Sell Your Trains Using a Live Auction House. Mike to the forum. To participate you must either login or register for an account. I talk more in depth about the 1033 here. But it is important to take a close look at the cars to make sure that they are a good match for your set. what size lionel transformer do i need - senatlaevproducts.com Getting Started - 3 RAIL TRAINS Note that when working with specific products, manufacturers will often recommend a wire size and type. For many first-time train buyers, once the initial excitement of setting up the train and watching it run has passed, the desire to make it do more usually begins. All of the transformers that have more than 90 Watts are in great demand today as more collectors are operating retro-layouts. electronically controlled outputs. I have had the same problem. This diagram shows all of the controls and the pinout for the Lionel RW transformer. As far as new transformers go, someone else may be able to help more than I can. 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. The 1033 is not the same as the 1044. A starter set is the best way to start with the train hobby. 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. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Safety first. Model train transformer- 6 steps to understanding how they work My current layout uses about 28 sections of track (Lionel o-27). Do not operate the CW-80 Transformer with a damaged cord, plug, or case. Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. In the middle range, Lionel made a lot of other transformers. $2799. 10 Easy Ways to Improve a Christmas Train Display, Compatibility of Different Model Train Brands, How to Build and Wire Reverse Loops for Model Trains, Wiring a Model Railroad for Block Operation, Wire Gauge Standards for Model Train Layouts, Model Train Track Grades and Maximum Grade Issues. Used 1033's for sidings and the switching yard its self. 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. God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of theNRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified. Obviously, for a lot of people, the $700 Lionel ZW-L transformer is overkill. Price Received. If this happens, you will need another transformer to share the load. Yes, but the train will probably run too fast, depending on the output voltage of the transformer. 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. You don't want to try to solder even Number 16 gauge wire right to your rails, however. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Lionel 1033 90 watt Transformer Postwar from 1950s-60s Whistle, Direction. Older transformers I had this issue with are RW, 1033, KW, ZW.newer transformers were all made by MTH. A 10 amp breaker and 16 gauge wire would be appropriate for an old ZW. Extending the Reach of Your Power Today, with some luck, you can get one for closer to $100. This means that you will have about.5 volt drop if your train draws 5 amperes. Stop it with your hand to full stall, and it goes up to four amps--sixty watts--trying to pull. Number 26 to 20 wire (depending on the length of your bus) will be sufficient for most applications. Model Train Track & Transformer at Lionel Trains (Electrical Contractor with dear old Dad for 30 years) Regards Steve. Are you running command or conventional? Alternating current (AC) is the preferred power for most O Gauge three-rail trains as well as some two-rail systems in smaller scales. Length of track or type of track doesn't (or shouldn't) matter. The Lionel Multi-control 1033 is a 90 watt transformer produced from 1948 to 1956. Members enjoy 15% off any purchase in our store. These can all have uses for your layout. There are also numerous static accessories that do not operate but add visual interest to your layout, such as the #24219 girder bridge. We're sorry. Lionel 1033 Transformer Renovation Part I - YouTube Although all Lionel cars operate on O Gauge track, the bodies of the cars are made in two slightly different sizes. If you are wiring with a common rail for your blocks, then keeping the common rail the same color all the time while changing the color for the other rail in each block is also an option. In most cases, stranded wire is preferred because the multiple threads provide more conductivity and flexibility. Mike, The size of the transformer is dictated by what you want to run, the more you run the more power you will need. And of course, Lionel also makes lots of figures to populate your town. Ran 6 motors [MPC's]. 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. Now, I diconnected that old dinosaur and connected two separate smaller ones which weren't powerful enough to run my Amtrack MTH trains. I suggest that you proactively lay an 10-2 AWG NM cable (or at least 12-2) along the track and tap into it as needed to keep the voltage up. Lionel Multi-Car Freight Sets + More MTH Halloween! Are you looking for a product or serviceif so, then read this BEFORE you post! This conserves the trains' power supply for their needs and makes troubleshooting much easier. Checklist Transformer Size Calculator When sizing a transformer, you need to know the kilovolt-amps (KVA) that your machine requires. Lionel Fastrack Track System O Scale Trains | Lionel Fastrack for Sale Find 500+ popular train rides, museums, and railroad vacation destinations in the U.S and Canada! A locomotive on a mile-long loop will draw as many amps as it does on a 4x8 platform. 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. To determine the maximum transformer current, divide the transformer VA by transformer secondary voltage. 40-500 50 Watt AC Transformer - 50 Watt AC transformer suitable for . This tool will allow you calculate the KVA that you need. 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. They give a true 180 watts and have excellent electronic breakers. Expanding the basic oval from the set is the quickest way to add more interest to your trains. As you can see, a lot of great helpers here. These transformers are much cheaper than they were even just a few years ago, but that just makes them a bigger bargain today. Here at Trainz, we carry all of the products you will need to go from a starter set to a miniature railroad empire. 10 Easy Ways to Improve a Christmas Train Display, Wiring a Model Railroad for Block Operation, How to Build and Wire Reverse Loops for Model Trains, How to Choose the Right Transformer for Your Model Trains, Compatibility of Different Model Train Brands, HO Scale Track Plans for Model Train Layouts, buildings, streets, and other scenic accessories. The CW-80 Transformer was meant to operate on 120-volt, 60-Hertz power. Effort. If you have the proper wire size and a properly-sized circuit breaker, you should not have any problems using the old transformer. All Lionel transformer comparisons should start here. They are known as HO train sets because they are half the size of O-guage. Lionel Model Railroad and Train Transformers for sale | eBay For most layouts, and most scales, Number14 stranded wire will work best for your bus. An Essential Guide for Toy Train Enthusiasts! That was before all the technician assemby work was outsourced overseas and they left the poor engineers to fend for themselves. The accessory activation track (#12029) is used to activate Lionel trackside accessories. That might work, but it's probably borderline, especially if you are using something like a 1033 transformer that tops out at 16 volts. Come join the discussion about brands, various scales, repairs, storage, displays, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month, WELCOME TO THE FORUM Mike!! Effort. Which Lionel transformer do I need? - The Silicon Underground To my knowledge, you should have no compatibility issues with a pure sine wave track feed with any major brand locomotive. Lionel Trains Pocket Price Guide 1901-2022. Sell Your Trains To A Train Dealer or a Single Buyer. If you were to get a ZW 275 you need external short protection. If you want a transformer with power to spare go get a ZW! Improve ready-to-run freight cars with a little paint. A. 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. I thought you wanted information related to your layout not operations at a trains show. From 25 Watts to 275 Watts, a Lionel transformer could be found for every power requirment from simple circles of track to extensive railroads. What is the best transformer to use? - O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum how much track can a transformer handle? | Model Train Forum If you make a complete loop of 100 feet with good track joints, you'll have something like .1 ohm from the transformer to the farthest point, using the rule of thumb that most track is something like 16 AWG wire (.004 ohms per foot) and that there are two 50 foot tracks feeding the farthest point from two directions. 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. 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. View More! Doug, there's definitely room for the liberal arts approach to the hobby--I have a journalism degree; how I became a computer technician was pretty much an accident. It was one of Lionel's more venerable postwar products, lasting on the market for 18 years from 1948 to 1966. 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. Both are lighted. As time goes on you can add higher wattage bricks one by one. 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. to run conventional you will need Legacy plus a Powermaster and Powermaster Bridge or Legacy and a TPC 300/400. Fortunately, in the early 21st century it is easier to expand your starter set than ever before. If your layout is bigger than 48, you may actually find trains run a bit better with a KW than with a smaller transformer. And even when Lionel trains run on AC, they sometimes do some DC trickery. Outdoor railroads are, of course, an exception! It states: 1.25 amps for each motor, 0.2 amps for each bulb. And again regardless of scale or manufacturer, switch machines of these two types will have similar needs and performance. On the flip side, the new transformers do not seem to work as well with the prewar whistle tenders.Has anyone else noticed this anomaly? Never had a problem. 24v, 120v, 208v, 240v, 480v, and 600v). Regardless of your scale, all model railroad switch machines fall into one of two categories, a slow-motion electric motor or a "twin coil" relay. The typ miniature incandecents we use average about 100 ma of current each. 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 larger transformers could operate up to four trains independently. As the motor takes in more electricity, the arm turns faster and faster. 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. American Flyer Trains were made in several gauges. It's expensive, but the same factors that drove KW prices down are also driving ZW prices down. Its a good transformer. You can't count on a lack of compatibility issues for one Legacy locomotive being definitive for all Legacy locomotives, for example. Adding lights to buildings, streets, and other scenic accessories usually do not require anywhere near the amperage demand of the trains themselves. Retrofitting a subway line into existing benchwork - and are subway sets still being made? TRANSFORMERS ransformers were issued by Lionel thoughout the Post War period. That means there are lots of them. Now, I am going to make a suggesstion that you use a larger diameter curve for your corners. OTTS Founder These are all good, dependable transformers from the postwar era that are easy to find today, have adequate wattages ranging from 90-270 watts, have a circuit breaker for safety and have a whistle controller. Get the newest photos, videos, stories, and more from Trains.com brands. Ive talked more about the Lionel RW and the LW as well. CW80 Transformer. In most cases, because we are dealing with relatively low voltage and amperage and in a normally stable temperature and humidity climates, our wiring does not require any extra insulation. is always one of the first questions asked when someone starts to build a model railroad. What type is your old transformer? We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Actually it was a train show with varied trains of all different eras being run I have mostly MTH trains though and they wouldn't run because the transformer that was running wasn't powerful enough to cycle through my MTH trainsounds. 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. 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). Early issues used a Bakelite case while later releases had a case made out of plastic. That's about enough to run a single locomotive and perhaps power a few lighted accessories or passenger cars. Which Lionel transformer do I need? you ask? These systems still require a power supply but it only needs to supply a constant voltage to the rails. David, looking at your layout I notice there is a two rail and a three rail ? The Lionel Track & Power catalog is BACK with the latest information for more ways to make your layout even bigger, better and more powerful! For instance, a 100 kilovolt-ampere transformer with 8.32 kilovolts (or less) on the high side has a typical value of 2.6% impedance. 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. This would be more than enough for any single train and a few accessories. Lionel makes two expansion sets for this purpose. Use this index to see additional details about the individual transformers issued by Lionel during the post-war period. Please see our article on Fastrack here for more information. Ryan Kunkle is a nationally recognized professional model train expert and writer with over 25 years of experience. http://www.lccuk.org.uk/lccuk Regards Nick Save Reply Quote N Nick12DMC Registered Also, I found an old guide printed by lionel on power requirements. Expanding Your Lionel Starter Set - Trainz If you plan to add a second loop for another train in the near future, the 14198 would be a wise investment. Check out my O scale layout progress at MTF, does track consume power? You could have a poor connection that caused the wire to heat up. I'm guessing the MTH Z1000 is around $100 and the other suggestions are much more expensive. $7.89 delivery Feb 2 - 6. The Lionel 1033 is a great choice for small or medium-sized layouts. Ok our layout is 10 x 20 = 200 sq ft x 2 = 400 watts. Wire gauges are coded by their size. They are reasonably durable and were popular in their day, which means there are still a lot of them floating around so they tend to be inexpensive. All members here are welcome to drop in and visit. For more realistic operation, you need some kind of speed control (throttle) between the 10340 Automatic Reversing Unit and your transformer. Ive talked more about the KW here. I really doubt you will need more than that. 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. That said, if youre uncomfortable fixing a transformer, I wont look down on you for buying one someone else fixed up. Get 20 articles about compact layouts and how to build them. Thanks in advance for any information, Mike. These bus wires are often more important than the size of the power supply itself in getting good results. Sell Your Trains Yourself On eBay. Unless I'm all wet it sounded like there are somecompatibilityissues with certain locomotives versus manufacturer's transformer output wave forms. Handbook of layout wiring | Classic Toy Trains Magazine