How reliable are the new Lionel ZWL's? Looking for reviews

I don't have one but if you watch the detroit3railers February video all track power was coming from 1 ZWL. I'd call that a darn good transformer.

Its a great transformer, we sell tons of them and they they have power to spare. You can click on the details on our web site for more info.

"Darn good" as the ZWL may appear to be you're going to have to wait 50 - 66 years to find out how it stacks up against the 275 watt ZW, so many of which are still totally functional.

Pete

It's an awesome transformer! No regrets at all.  The ZW-L takes commands like a command engine would you just have to add an address to each track.  You can control all 4 Channel's without having to work the handles.  This comes in especially handy if your running conventional engines so you can control them with a cab-1 or cab-2.   Well worth the money. 

Thanks everyone. 

That would be neat to use for conventional engines.  I'm still a little confused though.  Am I right in that all I would need is the legacy remote and base, set 14295?  I wouldn't need the other piece, I think called a power master?

 When you use it that way, does it bypass the control handle?  What happens if a kid cranks the handle up while another is driving a conventional engine with a remote?  

For command operation, all you need is the ZW-L and the Legacy command base/Cab-2 remote set. The 4 powermasters are effectively built into the ZW-l.

If running a conventional loco, on a loop of track, using the remote, you'd set the handle to your preference for max. power. You'd then use the red knob to dial up and down the amount of power that the loop actually gets. So grabbing the handle would only have a dangerous effect if you had the max power set very low and they suddenly jammed it to full.

 The set up really lessens the gap between running command and conventional - meaning that you can run your conventional locos with the remote and a non-train guest wouldn't know any difference in control from the Command locos. The only real issue is that the conventional loco has to have it's own track loop.

They are just Great we have 2 of them and 4 of the old zw and you can.t beat them.  soon we will have to get another one. we also have 5  mth Z4000.   ZW-L is the best.      TOM SR.  ......

You just need a cab remote with the base unit it comes with.  All you have to do so a kid doesn't send an engine off like a rocket is set the voltage by hand on the ZW-L to a lower voltage.  He or she can spin the red knob all day but they won't get anymore out of it than what you set the transformer to  

This actually sounds like it has more value than I thought then.  We have several boys and most of our engines are old conventionals like 726, 2025, F3 etc. Our layout has 2 loops that can be switched to be all connected to 1 power source, or 2 separate sources.

 The best part if I am thinking correctly, I could set the handle on the ZW like a max speed stop.  

The lure of being able to run conventional with a Legacy remote prompted me to highly consider it.  Lee Willis glowing review of it is what sold me on it finally.

So far I've had to send back 5 of them to Lionel with defective throttle/voltage control. They experience Voltage loss on 2 or the rest of the outputs.

Have had mine for 2 years.   No issues at all.

Great transformer.  I have 2 ZW with 180 bricks, I am going to sell at the local train club's show in August and use the money to buy another ZW-L.

How would you rate the compatibility of the ZW-L when used with DCS ? 

Mike Miller

I have had my two ZW-L's for about three (or is it four) years. They are connected to the track via two DCS TIU's, and I run DCS and Legacy without any problems. The ZW-L' are great!

Alex

Ever wanted to know what was inside the ZW-L. Here you go. Giant power coil in the Base. 

3 years no issues.  Best transformer money can buy!

I have 2 of these awesome units. I use one on my permanent layout at home and the other one powers our All Aboard Fastracker layouts for shows. Great in all modes from conventional to TMCC to Legacy and yes, it works with the DCS stuff with a TIU and Remote just fine.

Not that another positive vote is needed here, but here's yet another one. Great transformer, works beautifully with the Legacy remote, you can turn down the higher voltages with the handles to whatever you desire, independent circuit protection, etc. etc. Worth every nickel and then some.

The only joke here is that Charlie Nassau sold "tons" of them, which means about "4 of them." They are heavy...

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I have mostly modern Lionel engines from 1992 and later.  When I'm finished building, I'll begin running with a postwar ZW and a KW.  Would it be better to invest in a modern transformer like the ZW-L because of the more sensitive electronics?  I'll be running mostly in conventional until I learn the Trainmaster Command system and get comfortable with it.  I do have some postwar engines as well.  Thanks.

     Hoppy

HOPPY posted:

I have mostly modern Lionel engines from 1992 and later.  When I'm finished building, I'll begin running with a postwar ZW and a KW.  Would it be better to invest in a modern transformer like the ZW-L because of the more sensitive electronics?  I'll be running mostly in conventional until I learn the Trainmaster Command system and get comfortable with it.  I do have some postwar engines as well.  Thanks.

     Hoppy

Personally, unless you have a serious "romantic" attachment to the ZW and KW, I would go with a modern transformer, not necessarily a biggie like the ZW-L, but something modern. The old PW transformers don't have a bell button, and the whistle button generally works poorly if at all on modern engines unless you modify the whistle circuit in the transformer. While the ZW and KW have big power numbers, their output voltage droops seriously with load, which causes dimming of lights on the layout and other things.

I have been down the same path over the past year. I started out with a V, a ZW and a KW. Plan was to use the V to give four different accessory voltages, but operating a Lionel milk car on one circuit seriously dimmed the lights on the other three, for example.  They are all gone and I am using an MTH Z-1000 brick to give me 14 and 18 volts for accessories and a PH-180 and Legacy Powermaster for the track supply and never looked back. If you don't need a whole lot of power the MTH Z-1000 is my favorite choice for mid-powered conventional operation.

I think PW transformers belong with PW locos and layouts, and modern transformers with modern locos and layouts! Move the ZW and KW along to someone who wants to use them with PW equipment.

Just my $.02 worth. No refunds.

Point taken!  I'll seriously consider that.  Your $.02 was well spent.  Thanks again.

     Hoppy

Ingeniero No1 posted:

I have had my two ZW-L's for about three (or is it four) years. They are connected to the track via two DCS TIU's, and I run DCS and Legacy without any problems. The ZW-L' are great!

Alex

Very interesting Alex how do you have them wired up as for anything special