MRC Transformer

[Jim20432]

I'm interested in a new MRC 270 watt tramsformer. Does anyone have any experience with them? Are the reliable. I would use it in conjuncion with a Lionel ZW. I would run 4 trains and 16 switches on my layout

[lennyski]

I have one and have used it on my Christmas layout, basically 2 big ovals 5x24ft. I use one handle for one oval and the other for the other, pretty simple. Having said that the only problems that I have is the horn and bell buttons have pretty muched stopped working or they are reversed, so when you push the horn the bell blows and the horn doesn't work. So I switched it our for a KW and that seems to be working better. I do like the volt and amp meters and I know there is a warranty on this so I may get it fixed. I run conventional so the KW is working fine for now.

[lionelsoni]

Pre-electronic locomotives don't care, but modern ones blow the whistle when the center rail is more positive than the outside rails, and ring the bell when the center rail is more negative.  When the transformer's common is connected to the outside rails, these are the polarities that should be associated with the controls.

If your transformer's controls are backward when the common is connected to the outside rails, it is indeed miswired.  However, since your layout is electrically very simple, you could work around the problem simply by connecting the transformer's common to the center rails instead.

[SantaFe158]

Try swapping the wires to the transformer lennyski. I know my lionel transformers have a red screw for the hot (center rail) and a black for the ground (outer rail). You have to have them connected that way otherwise the whistle and/or bell buttons will do the opposite or won't work at all.

[lennyski]

I have the hot connected to the center and ground connected to the outside rail. The was my first thought also but just not the case. I have the wiring exactly the same when I used it on my KW and the whistle works just fine. I don't have a bell function but I can live with that.

[smokymtguy]

I also have one of these and works great.  The only problem I have had was the horn button stopped working.  I opened the case and seen the copper contact strip had come loose.  I sent the unit into MRC with $12.00 for shipping and was repaired and shipped back within a month.

[Moozuki]

I've had one for the last couple of years, no problems at all.