I bought the Lionel Badlands Express set for my great-grandson and he loves it. However this statement is true: "The locos with truck mounted DC can motors run like jack rabbits with a typical Lionel transformer as most have a low starting voltage of 6 volts to the track." It's not a truck mounted motor but it uses very little of the throttle position either side of zero to go to full speed. Is there any way to modify the controller to spread the control over the full range of the controller? Thanks. Al
This may do what you want - http://www.awrr.com/scaler2.html - certainly worth a look, and possibly a try
The circuit appears to be similar to a "handheld" throttle from the olden days. You hooked it up to the old MRC and adjusted the power pack output to whatever high speed you wanted and then using the handheld, you could adjust the loco's speed within that voltage range. They still work today, Mopman uses them on his large MoPac layout and can run at very slow speeds not possible with just the old MRC pack's "raw" output. This seems to be a very worthwhile project for any DC operator, as well as solving Al's problem. Woodie
All you say is Lionel. As the O scale section... Is this a lionel two rail or three rail set? Lionel 3r O, as far as I know, runs on AC current. I may be wrong, but I would make sure to double check that before wiring up a circuit designed for dc.
You are not wrong and your advice is pretty crucial. That's a lot of work to go to just to have your transistors smoked. One thing that could work for either AC or DC is a good, old fashioned rheostat. It would require you use the rheostat knob, not the power pack speed control. But it wouldn't be too expensive and it's easy enough.
From some of my dealing with 3 rail, I thought some of the basic Lionel starter sets were DC power. Where most of the remaining advanced, for lack of better term, stuff was AC. Not fully sure, but what I thought I recall seeing/hearing at one time.
Hmmm. I am thinking the Badlands Express was AC powered. The one I am thinking about was made about twenty years ago. Unless they re-used the name and sold something since then using DC.
Ok - I am completely ignorant when it comes to Lionel AC versus DC. Actually anything to do with Lionel etal. The controller for this set is very small and has a center off control lever. Rotated one way is forward and rotated toward the other side is reverse. My great-grandson has it now - will not be able to check it til next week. Thanks for the info and the warnings - might have saved me some grief. Al
Lionel Hobby Transformer Model #4660. Throttle Output 0-17VDC. Access. out 20 VAC. Don't have a model # for engine but it does run on DC so the scaler linked to above should work fine. AL
