Why didn't Lionel put an on/off switch on it's old transformers as they now have on the new ZW's?

[Hotrod]

Seems weird they Lionel never did so there must be a reason for it. 

[lionelsoni]

Lionel sold the 107 and 170 DC reducers, which could connect the track directly to 110 or 220 volts.

Lionel used the letter U for the transformer terminal to be connected to the center rail (for single-control transformers) or to the outside rail (for multiple-control transformers).

Lionel drew the whistle-control rectifier symbol backwards on their schematic diagrams.

Lionel used only a single circuit breaker for transformers with multiple outputs.

In this context, maybe omitting the power switch doesn't seem like such a big deal.

[cwburfle]

I think you have to look at what the industry / their competitors where doing when those transformers were made.
Few, if any toy train transformers were made with power switches.

[BigAl 956]

Thinking back to the 1950s an On off switch for 110v was an expensive item. They must have figure unplugging was a cheaper solution.

[lionelsoni]

Many American-Flyer transformers had on-off switches:

The switch for the 30B (and other transformers) sold for $1.05.  For comparison, the circuit breaker sold for $1.10 and the voltmeter for $3.75.

[Dave632]

 I would think that they were cutting costs as much as possible but it seems like a simple, cheap, on off switch would be affordable, especially for the high end transformer. AF surely had the better setup including the voltmeter and on off switch.

[lionelsoni]

Some years ago, I bought a 30B because of the nifty handles with the deadman's switch.  But I could never get used to the fact that the two controls worked in opposite directions.  I was forever speeding up when I meant to slow down, and vice-versa.  I finally gave up and have stuck with Lionel Zs ever since.