voltage problem

[Anonymous]

I am using a lionel cw-80 with a small train and four remote switches. I want the switches to run off fixed voltage and not track power. I followed the directions that came with the cw-80 to set the accessory voltage. The voltage seemed to be set but the voltage for the train to run is not controlled by the throttle. In other words, the accesory voltage is set but the track voltage is constant and does not respond to the throttle. When the throttle is off, there is still track voltage. If I pull the wall plug, mount the train and replug in, the train takes off on its own even with the throttle set to off. What am I missing?

[jimhaleyscomet]

I run two CW-80's on my 027 layout. While I love the slow startup on direction change, I have found they always leave a tiny (static?) charge even when throttle is at zero. I have gotten a tiny shock reaching across the track with a screwdriver when powered down but not unplugged. My beeps and Thomas will not reverse using my CW-80. I finally added a lamp post and ran it off an inside and outside rail (track power). That seems to bleed off the static discharge. Before I did this I just made sure a lighted car was on the track (that worked also).

This is a dumb question but are you sure track is connected to track and accessory on the back to accessory wires. I believe there is a long thread about the CW-80 a while back. From what I understand, using the "fixed voltage" outputs is iffy at best. Better to have a separate in phase transformer for your switches.

Jim H

[jimhaleyscomet]

One other thing. K-line switches (not sure about the rest) come with a sheetmetal bus bar that must be removed when not using track power.

Jim H

[ChiefEagles]

It may be defective. A lot of them are.
Lionel Customer Service is:

[phone], extension 1350

The date on the bottom 8/04 [they have proven to be a defective batch]

[Anonymous]

If I need to buy a new power source to run the switches and accessories, would the Lionel 36 watt accessory transformer work? What about the mrc power pack? I believe that one has a fixed 14 volt accessory terminal in addition to the train power side.

[Anonymous]

I was trying to do the same thing with no success. Called Lionel and they said "Can't do that". As I understand it, there is something about the way they control accessory voltage that causes it to be out of phase with the track voltage, essentially resulting in a dead short when you try to use it to power switches.

Hope the 36watt transformer works. It's what I'm planning to use.