Which Transformer to Use For AF Layout?

[farkle]

Unless you are devoted to AF, you can use Lionel transformers, too.

 

[boardie]

I RUN A LARGE FLYER 'S' LAYOUT AND IF YOU PLAN ON RUNNING JUST 1 SET A 15B OR 17B WILL DO NICELYY .

HOWEVER IF YOU PLAAN ON EXPASNDING I'DE USE THE 2 SET 19 B ,190 WATTS OR THE LARGER 30 B MORE WATTS AND GAUGES , BUT THE REAL MONSTER IS THE 5 DIGIT PANCAKE MADE FROM LATE 50;S TILL NEAR THE END OF PRODUCTION ,IT FEATURES 2 CSETBOPERATION , CIRCUIT BREAKERS REVERSING SWITCHES AND A BEMOTH 350 WATTS NEARLY 75 WATTS MORE THAN LIONEL FAMED TYPE 'Z W '

BUT THIS ONE IS MORE DIFFICULT TO FIND AND TEND TO BE A LITTLE PRICEY

MIKE KANE

[Timboy]

 

[Dudley Do Right]

In regards to an AF transformer, I have my wife's brother's AF train set that he got back maybe 1950 or so. Along with this set there was a large transformer, 19B at 300 Watts. The thumb screws for the terminals are about the size of a dime & you can really get them tight on the hook up wiring. Even if you put multi-wire hookup for accessories which I have done to work the remote switches & some street lights the post is large enough but I found putting spade tips on the wire ends to connect to the post works better than putting the bare wire around the post & tightening down. You could also use a screw connection strip with a bridge connector for 6 connections & connect your layout stuff to that with a single conductor feeding from the terminal on the transformer to one of the bridged screw terminals, which I bought both at radio shack. You could use another 6 terminal connector with a bridge for the base connection as well and again if you use the spade tips will make connections easier. The bridge strips can be mounted on a board or the layout table itself.  You might be able to do ok with just the spade tips on the end of your connecting wires, depending on far apart the terminals are, at any rate you would need to use the insulated type spade tips so the connections do not touch after being connected to the transformer.

 Good luck I think you can get this resolved.

 Dudley Do Right

[lionelsoni]

Here's a suggestion for wiring a box like Jim's:  Run all the wires that go between the box and the lid in a cable along and parallel to the hinge, with one end of the cable fastened next to the end of the hinge in the box and the other end fastened next to the other end of the hinge on the lid.  That way, when you open the box, you only twist the cable through a small angle instead of flexing it.  This is the way telephone switchboards were wired; and their wiring lasted pretty much forever even though it was solid wire.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Earlier in this post I spoke of the 8B.  Here is tone of my 8Bs and the test rig I use

Jim

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Thank you,here is the top.

Jim

[aflyer]

Jim,

Great looking control box, I liked mine until I saw yours.  Can you post a photo of the top of the box?

Thank you,

George

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Great

Here is a picture of how I used it.  Look in the upper rightof the control box.  Here is what I was talking about

Jim

[mr.baseball.card]

Jim,

 Thank you very much for the advice.  Have a 100 watt transformer that I hadn't bothered to use (not as nice lookingas the 75 watter) but will set-up immediately.  Ordered the 2 terminal strips on-line from Radio Shack and for less than $10 (including S&H) I have my answer.  Thank you VERY VERY much.

Carl - Mr.baseball.card

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Your issue is not a transformer with more posts.  First you may want to consider going up to an 8B 100watt transformer, readily available and cheap $ per watts.  For your application, the 75 watt will work but you may want to do this.

Take a terminal strip available from Radio shack and jumper several of the terminal positions together to a common feed in this case the constant voltage and another set of several terminals to a common base feeder.  This way you have one wire coming from the transformer base to the terminal strip and another lead from the transformer constant voltage to the other set of jumpered terminal strip.  Keep the colors seperate to avoid shorting.  Does this make sense?  I'll try and post a picture later of what I am talking about.  You can do the same thing if you have multiple feeds to the variable voltage terminal.

Jim

Jim

[mr.baseball.card]

Question being thrown out hoping someone can please help. 

Currently running a small single engine train using a 75 watt AF transformer.  Transformer has 3 posts (base, 7-15 volt and the 15 volt) and a reverse switch button.  The recent addition of several Operating cars + a talking station + a cow on track + the opertating stock yard leaves me trying to connect 6-7 wires onto the base and 15 volt posts.  Simply not enough room and constantly have wires coming loose.  Can anyone suggest a transformer with more posts?