k-line A-5 steam switcher and i have used it on a sw and 1033 transformer…worked great…whistle worked fine, lights came on, smoke just a flowing, a real smooth train
then i hooked this up…
and when i hit the whistle it doesnt work, i hear a chirp but thats it, lights get brighter and speeds up a little, just like the other engines…worked fine on the other transformers…and on the other hand my williams and my other lionel works fine on the same transformer the k lines whistle wont…am i doing something wrong?
The disk rectifiers inside the ZW are pretty much shot. When these fail, there is no DC spike to trigger the whistle/horn and the compensating winding for the whistle button still cuts in and causes the loco to speed up (the old oxide rectifiers were very inefficient and a small booster section of the transformer would cut in to compensate for the volatage drop). You can:
a) Replace the oxide rectifiers with replacement, thus not altering the value of the ZW
b) Replace the oxide rectifiers with modern silicon diodes
c) install a couple of external sound activation buttons and by pass the buttons on the ZW.
I would probably opt for c unless you feel comfortable fiddling around inside the ZW. It isn’t brain surgery and there are lots of manuals (even some videos) on how to fix it. C is reasonbly cheap and very easy.
Zeke, can’t say specifically about the A5, but I do know that as far as the horn or whistle components of the lesser expensive K-Line locos like the MP-15 (the later ones that had horns) or the basic K-Line starter Pacific style steamer that you NEEDED to use the K-Line horn/whistle activation button that was included.
On those locos, for whatever reason, Lionel transformers do not work in activating the whistle/horn. This was also pointed out somewhat negatively in a CTT review some years ago. Or you need to use one of the better K-Line transformers that had a sound activation button. Maybe other transformers like MRC or MTH work: that I don’t know. Possibly others can chime in on their experiences.
The situation on sound compatibility and transformers no doubt changed on the higher priced items when K-Line started including Lionel TMCC and Railsounds in their products as the K-Line “REAL Sounds” turned out to be problematic and a clinker.
I’ll also add that CTT reviewed this loco but it was the high end version with TMCC and Railsounds. I saw no review in my OGR magazines, but I might have missed it. The advertising at the time done by K-Line mentions no sound activation button included with the basic $139 loco package.
Had this problem with an MTH x-former and an Flyer by lionel loco but the only thing it did was activate the bell with the whistle button and the whistle with the bell button untill I switched the the wires around to the track.
Zeke I would try the wires first to see but I think it may be as stated earlier that it cound be the rectifier.
Zeke this is the great thing about this hobby is that you learn electrical/electronic skills and mechanical skills along the way[:D] and if you do not have those skills you can always find some one who does on these forums.
while it was free it works fine. its not the transformer, cuz all my other engines run and whistle fine its just the kline a 5 . i will just keep that one on my other transformer if i have to.
i will try switching the wires later on and will let you know how that works
Zeke, just get a couple of sound activation buttons. The ZW can’t produce a nice clean DC spike and some of the newer electronic detectors need a nice clean spike. Old K-Line units packaged in the B&W boxes are more likely to have problems and need a “special” K-Line whistle button.
I have my original PW ZW from when I was 6 years old (aka 1958) and was using it until recently. Some of my loco’s horns/whistles will work with it, some won’t. ALL work when I use the external sound activation device. Enjoy that ZW, they don’t make em that way anymore.
Lionel part number is 6-5906. It is usually bundled with sound cars like whistling tenders or Railsounds cars that have been issued over the years. You can also “roll your own” with some diodes and a momentary contact switch (aka a push button). The circuit diagram was in CTT a few years back. I can try and find it.
Zeke, the K-line Whistle/Bell activator was packaged with a K-line transformer, the 950B. I had one,but i sold it. It worked very well for me. The Lionel 6-5906 buttons are just as good.
