what size lionel transformer do i need what size lionel transformer do i need

All Lionel transformer comparisons should start here. If the transformer fails, you most likely have a short or overload somewhere in the control circuit. Today, with some luck, you can get one for closer to $100. --Build a Better Toy Train Layout, by John Grams and Dick Christianson. 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. 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. David, looking at your layout I notice there is a two rail and a three rail ? Number 22 solid wire works best on most scales. 40-500 50 Watt AC Transformer - 50 Watt AC transformer suitable for . How do you choose the right power supply for your model trains? This conserves the trains' power supply for their needs and makes troubleshooting much easier. Well Mike what I am about to suggest may be a little pricy or at least it was for me but I have managed to buy a new Lionel ZW. They run on three rail track. At fifteen volts which is about as much as I can put to it without jumping the track, it pulls an average of 2.5 amps, or 37.5 watts--less than one tenth of the transformer capacity of 400. If the second digit is 9, it could be either, so be careful when considering one of them. June 5, 2022; cleveland open chess 2021; mexican martial arts xilam Sell Your Trains Using a Live Auction House. The larger wire is usually more expensive and more challenging to work with. Fortunately, in the early 21st century it is easier to expand your starter set than ever before. 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. 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. Sell Your Trains Yourself On eBay. In the middle range, Lionel made a lot of other transformers. Sign up for new product releases, promotions, and more. One rail is positive, the other negative. Hello, I'm new to this site, and completely new to toy trains also - so please pardon my ignorance! Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers' Henry V. I am a person with a very active inner child. If you have a starter set and have had thoughts like this, youre not alone. Sign-up for email today! They are fun to have. This means that you will have about.5 volt drop if your train draws 5 amperes. Of course, the answer to that question depends on many things. These small power supplies are designed to supply a few amps of power. At fifteen volts which is about as much as I can put to it without jumping the track, it pulls an average of 2.5 amps, or 37.5 watts--less than one tenth of the transformer capacity of 400. 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. Tech Support for the OGR Forum (NOT FOR TRAINS), PRR fellas!lets build an S2!! Make sure you are getting the right type of power supply for your layout. This is where the Lionel transformer comparisons should begin. 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. Beginners Ask Trains New trains; old transformers. The motor takes electricity through a small wire attached to a metal wheel that rests on the middle rail underneath. This has the added advantage that Lionel TMCC (command control) will operate correctly. The iconic and legendary 270-watt Lionel ZW was the biggest and best transformer Lionel made in the postwar era. This tool only evaluates common voltages for North America (ie. The best of the best Lionel trains are very valuable. 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. You must be signed in to continue. But Lionel now produces four Track Expansion Sets, which expand this basic loop into something more exciting. Wow.thanks for all the advice so far, guys!! 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. Mike, The size of the transformer is dictated by what you want to run, the more you run the more power you will need. There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, so you'll need to consider what you want to do and measure your options accordingly. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. is always one of the first questions asked when someone starts to build a model railroad. (using 4 of the 180 watt Lionel bricks) That's 10 amps per channel on all 4 channels. Lionel developed and perfected its model designs and layouts during the Pre-War Era (1901-1942). What size Lionel transformer do I need? 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. With multiple switches, lights, power supplies and more all concentrated in a small space, color coding and neatness pay off. Just get a Lionel #12053 Accessory wire set and enough extra wire to connect from the wire set back to your transformer [speaker wire works well]. Improve ready-to-run freight cars with a little paint. Ryan Kunkle is a nationally recognized professional model train expert and writer with over 25 years of experience. Connecticut Valley Railroad -- A Branch of the New York, New Haven, And Hartford. Tales From Harmon Shops, WTB: LIONEL AUTRORACKS SPECIFICALLY SOUTHERN,GRAND TRUNK,BNSF,FERROMEX. The wire can also be purchased as solid or stranded. I'm sure I'll need more help along the way, so I'll be checking back in with more silly questions! You have pretty much pointed up the major problem, everything is different. The 190-wattLionel KWwas the second biggest and second best transformer of the postwar era. 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. We feature Lionel, American Flyer, MTH, Atlas O, Williams Trains, K-Line, Weaver Models, and more. Used a 1033 for accessories and lights. 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. In three-rail systems, the outer rails are both grounded, and the center rail is "hot.". Model train power falls into one of three categories. I know this has nothing to do with Mike's original problem but is more of a reflection on Trainman's reply. Sell Your Trains To A Train Dealer or a Single Buyer. 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. The two types of cars will connect together just fine, but when side-by-side in a train, they may look a bit odd. As your layout grows so, too, will its power demand. The typ miniature incandecents we use average about 100 ma of current each. Obviously, for a lot of people, the $700 Lionel ZW-L transformer is overkill. DCC decoders are one good example where the wire colors are critical. Ill try to find a link to it for you. Today Lionel includes the same basic track oval in all starter sets8 36-inch diameter curve sections, 3 10 straight track sections, and 1 10 straight terminal section, which create this layout: Until recently, to add to this layout, you would need to buy separate straight, curved, and other track sections and wing it in creating a larger setup. Traditionally, Lionel trains run on AC but there are exceptions. 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. Some DCC systems also recommend solid wire for certain applications. Plan on using the KW's for the big layout and 1033's like I did before. The farther from the transformer the more resistance in the rails and your engine will slow down. Price Received. This diagram shows all of the controls and the pinout for the Lionel RW transformer. The 1033 is not the same as the 1044. Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership. Yes, but the train will probably run too fast, depending on the output voltage of the transformer. 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. I got a lot of lightweight transformers that came with starter sets over the years. And again regardless of scale or manufacturer, switch machines of these two types will have similar needs and performance. to run conventional you will need Legacy plus a Powermaster and Powermaster Bridge or Legacy and a TPC 300/400. Again, if you have a very long run between switches, going a little larger is less likely to cause problems with voltage loss. We use a ZW 275 and a KW on this, so 405 watts. 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. Should it be a Lionel or should it be an MTH with command control? 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. To determine the maximum transformer current, divide the transformer VA by transformer secondary voltage. 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. Stop it with your hand to full stall, and it goes up to four amps--sixty watts--trying to pull. This drawing illustrates all of the key functionality of a Lionel KW transformer. Like command control, these trains still require a constant voltage to the rails. 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 might work, but it's probably borderline, especially if you are using something like a 1033 transformer that tops out at 16 volts. LGB throttles 51070, 52120 and 52121 will all work with the 50061 and other LGB transformers. Never Enough Room, Time or Money for all the Trains! Price Received. This will spread the load of your lighted passenger consist across the two transformers. Ok our layout is 10 x 20 = 200 sq ft x 2 = 400 watts. 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 Lionel transformer comparisons should start here. I really doubt you will need more than that. And even when Lionel trains run on AC, they sometimes do some DC trickery. Why Sign In? Adding lights to buildings, streets, and other scenic accessories usually do not require anywhere near the amperage demand of the trains themselves. You should take care, however, to replace worn cords and wires. Lionel and other train manufacturers have worked hard to make adding to a set easy, affordable, and fun. That said, if youre uncomfortable fixing a transformer, I wont look down on you for buying one someone else fixed up. The Atlas and Bachmann 80 watt transformers, they are one and the same, can be had for around $75.00. Note that when working with specific products, manufacturers will often recommend a wire size and type. Controlled Magnetics has the manufacturing experience, knowledge, and facilities to repair a wide variety of electrical power transformers. The 1044 is just a 1033 in a different case. 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. Digital command control systems (DCC) uses digital information to control the electrical power to the train. To participate you must either login or register for an account. 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. * NOTE: We do not recommend loading a transformer above 80% of its KVA rating. 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. Daniel Defense firearms, parts and accessories, http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=9670, http://www.modeltrainforum.com/album.php?u=2334, 14X16 Switching style [url]http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=8241, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkMHvbckuBLo3pJN1FGE1Gg. Viola, DCS on alternate power blocks, Max signal, Happiness. This is interesting stuff. In either case, however, voltage and amperage draw is low and peak for only brief periods. Lionel 1033 Transformer Renovation Part I Peter Fenzel 306 subscribers Subscribe 11K views 3 years ago Lionel 1033 Transformer gets cleaned up, a new power cord, a new whistle rectifier. 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. I have noticed that my old transformers do not work well or not work at all with newer electronic whistle tenders. If you need a device that converts from different voltages so it can power another device, then a transformer will fulfill that role perfectly. The first is the traditional or classic size, which are the cars that match starter sets. Effort. A small set that came with track, transformer, etc. Like all electronic products, you want to make sure your power supplies are rated by the appropriate body for your country (UL for example). Get the newest photos, videos, stories, and more from Trains.com brands. The new Lionel ZW-L is getting a lot of good reviews and is a very powerful transformer for most layouts. However, there are times when the solid wire has advantages, particularly when soldering in small locations. Number 26 to 20 wire (depending on the length of your bus) will be sufficient for most applications. If the voltage drop in the track is more than a small fraction of the transformer voltage, that is, a volt or two, you are going to have trouble running the trains anyway. There have been issues with chopped waveform transformers, i.e. The Lionel 1033 is a great choice for small or medium-sized layouts. 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. As you can see, a lot of great helpers here. electronically controlled outputs. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Although I am an electrical engineer, I just add stuff until the transformer gets too warm and then I branch off and add another. The polarities can be reversed to change the direction of the train. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. This works for command control layouts too, since those parked trains are still drawing some current. This is why my wife loves me so. Frankly, its hard to go wrong with either of these transformers, especially at todays prices. I didnt mention the 1034 above because its easier to find a 1033. When you get DCS, keep the blocks and run the 2 sets off 2 Fixed channels out. They do not include a track or power supply, so you will need to buy both separately. Different wiring projects call for different standards. This comes primarily from the locomotive(s) but also from lights and other accessories. If you have time, check out the "Coffee Pot". VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. 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. (10 lights X . Keeping in mind that I will likely continue to add to the layout as my addiction develops! 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. In addition to the wire itself, connectors like crimp-on terminals and terminal blocks must also be purchased in larger (and more expensive) sizes. 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.