what size lionel transformer do i need

The first is the traditional or classic size, which are the cars that match starter sets. HO trains are very durable and are made with high quality parts and pieces to ensure the longevity of the Lionel train brand! In addition to the wire itself, connectors like crimp-on terminals and terminal blocks must also be purchased in larger (and more expensive) sizes. The CW-80 Transformer was meant to operate on 120-volt, 60-Hertz power. Adding more freight or passenger cars [also known as rolling stock] to your set is another way to quickly expand your railroad. (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. Ive talked about why here. Stop it with your hand to full stall, and it goes up to four amps--sixty watts--trying to pull. 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. The larger transformers could operate up to four trains independently. They are known as HO train sets because they are half the size of O-guage. its the amount of engines you need to worry about, I'm currently running my entire layout on a single DC power supply that came with an Athearn engine/track set. Unlimited Members, sign in to enjoy sitewide access. Everything you need to get going is included, its reliable, and setup is usually very easy. Lionel makes two expansion sets for this purpose. You must be signed in to continue. Fortunately, there is an easy way to tell these cars apart, and the key is the numbers Lionel assigns to them. --Heck, watching one train run is great, Ill bet TWO would be even more fun! Never Enough Room, Time or Money for all the Trains! I'm not sure I completely understand your question. 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. It has FasTrack connectors on one end and O Gauge track pins on the other. Price Received. :-). The iconic and legendary 270-wattLionel ZW was the biggest and best transformer Lionel made in the postwar era. --I wish I had some more cars to put behind the engine. 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. The locomotives are battery-powered and made of durable plastic. Here are a few: --The Lionel Fastrack Book, by Robert Schleicher. American Flyer Trains were made in several gauges. Does Lionel still make standard gauge trains? The farther from the transformer the more resistance in the rails and your engine will slow down. What size Lionel transformer do I need? If you have to ask,your needs are a lot more modest than that. 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. This tool will allow you calculate the KVA that you need. If you plan to just run MTH go with their DCS system if you plan to have a number of different engines or the MTH DCS Remote Commander which is limited to running only one engine at a time. To amplify CTvalley's very valid instructions: A forum community dedicated to model train owners and enthusiasts. 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. Sell Your Trains To A Train Dealer or a Single Buyer. This has the added advantage that Lionel TMCC (command control) will operate correctly. The larger transformers could operate up to four trains independently. The fraction of your transformer's power lost in the track will therefore be well under 10 percent, since it is proportional to the voltage drop. When they were manufactured by The American Flyer Manufacturing Company, they were made in Standard Gauge and a version of "O" gauge. Many manufacturers assemble cases with special screws to prevent access to the inside and accidental shock. Transformer capacity is rated in KVA (kilo-volt-amperes). Make your Christmas complete with a Lionel HO Train under your. 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?. This is because the demands for power are becoming more than your transformer can handle. 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. Thus an appliance with a 15-ampere plug (the usual kind with parallel blades) must draw no more than 12 amperes. Although not necessarily a mandated standard, white, black and or red are used for track power on most layouts - if for no other reason than these colors are easiest to find. This works for command control layouts too, since those parked trains are still drawing some current. 40-500 50 Watt AC Transformer - 50 Watt AC transformer suitable for . If they do, follow their recommendations. 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. 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. In some cases. Professionals Need: Kindle Direct Publishing Indie Digital & Print Publishing Made Easy Amazon Photos Unlimited Photo Storage Free With Prime: Prime Video Direct Then the K's will do siding and switching yard duty. Lionel introduced a few LionChief Plus 2.0 starter sets in 2022. 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)! That might work, but it's probably borderline, especially if you are using something like a 1033 transformer that tops out at 16 volts. Whatever colors and pattern you choose, just make sure to keep a good notebook handy to reference later. Just not quite as much. It also has an optional bell sound that can be turned on and off. Again, if you have a very long run between switches, going a little larger is less likely to cause problems with voltage loss. I use to use one KW for 70 feet of main line, sidings and switching yard entry track. Both are lighted. One rail is positive, the other negative. Sign-up for email today! Ive written more about the Lionel ZW here. $2799. This is interesting stuff. I thought you wanted information related to your layout not operations at a trains show. (10 lights X . You should always, always test your transformer for safetybefore you set it up, andunplug it when youre not using it. If your track joints aren't near perfect or if you should want to split that loop into two blocks, you'll double the voltage drop. 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. Reading & Northern, Reading Company, Reading Lines, Philadelphia & Reading. Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month, Calculating transformer size for layout size. Do not operate the CW-80 Transformer with a damaged cord, plug, or case. There are a few standards when it comes to the color-coding. DCC decoders are one good example where the wire colors are critical. First, a few general notes about choosing wire. All Lionel transformer comparisons should start here. If youre comfortable doing some work yourself, you can buy a fixer-upper, and my informational links will tell you more about fixing one yourself. (using 4 of the 180 watt Lionel bricks) That's 10 amps per channel on all 4 channels. www.spankybird.shutterfly.com, God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of theNRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified. Older transformers I had this issue with are RW, 1033, KW, ZW.newer transformers were all made by MTH. This conserves the trains' power supply for their needs and makes troubleshooting much easier. Within that range, it is generally recommended to go for the most robust power supply possible. You have pretty much pointed up the major problem, everything is different. Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. Serving these devices with their own dedicated supply will not only allow you to supply them with a proper constant voltage, but it will also free your main power supply to handle the load of the train itself. Mike, The size of the transformer is dictated by what you want to run, the more you run the more power you will need. Understanding the difference is important in getting the right power supply for your needs. As the motor takes in more electricity, the arm turns faster and faster. 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. 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. The choice of a control system is somewhat, but not necessarily, dependent on which manufacturers engines you prefer or have the most of. Ran 6 motors [MPC's]. Make sure you are getting the right type of power supply for your layout. I would check yoour connections and wire size, just to be safe. If you are using only LEDs for lighting, you could get away with even less. I have since wired the new transformer to my layout along with the old ZW. Fortunately, in the early 21st century it is easier to expand your starter set than ever before. For safety reasons, the batteries were soon replaced by a 110 volt transformer. If you found this post informative or helpful, please share it! 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 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. 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. The 1033 is not the same as the 1044. Number 22 solid wire works best on most scales. Most people start with a pre-packaged train set. 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. ransformers were issued by Lionel thoughout the Post War period. There are many advantages in repairing or reconditioning your transformers. There have been issues with chopped waveform transformers, i.e. 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. The KW used to be really expensive, but since Lionel started making big transformers again, you can get a KW for what a 1033 used to cost, which makes it a very nice bargain today on a rugged and powerful transformer with an impressive presence. Lionel Postwar 1033 Transformer Watch on 24v, 120v, 208v, 240v, 480v, and 600v). 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. Serious or fatal injuries may result. It would be advantageous if OGR magazine would put an article together comparing the major manufacturers transformers output waveform compatibility/ incompatibilitywith the various manufacturer's locomotives - Atlas O, Weaver, 3rd Rail, MTH , Lionel etc and conventional , DCS , TMCC, Legacy command control. Take the hint. 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. If you like fixing things, fixing an old transformer is rewarding. The transition section (#12040) allows you to connect conventional O Gauge track to FasTrack. Are you running command or conventional? Sell Your Trains Yourself On eBay. Smaller feeder wires are used to bridge the small gap from the bus to the track. 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. 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. 40-200 20 Watt DC Transformer - Small DC transformer suitable for powering a single HO diesel or steam locomotive equipped with Proto-Sound 3.0. Used a 1033 for accessories and lights. The Lionel 1033 is a great choice for small or medium-sized layouts. We use a ZW 275 and a KW on this, so 405 watts. You don't want to try to solder even Number 16 gauge wire right to your rails, however. HO gauge is very popular because of its size. They run on three rail track. This comes primarily from the locomotive(s) but also from lights and other accessories. Most feeders will be only a few inches long so the smaller diameter wire will not be a problem. Enter your e-mail address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by e-mail. I have a 3amp, 40watt transformer. If you have time, check out the "Coffee Pot". A model railroad train set designed for use in the United States will have a 115V AC 60Hz power requirement. Electric Trains make great power supplies, depending on usage, on a DCS controlled layout. 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? With multiple switches, lights, power supplies and more all concentrated in a small space, color coding and neatness pay off. I bet they would be great for running lights and unloading the main transformer. All Lionel transformer comparisons should start here. Number 24 to Number20 wire will all work with most layouts. 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. Adding lights to buildings, streets, and other scenic accessories usually do not require anywhere near the amperage demand of the trains themselves. But it is important to take a close look at the cars to make sure that they are a good match for your set. Use the CW-80 Transformer only for its intended purpose. My question is this in order that this doesn't happen again what type of transformer would you recommend? They do not include a track or power supply, so you will need to buy both separately. These systems still require a power supply but it only needs to supply a constant voltage to the rails. Some of the variables are obvious, others not so much. Now, I diconnected that old dinosaur and connected two separate smaller ones which weren't powerful enough to run my Amtrack MTH trains. I got a lot of lightweight transformers that came with starter sets over the years. Most two-rail track systems use direct current (DC). 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 justhave a very basic 027 set (guessin' mid 80's?). It's expensive, but the same factors that drove KW prices down are also driving ZW prices down. http://www.lccuk.org.uk/lccuk Regards Nick Save Reply Quote N Nick12DMC Registered Lionel CW80's can be found for around $50 at Greenberg and other train shows. Service/Tested $55.00 1 bid $14.06 shipping 1d 6h LIONEL TYPE (KW) TRAINMASTER TRANSFORMER FOR PARTS OR RESTORATION $17.05 4 bids $19.95 shipping 9h 23m The Lionel motor is a collection of four electromagnetic plates with a rotating sweeper arm called a brush. If you have a very long run, you may want to consider Number 12 wire. Alternating current (AC) is the preferred power for most O Gauge three-rail trains as well as some two-rail systems in smaller scales. "O" Gauge is what Lionel is today, along with "O27". While most of the American Flyer products are re-issues using old Gilbert tooling from the 1950s, the O scale equipment is a combination of new designs and reissues. 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. It is best to use at least two different colors for your track wiring (one for each rail). Just not quite as much. Lionels HO Gauge items are back! Needless to say the "Spring into Spring" train show very nearly became unsprung! Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content. 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. Lionel is also introducing a new 180 watt transformer to accompany the 80 watt CW 80. You may never use all the amps, but it's usually cheaper to grow into a power supply than to continually upgrade. Here at Trainz, we carry all of the products you will need to go from a starter set to a miniature railroad empire. On a large loop of track you will need to have multiple drops, hook-ups, to the transformer because if you only have one hook up the train will get slower the father away it gets from the transformer. Our community is FREE to join. The larger wire is usually more expensive and more challenging to work with. And of course, individual Fastrack sections are also available. If you have a starter set and have had thoughts like this, youre not alone. This type of transformer is cheap, its reliable, and its easy to find. An Essential Guide for Toy Train Enthusiasts! no it isn't. Lionel 1033 90 watt Transformer Postwar from 1950s-60s Whistle, Direction. If youre looking for Lionel transformer comparisons, youve come to the right place. It is not uncommon to see 50-year-old transformers still going strong on a model railroad. I thought an ENGINEER was the guy driving the train? And even when Lionel trains run on AC, they sometimes do some DC trickery. 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. You can't count on a lack of compatibility issues for one Legacy locomotive being definitive for all Legacy locomotives, for example. And that means theyre affordable. The article you suggest would be a daunting task, as you'd have to gather virtually every known locomotive and transformer! But were talking the trains that are in the absolute best condition and might not have ever run on the track. A small set that came with track, transformer, etc. Traditionally, Lionel trains run on AC but there are exceptions. If the transformer fails, you most likely have a short or overload somewhere in the control circuit. Yes, but the train will probably run too fast, depending on the output voltage of the transformer. 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. Ryan developsmodeltrainlayouts for public andprivate display. Dang, this math makes my head hurt. By creating alternate routes, more complex loops, and storage tracks, your trains will suddenly be even more interesting to watch and they will begin providing you the feeling that they are going somewhere and that you are running a small railroad. Transformers are designed to fail if a short in the secondary or control side occurs. Another classic is the Automatic Gateman. Besides the train and track, accessories provide a lot of fun and animation to any setup. The Lionel ZW has four sets of posts and six controls. It does run on conventional power but not great and no whistle or bell. The new Lionel ZW-L is getting a lot of good reviews and is a very powerful transformer for most layouts. All Lionel transformer comparisons should start here. Three conductor wire is common for household use. The modern equivalent is the Lionel CW-80, but frankly I like the old ones better. 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. For a 300W set up this will cost you about 100. editors report that most of the wiring issues they address involve basic principles of electricity - the stuff that Ben Franklin played with when he flew his kite. How do you choose the right power supply for your model trains? 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. White and black are common selections. Should it be a Lionel or should it be an MTH with command control? 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. All members here are welcome to drop in and visit. Frankly, its hard to go wrong with either of these transformers, especially at todays prices. A new ZW will run you in the neighborhood of $450.00 or a little less depending on your dealership. From 25 Watts to 275 Watts, a Lionel transformer could be found for every power requirment from simple circles of track to extensive railroads. View More! Solid wire is preferable as it is much easier to solder to the rails. They run on O Gauge track, but they are not exact O Scale cars. Starter sets almost always include a power supply along with the track and train. My layout I am building is 5 sheets of 4x8 plywood and it will probaly take me 100 years to build it (I hope I have that much time left). Transformer sizing for new systems