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K-lines Power Chief transformer

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
K-lines Power Chief transformer
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 31, 2004 5:18 PM
Does any one know if the K-line Power Chief (K-0986) 120 watt transformer delivers all 120 watts to the track? I currentlu use a Lionel TW that is rated at 175 watts but my understanding is that it only put out about half of that wattage to the track. I run only one train at a time on a 6'X9' kayone with two loops of track and sidings. I use sepearat transformers for the turn outs and accessories but need the wattage to the track to run my 1950's F-3's.
Thanks for answering or any help
Steve Brown
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Boca Raton, FL
  • 406 posts
Posted by willpick on Friday, December 31, 2004 6:25 PM
Steve, as far as I know, most of the output is used for the train power. There is an adjustable accessory output, but since you could use your TW to run the accessories & turnouts, all 120W output would be available for the train-- As for the output watts of the TW, the derating is 25%-30%,not 50%. So you should have 130W available. HTH

A Day Without Trains is a Day Wasted

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • 548 posts
Posted by Chris F on Friday, December 31, 2004 11:03 PM
Steve may have seen my posting from Dec. 26 -

"Although nominally rated at 175W, the TW actually is two separate 90W transformers, one variable and one fixed, in a single case. Each coil is rated for 60W continuous at 5 amps, which implies a voltage of 12V."

The derating for each transformer is 33%, but the "derating" for available track power is a whopping 66%![:0] Lionel wasn't trying to mislead anyone; the TW was intended to run one train, and to power a number of accessories without affecting the track power.

I'm a little surprised that a TW can't handle a dual-motored F-3 pulling a freight set. OTOH, the extra power required by lighted passenger cars might be too much.

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