New to vintage train sets - help identify what I have please

[TheShanMan]

I have never used model trains but my dad recently gave me his from when he was a kid. Can you help me identify what I have, including a rough idea of the year it was made (I'm guessing 1940-ish). I would also like to know how to hook up the track to the transformer. I don't want to hook it up wrong and possibly damage something like this.

Here is some of the track and one of the cars (I have a bunch of others too). I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with the 2 small pieces at the top of the picture. I also would like to find additional track to buy and I have no idea where I should look or what exactly I should use as search terms.

I do have some of the original boxes so I know this is "OO" gauge track and the part numbers of the track are 0051 (curve), 0054 (curve with electrical hookups), and 0052 (straight).

I imagine there is decent if not significant value to this stuff but I plan to keep it and enjoy it.

[cwburfle]

It looks like you probably have a Lionel 3 rail, scale "OO" Hudson. It was made between 1938 and 1942.
There was only one locomotive made in this gauge, but there were several variations.
One of the variations was whether the tender had a whistle, or not.
Lionel only made a few different cars: boxcar, tank car, hopper, and caboose.
Again, there are variations on these cars.
There were other companies making "OO" trains, so you could have non-Lionel cars too.
"OO" track in good condition is difficult to find and can be valuable.
Of particular interest are their 90 degree cross tracks and any switches.

If you post more pictures, and item numbers, folks can give you more infromation.
The angle at which you photographed the engine isn't very good for identification.
A picture of the back, looking into where the engineer would be, could help pin down the model.
If there is a little pin on a chain to connect the tender, it is from 1938.
If the little pin is spring loaded, then it is from 1939-1942.

I don't keep up with current values. Interest in "OO" has grown over the past few years, so prices have risen from when I was buying it.

 

[cwburfle]

One or two more thoughts.
Each item should have a number rubber stamped in white ink on the underside.
For the engine, the number should be on the underside of the cab roof.
Posting those numbers, along with the colors and markings on the cars would be helpful.

 

[lionelsoni]

The transformer is not meant to be continuously variable in voltage like later ones are.  It would usually be set to one voltage and a rheostat (variable resistor) used for speed control.  The chart on the side of the transformer lists the many voltages available by using different terminals and settings of the selector.  The pushbutton would be wired between the transformer and the track for interrupting the voltage to reverse the locomotive.  Since this function is also present in the rheostat, your father may not have had a rheostat.

The smaller object may be a "lockon" for connecting to the track.  I'm not familiar with OO track.  In any case, it looks like it may be upside-down in the picture.

Whether or not your locomotive has a real whistle, it looks like the ornamental whistle is missing from the top of the boiler.

[dwiemer]

One quick note:  Make sure the transformer cord is not brittle or cracked.  With regard to the rest of the set, I would do a thorough cleaning & lubrication. 
Dennis

[cwburfle]

The smaller object may be a "lockon" for connecting to the track.  I'm not familiar with OO track.  In any case, it looks like it may be upside-down in the picture.

"OO" track does not accept any sort of lockon. One of the curved sections should be a terminal track.

One quick note:  Make sure the transformer cord is not brittle or cracked.  With regard to the rest of the set, I would do a thorough cleaning & lubrication. 

I would recommend against using that transformer at all. Dust it off and either put it away, or put it on a shelf. Get a postwar transformer, such as an L.W. to run your train.  

[DMUinCT]

If you intend to use it, have your Transformer checked out and Line Cord replaced, you can NOT rely  on 70 year old insulation.  

  Your "Type L" transformer has 5 speed steps, 6 to 15 volts and is rated at 50 Watts.   It was last cataloged in 1938 but was still being sold in following years.  (a 35 Watt Transformer came with "O-27" sets)

 Your Locomotive is a "OO2" (sometimes cataloged as a "OO83), a Simi-Scale version of the Scale Hudson in OO Gauge.  You are missing the decorrative Bell, Whistle, and Turbo Generator from the top of the boiler.  You can tell it's the Simi-Scale as it does not have the Safety Valve Cluster in the turret located on the top rear of the boiler.   The Tender may (with roller pickup under tender) or may not contain a whistle (I guess not, see next item).

The red button is a "No.88 Controller" and is used to reverse the locomotive (Type E reverse in the locomotive) as the "Type L Transformer" does not have a reversal button built in.   If you had a Whistle, it would have been a No. 167 Whistle Controller.

Depending on what parts are missing, condition of the paint and the boxes, and if it runs, you have a set that could be worth from $200 to $600.   In most cases, Toy Trains track has little value, BUT, in "OO" gauge it has value.   (low production and mounted on fragile Bakelite)

[TheShanMan]

Thanks everyone! I did plan to change the cord. My main hobby is collecting and restoring classic arcade games and more often than not I end up replacing those cords too (for ~30 year old items).

Am I correct in observing that I would connect one wire to A, B, or C, and the other wire to D, E, F, G, or H? What is the "U" terminal for? And how exactly does the control switch hook up?

The transformer says it is 100 watts, not 50.

I'll post more pictures later.

[ADCX Rob]

Looks like a Type J 100 watt transformer to me.  World-wide use too!

Rob

[rtraincollector]

TheShanMan

Thanks everyone! I did plan to change the cord. My main hobby is collecting and restoring classic arcade games and more often than not I end up replacing those cords too (for ~30 year old items).

Am I correct in observing that I would connect one wire to A, B, or C, and the other wire to D, E, F, G, or H? What is the "U" terminal for? And how exactly does the control switch hook up?

The transformer says it is 100 watts, not 50.

I'll post more pictures later.

Well first as stated you need a rheostat  ( think thats right ) and you would use like A for your middle rail and U for the outer rails ( or do I have that back-wards?) any way you would use like A and U U being your common.

Nice looking engine anyway. And I agree with a couple of others i would probably go with another transformer anyway. Like a LW

[lionelsoni]

 

The U terminal is the common connection for the 5-position switch, which selects among D, E, F, G, and H.

I believe that there are two problems with the nameplate of this transformer.  One is that the two tables are swapped.  The upper table seems to show the variable-voltage connections and the lower table the fixed-voltage connections.  (As I mentioned earlier, the voltage is not really variable, at least not in the sense that it is in a more modern transformer.  It can be changed among 5 values with the switch, but not without interrupting it as you move the switch.)

The other problem is that, although the primary is specified for a very wide voltage range of 90 to 250 volts, there is no indication what primary voltage was assumed for the secondary voltages listed.  I don't have a type J to examine; but my guess is that there is some sort of tap arrangement under that bulge in the top panel, which is located right where the cord comes out on other transformers of that ilk.  In that case, one would adjust the primary taps for the line voltage available and then expect the secondary voltages listed in the table.

With a single train to run, it doesn't matter which of the two terminals that you use goes to which rail.

I just noticed that the erroneous table swap in the picture I found has been corrected on your transformer.

[DMUinCT]

TheShanMan

Thanks everyone! I did plan to change the cord. My main hobby is collecting and restoring classic arcade games and more often than not I end up replacing those cords too (for ~30 year old items).

Am I correct in observing that I would connect one wire to A, B, or C, and the other wire to D, E, F, G, or H? What is the "U" terminal for? And how exactly does the control switch hook up?

The transformer says it is 100 watts, not 50.

I'll post more pictures later.

My mistake, I looked up the "Type L'" transformer, a close look at the photo does show it's a "Type J".

The plate on the side tells it all:  "U" terminal is "Common".  

 Connect the center wire to "C" and the outside rail wire to "U" for a variable 4.5 to 13 volts. PREFERED connection with a small locomotive.

Or connect the wires to "B" and "U" for 10.5 to 19 volts.

Or connect the wires to "A" and "U" for 16.5 to 25 volts.

I had one of this type transformer as a kid with my 249E set.     When you move the arm on the the transformer between the 5 speed button, the time is quick enough that the "E Unit" will not have time to operate.   In most cases, you had to hold the reverse button for about a second on the old, pre-war, sets to reverse them.  This link brings back memorys.

[lionelsoni]

Although, as I said, it doesn't matter which way you connect the rails if all you're doing is running the train.  But, if you have any accessories or turnouts activated by control rails in the track, you won't be able to get a fixed accessory voltage for them unless you wire terminal U to the center rail, as you would for a single-train transformer like a 1033.  Then whichever of A, B, or C you choose will be the layout common and be wired to the outside rails.  The possible fixed accessory voltages will then be available from terminals D, E, F, G, and H.

Terminal U is intended to be the common terminal, wired to the outside rails, only for multi-train Lionel transformers, like the ZW.

[TheShanMan]

Thanks everyone for the input. It's all boxed up currently but when I get a chance to get it out I'll try to make more sense of the help everyone has given and if I have more questions, I'll let you know. And I'll take some more pictures in case anyone is interested.

[Penny Trains]

If you do decide to buy a rheostat for better speed control, make sure it's either the #81 or #95 not the #88 which doesn't have a cover.  The 88 was designed for use with lower power batteries, not high wattage transformes.  The big difference between the 81 and the 95 is that the 81 has a lever whereas the 95 has a red button on the sliding control piece.

I use a Lionel type K 150 watt transformer to run my Standard Gauge train and the 95 rheostat gives me better control over the loco.  However it gets VERY VERY HOT and fast!  So watch where you put your fingers!  Incidentally, I also use 95 rheostats with a 110 watt Type T and a 60 watt Type A transformer for lights and accessories on my little layout.

Becky