I came to the experts,because you guys know your stuff. I have a Lionel O gauge turnout that’s hooked up to fixed voltage. It’s got to much snap to it when it’s thrown. The other forum wasn’t too helpful. Is there any type of resistor I can get from Radio Shack that I can hook up to the power source to reduce voltage so it would be more realistic.Please fellas,don’t hit me over the head with that 3rd rail stuff. I never noticed it. Thanks Hopper By the way,the voltage is about 18-20.
Hopper–
You’ll get no hitting from me–I grew up with Lionels as a kid and loved 'em. But I think maybe you’d get more of an answer on the Toy Trains Forum than you might get here. Is this an older Lionel switch? Seems to me that they always ‘snapped’ back and forth at the speed of light. I could be mistaken, but I thought that the older Lionel switches were AC powered from the transformers.
Sorry, my memory’s faulty on this one–but I really think the guys on the Toy Trains Forum would have the answers.
Tom
I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve wished I’d kept my Lionels…
Those are big switch machines, and they probably draw a lot of current, but not for very long. I’d go to Radio Shack and get a 50 ohm and a 100 ohm resistor. Try the 50 first, then the 100. Put them in series - that is, take the wire off the center post, connect the wire to the resistor, and then connect the other end of the resistor to the center post. If that doesn’t do it, put the two resistors in series.
This is nothing more than an “engineering judgement” based on memory. It may be that a 500 ohm resistor is more appropriate, or even something larger. It may also be that you need full voltage to thrown one of these things over. But, the 50 and 100 ohm resistors will cost you less than the gas to drive to Radio $hack, and they won’t hurt anything, so give it a try.
Let us know how it works, OK?
LIONEL??? HERE???
In the words of the Soup Nazi: ‘NO SOUP FOR YOU!!’
I recently got back into the hobby. I collected my old N scale stuff from my father’ house. I always wanted HO so I found myself now building a small HO layout.
My father, however, seems to have gotten into my old Lionel/Marx O/O27 trains (which are 60’s and 70’s vintage) (which I have NO room for at the moment). He made a new layout of his own on the old train board. ANd yes, those (old) switches snap back and forth like they were running from the cops at a drug and prostitution bust. Just like they always did.
I would not worry about it. That is as long as it’s momentary contact and not prolonged so as to burn out the solenoid.
Have fun, and in the past words of some Lionel kids club publication ( I think) …“Keep on Trackin’”
Hopper,
Old Lionel transformers usually had multiple posts (terminals), with different combinations providing different voltages. There should be a base or common post, a set of posts for variable voltages, and others for different fixed voltages. Those turnouts should run on about 15 volts AC.
Are you using a Lionel transformer, or just a power supply? Have you measured the voltage you’re feeding into the turnout?
Nelson makes a good point. I believe you should check your transformer. I have a 3-rail shelf layout running around the top of the train room and have not yet experienced what you mention. I’m using an MTH Z-4000 unit.
You guys are great! taking your advice I went to radio shack. the salesrep sold me something called a 100 watt 20ohm resistor. It looks like a piece of white chalk with 2 wires out of each end.It works much slower now. More realistic,it’s smooth when you aliegn the turnout for the straight cource,but when you flip the switch for the curved section,it’s a little sluggish with a slight delay.Any ideas why it’s better one way but not the other??? Hopper