Lionel Transformer w/ PS3 engine

A Z-750 or Z-1000 may be a better choice, seeing as the CW-80 reportedly has electronic delays on its bell/whistle buttons that make it nearly impossible to issue settings commands to Protosound 2 and 3 locos.

---PCJ

Don't get the CW80 or any of the derivatives!  This waveform should clarify why the CW-80 doesn't make the MTH recommended transformer list!

I doubt a 40 watt transformer of any kind will not have enough power to run any MTH Engine. Proto 1 2 or 3

@ClosetGamer19 posted:

I am looking to get a Lionel 40-watt transformer (the one that looks like a CW-80, minus the accessory posts), and also an MTH PS3 engine. Either with the DCS remote commander or running conventionally, will that transformer work with the engine? I am asking because I know the CW-80 cant run mth engines. I have a CW80 currently, but its not working right.

You are turning the situation into black-and-white situation too much. A CW-80 will technically work with an MTH PS3 locomotive. But there are better transformers, as the above recommendations suggest, if you want reliable access to the model’s features and less strain on the electronics.

The only MTH locomotive I have that won’t operate with cut-wave output transformers such as the CW-80 is a original Protosounds K4s from 1996. There are others from 1996 and 1997 that share that same total aversion to anything but pure sine-wave output, but it’s a finite group of models.

Also, I agree a 40-watt transformer is inadequate if you plan on running complex locomotives like MTH PS3 models or similar Lionel locomotives.

As long as you only plan to run PS2 and PS3 locomotives, opt for an MTH Z-1000 transformer, which I’m told still has a cut-wave output but which isn’t an issue for anything outside of some PS1 models.