Question Re: K-Line ATSF 3003 4-6-2 Pacific

[steinmike]

Folks:

I recently added a K-Line ATSF 3003 4-6-2 Pacific to my roster of PW Lionel steamers.  The engine runs very quietly and smoothly at all speed ranges (ya gotta love those can motors), no problems getting through the O31 switches, and it smokes well, but I haven't been able to activate the whistle using either the horn / whistle control on CAB-1 in conventional mode or the KW that I keep handy for older locomotives.

The customer service folks at MDK were always very helpful to me in the past, but I doubt that any of techs at Lionel will even know what product this is, much less how to trouble shoot it.  Any suggestions from the forum will be gratefully received before the engine and tender head off to the "backshop" (my garage) for conversion to a New Haven 1300 class Pacific.

Thanks for your help and best wishes for the New Year. 

[dougdagrump]

If this is a "conventional control" K-Line loco I believe they required, for some power sources, a whistle/bell switch much the same as newer lionel powered by older types of transformers.

[Jumijo]

We have a starter set K-Line 4-6-2 Pacific. Is that what you have? Ours is loud but runs fine and very smooth. Decent smoker, too. Ours whistles fine using the CW-80 whistle button or our MRC whistle button.

Jim 

[steinmike]

Guys:

Thanks!  That tells me that I might have a problem with the electronic whistle controller in the tender.  I'm going to re-paint it anyway, so I'll take it apart this weekend and see what's going on.  If I'm lucky, it may just be a bad connection to the pickup or to the track ground.

Have a great New Year.

 

[cbq9911a]

I've got one of these engines; purchased it around 1992.  Pulls like a champ.  The whistle relay is not compatible with Lionel's whistle systems so you'll have to put in a new relay.  I ended up pulling out the whistle and put it into a Lionel prewar tin station, powering it with a 9 volt battery.

[jchase1970]

I have 2 of these and it is amazing how slow they can go, you can not even see that they are moving.  Very reliable engines.