Thought you might like to hear about an unusual transformer I got with my first train set: It is a Lionel Type H. It was designed to run on 25 to 40 cycle electricity and has a capacity of 75 watts. I grew up in western NY, which at the time had 25-cycle electricity from Niagara Falls. When Niagara Mohawk came around after WW II to convert everyone over to 60 cycles, they were giving kids new transformers for their trains–EXCEPT ME!! Because mine could operate at 40 cycles they felt that it way good enough at 60 cycles.
I still have the transformer (and the train set) and use it to power a few accessories. The locomotive is Columbia 2-4-2 (Lionel 229 made in 1941). The cars are passenger cars.
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