How many of you all have/had operated with "period" equipment?

[Anonymous]

I will start this by saying that I am aware of code requirements and
safety considerations of new vs. old electrical equipment. ANY elec-
trical equipment must be under the supervision of a competent
operator. Proper fire and life-safety equipment must ALWAYS be on
site and available. End of disclaimer.

Now...How many of you all have or had ever operated a layout using
all "period" (vintage/old) electrical equipment that was inspected and
judged safe (under the above-mentioned supervision) to use.

For instance, I have in the past set up and run several Christmas lay-
outs using all vuntage tinplate track, tin 022 switches, vintage tinplate
operating accessories such as the semaphores and crossing gates,
run original tinplate engines and trains using the old Type 'B' transfro-
mers and wire-wound rheostats, and illuminated vintage buildings
with the old series-type christmas lights inside.

I have had many interesting comments from people who have visited
my layouts and seen 70+ year old equipment operating as it was in-
tended.

Now that I have moved into a basement with a house on top. I have two
permanent train layouts that still operate with vintage equipment, but
my power need require that I use more recent issues of transformers
such as 50+ year old ZWs. I still illuminate my Plastcville with the old
series type GE christmas bulbs, but they are now mounted in flush-
mounted sockets that are wired in parallel to make maintenance and
safety easier. (No more 110v building light circuits.) Still using the old
tinplate track, 022 switches and crossings all of my trains (including
the brand new stuff) work just fine and maintenance is not that challeng-
ing. No printed circuit boards to fry and yet with creative wiring I can run
multiple trains on a loop, stop and start trains remotely and hands-off,
blow whistles, ring bells, operate accessories, and even throw multiple
switches simultaneously hands-off!

Same goes with the Standard Gauge layout!

Am proud to say that NONE of my equipment contains a single micro-
chip or computer logic board yet it does everything that the "new-tech"
stuff does! Other that some miscellaneous electrical hardware such as
terminal boards and connectors, ALL of my trains are run with ORIGINAL
Lionel controllers, transformers, and related equipment.

How about some input/stories from you all out there? Maybe even a
photo or two? Also let's see some vintage photos of layouts from
"way back when"! I see some potential for good discussion and equip-
ment comparisons.

[FJ and G]

When I was a kid, I operated with what must have been prewar pack and steel O track that gave me shocks whenever I touched it.

Now, I use all contemporary stuff. But I do think that your non-chip stuff is pretty vintage cool. A lot of ghosts who used it tag along, undoubtedly!

dave v.

[Anonymous]

I don't have any microchips or circut boards on my layout either. All of the trains, track, transformers and accessories are prewar and postwar (the transformers are only postwar, though).

[Anonymous]

Definitely! Every time I run my trains I have my Dad, GrandDad and Great Uncle
along with me. Good/bad feelings. I miss 'em, but they live again with the toys
that they once had. Not to mention the other unknown folks who played with the
many items that my Dad and I bought over the years at train meets. They all got
a good home and I hope some day to see my grandchildren playing with them
before my time is up.

It also seems to interest people who aren't basically into trains but appreciate
the fact that something that old can still be useful and hold its own against more
modern issues of the same thing (toys).

[Anonymous]

ChesBchRy.

I hear you. I have a small layout on a plywood table that I operate with a postwar Lionel 1033 transformer. I run my original postwar sets and my prewar stuff I got from my friend. Everything runs just fine. I think its because way back then everything was made heavier so it just doesn't need fixing as often. It's cool to imagine that people had electric trains back 70-80 years ago and that they were made so well and run so good. I run old 027 track and switches from the 40s and 50s. I don't have very many accessories but they are original too. I hope to get more stuff for my collection and keep it original too. It just seems to mean more that way.

[Dr.Fu-Manchu]

The [}:)] Doctor is in: As many of you know, I repair and resell and collect Post-War
Lionel because the stuff was built to last. I have one old Ives set that I am going to set
up at some point, But I run mostly Post-War Lionel(some mpc due to road names).
And I find that it is easy to fix and it takes a licking and keeps on ticking(old timex mo
tto) Now take a new item and see if it can handle rough handling. Case in point, I sold
Jerry some post -war lionel trackside pieces and and a newer 40watt transformer was
not able to handle it. It just goes to show that they don't make them like they used to!
Till My Next Missive, I Remain The Humble, Yet [}:)] Doctor!!!

[Anonymous]

A good friend of mine is in TCA and, in his attic (I'm not making this up), has a large operating standard gauge (the old 3-rail that's significantly bigger than O) tinplate layout with operating accessories. Some of the equipment is original, some has been refurbished cosmetically, and some of the electrical components have been reworked or replaced. If I recall correctly he uses some postwar Lionel ZW 2-handle transformers for power. This has operated safely for at least 20 years and probably close to 40 or 50. It's purely toys--nothing scale or prototypical about it , and I don't think any of the equipment other than the transformers is newer than the mid-1930's. I'm sure some of you have similar, but for those of us who are somewhat uninitiated in the antique toy trains end of the hobby, it's a real sight to see.

[cnw1995]

The Doctor is right! I've a mixed bag now - it used to be all old prewar O manual switches and track - including a funky bridge I've not seen elsewhere - but now includes newer 027 trainset track and manual switches, a two-part newish Lionel power brick and an 'R' transformer. The transformer had been refurbished at Madison. You know what runs the best? A 248 and passenger cars which must be on its 7th decade, followed by an MPC 'blue' Sante Fe FA.

[Dave Farquhar]

My layout is all vintage O27 track, powered by vintage 1033 and 1034 transformers. I replaced most of my Dad's old track just because it was so rusted out that fixing it was taking more time than I had, but I replaced it with clean used track. I run vintage Lionel and Marx engines with vintage Lionel, Marx, and prewar American Flyer rolling stock. I'm definitely going for the retro factor. I'm a computer technician and technology writer by trade, so the simple mechanical stuff of yore appeals to me, big time. So what if it looks toylike? It IS a toy! And so is every finescaler's layout, whether he wants to admit it or not.

When I want a computerized layout, I pop my Railroad Tycoon 3 CD-ROM into the computer. Other than that I don't have much use for electronics. I can hear real train sounds if I step outside (both BNSF and UP run past my house), and for realism, well, I can see the real thing any time I want. But not everyone has 50-year-old Lionels and 60-year-old American Flyers running around in their basement.

[Anonymous]

Old or new if it works and I like it I use it. My main sources of power are an old KW and an old type V. Both have been refurbished because they finally failed. I have an old transformer that someone gave me that I am afraid to use until I have it refurbished. That puts me in the position of powering my TMCC with a pre War Type V and using a separate whistle control. A lot of you out there have large pikes and larger investments in your trains but you never go near a real railroad. I was in a CSXT station some years ago. They had computers, etc, but they still used an old telephone on an expandable wall mounted holder just like the thirties. Just look at the old buildings and new facilities and equipment on hand at real railroads. When I was a kid in the fifties I used to walk the tracks as a shortcut to Ingleside, Ill. The rails all had a cast on date of manufacture of 1943, but the rusty old guard rail over the plate girder bridge was dated 1886. The real railroads don't throw anything away if they can use it....and my little ol' B&SRY doesn't either. Odd-d

[daan]

Yes, me too. I use my prewar marklin gauge 0 track mainly because you can't get anything else in europe. But it still works fine. One note about old "transformers". There was a time they used a huge light bulb as a resistor in front of the track. I've one too, and used it, but these things are only for show, DON'T USE THEM!! On almost every step of the speed control is 220 volt open voltage (110 in usa). the resistorlightbulb only becomes a resistor when there is an amperage needed for the trains. As long as there is no train on the track, there is no amperage, and so no resistance!
These things are a real life hazard.
As I've learnt in my NEN for work, your body can handle approx. only 20 mAmps for a short time, so if you work with that older equipment, use an automatic powerswitch and an earthfault detection set for 20 or at max. 35 mAmp.
And else, have fun, nice to see that it still works!