train, or other trains and/or accessories also?

  Make sure all locomotive wheels and pickup rollers are clean, as well as the track. Clean with hardware store naphtha if necessary. Make sure everything is clean before proceeding.

  If you have a voltmeter, measure the AC volts at the transformer terminals, and also at various points around the track when you first power up the trains.
Run the trains until the slowdown occurs, and do not move the throttle when the slowdown begins. Measure the voltages again. If you get voltage readings that are within a volt or so of the original readings, chances are the transformer is good, and the locomotive may have an issue.

If you do not have a voltmeter, observe the locomotive headlamp, or any other lighted car to see if the brightness changes before and after the train runs for a while and slows down.

If you have another train or transformer, you can swap out one or the other to help diagnose the cause.

Please report back if you still have any issues after performing the above steps.

Larry

428
General Lionel Model Train Discussion / Re: Train arrived damaged
« on: December 13, 2014, 08:01:02 pm »
Notify the sender of the damage, and ask to have a replacement sent.

Damage in shipment is a big problem these days, and can be traced to the tight fitting styrofoam packaging. The styrofoam cradles the trains nice, especially the locomotives, but it does not shield the contents well from handling. It transmits handling shocks to the contents, thus the damage. Probably the best  packaging would be to bubble wrap each piece.

Larry

429
Hello, and welcome to the forum!
For all intents and purposes, track is track no matter what its' design. There should be electrical continuity from 1 end of each rail to the other, continuing into the next piece of track.

If your train stops on the same piece of track all the time, that piece of track is somehow defective. Take that track out, and compare it with another known good track. Check the connections to each rail on each end, then turn the tracks upside down and check the underside of the tracks also. Something will be amiss somewhere.

Important note: Do NOT check continuity of your track with the transformer plugged in and especially not turned on. This will either blow a fuse in your meter at the least, or burn it out at the most.

You can set your meter to read AC volts, power up the track, and check for loss of voltage on the bad track section. You will still need to physically remove the track to inspect it to identify the problem.

In the end, if the track section is bad, and is brand new, just return it to your dealer for an exchange.

Larry

430
Layout Design Forum / Re: FasTrack radii
« on: December 12, 2014, 01:55:19 am »
The way to design your layout would be to get a train set of your liking, assemble it on the floor, and take the measurements that you need.

Larry

431
Try different smoke fluid first.
The older Lionel smoke units used a smoke pellet, and smoked a bit better than the newer liquid units. Perhaps this is what you recall.

Larry

432
General Lionel Model Train Discussion / Re: 1947 prairie locomotive
« on: December 10, 2014, 06:17:53 pm »
Welcome to the forum!
You are a good son, giving your father such a nice gift!

The CW-80 transformer should operate the locomotive without any difficulty.

All modern transformers can operate any vintage trains, however the older transformers do not have the capability to operate all the sounds in newer locomotives, such as a ringing bell. You would need an accessory Sound Activation Button to do so with a vintage transformer. http://www.ebay.com/itm/LIONEL-SOUND-ACTIVATION-BUTTON-LIONEL-6-5906-SOUND-ACTIVATION-BUTTON-FREE-SHIP-/121366586171?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1c4203233b

The CW-80 transformer will operate the sounds on old and new equipment.

Larry

433
Welcome to the forum!
The smoke unit in your locomotive would probably smoke better if you add more cars to make a longer train. This will make you turn up the power a bit more on the transformer, giving the heater element in the smoke unit a higher voltage. You can also try Lionel smoke fluid, available online if your dealer does not stock it. There are other smoke fluid manufacturers that you can use their product in your locomotive also. You may need to add 10 drops of fluid to get the unit to smoke more also. Hold the loco in one hand, and rig up your transformer leads to the loco; one lead to the front or rear truck, and the other lead to a pickup roller. Turn the power up and run the loco in your hand. See how it smokes with full power. If it smokes well, you may need to add more cars as suggested. If it still does not smoke well, it may be time for a replacement unit. Do try Lionel smoke unit first if your results are not satisfactory. You want to eliminate the smoke fluid as a cause of the problem.

The smoke unit in your locomotive is pretty much the unit that will work, unless you are handy, and are willing to modify the locomotive to put in a modern unit. I do not believe the smoke unit can be serviced, and is likely a sealed unit.

Larry


434
Beginners Q & A / Re: 18v Wall pack- Track length question.
« on: December 08, 2014, 09:36:42 pm »
There definitely comes a time when you want to add some variety to your basic layout, ie. switches, sidings, reverse loops, etc.

Theoretically, with perfect track and perfect connections, with no voltage losses no matter how small, the wallpack could power a layout of unlimited physical size. Alas, we do not live in a perfect world, so there are some losses that add up to limit the physical size of a layout that any one transformer could properly power.

Losses occur mostly at the connections between tracks, with either loose or dirty/corroded connections. Keeping the connections clean is of utmost importance. With standard transformers using standard terminal tracks, multiple terminal tracks are spread out around the layout; perhaps 4 or 6 could be used. These terminal tracks are all interconnected together with wires, and this helps distribute the power evenly around the layout. This procedure is done as a matter of good electrical practice on anything more than a small, basic layout.

If there is a power loss at a certain spot, or on the whole layout for some reason, the train would just run slower.

Larry

435
Beginners Q & A / Re: 18v Wall pack- Track length question.
« on: December 08, 2014, 08:36:51 pm »
Welcome to the forum, and the wonderful hobby of Lionel trains!

Nobody is going to beat you for buying a starter set, that is what they are for! An easy, one shot start into the hobby.

The set you purchased is known as a LionChief set. It is a remote controlled set, and all LionChief sets come with the wallpack for power. A standard transformer is not used on these sets, as adjustable voltage capability is not needed to adjust the speed, like in conventional, non-remote locomotives.

The wallpack will not power any external accessories, as it does not have any terminals to hook anything to, and anyway, the power output is insufficient to power much more than the set and maybe a few turnouts (switches). You can add a few more cars if you wish. You should be able to power the train around a 4x8 foot layout without much problem, possibly a little larger.

If you purchase a CW-80 transformer, you can buy an adapter plug at a local electronics supply house and solder it to standard hook up wire, and use the current terminal track, or you can purchase a regular terminal track.

Transformers are not rated as to how big a layout they can power, but how much current they can deliver.

Here are some examples of various size FasTrack layouts.
http://www.rrtrack.com/html/lionel_fastrack_layouts.html
Running just a train and a minimum of accessories, most of the small and medium size layouts could be run with a CW-80 transformer. More accessories or a larger layout would require a more powerful transformer, such as the ZW, or a separate transformer just for powering the accessories.

Enjoy your trains!

Larry

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