Transformer whistle controller

[Anonymous]

I am preparing to send some Lionel items we inherited from my father down to my brother in Texas, so he can set up a layout. Using some old Classic Toy Trains articles as a guide, a got a 2018 2-6-4 steam engine cleaned and serviced, incluing a new smoke unit. I also serviced the with whistle in the tender. Now I'm working on a transformer. I have a Lionel "Multi-control Trainmaster" Type 110RW, 110 watt, which my Dad apparently bought in Nov 1957 (he painted the date on the front). The cord was rotted, so I replaced that, and it runs the trains just fine. But the whistle control acts strangely. When I press the button I barely get one little toot, then it stops. I have a KW transformer on my own layout, and with that I get a nice blast out of the same tender, so I so figure the problem must be witht the transformer. Any ideas on what the problem might be? Could a trip to the repair shop help?
Thanks, Tom

[Chris F]

Postwar transformers used a (selenenium?) rectifier to convert AC transformer current to DC current, which activated the solenoid in the tender. Closing the solenoid sent AC current to the whistle motor. Since the whistle works with the KW transformer, the problem is a bad rectifier in the RW transformer. The old rectifier can be replaced with a new one of the same design, or by a modern full-wave bridge rectifier. Unless you are familiar with the inner workings of the RW, have the rectifier replaced at a repair shop.