Questions regarding Lionel no. 107 direct current reducer....

[Dobson]

Hello all,

I am a postwar guy but I came across this today via craigslist and bought it.  It was in the original box - a brick i might add, had porcelean posts for it and an odd plug attachment which looked like it hooks into a light socket.  Really cool item to buy.  I have never seen one of these before.

Can anyone give me some insights on this old school transformer?  It's value, how to test it (or should i...)

 

any insight on this prewar item would be appreciated.

[ADCX Rob]

Unless you have 110 or 220 volt DC service mains, there is really nothing to test. 

It is a neat novelty item for display.

[lionelsoni]

From the 1929 catalog:

"LIONEL DIRECT CURRENT REDUCERS (NOT TO BE USED ON ALTERNATING CURRENT)

"No. 107 Lionel Direct Current Reducer for 110-Volt Circuit--This is constructed of four porcelain tubes wound with best quality of resistance wire.  These porcelain tubes are mounted on a substantial base measuring 8 by 11 inches and 3/4 inches thick.  The porcelain tubes are protected and ventilated by a perforated steel cover lined with heavy asbestos.  The sliding lever regulates the voltage so that the train will just crawl along or go ahead at express speed.  The reducer is connected with the house current by a separable plug with 7 feet of flexible cord.  Four porcelain supports with screws are supplied so that the reducer can be screwed to wall or table."

This is an extremely dangerous way to run trains, since, depending on which way you plug it in, the track has an even chance of being at the line voltage, 110 volts then, 120 volts now.  I think you will find that the Edison screw plug is actually separable from a two-bladed plug.  It was common in the early days that the only way to plug in an appliance was to screw it into a lamp socket; so the 107, like the Lionel transformers of the era, was designed to be usable either way.

Lionel must have had some misgivings about selling this thing, because it is no more dangerous used on AC rather than DC.  I think they offered it so as not to exclude the people with DC power from the toy train market, but wanted to scare the AC customers so that they would buy the safer transformers.

I have used mine briefly.  It works very well.  However, I advise you not to plug yours in, since you would need to be able to determine whether you had plugged it in the safe way.  If you should disregard this advice, be sure you can measure the track voltage relative to a reliable ground before touching anything else.  Also, note that the white stuff is, as they bragged, asbestos.

As if the 107 wasn't dangerous enough, there was also a 220-volt version, the 170.

[KRM]

I see one on E-Bay listed as item # 200577362787

Only $469.99 Sounds like you got a good find.

 Kevin

[Dobson]

Bob,

Thank you for your always informative responses.  I do appreciate the time you take to provide a thoughtful and detailed response.  For now I am going to put it in the box and perhaps try to sell it to a prewar buff - primarily as a display item.  I am not that savvy with the electrical side of the hobby.