bell and whistle panel

If you're a bit handy, you can roll your own.  All you need is a couple of SPST pushbutton switches and a handful of 6A diodes.  Mine has binding posts, but you could just run the wires out and connect directly.

You'll note the switches are larger than I specified, but they were available in my parts box, I obviously only needed the SPST I mentioned.

You may also want to consider an upgrade to a Z-1000 or simililar set up.  Comes with necessary bell/whistle buttons, fast acting circuit breaker.  Just newer more efficient power for trains with electronics.  G

GGG----I really don't want to buy such a big transformer just to run one train.  It would be so sad not to have use for all the power and other features available in such a big unit.  But thanks anyway for the suggestion.   Odd-d

Gunrunner john-----Thanks for taking the time and effort to post the picture of your control device.  What exactly does it do?  Does it operate the bell or the whistle or both?  I have never built an electronic device.    Odd-d

It actually operates both.  One button is for the bell, the other for the whistle.  It just connects in series with the track connections.  The whole thing can be assembled for a few bucks in parts, and solves the problem of not having both controls available.

I use this one for testing conventional stuff with my KW transformer.

Susan, that's not quite the same as my box, it only offers a single function, either whistle or bell.  My goal was to have both in the same box.  I could have added another button for a direction button, but since that's on every transformer, I didn't bother.  One addition I didn't do but would recommend for modern stuff is a TVS across the outputs.

I like it. Did you use momentary toggles, not that it makes a big difference. Couldn't find Lionel's 5906 on their web site but this is much better. Nice!

Those are actually C&K pushbutton switches, I guess I should have shown the outside shot as well.

Understood, but the Z-1000 is just a 100W transformer, smaller then your V.  They also make Z-750 which are 75W.  The Z-1000 would be good for Post War engines also.  G

Yes, your box is much better at Keep It SimpleS.  Thanks much for posting the photo.

Odd-d;

I will add that the Z-1000 is less than $100 at my LHS.

Not bad for a very stiff 100 watt transformer w fast breaker, horn, bell, and direction buttons plus a decent throttle. The brick also has a 14VAC accessory power connection, be aware the wattage is shared with the track.

GRJ.  just curious, whats the reason the diode string it tapped into between diode 4&5 rather than a direct jump over ?

Because that's the way it works!

The diode strings when you don't have any buttons pushed just drop the AC voltage, typically by about .6V for each diode.  When you push one of the buttons, you short out four of the diodes and introduce a DC offset of around 2-2.5 volts.  The polarity is dependent on which button is pushed, hence the plus or minus for whistle or bell.

If you shorted all the diodes out, you'd create plain DC on the track, that's not what you want, you have to leave at least one diode in the mix.