what size lionel transformer do i need

Are you looking for a product or serviceif so, then read this BEFORE you post! As your needs grow, you can employ a larger transformer of fixed voltage. These systems still require a power supply but it only needs to supply a constant voltage to the rails. Lionel trains value varies depending on design, materials, and era. This has the added advantage that Lionel TMCC (command control) will operate correctly. Lionel Fastrack Track System O Scale Trains | Lionel Fastrack for Sale As Paul said, the power needed doesn't have anything to do with the distance; but the voltage needed does. Ryan developsmodeltrainlayouts for public andprivate display. This works for command control layouts too, since those parked trains are still drawing some current. There have been issues with chopped waveform transformers, i.e. The same is true for other electronic projects around your layout and inside buildings, train cars, and even locomotives. There was a video by Mike Reagan from Lionel about better smoke output from a chopped wave transformer, but the pure sine wave didn't cause any operational issues. Solid wire is preferable as it is much easier to solder to the rails. Ive talked about why here. Best bang for the buck for command are the Lionel 180W Powerhouse bricks IMO. To amplify CTvalley's very valid instructions: A forum community dedicated to model train owners and enthusiasts. UpBright 18V AC/DC Adapter Compatible with Lionel O Gauge Fastrack 10" Remote Control Terminal Straight LionChief System Track 6-1923100 HKYF45-180230T-US DC18V 2300mA 18VDC Power Supply Cord Charger. Starter set locomotives can pull up to 12 cars easily, and most can handle up to 20, so building a longer train will not harm your engine. Although I am an electrical engineer, I just add stuff until the transformer gets too warm and then I branch off and add another. 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. Get 20 articles about compact layouts and how to build them. 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. 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. Frankly, its hard to go wrong with either of these transformers, especially at todays prices. The preferred choice for wiring control panels is telephone or telecommunications wire. Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. The smaller of the two is # 12028, which turns your oval into this: There is also the larger 12031 plan, which has a couple extra straight track pieces included, creating this: Even better, one or more of the expansion sets can be combined to create even more interesting track layouts. The Lionel motor is a collection of four electromagnetic plates with a rotating sweeper arm called a brush. The multi-conductor wire is also available. The Lionel ZW has four sets of posts and six controls. Many will still run on the track in your starter set, but because they are scale sized, the bodies of these cars may be slightly wider and longer than those in your set. Past,presentand future. Sell Your Trains Yourself At Train Shows. Transformer Size Requirement? - Classic Toy Trains Magazine All power supplies will be rated for volts, amps, and watts. The higher powered units would not meet todays safety standards as issued by Underwriters Laboratories. Lionel 1033 90 watt Transformer Postwar from 1950s-60s Whistle, Direction. (Use buss/feeder lines to distribute power.) Traditionally, Lionel trains run on AC but there are exceptions. The new Lionel ZW-L is getting a lot of good reviews and is a very powerful transformer for most layouts. It is 5" long. The other type of cars are the Scale cars, which are exact or near-exact replicas of actual freight cars. Which Lionel transformer do I need? - The Silicon Underground There are many advantages in repairing or reconditioning your transformers. Is there anyway of saying how much track it will power? RemembertheVeterans. Smaller feeder wires are used to bridge the small gap from the bus to the track. If you want a spur track to store an extra car or two, Lionel makes another expansion set [#12044] that does just that: Note that this set includes one switch which is the track section that makes the track diverge onto two separate routes. When running a mixed bag train show with new and old trains of mixed types such as Loinel and MTH which is better? A solid and stranded wire of the same gauge will be the same total diameter. The power supply that comes with these sets is usually a very small wall pack plug-in that cannot be easily expanded. Everyone wanted the two-handled, football-shaped, 275-watt powerhouse that was the ZW. If you want a station for your trains to stop at, there are both station platforms [#24159] as well as full sized stations [#14257]. You should always, always test your transformer for safetybefore you set it up, andunplug it when youre not using it. What lionel transformer do i need - Go Quick Qna There are a few standards when it comes to the color-coding. I have purchased diodes to put into the older transformers to see if this resolves the issue with newer tenders. First, a few general notes about choosing wire. DCS Power Supplies | MTH ELECTRIC TRAINS Effort. Controlled Magnetics has the manufacturing experience, knowledge, and facilities to repair a wide variety of electrical power transformers. What about removing flanges from diesel wheels? Don't just discard your starter set pack, though. What gauge wire is used for Lionel trains? - Sage-Advices Theres nothing inherently wrong with them, though I would shy away from the smaller transformers that are less than 75 watts, including the modern CW-40. Understanding the difference is important in getting the right power supply for your needs. The backside of a control panel can turn into a "rat's nest" of wiring very quickly. The KW has constant voltage outputs for accessories, the ZW don't have that feature just four handles for supplying power to four tracks or accessories if you like, both have whistle & direction feature. Use the CW-80 Transformer only for its intended purpose. Transformer capacity is rated in KVA (kilo-volt-amperes). Price Received. A while back, approximately 2 weeks ago while running two very lengthy loops of fast track an old transformer nearly fried (50 years old) one of my wires that I was running to my Fastrac. Again, if you have a very long run between switches, going a little larger is less likely to cause problems with voltage loss. As far as new transformers go, someone else may be able to help more than I can. And if the power supply does fail, it is best not to repair it on your own. How to correctly size a transformer | Consulting - Specifying Engineer In the middle range, Lionel made a lot of other transformers. They run on three rail track. Transformer Calculator KVA Calculator Full Load Amps Calculator Multi-conductor wires with many strands of finer wire are more common for telecommunications and electronics. Make sure you are getting the right type of power supply for your layout. Why Sign In? Although it will not have any impact on the performance of the wire within, choosing multiple colors of wire, and standardizing on a specific color for each function, will go a long way in making your wiring easier to install and easier to detect flaws later on. 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. Unlimited Members, sign in to enjoy sitewide access. You can use bus and feeder wires to more evenly distribute the power over your track. These bus wires are often more important than the size of the power supply itself in getting good results. Fortunately, in the early 21st century it is easier to expand your starter set than ever before. In three-rail systems, the outer rails are both grounded, and the center rail is "hot.". The CW-80 Transformer was meant to operate on 120-volt, 60-Hertz power. The typ miniature incandecents we use average about 100 ma of current each. This will solve the slowdown problem. For a classic setup of a single freight train running on a 48 (or smaller) sheet of plywood, a 90-wattLionel 1033 or 1044 is an excellent choice. This comes primarily from the locomotive(s) but also from lights and other accessories. This tool will allow you calculate the KVA that you need. It can run four tracks at one time, so you layout can grow. One rail is positive, the other negative. The polarities can be reversed to change the direction of the train. Then the K's will do siding and switching yard duty. I use to use one KW for 70 feet of main line, sidings and switching yard entry track. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. to run conventional you will need Legacy plus a Powermaster and Powermaster Bridge or Legacy and a TPC 300/400. Classification/marker lights on the PRR steam engine, For Sale: Lionel 6-11127 Legacy Southern Pacific GS-4 Daylight, Lionel Bethlehem Steel slag car and ATLAS NYC Baggage car, Lionel O 2333790 TrainWorld & RBP Trains Chris Raines -Exclusive - Katy LEGACY ES44AC #2021, Converting MTH Rail king GS-4 PROTO 2 to ERR Cruise Commander, The Harpers Ferry Layout II - Backdrop panels completed. Lionel Vintage Model Railroad & Train Transformers - eBay 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. --Heck, watching one train run is great, Ill bet TWO would be even more fun! If you have the proper wire size and a properly-sized circuit breaker, you should not have any problems using the old transformer. The 1033 is not the same as the 1044. Ryan Kunkle is a nationally recognized professional model train expert and writer with over 25 years of experience. what size lionel transformer do i need. Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store. Lionel makes two expansion sets for this purpose. Reverse the above if planning to run mostly Lionel and go with the Lionel command system, either the full Legacy system or the upcoming CAB-1L and just add a Track Power Controller and a cable to run most MTH engines in conventional with the Lionel systems. In most cases, stranded wire is preferred because the multiple threads provide more conductivity and flexibility. That's about enough to run a single locomotive and perhaps power a few lighted accessories or passenger cars. But if you already have a 1034 and dont need a whistle button, go ahead and use it. You should take care, however, to replace worn cords and wires. Does Lionel still make standard gauge trains? I recently acquired a beautiful Lionel NH Alco 420. To determine the maximum transformer current, divide the transformer VA by transformer secondary voltage. If you are using only LEDs for lighting, you could get away with even less. I've had light 'arguments' with fellow hobbyists claiming most of their fellows are predominantly technically - oriented vs. what I would consider is a more liberal artsy approach - any way it's a great balance. Ryan Kunkle is a nationally recognized professional model train expert and writer with over 25 years of experience. Getting Started - 3 RAIL TRAINS Connecticut Valley Railroad -- A Branch of the New York, New Haven, And Hartford. Make your Christmas complete with a Lionel HO Train under your. 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. All Lionel transformer comparisons should start here. If youre going to run more than one train, you can pair up two smaller transformers, or you can look at the two-handled transformers. They are fun to have. Mark. 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. For safety reasons, the batteries were soon replaced by a 110 volt transformer. * NOTE: We do not recommend loading a transformer above 80% of its KVA rating. Steve's rule of thumb for derating is very close to and in the same spirit as the NEC rule that an appliance may not draw more than 80 percent of the current rating of the outlet. The article you suggest would be a daunting task, as you'd have to gather virtually every known locomotive and transformer! This would be more than enough for any single train and a few accessories. Besides the train and track, accessories provide a lot of fun and animation to any setup. That it not to say that there are not engineering formulae to calculate the current draw and thus the wattage, but far and away the easiest method is to measure it. A locomotive on a mile-long loop will draw as many amps as it does on a 4x8 platform. 24v, 120v, 208v, 240v, 480v, and 600v). Its a bargain at that price. This thing has more power then I will ever need. Add a PW dual motor F3 (4 amps) with 5 lighted cars (another 10 bulbs - 1 amp) and you are cooking (9 amps). Kind Regards Steve, QUOTE: by Dave Has anyone here ever blown a transformer from hauling a double-headed Allegheny coal drag up a 2 percent grade?. Over the years I have collected boxed (mostly liquor boxes) sets from attics.So I have a variety of transformers on hand. Most feeders will be only a few inches long so the smaller diameter wire will not be a problem. It can be a great secondary power supply for lighted buildings, signals, and other accessories. He directs production at Lionel, the premier model train manufacturer, and he istheformer president of theConrail HistoricalSociety. 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. If the second digit is 9, it could be either, so be careful when considering one of them. This type of transformer is cheap, its reliable, and its easy to find. electronically controlled outputs. Been there, done that. The circuit breaker should trip with a click and the transformer should go dead. Some of the variables are obvious, others not so much. A starter set is the best way to start with the train hobby. 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. 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. White and black are common selections. View More! A model railroad train set designed for use in the United States will have a 115V AC 60Hz power requirement. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Number 22 solid wire works best on most scales. 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. Understanding Electrical Supplies and Controls.

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