I added the sixth diode and the WIlliams horn units work well and the bell turns on but does not shut off easily. It takes several presses of the NC button but eventually it turns off. It seems that the higher the power level the easier it shuts off. I can howerver live with this. On the other hand my postwar tender does not react at all!! Do I need to add another diode??
I have no idea.
Bob Nelson
Would an old 167 controller work with a transformer w/o a whisle feature?? Does it also activate a diesel horn?
OK ... got the bells working on the Williams unit's true blast II but consistently only in neutral. Underway the bells are finicky ... sometimes they work and other times not. I did notice that they seem to turn on and off over the lock-on tracks. I have used six diodes for the assembly .... working with a KW no issue with the horns ... is this a power issue??? Should I add a seventh diode??? Do the tracks need a cleaning??? Any thoughts on what might be happening???
I built one of these with 5 diodes in each direction and two buttons for whistle/bell, it works fine with all the locomotives I've tried it with. That includes one that has a Williams horn/bell module.
Finally got the bell working for the most part. One of the Williams locos responds on most sections of the layout but the other oddly turns on and off consistently on the second or third track after each lockon ( there are 3 on the loop) .... go figure? I can live with this ... thanks again for all the suggestions.
I just got a Lionel button for 15 bucks and it works great. It's not worth making your own.
Kevin
Can't stop working on the railroad!
RRaddict I just got a Lionel button for 15 bucks and it works great. It's not worth making your own. Kevin
I made mine for $0.00 with parts out of my junkbox in about 20-30 minutes, so I have to disagree.
My Lionel button died after only a couple of months in service .... it also had problems with the bell shutting off. BTW the cost of homemade is about 5 bucks each. Besides it's enjoyable to make.
Do you have a schematic you can post of this dual function panel you constructed???
Actually, you should be able to wire it from the picture. The push buttons are normally open, and I just used them like SPST buttons, note only two connections. The diode connections are pretty obvious, five in each direction. I never bothered to draw a schematic, since it was such a simple circuit.
What are the 4 large posts and nuts on either side of the box?? Are the red items in the middle you N/O pushbuttons??
Those are the buttons. Note that he used an SPDT as an SPST on the left and a DPDT as an SPST on the right, presumably because that's what he had on hand. Another way to do it is with a single SPDT-CO (center-off) momentary switch.
Got it using wiring diagram by Lionel for the 6-5906 ... wasn't working because the button wasn't attached. Thought I could test by touching the 2 wires rather than using the button. All is good ... thanks for your help. This forum is the best! Happy New Year!
The large red and black things on the ends are binding posts for easy connections to the transformer and the track.
Yes, the odd pushbutton selection was just because that was the stuff in the junkbox.
The SPDT center off switch is a clever idea, that would combine whistle/bell in one control. You can also add a momentary NC (normally closed) push button to the other lead to serve as a direction control if desired.
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month