Here is my CW-80 story:
I have a three year old Lionel CW-80 that died. The whistle button has been stuck since it was new but I did not do anything about it then. The powers supply would operate smoothly in clockwise direction but if counter-clockwise it would surge around the track.
None the less, the unit comes out of the box two to three times years. The unit was running my PF 4-4-2 fairy good and then it quit. I herd it stop and headed over to see why my Christmas train stopped. The green light was not even on. I ran a tester on the track terminals and they read 18.5VAC and when I put the loco on the tracks it went to zero. I read some postes that are fairly old mentioning the "security screws kept owner from replacing fuse". I have had the thing apart and what a bear it is to disassemble. Everyting has to be taken out to get the "mother board" out. Is there realy a fuse in there somewhere? I can not find a fuse inside the unit. Please help....
old_HO_fan - I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but based on all that I have read on this forum and others, I don't hold out much hope for your CW80. Others will be along who are much more knowledgeable electronically than I, but I believe the CW80 has bought the proverbial farm.
Mitch
Bob Mitchell Gettysburg, PA TCA # 98-47956 LCCA# RM22839
As I understand it, the CW-80 was never meant to be repaired. Lionel and their authorized dealers will replace it within its one-year warranty period under specific circumstances -- and that's it. Moreover, I would never advise anyone to open one up, for legal reasons if nothing else.
That said, and because you are already inside the case, I think (but do not know for sure) that the fuse is encapsulated in heat-shrink tubing.
But the fuse blew for a reason (if that's what happened) and if you cannot get the whistle button unstuck or replaced, it will probably blow again.
Thank you. I will peal the shrink tube and see if I find one. The reason it blew was probably my 6year old. He was playing with his remote control truck and crossing the antenna on the tracks while the train was going. This may have been the problem or it could have been "Murphy" just kicking my backside again.
Thanks again for the stating point. I will post my findings in a couple of days.
Most dealers get extra CW from Lionel for those defective ones sold in starter sets for Christmas. Second most dealers will swap it no question ask
Regards,
Gary
old_HO_fan wrote: Thank you. I will peal the shrink tube and see if I find one. The reason it blew was probably my 6year old. He was playing with his remote control truck and crossing the antenna on the tracks while the train was going. This may have been the problem or it could have been "Murphy" just kicking my backside again. Thanks again for the stating point. I will post my findings in a couple of days.
As long as you have it apart, lightly file the undersides of the three buttons - Direction, Whistle, Bell - to restore the tactile feel & proper operation. This is all that's needed to fix "stuck" buttons on the CW. The touch-buttons on the circuit board should be operating just fine when the unit is apart, & they are good for millions of cycles.
I can imagine how many of these CW's were chucked out for need of just this small adjustment. It goes to show you how little these actually cost Lionel to make - cheaper to junk & replace than have a service center do a repair. You have yours apart, so you can see how simple they really are!
Rob
Allan Miller wrote:I've written about the problematic CW-80 so many times over the past several years that I just can't bring myself to repeat the stuff again. I'll just advise that you find yourself a replacement transformer--maybe an MRC, MTH, or Williams--and be done with that CW-80. Stick it on a shelf and use it as a bookend, or some such.
You said it. I dont even think that the CW-80 makes a reliable paper weight!
Lionel collector, stuck in an N scaler's modelling space.
I know of all of the things said about the cw-80. I know how big of a POS this thing is said to be. I just thaught I could possibly fix it. If it is a fuse I will replace it. If it baught the farm, then it will be the new retro door stop to my office. In my upbringing we fixed things when possible. We rarely had the funds to buy a replacement.
Having said all that, How is the reliability of a MTH Z-750? Are they any good? I have a Z-4K but it is my baby. I am looking for a cheap controller that is reliable for the christmas train. I don't trust my kids with my MTH Z-4000.
Thanks,
old_HO_fan wrote: I know of all of the things said about the cw-80. I know how big of a POS this thing is said to be. I just thaught I could possibly fix it. If it is a fuse I will replace it. If it baught the farm, then it will be the new retro door stop to my office. In my upbringing we fixed things when possible. We rarely had the funds to buy a replacement. Having said all that, How is the reliability of a MTH Z-750? Are they any good? I have a Z-4K but it is my baby. I am looking for a cheap controller that is reliable for the christmas train. I don't trust my kids with my MTH Z-4000.Thanks,
I have two CW-80s, one I purchased off eBay and the other came with my new set. I haven't had any problems with the purchased one (the other is still in the original packaging).I just want to let you know that there are problems with MTH transformers as well. No manufacturer produces 100% infalible items. Two weeks before Christmas I was at my LHS and a customer came in with 6 MTH transformers that wouldn't work. The LHS owner informed him it would be cheaper to replace them than to have them serviced. So it isn't just Lionel.I agree with you that if you can fix the CW with a little filing and a 15 cent fuse, then do it. That IMHO is much better than $60+ for a new transformer.
I also have a KW and a LW Postwar transformers. If you can't get your CW to work, let me know. I may be willing to part with my purchased one, I think I paid $40.00 + s/h for it.Best o' luck.
Well, I don't know about how much I would trust second-hand info about the MTH Z-500, Z-750, and/or Z-100 transformers (a customer came in with six of them--all bad--hmm, that makes one wonder, doesn't it?), but I have eight of them (combination of the three models noted above), have used them all at one time or another (currently using a Z-1000 and two Z-750s), and have had no problems with any of them. I rarely, if ever, have read about problems with those particular MTH transformers.
Certainly NO transformer has been more written about on the various forums than the Lionel CW-80, and you can be darn sure that 95% of what has been written has not been favorable. That should be enough warning for anyone.
Allan Miller wrote: Well, I don't know about how much I would trust second-hand info about the MTH Z-500, Z-750, and/or Z-100 transformers (a customer came in with six of them--all bad--hmm, that makes one wonder, doesn't it?), but I have eight of them (combination of the three models noted above), have used them all at one time or another (currently using a Z-1000 and two Z-750s), and have had no problems with any of them. I rarely, if ever, have read about problems with those particular MTH transformers.Certainly NO transformer has been more written about on the various forums than the Lionel CW-80, and you can be darn sure that 95% of what has been written has not been favorable. That should be enough warning for anyone.
Likewise, I have one that I have been using for over a month and it hasn't had a single problem. I haven't connected the new CW-80 as it came in a set I received for X-Mas, and quite frankly I haven't needed to open it.We are back to the policy of telling people to use something as a door stopper when that same person has only asked what he needs to look for to see IF he can repair the CW-80. Telling him to spend $70+ on a new transformer when all he may have to do is spend 25 cents on a fuse isn't serving anyone's best interest, OK it is serving MTH's just nicely.I would rather the policy be that if someone comes here looking for help, we help them with their problem or question. A note about the past reliability on things is fine, but to keep bringing this up at every turn is just getting tiresome... much like the MTH vs Lionel rants.BTW - I don't know what model transformer the customer had, it was none of my business, all I know is the LHS owner advised him that he would be better off buying a new transformer than sending his non-functioning ones to MTH to have them serviced.
"My point was that it seems manufacturers do not want you to repair transformers, they would rather you purchase a new one... and why wouldn't they?"
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They don't want people to get into the transformers--not easily, at least--because some fools out there would undoubtedly electrocute themselves and the survivors will, of course, sue the transformer manufacturer. Such is the nature of our society these days, where "personal responsibility" is not a part of the vocabulary, nor is "common sense."
When you're messing with household current devices, it's best not to mess with them at all unless you have a thorough knowledge of how electricity and the device itself works. And I'll bet that not 10% of the people reading this forum are truly competent to open and work on a toy train transformer--and do it safely.
Comparing the CW-80 to the old postwar transformers is similar to comparing todays TMCC or DCS engines to a postwar engine. The postwar engines will win every time in terms of reliability but they can't do what the modern engines can do. The CW-80 has electronics that detects short circuits and limits the current output, ramps voltages, varies accessory output voltage electronically, etc.
The new electronics may have been a little overkill on Lionel's part, but you don't advance by treading water. Lionel will learn from whatever mistakes may have been made and continue to push the envelope. BTW, My CW-80 is now 2 years old and problem-free.
Earl
lionroar88 wrote: Allan Miller wrote: Well, I don't know about how much I would trust second-hand info about the MTH Z-500, Z-750, and/or Z-100 transformers (a customer came in with six of them--all bad--hmm, that makes one wonder, doesn't it?), but I have eight of them (combination of the three models noted above), have used them all at one time or another (currently using a Z-1000 and two Z-750s), and have had no problems with any of them. I rarely, if ever, have read about problems with those particular MTH transformers.Certainly NO transformer has been more written about on the various forums than the Lionel CW-80, and you can be darn sure that 95% of what has been written has not been favorable. That should be enough warning for anyone.Allan,I can only write what I hear. Electronics wear out, it is the nature of them. And yes I do have concerns about the electricity here in Maryland. Where we live we have spikes and lags like I have never seen before... that is why anything that I value has at minimum a surge suppressor on the line, but most have UPSs.My point was that it seems manufacturers do not want you to repair transformers, they would rather you purchase a new one... and why wouldn't they? It is far more cost effective for them to have you buy a new transformer, than to supply repairmen with parts.I am fully aware of problems people have been having with CW-80s. To my knowledge Lionel and the LHSs have made good on their replacement policies, and to my knowledge there haven't been many problems with the replacements... so it seems Lionel has corrected most, if not all the problems with the CW-80.Likewise, I have one that I have been using for over a month and it hasn't had a single problem. I haven't connected the new CW-80 as it came in a set I received for X-Mas, and quite frankly I haven't needed to open it.We are back to the policy of telling people to use something as a door stopper when that same person has only asked what he needs to look for to see IF he can repair the CW-80. Telling him to spend $70+ on a new transformer when all he may have to do is spend 25 cents on a fuse isn't serving anyone's best interest, OK it is serving MTH's just nicely.I would rather the policy be that if someone comes here looking for help, we help them with their problem or question. A note about the past reliability on things is fine, but to keep bringing this up at every turn is just getting tiresome... much like the MTH vs Lionel rants.BTW - I don't know what model transformer the customer had, it was none of my business, all I know is the LHS owner advised him that he would be better off buying a new transformer than sending his non-functioning ones to MTH to have them serviced.
Lionroar88--Thank you for taking the words out of my mouth. I have read the older posts about the cw-80 and I know it is a piece of junk. But, it is my paid for piece of junk. Thank you for your understanding my desire to fix it myself "IF" possible. You seem to be one of the few on this thread that can.
Allan--Please take note, I asked of anyone knew if there was a fuse and where the fuse was. I also previously mentioned the part of knowing this thing is a POS. I did take the previous posts as warning. But, I said I wanted to try to fix it myself, should I have quoted this and put it in bold for you. If I electricute myself, I did it myself. No one from Lionel will be sitting here holding my fingers to the transformer.
Good Bye Gentlemen.
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