I just received the first item ive ever won on ebay… a slightly beat up pair of #1122 switches i won for $ .99… all the moving parts work, but I will have to wait until tonight to hook them up to make sure they work…i think i read somewhere that these need insulating pins in certain spots? is this true or can i use regular lionel pins?.. also the wires on the controller are somewhat frayed, i will have to tape them so they do not cause a short, and maybe even replace the controller… i will post back later with any questions and to tell if they worked or not…
Congratulations on your Ebay win! You will need the insulated pins for the non-derailing feature of the 1121 switches. Lionel offers the insulated pins separately - make sure you get the O-27 and not the O gauge pins.
these are not completely neccesary though, are they? I ask because i dont want to hook everything up tonight to test it and have it blow up in my face or something… i could get them at a later time but for now i only have regular pins…
Also, any clue as to what gauge wire i would use on the controllers, upon a closer look i am 95% sure that the wires need to be replaced, they are so old and worn that when i move or bend the wire they crack-exposing more bare wire, so i cant leave it like this…
If you connect it to other track without using the insulating pins, the switch will buzz and quickly burn itself out. For a quick and dirty test, just omit the two pins that should be insulated, leaving a small gap instead. The two rails that need to be insulated are those that almost touch the frog.
The 1122 switches did not need insulating pins for the non-derailing feature, but these were only offerred in 1952. From 1953 on, the 1122E was available & required insulating pins in the short control rails.
The 1121 switches did not have a non-derailing feature built in, you can build your own insulated track sections to give them this feature, though.
I’ve been using 3 conductor bell wire since about 1965 with the original controllers for long runs on our 1965(gone) & 1971(still going) layouts. No problems at all.
Santa brought my train Christmas 1952 and there were no insulating pins with the switches. They worked pretty good. I had a problem with one, got it fixed by the dealer, and if I am not mistaken, they still work. I don’t use them anymore and they are retired to their original box. I still keep the stuff that I got that Christmas. About 30 years ago I traded the caboose, but still have the gondola car, the two dome sunoco tank car, and the Lehigh Valley hopper car and the transformer. Ole 2056 still runs like a charm except for continual maintenence on the %$&*$#@ e-unit!
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions and information. I spent most of last night removing the old wires, they were too far beyond use, so I went out to radio shack for a soldering iron and some new wire. Many of the pins are broken or missing, but if i do not in fact need the insulating pins then I will be able to steal the pins from a few extra pieces of track laying around and test them tonight.
Both of the controllers work, the one wont light up unless its at an odd angle, then it wont switch back, so i will use it without the lantern… also, it tends to stick from time to time, so i might have to double check the tightness of the wires… other than that, they both work, Thanks again to everyone!