Lionel MPC era U36B

The replacement bulbs are here and here.

Larry

Arguably the largest U-36B set of that time period, the Rocky Mountain Special, which came with a large oval layout and two sidings with remote control switches and uncoupler, came packed with just a 15VA output transformer. This set was designed to be set up with a hump yard operation.

honestly, I would NOT get replacement Bulbs. I would rewire with LEd's. After all this is MPC not a collector postwar item. With a regular bulb you run the risk of melting the plastic along with replacing the bulb from time to time. Led's have little heat that will NOT melt the plastic plus last forever.

BTW if you still want the oem bulb, do yourself a favor and line the area inside where the bulb sits with reflective aluminum tape or aluminum foil to prevent the plastic meltdown.

Thank you. Hm, that means they toned down the transformer from the 25VA transformer of the Grand National of 1974 with the same number of remote switches an a single uncoupler track in the 1977 Rockie Mountain Special . LEDs are tempting, but bulbs put off plenty of light, for my young light sensitive eyes. Now the hard part, getting the shell off the Sea Board spirit of 1776 and its different screw than the Chessie U36B.

Those two are constructed identically. You do need to take care not to scratch the cabs with the bent-in ends.

They should be, but for some odd reason the Spirit of 76 engine has a different sized screw head, and is in tighter making it a real pain to remove the shell. The Chessie aside from being careful about the railings slid off effortlessly. Odd thing is it is the younger engine, the spirit of 76,  has all the issues, erratic E-unit, two burned out bulbs, given they are hardly run, and are run together it comes of as weird. The off paint job, missing the seaboard lettering down the side, bled paint, and a miss stamped name plat where the color guns or stamps got out of alignment. Yet is runs, and is a fun engine when it is not being a grumpy 37 year old engine, it was ordered in 77, in need of a serviced or new transformer. Classic MPC, yet it is still cherished even if i sound cross at it.

I bought that set new at the factory back in the day - I believe it was 1978.  Anyway, mine had a 25va transformer.  I think that I still have the transformer around somewhere.  Sold or traded the engine & cars off over the years, but I still have the box.

I am careful, just the build quality makes them seem like they are different designs.

Here is the exact transformer my set has:

 Interesting, mine is different.  Wonder if they ran short and substituted a different one, or decided that the 15va wasn't big enough.

My guess is it's more like 50 watts.

It looks like Lionel really didn't know how to rate its transformers when they made the switch to a "VA" rating. The 4690 "MW" rated at 50VA is a good example - if you've ever used one. It really does have about 3 times the power of the 15 VA 4651/4851, and certainly runs circles around any 1033/1044/4090.

The very similar RS-1 transformer is also "rated" at 50VA, but the text in the manual continually refers to "50 watts total" divided between the two channels. This is a very powerful transformer too, for only "50 watts".

The transformer cores on the MW & RS-1 are about the size of a 100/110 watt R/RW, maybe a little heavier.

Here is the original transformer from the Grand National a 4250. It ran for years both engines, and four remote O-27 switches. Labeled 25 VA and I wonder if it can be serviced (and I am probably one of the few out there that wants to)

What is wrong with the transformer?

Unless the cord needs replacing, they rarely need any sort of service.

From your description above, it sounds like the engine needs a basic cleaning.

It has some over heating issues even running one engine and the breaker could probably use replacing, currently waiting for Lionel to ship the maintenance kits to retailers, or may just get the western freight expansion to get one (and the great deal on its components).

The one that came with mine is blue colored and a little bit larger case.  It flared out a bit towards the bottom.

Optical/photo distortion - they are all the same case.  Blue, red, black, cream, amber/brown, burnt red, AC, DC, AC/DC I have seen are all the same tooling for the case, all wider at the base.

I have only seen in person black. Looking at the photos here, they moved the caution notice and replaced with a speed indicator. i also see what looks like cooling fins. The rating appears to be labeled with a mold insert, if such things are possible. While i am thinking of it does any one know where i can find the rating, other than ebay, of the 4250? is it rare or something given the lack of information i can find on it , or just that more powerful transformers are out there?