I have a Lionel train set which includes a 4 wheel industrial switcher made in the 70s.
It has a dc motor;can it operate off a MRC HO power pack?
railfan1950
It won’t hurt the motor but the power pack may not have enough output to run the engine for very long. If the circuit breaakers starts going on/off then you will need to find something with more power.
MRC might make a DC transformer with more output than an H.O. transformer, probally need a G gauge transformer. An H.O. transformer will pop it’s breaker very quickly as the amount of volts needed to start will be too high for the transformer to handle and the breaker not to pop off.
I tried with a small H.O. transformer, Life Like, with a Lionel DC engine for three rail and it the transformer buzzed a little and the headlight just bearly lit.
Lee F.
Roger, I run my layout on DC power, so there is an area of expertise for me.
YES, any HO power pack will run this loco only just fine. This loco has no circuit board and will use less power. Other locos that have DC can motors and circuit board reverse units use a little more power because of the design of the circuit boards.
I found a typical HO power pack will have just enough power to run an as-is out of the box older K-Line S-2 switcher loco (which has two motors and not one like your loco) with one lighted caboose (and some non-illuminated, non-operating train cars).
There are two more disclaimers here:
One is that some HO power packs are not very sensitive on the low end of the variable power, and this included some of the older MRC power packs. Therefore the engine alone with no train cars will run fast… that is, it could be impossible to run the loco at a slow crawl. Doing this will depend on the quality of the HO power pack. Some of the new Bachmann HO power packs coming with their HO sets will absolutely run the loco slowly. Those are decent power packs for a starter set. The typical style black rectangular box HO power pack with the swing-up red power handle will not run the engine alone slowly.
The other problem you might run into is when you add illuminated cars to a train. Most small HO power packs do not have much reserve power, and that also includes many MRC HO power packs. Adding a single illuminated caboose should be fine. Maybe one more illuminated car. Any more illuminated or operating cars and you might trip the circuit breaker in the power pack.
Also bear in mind a typical Lionel illuminated caboose with a 12-18 volt bulb will not get very bright unless the train is running at full speed. Changing the light to a lower voltage bulb like a 6-8 volt bulb will be better.
I set up a trolley line, run on DC with a MRC 2800 transformer. DC only engines are handy. I do not have any difficulties.
I agree with everything that Brainel027 stated in his message above.
Could you not just wire a bridge rectifier in the engine and use an AC transformer? Then all problems solved. You could most likely purchase one at Radio Shack. I do not what spec however. A good question for lionelsoni
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062580
or anything with at least this one’s voltage and current ratings (50 volts, 4 amperes).
“Could you not just wire a bridge rectifier in the engine and use an AC transformer? Then all problems solved.”
Not necessarily. It depnds on what AC transformer one is using. Most postwar Lionel transforners put a minimal 6 volts to the track. Fine for an open frame AC motor. For some of the basic DC can motored locos, with that high minimum voltage to the track, the loco will NEVER run slowly without pulling a lengthy train. CTT has made note of this whenever they review lower end locos like the K-Line MP-15. Most likely they are using one of the transformers I just mentioned. Even an issue or two ago there was a letter about a Lionel Dockside switcher not running slowly. Again, postwar and modern locos with command features need more power to get moving. The more simple DC can motored locos do not.
The key is to use either a modern transformer with a zero starting voltage or the postwar Lionel KW or 1033, both of which can run these DC can motored locos slowly.
And before anyone asks, Williams uses a larger 6amp circuit board with larger horizontally mounted DC motors, so they do run slower even with postwar Lionel transformers.
So it depends on what kind of transformer the fellow that started this thread has. Plus adding the rectifier will allow one direction operation only. So either he adds a modern circuit board reverse unit or uses a DC power pack.
It sure has been my experience that the lesser expensive, non-command types of locos with DC can motors actually run much better, smoothly and consistantly on DC current which is why I made the change.
Thanks for the reply. The Lionel set also came with an older diecast loco and AC transformer.
I did try the HO power pack,which worked,but only ran the loco in one direction. Bythe way,I’d also like to modify this engine:it has dummy couplers. I’d like to install working couplers for switching.
Roger, that doesn’t make any sense to me. Most HO power packs have a reverse or direction switch to allow either forward or reverse operation which your loco should do. I would think it could be a gearing problem, but if the loco is running in one direction it should run in the other.
Maybe the previous owner already wired a rectifier into the loco which will allow AC operation, but only in one direction. I’m not sure if this arrangement would also affect operation on DC current causing running in one direction only.
Putting operating couplers on these locos come with liabilities as there is very little space between the coupler mounting and the motor housing. Your dummy couplers have a backwards “V” plastic “spring” going in the direction of the coupler itself. Most couplers have their centering spring going in the opposite direction, of which there is not enough room for on this loco.
I used Weaver operating couplers on one of my Industrial Switchers. They were on sale and I did have to play around with washers to get the right mounting arrangment and correct height of the couplers. And they are not self-centering. But as you indicate, it is nice to have opertaing couplers on these locos, though not having self-centering couplers makes coupling on far ends of the layout a matter of luck. It is quite easy though to uncouple cars.
Thanks for the comments and tips. I haven’t taken this loco apart to “see what makes it tick”
but intend to do so. I’ll also check out the Weaver couplers and see if these are feasable. I certainly
appreciate all the ideas and suggestions from those of you who responded to my question. This a
great group!
Raifan1950