Lionel 37996 192 Control Tower

Checked mine out today.  Looks well done, didn't see any defects in the decoration.

The operation seems OK, it's low geared (I think the previous DC motor ones (as opposed to the old vibrotor) were too), so the men move relatively slowly.  I did not dig out a similar recent one to compare.

There is a very tight clearance for the men to not hit their heads on the light bulb socket, but mine did make it with no contact.

Last thing I found curious was the bulb is a bayonet type, but the pic in the manual (manual is a reprint from the 2009 model) shows threaded.  I'd double check the bulb number supplied in the manual due to this before I would order any extras.  (again, I did not dig out the previous model to compare directly - and I did not do this research yet before replying to this thread)

Overall, I think I am happy with it so far.

-Dave

Thx Dave

Picking mine up next weekend

Colors look good???---similar to the original

Thx again  

The new # 192 tower looks good.   The only cosmetic difference (from the original)appears to be that the lettering on the new tower is white.  The original postwar # 192 had orange lettering.  

I ordered 2, They are being shipped to me this week.

Thx PWTrains---looks great / been waiting for this one for a long time

I know it's been re-made a thousand times in other colors but---I always liked the postwar version

I remember seeing the 192 tower on several super o dealer display layouts---thought it fit well with the "look and feel" of those layouts

Thx again

Joe S  

One other thing I forgot to mention.

Even though it was not in PWC packaging, it has one of those Post War emblems stuck on the bottom of it just like a lot of the PWC series had.

-Dave

Got a chance to check mine out the other day

I'm very happy with the tower

Works and looks great---nice remake

One little quirk---They do not come with the rubber feet that came on the originals

I'm not sure they are even needed with the smooth operation of todays can motors

However postwar rubber feet (I have some leftover parts---they may be readily available from parts dealers ) fit no problem on the new remake if you choose to put them on

FWIW  

Thx

Joe S  

I'll gladly take the lack of rubber feet since the vibrotor was replaced with the can   I'm still hoping one day they will adapt this new motor to the radar antenna, but I'm not holding my breath.

-Dave

Do the men and the anemometer rotate in opposite directions like the post war original? 

Yes, they do.  I'm pretty sure the last 2 issues (with this motor, but the colors were the red tower on black structure)  did as well.

-Dave

Thanks.

Picked up one of these earlier this week.

Agree with the comment above. The speed of the rotation of the men is quite slow. In fact, I thought maybe my electrical connections were bad, but it appears that they just turn slowly.

Speaking of electrical connections, I was reminded of how much I really hate those spring clips. 

I like the green/yellow color combo and, overall, a nice addition to the layout.

FYI, that spring clip is called a Fahnestock clip.

A Fahnestock clip is an early technology for an electrical terminal. It is still used occasionally in educational electronic kits and teaching laboratories in schools. It is designed to grip a bare wire securely, yet release it with the push of a tab. The clip was patented February 26, 1907by John Schade Jr., assigned to Fahnestock Electric Co.

I don't like them either, but when I taught high school electricity, they sure came in handy... we used thousands of them!

Ed

     I like Fahnestock clips. They hold the wire tight, make good electrical connections and when ready, the wire is easy to remove.

     Micro-Mark, an O Gauge Railroading advertiser, still sells them (Page 51, Early Winter 2013 catalog).

John Knapp

Erie, not Eerie