I recently added a Wye to the layout with a new Marx 1590 switch and new uncoupling section added to a series of 3 switches. I noticed my Lionel 2046 pulling 5 cars would run fine in the main loop but almost stop in the series of 4 switches and uncoupling section. All 4 switches had the contacts between the switch body and movable section of the switches cleaned with fine sand paper. I attempted to use a digital volt meter to see if I could isolate the part the section with the faulty connection but the voltage checked the same at all test points between the switches. I solved the problem by adding two more center rail feed wires between the switches in addition to the one original feed.
I recently saw a post on OGR forum where several suggested ammeters for transformers in addition to the normal volt meters on control panels. I wondered if amp meters would help identify poor contacts between track joints, switch internal contacts and maybe poor contacts on relays used for track sections when using two train operation on the same single track.
I thought about buying an AC amp panel meter but then thought of the Amprobe Junior Snap Around model Y volt-ammeter with range of 0-25 amps I have had since the 1970’s. It was purchased from Lafayette Radio Electronics in the 1970s, if you can remember them, by mail. I clipped it on one of my Lionel LWs output wires to the layout and you can see the dial range is compressed below 5 amps and was useless for the 1 to 3 amp range of my train operation. I need an ammeter with a 0-5 amp range for best accuracy with my LW putting out 6 amps maximum. The clamp on ammeter is just clamped around the wire to be measured where as a regular ammeter has to be installed in series with the transformer and track.
I thought I could install a patch wire between the transformer and wire to the layout and make a coil of wire from the patch wire and put the ammeter clamp jaws around the loop and increase the amp meter range to be lower than 25 amps as a test. I tried a coil of 10 loops and the clamped the ammeter on the loop and the meter over ranged the 25 amp maximum running an estimated 2 amp drawing train. I then made a coil of 5 loops and the ammeter stayed in range with the train running. I figured out if I divided the numbers on the ammeter gauge by 5, I would have a 0 to 5 amp range ammeter making the ammeter have a magnified accuracy between 1 to 5 amps. It worked great.
I added new dial numbers to the Amprobe clip on ammeter to show 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 amps, the new range of the ammeter with the 5 loop adapter wire attacked.
A piece of 14 gauge fine stranded wire was made into a 1 inch diameter 5 wire loop coil with pig tails as an adapter. The loop was taped to hold its shape. One end was put on the variable output of the main LW transformer and the other end was connected to the wire feeding the layouts center track rail. This transformer can operate the total layout, or be isolated to operate only the inner loop of the main control board.
I found the 5 car train with the Lionel 2046 pulled about 2.2 amps. A train with a Lionel diesel 2023 AA with one motor and two lights and three passenger cars, each with two old style incandescent large bulbs drew about 3 amps.
Two trains were run off one LW transformer, one a 2026 with five cars and the other the Lionel 2046 with coal tender. They drew about 3.7 amps.
Two newer locos with can motors, a Lionel NW-2 and Lionel 0-8-0, 561 pulled an estimated .3 to .5 amps without cars. This shows they are more efficient than the old Lionel Pulmor engines. The Amprobe ammeter has a compressed 0 to 5 amp on the original scale and 0 to 1 amp on my new scale and is not very precise. Thankfully it is not very important to know the exact amperage below 1 amp.
I plan on making two more 5 loop adapters for my other two LW’s. With adapter loops on all three LW’s I can move the clamp on ammeter to one of the three LW’s and monitor the tracks it is set up to control. The red lighted LW controls the total train layout or the main board inner loop only. The green light LW controls the main board outer loop only or the main board outer loop and the whole new train board. The orange lighted LW controls only the new train board or nothing.
I have not determined if the ammeter will be successful at locating poor track connections yet. A partial short in the center rail causing a slow running train may not show an increase in amps as the short may heat up the connection raising amps and the train may slow down and use fewer amps. I have been able to detect sections of track with poor track, switch or relay connections by observing where the trains slow down and hopefully the ammeters will help. I have a zero cost to me way of monitoring the track amperage of every loop and section of my layout by using only one snap around ammeter. Using panel mounted ammeters would require at least three of them and I do not have space on the main control panel for two meters. It is not necessary to have three meters constantly monitoring my layout.
The ammeter will be useful in determining the current pull for different engines and trains. The will be helpful when using high current trains like passenger trains and when operating two trains at the same time as I can do on two of my loops equipped with blocked track sections and relays. Amprobe Junior Snap Around volt-ammeters can be had used on eBay for $20-30.
Charlie
