R-O-W transformer - how popular?

I have one, like you said it will power a string of lighted heavyweight passenger cars with a Premier engine in front with no problem. Fifteen years ago the Cincinnati modular group would double head Premier Challengers on one loop and Big Boys on the other loop, both pulling a bunch of freight cars.  Transformer did not warm up.  I've never heard anyone complain about theirs.         John in Lansing, ILL.

I have two ROW transformers.  They are fantastic.  Forum member Lou N designed them for ROW.

You are a lucky man with 3. I was waiting for the ROW accessory transformer (I believe it was to be 500 watts with 4 different fixed voltages) to be released when they went down.

I was just looking at my 1991 ROW catalogs the other day, and wondering about Bill Benson.....always enjoyed talking to him at York.

Peter

I have one that I use with my TMCC & Legacy equipment.  Have external fast circuit breakers wired in for procetion, never a problem.  These transformers are bullet proof. 

I have what the lady at ROW told me on the phone, was the last one they built.  It was way overdue on the "trade in your ZW for credit on one" deal when I called her after reading they were going to shut down.  I think my order of months before had been misplaced.  She called back later and said they scrounged up enough parts and a case to make mine. 

It is great for one side powering all the turnouts and the other powering many accessories, lighting, etc.  Would NEVER part with it.  Gave up running trains with it due to the 8amp-max touchy circuit breakers.

It is bullet-proof.  Was out of phase with the two Z4000s so made a phase-reverser and it worked great. 

I have one. Powers 2 loops. never even gets warm.

I always enjoy the comments about the ROW transformer. Note here that the 8 amp breakers were a demand from ETL (Electronics Testing Laboratories).  I had 10 amp breakers in it originally. There's headroom to do that if you feel like changing the breakers.  

Popularity is unknown. I don't remember how many were made.  Quite a few hundred for sure. They all sold. The one on my layout right now saw service at TAS for years as the official test transformer. 

Thanks Marty, Thanks guys! 

Lou N

hello guys and gals..........

How do you guys compared between 400 watt R-O-W to the Z-4000 ?  I am just wondering which one is most useful for our trains in heavy use ?   I have a Williams F-3's ABA set with 6 motors and 12 weighted lionel cars and draws about 5.5 amps at 13 volts and using the Z-4000. The power draw didn't make the transformer warm as it was still cool after running for half hour and the F-3's were flying.

"The virgin will be pregnant and will give birth to a son. They will name him Immanuel (Immanuel means 'God with us') Matthew 1:23 ERV (Easy to Read Version)

Tiffany

Lou...no doubt you are the "King" as far as the design of the ROW transformer.  I feel very lucky to have such a gem designed by you....it is absolutely the best IMHO..!!

Alan

Alan, I have been friends with Lou for years and he told me the parts in that transformer are the best of the best.    

Putnam Division posted:

You are a lucky man with 3. I was waiting for the ROW accessory transformer (I believe it was to be 500 watts with 4 different fixed voltages) to be released when they went down.

I was just looking at my 1991 ROW catalogs the other day, and wondering about Bill Benson.....always enjoyed talking to him at York.

Peter

Hello Peter,

In answer to your comment, the accessory transformer was made.  I don't remember how many, however.  I designed a custom transformer built by Signal. I wish I had one. 

Lou N

Tiffany posted:

hello guys and gals..........

How do you guys compared between 400 watt R-O-W to the Z-4000 ?  I am just wondering which one is most useful for our trains in heavy use ?   I have a Williams F-3's ABA set with 6 motors and 12 weighted lionel cars and draws about 5.5 amps at 13 volts and using the Z-4000. The power draw didn't make the transformer warm as it was still cool after running for half hour and the F-3's were flying.

"The virgin will be pregnant and will give birth to a son. They will name him Immanuel (Immanuel means 'God with us') Matthew 1:23 ERV (Easy to Read Version)

Tiffany

Both of those transformers are quite capable. You are consuming ~80 watts out of an available 400. All good!

I have a Z4000 and a ZW-C. I needed to test the circuits I designed for TAS for all cases. 

Lou N

Lou N posted:

I always enjoy the comments about the ROW transformer. Note here that the 8 amp breakers were a demand from ETL (Electronics Testing Laboratories).  I had 10 amp breakers in it originally. There's headroom to do that if you feel like changing the breakers.  

Popularity is unknown. I don't remember how many were made.  Quite a few hundred for sure. They all sold. The one on my layout right now saw service at TAS for years as the official test transformer. 

Thanks Marty, Thanks guys! 

Lou N

Often wondered if I could do that.  It was suggested to me the rugged box could handle 12amp breakers if desired.  Don't know if that's correct or not so didn't upgrade.

Quite possibly the best train transformer ever made. Rarely will you hear of someone selling one if they are lucky enough to own one (or more).

Kerrigan posted:

Lou N posted:

I always enjoy the comments about the ROW transformer. Note here that the 8 amp breakers were a demand from ETL (Electronics Testing Laboratories).  I had 10 amp breakers in it originally. There's headroom to do that if you feel like changing the breakers.  

Popularity is unknown. I don't remember how many were made.  Quite a few hundred for sure. They all sold. The one on my layout right now saw service at TAS for years as the official test transformer. 

Thanks Marty, Thanks guys! 

Lou N

Often wondered if I could do that.  It was suggested to me the rugged box could handle 12amp breakers if desired.  Don't know if that's correct or not so didn't upgrade.

I know 10amps is good because that's the way I designed it. You could do 12 amp breakers but now your gating item it the whistle/bell diode arrays. I probably wouldn't do 12. 

Lou N

And thanks for the good words from OGR's team of Alan and Allan. 

Regards,

Lou N

Allan Miller posted:

Quite possibly the best train transformer ever made. Rarely will you hear of someone selling one if they are lucky enough to own one (or more).

I found one for our modular club. I think it would be a conventional operators dream but did not need one for myself. Our ZW-Cs and Z4000s were not giving us enough amps to run multiple trains, especially with lighted passengers cars. I was surprised to learn the ROW had an 8 amp breaker. In our case even 10 would not be enough so we sold it to the NJ Hirailers. Like I said I would have kept it for myself but it would have only been a decoration so better it went to place where it could be used to its full extent. 

Pete

I always wonted to buy a right of way transformer because I  heard so many good things about them. But, because I have a Z4K and a couple of ZW's not to mention quite a few others from KW's to Flyer post war units I never spent the bucks.

Maybe that's why such a great product went off the market, to many old guys like me that are already over powered.

You should be very proud of yourself LOU engineering a product that past the O gauge hit parade with such high marks. I don't think any manufacture can clam such a perfect response on any of their products.

As for the ROW folks I wish you all the luck in the world.

  I was in need of a transformer many years ago.  The ROW was sold out at the time and the new MTH was delayed in production. I saw an ad in OGR for a transformer from Davis Electronics. I called and was quoted a price of $800.00. Thought about it for a day and decided to purchase it. It has 2 12 amp throttles and at the time was fully compatible with MTH's Proto 1 engines.

Not the best of pictures. This things a beast as far as weight. 

Lou, noted that you live in Ohio. Not much info ever on these. Was hoping maybe you knew the builder, designer and maybe how many were produced. Had mine many years now with no issues. Never looked inside the cover but everything about it looks well made.

What happened to R.O.W., why did they close up shop? I was out of the hobby at the time, but it sounds like they might have had some good products and I was just wondering what happened?

Seems I missed quite a lot in the time I was gone, which was a LONG time. When getting back in the hobby it was almost like a completely new hobby! Only thing the same was that it was still trains. Amazing changes!

Dave_C posted:

  I was in need of a transformer many years ago.  The ROW was sold out at the time and the new MTH was delayed in production. I saw an ad in OGR for a transformer from Davis Electronics. I called and was quoted a price of $800.00. Thought about it for a day and decided to purchase it. It has 2 12 amp throttles and at the time was fully compatible with MTH's Proto 1 engines.

Not the best of pictures. This things a beast as far as weight. 

Lou, noted that you live in Ohio. Not much info ever on these. Was hoping maybe you knew the builder, designer and maybe how many were produced. Had mine many years now with no issues. Never looked inside the cover but everything about it looks well made.

When supplies ran out on the RoW transformer, Joe Davis copied the circuit and built some of his own. I don't know how many. Joe had an electronics business besides the train shop. Joe and his capable assistant Lee Price are no longer with us, otherwise we could just ask. And, yes, it is well made. Joe was an Air Force officer; always good for some enlightening conversation.  

Lou N

Back in mid-1996, I discussed this transformer with Chuck Mazzoli (3 Rails East) and he said they had priced out the parts inside one.  He said to give you an idea of the quality of the components that are installed inside, just for those parts, the Right-of-Way 400 VA Power Supply contains over $500 worth.   Considering the assembly labor that was also needed, the ROW selling price of $749 at that time was very reasonable.   Mine has certainly been a rugged, superb tool with power to spare.