Converting DC motor to AC

The bridge rectifier should be marked so you can tell the difference between the AC leads and the DC leads.  Two of the leads may be marked with a + and - and the other two maybe X and Y or something like this.  Once you have figured out which the DC leads are, connect the two DC leads to the two wires coming from the motor and the other two to the collector and the frame.  If it runs the wrong direction, reverse the DC leads.

The markings on the bridge rectifiers that I have are as follows; + or positve goes to motor wire, - or negative goes to the other motor wire, ~ ~ these two go to track power, don't matter about polarity of track power to rectifier, what matters is coming off the rectifier. If your engine runs the wrong way, reverse the wires from the + & - .

The bridge rectifiers that I have I bought at Radio Shack, and that is R.S. markings.

Another note, the CW-80 trips the breaker way too easy, so use another style transformer and you may not have the problem.

Lee Fritz

This is a small Electric Railroad drive board.  Note the round bridge rectifier in the top  middle center marked with ~~ and + -   There would be (4) corresponding leads off this device.  Note that what ever equipment you use it should be rated for at least 2 amps and maybe more depending on the anticipated load.  This is a pretty simple light duty drive board. Most Train drive systems have heat sinks attached to disipate energy, this one does not. 

Quick Google Search spec. sheet 2W01G  

The bridge rectifers I have used the + & -wires  are on the outside these connect to motor wires,  the center wires of bridge rectifers one goes to engine ground and one to engine power pick up.  Then if your engine runs the wrong way, reverse the wires from the + & - .

I didn't think you could run a DC motor off of AC???Marty

You can't Marty, that's why the rectifier is in the picture.  You can run a universal motor on AC or DC, like the Lionel Pulmore motor.

We accidentally put a MTH Christmas Trolley on a Lionel track and it made funny noises and froze. The wheels will not turn at all. I guess we ran a DC only motor on AC....right? Can I fix it or is it ruined?

Which trolley exactly? 

If this is an an 86xx series 4-4-2 or 2-4-2, you may have a bad motor. If it's been run a lot, the brushes can wear down to the point the internal bronze brush holders get snagged and bent so they short against the motor case. I get 2 or 3 of these in my shop every year. Only fix is to replace the motor. P/N 6008008105 from Lionel, about $8.00+S&H. Call it $20.00 total.

Len

Yes, usually the bad motor draws too much current and burns the motor transistors on the board.  They can be repaired too.  G

My MTH Christmas trolley runs on both AC and DC, so it must have a bridge rectifier in it.

Earl

We accidentally put a MTH Christmas Trolley on a Lionel track and it made funny noises and froze. The wheels will not turn at all. I guess we ran a DC only motor on AC....right?

NO. I never herd of MTH making "DC only" trolleys. Lionel... a different story esp in the 1980's.

That's why I asked which one, I didn't think they ever made a DC only version.

I buy rectifirere at Radiom Shack.

The two power leads from the track

go to the "squiggle" marks on the rectifierer.

and the positive lead from the rectifier goes

to the positive lead on the can motor

and the negative lead goes to the negative

lead on the can motor.

Of course wireing it this way, it will run in only

one direction. If it goes backwards, switch the

power leads and it will go forward.

i do this with small Lionel DC locos that I run at

the train shows.

The kids love em.

gotta be able to run  them on my ZWs

OK, here's the info on the MTH Holiday Special Trolley Set:

item# 30-4028-0

It came with a Z-DC1 transformer, output 17.2VDC, 19.2VA Max

That unit runs on AC just fine, so something else happened.