WIRING LIONEL # 445 OPERATING SWITCH TOWER

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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CAN ANYONE ASSIST ME PLEASE ? I AM HAVING THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME NOT ONLY WIRING PROPERLY, BUT ALSO GETTING THIS ACCESSORY TO WORK. #1. I AM NOT ELECTRICALLY INCLINED & #2. I DO NOT HAVE ANY DIRECTIONS FOR THIS ITEM. I AM GOING TO RUN IT TO AN “INDEPENDENT TRANSFORMER !” I WANT IT TO RUN AUTOMATICALLY EACH TIME THE TRAIN TRAVELS OVER IT’S TRACK AREA. ANY DIAGRAM THAT ANYONE CAN PROVIDE, SIMPLIFYING THE PROPER HOOK-UP, WOULD CERTAINLY BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. (04-03-2013) > JERRY

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FOLLOW THESE DIRECTIONS.

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You can also wire it to operate directly from the track, using a “control rail” instead of the 153C contactor. A control rail is a length of outside rail that is completely isolated from the rest of the track.

Lionel sells special sections of tubular track with one outside rail insulated from the metal ties, for making control rails. Put as many of these as you want together with metal pins, but put plastic pins in the joints where they connect to the regular track. Or you can insulate your own track by prying up the tabs that hold the rail and inserting thin pieces of cardboard as insulators. If you’re using fastrack, there is special track for that too.

Connect the two points that go to the 153C in the diagram directly to the track instead. Connect one of them to the regular outside rail and the other to the control rail.

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You can also use one of these.

http://www.lionel.com/Products/Finder/ProductDetail.cfm?ProductNumber=6-14111&expandBranch=0&Keywords=153IR&CategoryID=0&RailLineID=&CatalogId=