Williams 150 watt transformer question on ampherage

[phillyreading]

bfskinner,

Thank you for the input about the Williams 150 watt transformer. That's a lot of power for just one train in my opion.  Even for my two motor diesel hook-ups I don't need that much power.

The Z1000 by MTH has all those features except the brake and costs about $40.00 less.

Lee F.

[bfskinner]

phillyreading

Lee,

The Williams 150 watt transformer has just one throttle; ergo, without any fancy add-ons, it is designed to control one train. It has two parts: controller and separate power brick. It has controls for whistle/horn, bell, "brake," direction, and speed.

[A&Y Ry]

It ran just fine at Lil Choo Choo when they serviced the motor brushes/bearings. I had not tried to run it in the months since. I will have to take another look at it. I keep it for nostalgic reasons and have tended to make a shelf queen out of it over the last ten years. Wheels are free on the non-powered unit.

Thanks for everyone's  comments. I am too shaky to work on equipment anymore so I will ship it to reliable repairman. Lil Choo Choo guys are mostly HO oriented.

[ADCX Rob]

AA F-3 s were lubed and oiled last week prior to  running on test track. Old pw engies tend to favor steel tublar track in my experience---historicaly it seems to make a difference. Can't argue with your assessment but know mine has prevailed before.

So, the loco is slipping, w/ no load?  Something is wrong here.  Even sans Magnetraction we've never had this happen on Gargraves w/ 2333's or any other non-MT unless there was a motor issue.  One motor must be bogged down, or the wheelsets on the weighted dummy are siezed.

Rob 

[phillyreading]

While you are mentioning the Williams 150 watt transformer I would like to know if it has one or two controls for trains. Does the transformer have any whistle or bell features?

I am not wanting to put out the money for a new ZW or Z4000, but want more than a one train transformer. 

Lee F.

[A&Y Ry]

AA F-3 s were lubed and oiled last week prior to  running on test track. Old pw engies tend to favor steel tublar track in my experience---historicaly it seems to make a difference. Can't argue with your assessment but know mine has prevailed before.

[ADCX Rob]

My Lionel pw #2333 AA F-3s don't favor my GarGraves test track and has a lot of slippage. No cars coupled but the AA moved very slow slipping all the while...

Your motors are running against each other - one running much better than the other.  The track type won't make any difference.  Time for a tune-up & lube on the motors & trucks.

Rob 

[A&Y Ry]

My Lionel pw #2333 AA F-3s don't favor my GarGraves test track and has a lot of slippage. No cars coupled but the AA moved very slow slipping all the while and the air is filled with addictive ozone as I pushed the pw ZW throttle to 18 volts. Both the AA's wheels and the test track need cleaning but I expect Lionel tublar track would help greatly for traction. This AA unit hasn't been operated in years now that I think about it.The ammeter read just under 3 amps.

Anyway, I believe with your Williams 150 watt transformer you could handle a 7-lighted car passenger train and a freight with lighted Cab at the same time.

Just for info, I have two passenger trains consisting of 15 lighted cars, a MTH Ps-4[TM/RS] and an Atlas SD-25 on the same TMCC track. I just replaced the "J" with the Atlas to check the load with a modern diesel heading up 7 of the 15 cars. With the Ps-4 and "J" towing the load is slightly under 7 amps. With the Ps-4 and the SD-25 it is 7-1/2 amps + and eventually at speed, the 135 watt PowerHouse breaker trips. [The PoHo 135 in parallel with it was cut off because normally I don't need it].

[martinden]

I sometimes run a 2343 A-A with four aluminum cars (three with lights) on an RW (110 watt rating) and get completely adequate speed without turning the throttle up all the way. Last time I checked (with a multi-meter), figure 4 amps for the engine, and maybe 0.4 amps for each car. About fifteen volts or a little less gets the train my idea of "moderately fast," so we're talking ballpark 75 watts for my train. (JFTR, this is more than the Service Manual says to expect from an RW -- 70 watts.)

Anyway, if the Williams puts all of its power into the track circuit (or probably even if it doesn't), it should have plenty of power to run your train. (Keep in mind that the 150 watts of the Williams is based on RMS voltage, and it should be able to actually deliver virtually all of that power; postwar transformer outputs are based on peak voltage, which leads to an exaggerated wattage rating, in terms of the power it can actually produce.)

[okiechoochoo]

Thanks Dewey, that information helps a lot with my plans to buy transformers.  I will have a small layout and don't want a huge ZW.  I think the Williams transformer will work just fine.

 

[A&Y Ry]

Based on my panel amp meter a modern dual motored diesel motor pulls slightly under 3 amps at moderate speed with 5 cars in tow,which is about 54 watts at 18 volts.  My incandescent car bulbs require about 3 watts each or 6 watts per car in your case.

So, for two motors and four lighted cars your load is less than 80 watts, about 4-1/2 amps. That is slightly less than what my N&W "J" Class and 7 lighted Powhatan cars read on the meter. 

[If you have four-motored older A-A units such as my old E-8s , add about 45-50 watts to the total wattage above. I haven't operated my old 2333 Lionel F-3s in a long while but when I get time I will put them on the test track w/ammeter in the Hot line]. 

 

[okiechoochoo]

Will the Williams transformer handle a Lionel postwar dual motored F3 AA diesel and four dual bulbed aluminium passenger cars?  Are all 150 watts of power available for the train or is some of it dedicated to an aux accessory tap?  Also, does anyone know what the wattage draw would be for the above described set for postwar Lionel as well as a Williams dual motored F3.  Or the maximum amps available for train control.  Thanks