Well, my $70 Lionel Type VW has arrived ahead of schedule. Did I get my money’s worth?
Well, as promised, it does work and outputs a reasonable voltage. In fact, the voltage output is lower than a lot of other Type VW/ZW transformers I’ve seen–right around 18v instead of 20v–which is an advantage for me. Now, looking at the case, it’s pretty clear that it hasn’t exactly been pampered. In fact, my theory is that there was some water involved at some point, given the rust on the screws, post nuts, and the base plate. Surprisingly, it looks quite clean on the inside. Of course, the archetypal problem with Lionel transformers plagued this one also: the cord was pretty deteriorated. This I suspected from the listing. Anyway, I replaced the cord with little difficulty. So, it outputs voltage as it should, the direction buttons work, the whistle works (which surprised me–the seller thought that the diodes should be replaced), and the circuit breaker works. Some cleaning and it will probably be a pretty spiffy transformer for the DR&MR Club’s Mobile Railroad!
By the way, I know that it looks like the left handle is missing in the picture, but it’s completely intact. Must be some weird thingy with my cheap camera, coupled with the angle and the light.