Having tender problems

[Chooch]

Please help! Here's my problem. I have both a set of regular O gauge and a set of fastrack. I have two modern 8632's (Penn flyer and Santa Fe engines) and an old 671rr with a 2046W-50 whistling tender. I have a Tech II transformer and a totally reconditioned ZW 275 that was made in the late 50s.

Both 8632's run excellent on both tracks and both tenders. My 671rr runs the best using the ZW because the Tech II just doesn't output enough power to properly run it.

And now to the problem. Using either transformer, the tender will only whistle when it's the only thing sitting on either track. As soon as I add any engine, it just won't whistle. If it's the only thing sitting on the track, it takes just a little bit of power and it whistles loud and clear.

Any thoughts? Is the wire I'm using too dinky? It's regular lionel fastrack wire. Please help

I told the guy who reconditioned both the 671rr and the 2046W-50 about my problem and he had no idea and told me to research the problem myself. Go figure

[ndbprr]

Try posting on the classic trains forum

[KRM]

I have the same tender with my 681 and it works fine with my ZW. I use 14 to my bus bars and 16 gauge wire to the lockons and have installed 10 amp breakers in front of the bus bars and behind the ZW to protect the wires. I don't know how small standard Fastrack wire is but would not think that is the issue. I do know that on the ZW you need to push the whistle lever all the way foward to give the tender extra power to work. You may want to hook up a meter to see if when you push the lever forward the voltage increases.

[sir james I]

What comes to mind is and old problem. The whistle tender has a motor in it. That requires extra voltage from the transformer. Try adding enough train to get the voltage up and push the whistle button slowly so the relay can kick in.

[TRAINCAT]

Take the shell off your whistle tender. Put in on the track where you can see the relay. Turn up voltage to about 14 volts and hit your whistle button. Does the relay close and stay closed without excessive blue sparking? Has your whistle tender been overhauled recently? Could be it is at fault. They need a lot more current when dirty and needing oiling.

Roger

[Hudson#685]

When running my Post War steamers, especially on a short oval, I notice that if I push the whistle button slow and stop and hold when the whistle blows it works the best. If I push it all of the way it does not always work. The same goes for my other Lionel transformers. I do not seem to have this issue with my modern engines.

Hope this helps,

John

[KRM]

Yes I agree with John. Sometimes you have to find the sweet spot. I have replaced the old rectifiers with diodes in my ZWs and still need to find the right position. So as I suggested check it with a meter and see what it is doing. At least you can rule that out in your quest.

 

[lionelsoni]

They may be longer-lived, but most silicon diodes are electrically very slightly inferior to the original copper-oxide ones, having a greater forward voltage drop.  You're not likely to notice the difference; but the more-modern silicon is not likely to be superior to copper-oxide that has not failed.

[TrainLarry]

  Overhaul the whistle motor to start with. Clean off all old oil and dirt with naptha (lighter fluid), especially the commutator and brushes, and lightly oil both the top and bottom armature bearings. Look at the contact points of the relay, and if they are pitted, sand them with very fine crocus cloth, and then clean the contacts of the residue.

  You may also need to run the engine and tender with a longer train, so that more voltage is supplied to the track to help spin the whistle motor properly.

Larry