What do you think is the best postwar transformer?? There are many to choose from. Such as the ZW, KW, TW, and Z. Which do you like best for your layout? I like the KW transformer best. My reason is that it has a fixed voltage tap and just feels good resting your hand on top of that lionel logo and taking control of the throttle. It has whistle and direction controls for all the 2 trains it controls. But, I also like the Z for its power. The ZW is nice too. Tell me what you think. Thanks.
ZW for power, TW for cool.
I like the LW for style, and the ZW for sheer utility.
The Z wins for bang-for-the-buck.
I never cared much for the KW-it looks nice, but the fixed voltage taps are, in my opinion, useless.
How about pre-war? I love my R.
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
Yeah, the Z is definately a good buy at the shows or ebay. I mean the ZW and Z can both run 4 trains at the same time, but, the Z has 24 volts, as the ZW has 18 volts. I like the Z over the ZW for sure. Well, if 24 volts is too much for your then just throttle down a little bit. Yeah, now that I think of it, the KW's fixed voltage is useless nevertheless. If I was going to a train show, I would definately pick the Z or ZW to buy, depending on my tastes and hunger for voltage. I have both these transformers, I feel the Z is more versatile, at least to run accessories. The ZW is probably better for running trains. All because the throttles are better than that of the Z. Thanks.
3railguy ZW for power, TW for cool.
I also like the style of the TW. I keep one on my layout to power my turnouts just as a reminder of the one I had as a kid.
John
The ZW is my favorite because it has power and whistle controls on it and can run four trains at once. I have run four frieght trains at once with my post war ZW and had no power issues.
There is also the 150 watt VW, a less powerful model of the ZW style, has the same housing but is less powerful. The Z type transformer is good for running just trains without the whistle or bell. But when running modern stuff don't forget the circuit protection for newer trains.
Lee F.
"Best Post War Transformer?
Them would be these:
I seem to be a minority here ... but I love my MTH ... Z-4000 . Internal fan to keep it cool ... lionel z's have none .... and they do get pretty warm at times to say the least . Digital readout of all functions and alerts .... 400 thumping watts of power ! Why run 2 z's or a bunch of power bricks when you can get it all in one advanced tech-designed unit ? And an expansion port for future and all upgrades to boot .
Ole Timer I seem to be a minority here ... but I love my MTH ... Z-4000 . Internal fan to keep it cool ... lionel z's have none .... and they do get pretty warm at times to say the least . Digital readout of all functions and alerts .... 400 thumping watts of power ! Why run 2 z's or a bunch of power bricks when you can get it all in one advanced tech-designed unit ? And an expansion port for future and all upgrades to boot .
All true and reasonable points, but these old original ZWs - both now in their 60s have that great charmisma that the new stuff just doeesn't have for me.
When none trains folks isit my layout, typically someone will see the transformers, or switch controls and say - "I remember this stuff, we had these when I was a kid"
True .... but then again no one would go with TMCC or DCS in that respect . My old charisma one was a litle metal box with a lil slider on it .... and NO ... I did'nt come over on the mayflower guys ... LOL . All of my accessories had little vibrators in them to make the animals move .... stupid places ... in circles ... banging into each other ... but it was BIG TIME ... back then !
Yes, the Z4000 is a wonderful, solid transformer, but it's also a $400 behemoth.
Each throttle has a rated output of 190 watts, as I recall, so each throttle is basically like having a Z or ZW and only using one tap off of it. My first ZW cost me $150, my second one was $70 plus about $20 in parts($15 of which was a replacement handle) and $15 shipping, and my Z was $80.
So, just looking at ZWs, I have as much power as a single Z4000 for roughly half the cost. Since I've never had the occasion to need all 180 watts to one block, I can use some of the capacity for running switches and other accesories. Between the two, I have 8 variable taps. This is perfect, since I can tweak the voltage on my switches, my operating tracks, my 397 coal loader, and AF talking station all separately.
Yes, I'd could run the trains on one Z4000, but I'd need to have a Z or a whole bunch of smaller transformers to run my accesories reliably.
So, for my needs, a pair of ZWs is just as useful as a Z4000, and a whole lot cheaper.
Let's just admit that all the mentioned trans are best in there own right. I prefer the Z just cause it has the most power. But it's sleek design allows you to place them in a tighter area and still have control. The bootball shape of a ZW to me isn't the greatest, I always wanted one as a kid, and now have one, but still like the Z better than ZW and use them to power my layouts.
I concur with your opinion of the looks of the ZW. It has impressed me as bizarre from the time I first saw one in 1952. The Z has no whistle control; but that's fine with me, since I don't need one anyway. (I just bought another one on Saturday and rationalized the purchase as a spare.)
I bought an American Flyer 30B some years ago but finally gave up on using it. It was just too hard to get used to the two controls turning in opposite directions and lifting the handles to shut them off.
Bob Nelson
I didn't know that MTH Z-4000 was around durnig post war period
Life's hard, even harder if your stupid John Wayne
http://rtssite.shutterfly.com/
OK, let's hear it for the American Flyer fans! OK, any time now.
But really
My favorite is an 8B, really inexpensive 100 watts, circuit breaker, will run all day and stay cool, and quiet
For power, hard to beat the 30B, 300 watts voltmeters, deadman controller
Jim
The ZW- R model FTW. I received the first one French's Lionel Train House got in.
ZW for sure...I just like it, although I have an LW on the layout (with 2 CW's). I have a KW, but use it usually at Christmas time. It's too big to mount on my table now, and I should have the terminals looked at, thought it does a more than adequite job for me.
I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.I am the venom in your skin --- Breaking Benjamin
I would have to say the Z takes the cake for its sheer looks and power. Yes, the Z does not use up a lot of space and can run 4 trains. Great for accessories and standard gauge trains. I myself have (3) Z's that I bought for $180 all at seperate show. $40, $50, and $90. I love the Z. I have been running trains since I was 6 years old. First, with Z, then N, HO, Then in 1994 got into Postwar Lionel. My first transformer was the KW when I got into Lionel. It was good, but, when I found out about the Z, when I decided to dip and dab into standard trains, I found out about the Z, because I needed a transformer to power them. Also, I found out the Z could be used to power O gauge trains as well. One thing that is bad about the Z is gaining access to the insides of them. Those 4 screw studs get harder and harder to take off when I wanna replace carbon rollers. Maybe everytime i take them off, I should replace the screws with new ones, so they dont get stripped and cannot take off. I have had only one miscue with my Z's. I had a coupler tab that got stuck and was touching the middle rail and I tripped the circuit breaker on my Z. Took me 2 days to figure out where the problem was. Now I know the breaker work on my Z. Boy, it gave me a heart attack when the red light came on, first time this has ever happen to me in my 15 years of postwar lionel trains. thanks.
Lord you're right ... did I misread that post .... OUCH ..... that smack on the fingers hurt ... LOL !
rtraincollector I'm getting too darn old or somethin .... yikes !!!! Ole Timer I seem to be a minority here ... but I love my MTH ... Z-4000 . Internal fan to keep it cool ... lionel z's have none .... and they do get pretty warm at times to say the least . Digital readout of all functions and alerts .... 400 thumping watts of power ! Why run 2 z's or a bunch of power bricks when you can get it all in one advanced tech-designed unit ? And an expansion port for future and all upgrades to boot . I didn't know that MTH Z-4000 was around durnig post war period
Wait ... I always considered anything made AFTER the war ... POSTWAR ?
While not the biggest or fanciest, I always thought running a train with a 1033 was really fun. I thought about using 2 of them to power my 2 mainlines, but thought they might be a bit undersized for some of my trains.
J White
My American Flyer 19B transformer has 300 watts of power (surpassing the holy grail ZW's 250-275), volt and amp meters, an on/off toggle, and the classic Flyer Dead Man's Control turret that actually looks like something you would see in a real locomotive cab.
http://www.myflyertrains.org/AF_Catalogs/1953Catalog/AF_1953_catalog_page28.htm
In the top pic is that a Sunpro automotive voltmeter?
If so how did you get it to read AC corectly?
I love that bottom control panel too.
Getting back to more of the original post here, I can run four trains at one time on four different tracks with a post war ZW, can't do that with a Z-4000! Another thing about the pw ZW is that all the contents are in one package unlike the new ZW's that need power bricks, those external things can get lost or mis-placed. Also the pw ZW is time tested unlike the new ZW's that in my opion are just break-down babies!!
I have a p.w. 275 watt ZW and a 250 watt Z and a KW that I am using on my layout. Thinking about buying another pw 275 watt ZW for my layout. Just bought a type 1033 transformer at last train show in Dearfield Beach FL the other saturday for $7.00. The 1033 puts out almost 16 volts compared to the 14.8 volts that the smaller 40 watt transformer put out that I have.
Ole Timer Lord you're right ... did I misread that post .... OUCH ..... that smack on the fingers hurt ... LOL ! rtraincollector Ole Timer I'm getting too darn old or somethin .... yikes !!!! I seem to be a minority here ... but I love my MTH ... Z-4000 . Internal fan to keep it cool ... lionel z's have none .... and they do get pretty warm at times to say the least . Digital readout of all functions and alerts .... 400 thumping watts of power ! Why run 2 z's or a bunch of power bricks when you can get it all in one advanced tech-designed unit ? And an expansion port for future and all upgrades to boot . I didn't know that MTH Z-4000 was around durnig post war period
rtraincollector Ole Timer I'm getting too darn old or somethin .... yikes !!!! I seem to be a minority here ... but I love my MTH ... Z-4000 . Internal fan to keep it cool ... lionel z's have none .... and they do get pretty warm at times to say the least . Digital readout of all functions and alerts .... 400 thumping watts of power ! Why run 2 z's or a bunch of power bricks when you can get it all in one advanced tech-designed unit ? And an expansion port for future and all upgrades to boot . I didn't know that MTH Z-4000 was around durnig post war period
Ole Timer I'm getting too darn old or somethin .... yikes !!!! I seem to be a minority here ... but I love my MTH ... Z-4000 . Internal fan to keep it cool ... lionel z's have none .... and they do get pretty warm at times to say the least . Digital readout of all functions and alerts .... 400 thumping watts of power ! Why run 2 z's or a bunch of power bricks when you can get it all in one advanced tech-designed unit ? And an expansion port for future and all upgrades to boot .
Had to pick sorry but back to the original question Post war Transformers ( the ones from 1945 - 1969 that is ) LOL give me a ZW, Z, KW, or a 1044 anyday
Long before I became interested in three rail O gauge trains, a High School science teacher I had gave me his Z transformer for free! Aparently he was cleaning out his clossets and found the thing and knowing I liked model trains decided I could find a use for it. I held onto that transformer for fifteen years before I switched from HO scale to O scale, up until that time I had no idea how lucky I was!!! I currently have an 8X16 foot layout with TMCC and that old transformer keeps on ticking! I have to admit that if I had not converted to TMCC I probably would have demoted the Z to an accesory power source. I remember getting blisters on my fingers when I controlled my trains with those small knobs, the levers the ZW transformers are equiped with are clearly more ergonomically friendly to your hands!
ZW first, KW second. KWs often give more bang-for-the-buck because you can often buy two or three of them for the cost of one ZW. I had 4 KWs; 2 excellent ones cost $40.00 each, one rebuildable one cost $20.00 and another came in an auction box lot. Two of them needed no work and the other were easily and inexpensively restored and placed in service. By contrast, I had 3 ZWs which cost $120.00 each and all needed work before they could be used. Alas, all except for one ZW have been sold because I no longer have a layout.
jwse30While not the biggest or fanciest, I always thought running a train with a 1033 was really fun. I thought about using 2 of them to power my 2 mainlines, but thought they might be a bit undersized for some of my trains. J White
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