Your help appreciated -- I want to get it right this time ...
After I bought this (used, via e-Bay) operating accessory and installed it on my home layout, the trouble started. With 14v fixed AC power from a MTH Z1000 (100 watts) transformer applied, its blinking lights atop the towers would flash, but the light in the house would not light up. Even with a gondola car in place and the sensor beam appropriately blocked, the traveling arm wouldn't move.
Later, I discovered a Lionel Correction Sheet that reported the two wires at the two terminal nuts to the transformer on its base were factory-wired backwards. My "educated guess" was the PCB inside the unit was fried because I initially wired it according to the (incorrect) Owner's Manual.
I ordered a replacement PCB from Lionel. When I removed the covering from the base for a look inside the unit, it was clear that the new "replacement" PCB was nothing like the original PCB - the wiring plugs of the accessory and the plug sockets on the replacement PCB wouldn't match up and the color coding of the SWITCH wires was different.
Then I found a broken connection of a purple wire. It's supposed to be connected to a short string of eight electronic pieces (resistors or diodes?). With alligator clips, I temporarily re-attached the purple wire ends to that short string, applied 14v AC from my test bench Lionel 1033 transformer to the terminal nuts marked as TRANSFORMER, and jumpered the SWITCH terminal nuts together (to simulate ON). But there was no result.
Perhaps this accessory has already gone to Lionel heaven and is way beyond resurrection/repair. Pix of the unit taken yesterday on my test bench are attached.
I believe it would cost more to attempt to repair it at an authorized Lionel Service Center (along with two-way S&H costs) than it's worth, so I decided to buy a replacement unit. I found a like-new unit on e-Bay and bought it. Its owner affirmed it works, but recommended avoiding a post-war transformer as its power source for an unexplained reason. I intended to use a Lionel 1033 transformer for it (and its companion Culvert Loader, but now I'm uncertain. Would a Lionel CW-80 transformer be better suited for this purpose? It seems to me that electricity is electricity, but I recall OGR Forum notes about variations of the sine wave of different transformers. Does that apply in this case? Does it actually make a difference -- vintage Lionel transformer versus a contemporary unit? I intend to follow the directive on the Lionel Correction Sheet; i.e., since the accessory was factory-wired backwards, I'll hook-up the replacement accessory according to that revised info and diagram.
As I understand it from a few Lionel Service Station guys, this accessory is often considered a "problem child." Maybe the newest version of this nifty action accessory (with Command Control) has benefitted from a "fix" of the underlying problem.
With thanks in advance to anyone with special knowledge of the 6-12983.
Mike Mottler (ritraingy) LCCA 12394
I'm waiting for their November half price on parts sale. But from what I have read, you may have issues with the car detection sensor as well. Seems it gets tricked by ambient light. But let's not get the cart ahead of the horse - get your replacement board, and go from there.