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old train hack

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  • Member since
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  • From: Hopewell, NY
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Posted by ADCX Rob on Saturday, November 25, 2017 7:26 PM

EIS2

 

 
ADCX Rob

 

 
37fleetwood
what year did Lionel begin limiting top speed on their engines?

 

1955.

 

 

Earl

It's only due to gearing on the 41. It will go faster with a Type Z transformer than a ZW. Or even faster with a variac if you are willing to take it up over 25 volts.

Rob

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Posted by fifedog on Saturday, November 25, 2017 5:42 PM

With little ones, I've always started them off with a loop of track on the carpet.  Then I make a small arrow sticker and affix it to the throttle area that I tell them not to go past.  Trust, but supervise.  If they demonstrate the ability to make successful runs, reward them with a few extra pieces of track.  Now is the time of year to go visit some public train displays, so they can see for themselves what is possible with this wonderful hobby.

  • Member since
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  • From: Hopewell, NY
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Posted by ADCX Rob on Saturday, November 25, 2017 5:40 PM

Sorry, had to leave for 8 hours.

Try your full speed experiment with a # 41 Army switcher - introduced in 1955, or any of its stable mates/cousins - 42, 51, 53, 56, 57, 58, or the Fundimensions/LTI versions.

Rob

  • Member since
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  • From: Lancaster, Ca.
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Posted by 37fleetwood on Saturday, November 25, 2017 5:22 PM

I love the unhelpfulness and sarcasm in this site.

you tell me, all I know is if I put my Scout from the 60s on a track with any transformer and crank it to full it will shoot off the end of the track, even with a new transformer. if, however I put the Harry potter on the track and crank it to high it goes happily around the track and never flys off. it simply won't go anywhere near as fast as the older engines.

I don't know if the 1955 crack is a typo, or if you're being serious, but when's the last time you put a post war loco on track and cranked it up to full? do it with anything newer and it just won't go fast enough. somewhere in the 90s or 00s they have limited these engines, there's no other explanation.

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Posted by EIS2 on Saturday, November 25, 2017 5:16 AM

ADCX Rob

 

 
37fleetwood
what year did Lionel begin limiting top speed on their engines?

 

1955.

 

How did Lionel limit the top speed?

Earl

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: Hopewell, NY
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Posted by ADCX Rob on Friday, November 24, 2017 11:16 PM

37fleetwood
what year did Lionel begin limiting top speed on their engines?

1955.

Rob

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Lancaster, Ca.
  • 102 posts
Posted by 37fleetwood on Friday, November 24, 2017 9:59 PM

I have a Harry Potter set and an MTH Pohatan RTR set.

what I was hoping was that there was an easy way to set it up so the kids could play with my old Scout set, and maybe I could more easily run my prewar Flyer stuff without risking it flying off the track at light speed. I just noticed that the newer engines seem to be limited in speed. the potter engine will not go fast snough to derail.

maybe the answer is to simply get a newer smaller engine for the kids. they tend to like Gondolas full of superheroes and Hotwheels anyway.

what year did Lionel begin limiting top speed on their engines?

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Posted by EIS2 on Friday, November 24, 2017 5:49 PM

Here is the throttle stop I added to prevent my grandkids from launching the train off the train table:

 It is just a long piece of wood that catches both handles.  You have to adjust the position to get the proper track voltage.  This works fine for most of my engines.

Note: I replaced the two ZW screws with longer screws.  The thread size is not important because the screw just self-threads into some soft metal insidee the ZW. 

Earl

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Posted by fifedog on Wednesday, November 22, 2017 6:31 AM

A stun gun.

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Posted by rtraincollector on Monday, November 20, 2017 10:19 PM

You say you have modern stuff to. Do you have tmcc/legacy and a TPC if so you can limit how fast they can go thru the hand held. 

Life's hard, even harder if your stupid  John Wayne

http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/

KRM
  • Member since
    January 2011
  • From: North Bluff above Marseilles IL
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Posted by KRM on Monday, November 20, 2017 7:28 PM

You have many options,
Many older postwar transformers have different voltage settings that can be used. Suggest you look over the options and consider a transformer with a low power setting that will allow slower operation than the 18 volts.  Look at the options here. Many of these transformers can be got for cheap on the Bay.
Best of luck.
 

Joined 1-21-2011    TCA 13-68614

Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL. Whistling

 

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Posted by Penny Trains on Monday, November 20, 2017 6:11 PM

Try a piece of foam tape attached to the transformer as a "stop" for the throttle.  I did that when my nephew was young and it kept my locos on the rails and off the floor.

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Lancaster, Ca.
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old train hack
Posted by 37fleetwood on Monday, November 20, 2017 6:08 PM

so, I've been wanting to let my grandkids play with my old postwar trains. I do have some of the modern stuff, and they do fine with it. the problem is, how do I keep them from going 900mph with my poor old scout set? has anyone devised a way to limit speed without cutting the power so much the train won't run?

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