Lionel or MTH Accessory Transformer

Brakeman,

I have (2) Lionel CW 80's For Sale for $50.00 Ea. which will work well. You can adjust the output voltage to the best voltage for the Accessory!

Fredstrains

fstanda@cox.net

I don't know that anybody makes just an accessory transformer. You get accessory power from a larger transformer like a Lionel KW or an MTH Z-4000. The older post-war ZW's don't have accessory outputs, just four 6 to 20 volt variable outputs, don't know about the newer ZW's.

You can buy an older transformer and power your accessory that way if you like but check to see what voltage your transformer is set to, most older transformers start at 6 volts and will go up to 15 or 18 volts.

Lee F.

I use an MTH Z1000 for my accessories and four PW ZW's for power to tracks.

I have a fairly new (used < 2 hrs) Lionel CW-80 that I use just for accessories.  Only  reason I am selling is I have rearranged things on the layout and it became 'low man' on the totem pole.  I relaize this is not the sale forum, but if interested in a CW-80 please email me and we can chat.  I have found it works fine - I beleive it gives out constant 14 v, and it has terminals just for the accessories (so it will not go up/down as power is applied and reduced). 

If not familiar with it, here is a good location to see it. http://www.trainz.com/p-202016...att-transformer.aspx

Thanks.

This was what I was thinking of:

http://www.lionel.com/products...neID=&CatalogId=

I thought it might work better than a CW-80 as I have limited space and was going to mount it on the side of the table.  My CW-80 currently hangs too far if I side-mount it as it is.

I will keep the CW-80 suggestions in mind and may come back and purchase from you guys who have one as I figure out what I need to do.

Thanks.

Are there 4-post CW-80s?  Everyone talks about accessory terminals but mine only has 2 terminals and the throttle has to be full-on to operate the accessories, which makes things like car loaders tough.

If there are only two posts, it's not a CW-80. It's whatever they call the 40-watt power supply that comes in some of the Lionel starter sets.

Atlas-O makes a decent 30-watt accessory transformer with an On/Off switch, variable output, power on light, and overload indicator light.

Lee F. - Technically the old ZW has two track outputs, A & D, which had Direction/Whistle controls. Outputs B & C were intended as variable voltage accessory outputs. Generally one was set to a voltage that got operating accessories working reasonably well, and the other would be set for building lights, switch power, and operating/uncoupler tracks. Of course a lot of people just used B & C to run trains or trolleys.

OK, then yes, it is not a CW-80 -- there are definitely only two posts. 

Do you have any info about the Atlas-O transformer?  I will google it and see what I can find.

Thanks!

I would suggest playing chess.  What I mean is rearrage what you use as power to the track and then see what you need.  Also, keep in mind that if you get the CW-80 and your main power blows, you have a backup.  If you get the accessories-only unit or something with small voltage and the main power blows, guess who will be without trains until they get a new main power? 

Just suggesting to build in redundancies with the layout. Yes, if something blows you may need to eventually replace, but if you have a full-sized operational transformer just for accessories you can still use it for  accessories and temporarily for power to the track. 

Good luck.

A good 1033 would do the job. But for running newer trains it has no bell controll.

Good idea on getting another transformer to be redundant.

Definitely something to think about.

If you want, contact me off line (see  my profile for e-mail) and we can talk more about what you have.  I am no expert on power needs, but can help you establish proper structure/redundancies. 

You can check out the Atlas-O accessory transformer at:

https://secure.atlasrr.com/ato...0030&eq=&Tp=

Door bell transformers work well for accessories. Some even have multiple voltage taps. 8-12-16.

I have two Lionel 1.8 amp accessory transformers on my layout and they work fine. One transformer I picked up at a yard sale for $20.00!

Brakeman,

I used 6 of these CW80's on my Layout to CONTROL Accessories. They work great because you can set the voltage to operate your accessory best!!

AGAIN, I have two For Sale @ $50.00 each Plus Shipping. I will personally Quarantee they will work!

Fredstrains (fstanda@cox.net)