Newbie Questions

Hi Dave and welcome aboard. The traction tire will be available at most train parts dealers. Jeff Kane (the train tender)is one of the best and his list is online. He like many of us will be heading to the York train show so i'm not sure if you can contact him next week but his email is available at his  web site. As far as moderniziing your transformer you will gain the use of the engines bell and the newer ones have a much better circuit breaker. Have fun!       Lenny J

I'm going to say a qualified "yes" to your Trainsounds tender, but you'd really have to want it. One current solution would be to buy a Polar Express Trainsounds tender and then transfer the electronics to your tender. There is nothing "Polar Express" specific about the sounds. You're talking around $100 and the sounds really aren't that great.

As for transformers, there are numerous good modern transformers to be had. The transformer I would suggest would be the MTH Z-1000. Use it now with your conventional engine and if/when you want to try command control it is a plug-and-go hookup for the DCS Remote Commander.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lionel-Polar-Express-Steam-TrainSounds-Tender-6-36847-/390674119134?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item5af5fdf9de#ht_496wt_1161

Gilly

If it were mine, I'd just run it and hold off on the sounds until I found a newer locomotive with sounds that I wanted.

Here's the part's list at Lionel for the NYC loco -$1.50 plus shipping from Lionel or a local hobby shop that's an authorized dealer will have them.

The 6-31914 has the NYC tender with trainsounds. There's a couple of tenders in the auction site. But, with the holidays nearing, prices are up. I'd wait and find a deal on a tender somewhere. Try the Want to buy in the misc. forum.

Gunrunnerjohn (from the forum) has this transformer for sale: 6-12938  more amps than the MTH Z-1000 and priced right.

Just turn off the whistle and buy a RailSounds or TrainSounds boxcar.  Much simpler and probably less expensive solution.

Thanks for the replies, i am going to order the parts from Lionels site and wait to see if I need a new transformer. As for the railsounds, i am going to see if i can find something used, im in no hurry to add sound.

Thanks

Dave S

I just looked up the transformer and set 1735WS. the set is a NYC or New York central set, no other info offered by Greenberg's pocket price guide from 2013. The transformer # 4851 is DC output, don't know but it won't hurt to try it with that transformer, the worst that will happen is it won't run faster then a snail's crawl, won't damage anything.

Some of the stuff made by Lionel in the past 18 years can be DC can motor only, mainly lower cost engines and starter sets. Be careful when testing a Lionel engine, use it with a DC power source first then try AC, as DC won't hurt anything but AC will ruin a DC only motor quickly. Use a car or motorcycle battery to test it.

Lee Fritz