I put my ready to run loco on the track with the MTH z-1000 transformer and all it did was go forward and the whistle kept blowing the entire time! So I’m guessing they are not compatable? I have to have the z-1000 to run my MTH train or I would just use the CW-80. Any advice?
Robert
They should work, you may need to add an illuminated car or use a lighted lockon. Modern switching power supplies occassionaly need additional loading to work properly.
My MTH z 1000 runs all my Lionel trains ok!
Mine will run my Lionel Alaskan diesel and trolly just fine. They are both nothing special.
Wes
I use the Z-1000 to power my Lionel trains around the Christmas Tree.
Chris
My local Hobby Shop told me the controller could be bad, since it powers up. I had just sent the MTH engine in to be fixed because it wouldn’t run (right out of the box). I kept telling him my Lionel would run, but it was making nothing but non stop whistle sounds. My LHS rep says the whistle button may be the problem. Sometimes it’s just better to buy local on not online! Only time will tell, when the MTH repair staff gets back to me about the engine I sent in.
My controller, not the transformer, was bad out of the box set. Any LHS worth it’s salt should be able to isolate the problem for you. Take your controller, “bad train”, and transformer in and let them troubleshoot if for you. The owner gave me a new controller on the spot. Mine wouldn’t shut down voltage to 0 when it was in the “off” position. The MTH train would shut off, but the Lionel would slowly try to go around the track. My horn button seemed to always be on as well.
I guess I will add that it helps if you buy stuff at that LHS, not just take broken things in for fixing. Not sure if you got this kit from the LHS or not.
Wes
Mine works great!
I wonder if there are some bad controlers out there on this transformer. I recently bought a new one from my LHS and the controller did not shut off power when the knob was at zero. I got my money back and am still in the market for a transformer.
I don’t want to be a whistle blower, but there might have been some bad units out there. I am so used to stuff not working like it should when I get it. I just assume it’s because someone is making $5/hour or less, and doesn’t really care.
I would just ask for another one. It worked for me, and I got to play with it that night, and I didn’t have any resentment towards MTH. My LHS worked hard to keep me happy, that’s for sure.
Wes
My Z1000 works with everything I own, so you may have got a bad one.
The only thing I don’t like about the Z1000 is where MTH put the circuit breaker reset button.
Lee F.
The MTH transformers will work with Lionel loco’s but if I try to run the MTH loco’s with Lionel power I loose some of the PS-1&2 functions.