1999 Vintage Lionel ZW transformer problem

Hi Everyone,

Not sure how to do this; is this a closed thread? Or can I add a new/old question to it?

Up above, BIGRAIL gave me the P/N for a metal bracket that supports the potentiometer backplate inside the PWC-ZW controller. I now need to replace the actual (vertically mounted) potentiometer backplate that screws into the metal bracket that BIGRAIL supplied the P/N for. 

I can't seem to find any parts diagram for that controller to find a part number to order from Lionel Service. Can anyone on this board help?

Here's a photo of the broken part; note the broken plastic under the philips screw to the left of the potentiometer shaft.

Thanks in advance!

Roger

Unavailable.

Shows as being part of the pot assembly. Looks to be your broken part with the pots and wiring harness. Was $24 when it was available.

OH NOOOO! I hope you're kidding!

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...B0F-84336FF9F9B34795

Parts are 6th and 7th down the list. If you click on the symbol between the price and unavailable, that will show you the picture.

You could remove the part. Build it up with epoxy and reinstall 

Thanks Bill!

Don't know how I failed to pull up that list...picture's worth 1000 words as the saying goes...

I did have thoughts about using super glue to secure the piece in place; epoxy sounds better. At least I don't have to add to my doorstop collection.

Roger

OK next question: are there any disassembly instructions, diagrams, or videos anywhere? 

I suppose I could just hack into it but if someone has done it before and shared the procedure, I might save myself from breaking something else along the way...

Roger

No instructions that I found. I did put the metal replacement brackets in both of mine. Go slow. Large clean well lit work surface and keep your parts organized. Mine are not PWC, I have an early production 180 watt (had gear problems) a lot of tinkering to stabilize that, and one from a couple years later. What I did find on mine, the screw holes for the screw in your broken part, those are machined in the metal replacement Lionel part. The screws in your ZW are a self tapping type. I don't know what size you need, I was able to match it from a screw cabinet at work. A well stocked hardware store should have them, however at the time (3 or 4 years ago) I was not able to find them at Menards. Also, if you have not viewed the Mike Regan tutorial on the ZW-C it is worth the 35 or so minutes it takes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5A-KFr5SS4

Interesting that Mike Regan mentions the plastic gears & brackets; guess Lionel knows they have a materials durability problem. 

I decided to tear into the transformer. After all, what could go wrong?? 

After removing the pilot light assembly (glued in place with hot melt glue) I unscrewed the two self-tapping screws you mentioned and the Pot assembly was easily lifted out for inspection. The tricky part to master was to align the teeth of each pot with the voltage markings corresponding to the A-U and B-U handles.

It's getting late here so I'll tackle the epoxy tomorrow. That's a one-way dead end. If that fails, removal requires breaking irreplaceable plastic parts....Hmmm...I think I'll sleep on this one.

Roger

1999 Vintage funny stuff 

Here's the parts breakdown - the right-side A-B handle bracket #18 is out of stock. You would have to try some parts guys around the country or perhaps a forum member archived a couple.

Parts not available is a real sore spot for me.  I have this exact ZW.  One of my handles does not go to zero volts.  But in my case the reset button is broken.  I found the button piece of the reset button in the bottom of the styrofoam packing for the ZW and thought no big deal because I thought the only reason to use it was for a reprogram.  Then when the handle wouldn't go to zero volts, my dealer gave me the bad news about the replacement board not being available.  I was micro/miniature board repair certified years ago when I was in the Navy so I am sure I could replace the button or put something in its place but it's the point of it.  Both handles broke on mine and I don't manhandle my stuff at all.  Parts were still available at the time for that.  IMHO when you pay the kind of money we shell out for this stuff, there should parts support for more than a couple of years.

For the handle parts that are not available it might be possible to get replacements 3D printed.  I don't have a clue how to get a design done that could be printed but I've seen where this has been done for other stuff.  If you can't find the handle parts, it might be something worth looking into.

Tony

Thanks, Carl! Guess I don't know how to navigate the Lionel Support website very well. I didn't think to search 6-32930 which shows the parts explosion.

Now that I have the part # I'll email/call a number of parts places in the hopes of finding the part(s) I need.

Roger

Dug my 1999 lionel zw out that I had previously determine had a bad motherboard. Though I would test it again since that was many years ago. Plugged it in and motherboard began to smoke😀. Remembered why I purchased a mth z4000. My postwar celebration zw was nothing but trouble. Also had the handle gear problems early on. Funny thing is on my current layout I am using 2 kws ,1 r and 1rw. The olds ones just keep on working