Hi all,
I'm getting ready to set up our christmas village with some older Lionel (O) trains. I'm used to HO scale trains and don't know to much about three rail systems. My question is; I have a few older Lionel Locomotives that have whistles in the tender but I don't have a transformer with a whistle or bell feature. Is there a way to make the whistle sound without such a transformer (remote button or pushbutton switch) ? What kind of electrical current actually makes the whistle work? Thanks,
Gwoody
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
OK, thanks
I'm sure most my trains are pre 1970 but what if I have a newer train. How does the whistle work in the newer trains?
Thanks again for all the info.
GWoody
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
The relay is supposed to operate at 1.1 volts DC and hold at .5 volt. The polarity doesn't matter. The modern, electronic ones whistle when the center rail is positive relative to the outside rails and ring when it is negative.
I would advise against putting a dry cell in series with the transformer, since the full AC current powering the train will have to pass through the cell, which is far from what it is designed for. Lionel has made add-on whistle controllers. You can make your own if you want, using a few diodes and a switch. Either way, you will lose a little voltage when you activate the whistle. The transformers included an extra 5-volt winding that was switched in to compensate.
Bob Nelson
Even though Lionel did use a D cell in the 147, I am skeptical that this is a good thing to do. Primary cells often don't react well to attempts to charge them. Manufacturers tend to warn against leaking or rupture. In this case, the cell is being charged and discharged 60 times per second at several amperes, which is a pretty high current for that size of cell. Another consideration is that dry cells have changed in the decades since Lionel sold the 147. There are some very different types now; so what may have worked then might not now. I think the 167 is a better choice.
Here is an old discussion about this topic:
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/428949/ShowPost.aspx
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