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I am resurrecting my 1957 Lionel 027 layout with a combination of original and used track.  I am also adding about 60 feet of O gauge track and a bunch of used O gauge equipment purchased over the last couple years.

Assembling the 027 first, I placed lock-ons about every six feet, wired them in a "daisy chain" fashion, and used 16 gauge stranded wire.  Since then, I have burned out two transformers, the original 1957 one and a used 80 Watt one I bought on e-bay.

Should I have used solid wire?  Should I have used 18 gauge?  The freshly lubricated engine was running well and the 80 Watt transformer just died after about 20 laps by my diesel locomotive, which appeared to be running fine with no sparks.

Or is this just a coincidence?  I ordered a larger wattage transformer on-line, which I intend to use on the O gauge section.  

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Both transformers lost enough voltage that the trains would not move at all.  I don't remember the output, but I know it was less than 10 V.

I don't know where the circuit breaker is on either transformer, so I am attempting to attach pictures.  A frozen circuit breaker makes sense to me, since the 1053 was last used in 1982, and the 80w is an ebay purchase of unknown history.

If someone can point out the circuit breaker in my pictures, I can test, or have someone more electrically inclined test for me.

Many thanks.

Dale

 

Attachments

Images (9)
  • 20200127_105111: 80 W
  • 20200127_105524: 80 W
  • 20200127_105526: 80 W
  • 20200127_105535: 80 W
  • 20200127_105544: 80 W
  • 20200127_110318: 1053
  • 20200127_110451: 1053
  • 20200127_110514: 1053
  • 20200127_110533: 1053

Sounds like you have a short somewhere. Make sure all the center rail (power) wires are connected together and all the outer rails (common) wires are connected together. If they are mixed you will get a short. Another possibility with old track is that one of the center rail insulators is damaged, causing the center rail (power) to short to ground (the ties and outer rails).  

Thanks for the responses.  I am taking my transformers to a friend who is electrically inclined and can solder well sometime this week.  Meanwhile I bought rail pliers for the 027 section to crimp the rails correctly around the pins.  I have checked polarity on the 027 section and they are all correct.

I purchased some more lockons for the O gauge section and am in the process of installing them, which I hope to complete today.  Will test every couple of connectors with my new-to-me transformer, so I don't fry another one.  The O gauge track is in much better condition than the 027 from 1957.

BTW, is anyone on the forum near me?  I'm in Sparks, NV.

Dale

 

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

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