????About Williams

[Anonymous]

I just purchased a Williams Pennsylvania F7 AA set (4305 on the boxes) and I need some help.
The pick up contacts have a grove in them. Is this from wear or are they like that? I can not get them to reverse. Is there a switch somewhere? I also thought there was a horn but I can not get a sound. They seem a bit large when pulling my passenger cars (Lionel 16000 series). The head light is about at the roof of the passenger car.
I am running them on Lionel FasTrack with a CW80 transformer.

[railfan23]

Sounds to me that you a used set of engines. None of my Williams engines have any groves in the pick up rollers, and they cycle through to reverse just fine. Return them. The size difference between engine and cars is due to the engines being scale size and your cars being semi-scale.

[Blueberryhill RR]

Joncoy... I have a set of Williams F 7's ( Southern Pacific ), and they
do not have a groove on the pickup rollers. This set of mine has
the older electronic horn. Your new set should have a Digital horn
with a bell. I would call Williams and explain the problem to them.
One thing I found out with my newer Williams NW 2 switcher, you
need a few more volts than normal to activate the bell. And the bell
can not be activated with an older transformer. I had to get a QSI
Sidekick to do the job.
Did you buy these new or used ??

Chuck

[lionelsoni]

Those passenger cars are the descendents of the postwar 2400 series and are seriously under scale size. (So I have only 30 of them...;-) They are about half the length they should be, almost 2 feet too narrow, and only 12.5 feet high. They look best behind something like a 2023 Alco, not a scale locomotive.

[Anonymous]

Yes they are used I'm sure. I bought them on E-Bay. Thanks so much for all the help. The number 4305 on the box, does it ring a bell to when they were made?

[Anonymous]

joncoy
My Williams Southern Ry F-7s[A-B-A] were purchased around 1991. They haven't operated much in recent years but like others who posted, the rollers have no wear grooves.

[tsgtbob]

Pull the shells, and check for loose or disconnected wires. The roller wear tells me that they have been run a LOT!!! (we won't go into the Super "O" wear myth here will we?)
Contact Jerry Williams about getting new rollers, I consider 'em to be 'normal wear and tear items' that should be replaced on a regular basis.
The cars are almost too small for S gauge, let alone "O" gauge. Get a set of scale size cars, and make a Crescent, plus get an Alco from Williams for the cars. Best of both worlds!
edit!!! Sorry, didn't read far enuf up, the comment "Crescent" should actually read Broadway!!!
Case of DUH! hit me between the eyes! [#oops]

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all your help. I am new to this railroading. In the future what diesels would I be looking for to match the PRR 1-6000 series cars. I thought 'O' gauge meant that anything that was 'O' gauge was the same scale.

[MA and PA JCT]

joncoy,

A # 4305 set is VERY old, I am afraid. It is possible that the unit does NOT even have a "E" unit,plus some of WILLIAMS' old units did not have a Horn. As also mentioned in this thread, it is possible you will need a transformer with 90 WATTS or higher.
I'm not sure what year introduce, the Williams "E" unit (if you have one) is POLARITY sensitive. The #one track clip on your track must be connected to the POSITIVE post of transformer. Try reversing the wires, and see what happens.

IN short my best advise would be to take of the shell to see if there is even a horn in it, and while you are at it, see if it has a "E" unit. If not familiar with what you have,call Williams at 410-977-7766, ask for Dave. Maybe you can decribe what is INSIDE the engine.

If the SELLER on ebay had a description of HORN in narrative, and it does NOT you were ripped off. Send it back.

As for the "groove" in the pick up rollers, it is from wear, and depending on how DEEP the groove is, is an indicator of how much it is run. A roller really should not have a groove it it at all, unless it has been run A LOT.

I hope you did not pay a lot of money for it, sounds like you purchased an old used worn out train, with very old "technology" inside.

If you want any more help, let me know at: [e-mail], my business email address. I'm a WILLIAMS AUTHORIZED DEALER. I am usually on OGRR and here, but I've not had time to spend much on the forums.

Good luck......[:D].....hope you are not behind the ole [8] ball.

[MA and PA JCT]

Forgot something,,,,,,give me the NUMBER of the eBay auction, maybe I can tell you somthing by looking at pictures, etc............