china, Let us know how you make out. And good luck! 
+1
-Pete
China what's your main transformer. Does it have an acc. output what is the acc out voltage. Which Marx Transformer did you use(watts & access info.
When using two, are they phased correctly? Your gatemans iss.rail is sharing a wire between transformers as the wheels connect. Phasing is changed by simply flipping the wall plug over.
Early brands, and coil tapping methods can throw an occasional curve ball, and can only be phased certain ways, for certain results.
Just like Johhny5 says "Input! More input!".
Run it as designed, bulb on. It will leave more power for the coil thru the isolated rail.
more coming.....
Get the K-line "line-out" specs too. (no dcv out I'm hoping)
Careful with the MARX. My old one puts out over 20v no load.(which is kinda normal, many prewar items went up to 25volts, including the ZW predecessor the pre-war Z. The 5 extra volts got ate up before the track by external whistle controllers. The missing 5 volts in postwar, is just hiding in the now internal whistle windings.
Another note on phasing. Power strips, and plug position, and neutral blade orientation should be marked by you(sharpie right on the blade
). Just moving a plug from socket to socket can change things. Very new transformers, often aren't too big a deal. Wired wrong they normally "drop out" in a heartbeat anyhow. Old ones, its an issue! Phase it.
Once its working well, maybe screw around with the shack light.
When you have time, Id stick some heavy card stock into the isolated ties/rails too, like the center rails have(matchbook? shoebox?). I don't trust the tape not to sheer or "walk" long term.
The wire should be soldered, or have a lock on. Wrapped connections like that are weak without pressure. Pressure has a lot to do with electrical conductivity at a connection (physics, and electron business, complete with metallurgy -vs- psi formulas) This also means your tin plate cars may not work him great. But the engine wheels should get him out the door O.K. and he will likely stay out a sec. The heaviest draw necessary is at the beginning. That one does have a coil right, its not been changed to a can motor, or something? What gauge wire is that? Was it included?
Run the car right over, on top of the wrapped rail once things are phased, for your next test.
If the K-line unit is intended only for the gateman, after phasing, run the bulb on constant, and use the variable power to adjust his speed to your liking.
i think the xformer is a marx 50 watt with accessory. i'm going to take the gateman apart and give it a good oiling to see how that works. i'm running a marx streamliner with a headlight light and all metal wheels...doesn't take a lot of juice to run it..fast! i have a covered bridge with a bulb going to the track...nothing else. if a good cleaning doesn't work, i'll disconnect all the bulbs. i really think if it's running off the wattage from the speed of the train, if the cleaning doesn't work...i'm done.
I have found on several occasions that the accessory has been left "on" so long that the solenoid coil has heated up enough to distort the plastic sleeve in the solenoid coil, thereby restricting the ability of the plunger to be pulled into the coil (and the spring to return it to original position). Had to replace a coil this past Christmas season.
Don
update... i took apart the gateman and oiled it up. it worked fine before and after i did that. it just wasn't getting enough juice from the track power. so, i wired him to the accessory with a switch in the middle. works like a charm and adds "play value".
Good for you!
I didn't get an update?! (mail
), and was checking back on your progress.
Looks like my last post didn't take either. I wonder if the two are linked?
A #90 button, and a switched "trigger", and a 100% off switch position is how I would like it.
If you wanted to use the isolated rail trigger, & 1 wire from the accessories you likely can. Most variable and acc. circuits, built in one transformer unit, share the common.
But if a "common" isn't listed on the acc. side, you must still check the phase, or confirm a shared common wired internally.
Why? In some, there are actually two transformers inside the case wired separately on the outputs. (vs taps in different spots on 1 coil sharing the common(taps="a wire spliced in at a certain number of turns")).
Another reason to check the phase anyhow is you run tinplate, and any accidental connection between the flagman's base, and the outside rail could be an out of phase connection. (out of phase connections can result in well over 25v outputs)
I think you've seen in other posts there is a great "Lionel video for phasing two or more transformers" on YouTube.(I did it as a boy!
Not hard
Easy as "did the bulb light?"
)
