Woverine did his research right. Lionel replaced mine with no problem. There is a batch that is bad. The code is a date on the bottom. Others are fine. My replacement has worked great [though I have not used it very much as it is too small for my applications].
I’m using a CW-80 for the Christmas layout. It seems adequate to the task for a small layout and one train running - no problems thus far. However, I do not plan to use it for my main layout that I will construct next year. I’ll stick with my KW and 1033s for that one.
Thanks for posting this. I run my 2-loop layout with 2 CW-80’s, but no manual was included with either one. Since I run ALL accessories off of 2 Lionel accessory transformers, I made-do without it. Guess I’m a odd-ball since I prefer these over my KW. Don’t like the KW power controls moving in the opposite direction to each other. So far, they have worked fine (knock on wood)[:)] Joe
Potts1,
I am very new to the hobby. Just have the Winter Wonderland set and a 145 Gateman.
This is the way Lionel said to wire the 145 Gateman with the FasTrack activater track.
I had to number the Gateman terminals when looking from the front:
No.1 is right rear. (I believe this is the solenoid)
NO.2 is front left. ( I believe this is the common)
NO.3 is front right. ( I believe this is the lamp)
CW80 track A to the track outside rail. Opposite rail that the break is at on the Activater track.
CW80 track U to track center rail. Outside the isolated section.
CW80 accessory B to the same rail that track A is connected to.
CW80 accessory U to terminal 2 on the gateman.
Isolated track ( within the breaks on the activater track) to terminal 3 on the gateman.
A wire from terminal 3 to terminal 1 on the gateman.
The Gateman and the light come on when the train entered the insulated section.
I have a sketch in Paint that I made up to wire the 145 Gateman the way Lionel said to do it. I do not know how to post a sketch on the forum. If you send me your E-mail address I will send it to you.
I did not like having the track A terminal wired to the outside rail because I thought it might goof me up later because everything else I have heard is the Lionel track A should go to the center rail. What I did was connect the Gateman to an accessory Transformer so I now have the track terminal A to the center rail. I have a sketch of this too in Paint that I would send to you.
I’m grateful to those who have posted re: the Lionel CW80 transformer. The information has been most helpful. I’ve collected HO scale for many years and decided to add a Lionel set in 2003. The CW80 was an absolute disaster even after several exchanges. After reading your posts, I have a better understanding of the problems associated with the product and the owner manual, and can now effectively resolve the situation. The set was put back in the box after several frustrating attempts to operate it. Armed with this new info, I have a plan to resurrect it.
It appears that Lionel failed to adequately test the product prior to distribution. They also skimped when producing the owner manual. This strikes me as unconscionable as it will undoubtedly cause many potential new members to our hobby to shy away due to a perception of Lionel as being low quality. Most people who purchased a new set for the first time will not spend the time that some of us did to research and resolve the issues. They will simply give up and never enter the hobby, which is a loss to them and to all of us. Thanks again for the forum and the info.
I don’t know why but I have stuck with postwar transformers. I have two KW’s and a ZW with several 1033’s and 1034’s. I have picked them up at great savings and they work fine. I don have a quick acting circuit breaker box [I built myself] to protect my DCS and TMCC. Just seems that the old ones are reliable and keep on ticking.
I never could get mine to operate properly with the isolated rail so I just hooked up the push button. With my sense of humor I think this was a better end result anyway. You just have some unsuspecting person pu***he button and just watch their reaction. [:-,] [:o)]
Has this become an ongoing problem?
I have been using two CW-80s on the small home layout for over two years. One was purchased in a hobby shop, the other at a show where a dealer was breaking up starter sets.
At various times, I run modern Lionel (conventional and TMCC), MTH (no PS and PS-1) and Williams. Have had no problems running anything. I do not have any postwar or PS-2 locomotives to test.
I’ve done the reverse wiring to trick to activate crossing gates and signals with the outside insulated rails without any problems. I can live with the bell and whistle button functions being switched.
Lou
I have a CW80 running the Christmas layout. It came with the Ridin the Rails Hobo set. The set ran fine for about an hour of running time and then the transformer just acted like it was shorted (blinking light, no power to the train). I emailed Lionel and they sent a new one out right away. It even came DHL in two days! I think it will be a good transformer for a limited layout as I don’t have any command/control. I plan to fix the original one for some light accessory duty.
Dennis
Good, Dennis. Same here.
Hope this link works,Instruction Manual for Lionel CW-80 dated 9/04.It might be helpful or not,but worth a try.
http:www.lionel.com/products/productnavigator/InstructionManual/71-4198-250-pdf
I COULD NOT GET TO WORK,sorry for taking up posting space.
Dave W.
Hi all,
I am new to this and was looking for some info on the CW-80 as well.
I just purchased a new MTH AC6000 diesel with PS2.0 and have it on a simple loop track with the CW-80. It doesn’t work well at all. The engine starts up and the sounds are ok, but as soon as the track voltage gets near 10 volts the whistle goes off and keeps going forever. The voltage on the rails immediately jumps up over 12 volts. There is also no speed control. The engine only goes very slow in both directions, and that does not always work either.
The CW-80 came with a Thomas the Tank engine set and that worked fine (and still does). Just for the fun of it I tried running both engines on the track at the same time and whistle on the Thomas engine goes off constantly as well. The performance was no better.
Has anyone else had this kind of trouble? I am planning to buy a MTH Z-750 to fix the problem.
Dave
Welcome. The CW80 has its problems. Some good transformers and then some give nothing but trouble. MTH does not “like” the CW80. Your suggested purchase will probably handle your problem. Good luck.