Trainsounds Tender Issue Revisited

[jwse30]

A few months ago, I posted a problem with my new Traisounds tender. The horn and bell didn't work properly when I used it with postwar engines, and hardly at all when I used it with my 2055 (the engine I primarily want to use it with). Today I was downstairs running the trains and tried it again. As to be expected, it still didn't work. So I was ready to call Lionel, and see if this was a unique problem, or if they knew of a fix. I had the phone in my hand, and figured I better look at the instructions one last time before I call. On the first page, it says ot to use the tender without a lighted engine, passenger car or caboose. The headlight on my 2055 is currently burnt out, and I was running a string of 9700 boxcars. The last boxcar has a FRED, so no caboose. I added a lighted caboose to the train, and tried again. The horn worked more regularly, but not great. I added two lighted passenger cars, and the horn worked pretty well (I'm guessing it would work flawlessly on very clean track).

So now I'm thinking if I replace the headlight on this engine and use a lighted caboose, this tender may work properly. But if it doesn't, I'm thinking of adding 3 or four 14v lamps under the layout wired in parallel with the track. Hopefully that will do it, as I don't want to have to use this tender only for passenger trains (don't have any steam era cars currently, though that may be a good excuse to add to the roster).

I guess the moral of this story is that if things don't work properly, read the instructions :) Thanks again to all who offered suggestions on my previous post.

J White

[Jumijo]

Here's a few things I've learned from owning a Railsounds Tender.

1. When the rollers become dirty, the tender makes whistle sounds without anyone pressing the whistle button. When the rollers are clean, no phantom whistle blowing.

2. When I run a long consist behind one that requires more track power for the loco, the bell sounds instead of the whistle, and the crew conversations won't play with any regularity when the train is stopped. I only have a CW-80 transformer, but when the paddle gets pushed beyond the 70 setting for an extended period, the tender functions as described. Under 70, everything works fine. Keep the rollers and track clean!

Jim

[jwse30]

Thanks for the tips. Seeing how the car probably has less than 1 hour run time, I'll guess the pickup or wheels are not too terribly dirty. The track is a different story. I'll be buying a track cleaning car soon to remedy that.

I check it out with a shorter train. Every time I've tried it, it's been in front of about 15 9700 series boxcars. Perhaps I'll cut the train in half.

J White