Hello, I'm working with the O gauge Lionel train that I received as a gift in 1954...so that sets the age. I'm looking at what I believe is an 022 switch...at least it looks like the diagrams of other 022 switches I have seen. Except that the connection on the side of the control box has 4 threaded posts labeled 1,2,3 and 4. As a kid I remember there being a push button remote control box...but that is long gone. I'm looking for some help on how to wire this up to a remote control box that has 3 wires coming from it. Can anyone help me out here.
Much thanks
Chuck
Welcome to the forum!
Can you find a picture on the internet(Google Image search) of what you have & tell us the url? It does not sound like 022 switches... with four posts... maybe 112? Here is a 112 set:
The push-button controller may have been Marx:
Rob
I have 6 pairs of 022 switches, and they only have 3 connecting posts on them and 1 fixed voltage hole for the plug, with 1 wire for fixed voltage and 3 wires for the controller. I think you might have had another kind of switch. Like the picture above. thanks.
Hi,
I have looked at the photos posted here and at anything I can find on Google and nothing looks exactly like what I have. It looks closest to the 022. Maybe I can post a picture here. But, this is what I see when I open the control box...there are two coils. Posts 3 and 4 go to the two coils, so I figure these activate the switch to one way or the other. Post 1 has a wire connected to it that goes under the switch and connects to all of the center rails. Post 2 looks like it just connects to the base which thus connects to the outer rails...since they connect to the base. Again...this is 1954 vintage. ANy ideas on how to wire this up with a standard 3 wire switch? thanks
Are you seeing coils in the switch controller (aka the little box with the levers/buttons and red/green lights) or over by the switch motor on the side of the switch. I don't know of any Lionel switch contollers that had coils in them? Are you sure this control box is supposed to go with the switch and in't actually some other device controller?
There is a box that sticks off the side of the switch. WHen I take the cover off this box it has 2 coils. These look to be magnets that will pull the switch to one side or the other.
SO, I have scoured the internet looking for a photo of this switch. But no luck. I'll take a photo when I get home and try to post it here. Now, There is no Lionel brand stamp or tag on these switches. No brand mark at all. It does say Made in Japan. Were there other manufacturers of these switches in the 1950's?
I'd be willing to bet that these are Sakai switches, which were made in Japan and available as a much less expensive alternative to the Lionel switches of the '50s.
They came in primarily 0-27 gauge. I don't ever recall seeing them in 0-gauge.
You're right. I see stamped on the base: Made in Japan Tokyo Sakai...and yes...O-27.
Ok...so I got this switch to work. Thought I'd post here just to close this out.
There are 4 wiring posts on the switch. 1 is wired to the center rail, 2 to the side rails, 3 and 4 to either side of the switch. I connected 2 wires to the transformer. With one wire connected to post 2 (side rail) I could activate the switch by touching the other wire to either post 3 or 4. Connecting to post 1 (center rail) did not seem to do anything. I thought it was pretty cool that these switches have come to life for the first time in over 50 years. They did give off an electrical type smell after activating them back and forth few times.
Thanks to everyone for your help and guidance.
The side post is for powering the switch with auxilery power, instead of track power. Usually about 14v. There is a metal strip that connects to the metal center pin and directs power to the switch motor. If you uwant aux power there is a plastic pin that installs onto the metal post, and moves the strip away from the interior pin.
The three top posts are for changing the direction of the switch. The center of the top three posts is the ground. The left or right sides gets shorted to the center post to activate the switch.
Here is where the insulated (plastic) pins are installed.
Kurt
I missed the fun but here is an 022 switch motor for the record..
My switch was actually a Sakai switch...made in Japan... and not the 022 switch as I initially thought. It looks different than a 022. I'm happy to post a few photos here but am not sure how to do it. If someone can tell me how this is done I will post some.
Chuck, I use photoBucket to post photos on line. http://photobucket.com/
You can send your photos to there and it will automatically reduce them to 800x600 pixels. Or , you can do what I do and use alternate photo shop software to reduce and down load to Photobucket. After your loaded into Photobucket, there are 3 sections below each photo. Simply click on the bottom one and it will save it for you. Then click and paste the photo to the forum post your working on. DO NOT close Photobucket unitl the photo appears in the post. Close it after you have posted your entry to the forums. Happy posting!
Roger
ChuckM My switch was actually a Sakai switch...made in Japan... and not the 022 switch as I initially thought. It looks different than a 022. I'm happy to post a few photos here but am not sure how to do it. If someone can tell me how this is done I will post some.
Here you go... Sakai switches:
yup....that's them
Thanks! I have never seen one.
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