Electronic E-unit strangeness.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I am new to the board and would appreciate any help with my situation.

I run a Lionel O-27 layout with a new Lionel CW-80 transformer and traditional triple rail track. The direction button on this transformer sends the power interrupt to activate the E-units, as usual. This works on a variety of locos I own, mechanical and electronic E-units, both.

I recently bought a Ready Made Toys Beep with an electronic E-unit. This is a great unit and I can't say enough good about it, except for the following mystery. . . it behaves as if the E-unit is "locked" into forward mode, even when the switch is in "unlocked" mode. I have tested the switch, itself, by isolating it, and it works fine.

Here's the clincher. . . When I take the bare wires from the transformer and run them to the pickups and chassis, the loco, will rotate through the forward, neutral, reverse without a hitch. When I try the direction button again holding the wires there, the loco acts as if it is stuck in forward again!! Cutting the throttle all the way does not take the loco out of forward only either!! What to do? Has anyone ever seen this before?? Ready Made is sending me another E-unit to solder in there to rule out a loose connection, etc. before having me send it back to them for exchange.

Thanks for your help.

[lionelsoni]

This reminds me of another recent topic:
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=-1&TOPIC_ID=24891&REPLY_ID=243512#243512

Both of these involve a CW-80 that won't cycle the e-unit. I wonder whether the CW-80 might not be the problem, not cutting the output off completely when you try to reverse. Lionel made a little pushbutton control, I think prewar, that could be connected between the transformer and the track, just for reversing. Mine is at home; so I can't tell you the model number. But any normally-closed momentary switch will work.

[wrmcclellan]

H&B,

I agree with Bob. As an interim test, you could try a variation of what you did with the loco off the track, but put it back on the track and cycle the power by touching the wire (instead of using the button) to the A post of the transformer. If the Beep reverses as it did off the track in your test, then the problem is with the transformer, not the Beep.

Regards,
Roy

[lionelsoni]

The Lionel control is number 88. It is early postwar. There is a late prewar rheostat with the same number, but it is a completely different device. Here is a place selling them for $4:

http://hometown.aol.com/lionelparts/LionelParts.htm

[daan]

A lot of problems about direction switching, wistle and horn control are all with the same type CW-80 transformer, and also with the more modern type of engines with electronic e-units and can motors..
Do you have another transformer to try with? If the e-unit works fine when tested without the tracks, it's not a problem from the e-unit..
Possible that it works fine when you make another switch in the lead wires to change direction. I don't know how the transformer is wired inside, but it could be that there leaks a bit of power through a bypass (whistle control or something) when the button for direction is pushed. The electronic E-units stay in direction with a very tiny amount of power.. Do you have switches wired or some working accesoires connected to the track??

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the help!!

To answer some of the questions; I don't have any accessories or anything taking power from the transformer except the track lock-on. The track is mounted on plywood with track clips, and is making solid connection all the way around. Since I first posted, I have attempted placing the train on the track and touching the wire to the lockon. The results are the same as the off-track test, the E-unit working only with the physical break of electrical connection. I have also attempted to let the transformer set at cutoff for a few seconds hoping the residual voltage would drop enough to release the E-unit, but that also did not work.

Lionelsoni, I have taken your advice and I placed an order today for the switch controller. This will work with all of my locos and seems the most simple and cost-effective solution.

I guess these CW-80s, don't release the voltage enough for some electronic E-units. I have a K-Line electronic E-unit that has always worked fine with the CW-80, but I am sure the differences in the two circuit boards is somewhat different in design, however.

Thanks again for all the help!!

Jeff G.