Just picked up a Flyer K325 Hudson at a yard sale and trying to bring it back to life after 17 years of inactivity.Got it running good,smoke unit works although just wisps of smoke so far and E - unit well I know it's not called an E -unit seems to work fine.Problem I am experiencing is the horn in the tender is constanly on.It appears the speaker is cracked or dried out but horn sound is on in forward,neutral and reverse.I am planning to buy some electrical contact cleaner from Radio Shack to see if that works.Any suggestions to possible cause.....
Russ,
That is normal for Flyer horns and whistles. They always make a humming/buzzing sound whenever they are on a powered track.
green97probe Russ, That is normal for Flyer horns and whistles. They always make a humming/buzzing sound whenever they are on a powered track.
If I read Russ' post correctly, it is more than a humming/buzzing sound. It appears that the horn is blaring constantly without stopping. He cannot shut it off.
Alton Junction
You didn't say what kind of power source you were using to run the loco. If it's a standard, vintage American Flyer transformer then I would say there is something wrong with the resistor/capacitor components wired with the speaker. I don't know their values off hand but can look it up if necessary. If you are powering the loco with a newer type transformer or a Lionel TMCC power controller, then your problem should be expected. Many of the newer power sources don't put out a normal 60 cycle sign wave. This will cause the speaker to buzz constantly.
Bill
Bill I think you solved my problem.I have a vintage AF 50 w transformer and moves the Hudson around OK but smoke and top speed is limited.I heard no horn buzzing while using this source.I hooked my track to a Lionel 1980s RS-1 transformer I think 65-80 w and Hudson flies and smokes terrific.This is when I noticed the buzzing horn.I have a different AF 50 w transformer and will try that.Would you suggest a higher wattage vintage transrmer?thanks again....Russ D.
Russ, 50 watts is probably at the low end. You said the Hudson worked fine with the Lionel transformer so perhaps the old AF 50 W is not really putting out 50 watts. It's not clear to me if the American Flyer wattage rating is input (power demand at the 120 volt outlet) or power available at the 18v terminals. Each transformer design has loss characteristics. The newer Lionel may be more efficient making for higher power available at the low voltage terminals for the stated rating than what the old AF transformer does. I would recommend at least a 100 watt AF transformer. Bill
An older Lionel transformer should work good as well, like a post war ZW or KW, but will have more power than an American Flyer transformer. The thing about American Flyer transformers is that they put out about 18 volts(some only 15 volts) at top end, Lionel post war transformers(depending on model) will put out up to 22 volts at top end. Both Lionel and AF transformers are AC and should be 50 to 60 cycles or hertz.
Lee F.
Some Lionel transformers can put out more power than some American Flyer transformers; and some American Flyer transformers can put out more power than some Lionel transformers. American Flyer claimed 300 watts for the 19B and the 30B, wheras Lionel claimed only 180 continuous watts from the Z and ZW.
What many Lionel transformers put out was more voltage than American Flyer. The 30B goes up to 18 volts (not 20). A higher-voltage transformer can be used with American Flyer trains. You just don't turn it all the way up. The trains would probably derail anyway. I find it hard to imagine that any insulation in a toy train, however old, can't handle, say, 50 volts, if it can handle any voltage at all.
Smaller transformers were often rated for 50 or 60 hertz; but the big ones, like the B30, Z, and ZW were rated only at 60 hertz.
Bob Nelson
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