Quiet the Gateman with DC Operation

Second video: DC Operation.  Yes, there is no train running in this one, but all the better to hear the Gateman, I think.

I did this a few years ago when the Gateman was on the Christmas layout. Pretty loud on AC for sure. You can quiet it down even more with a large electrolytic capacitor with a voltage rating of at least 35 volts. The more uF the better.

Pete

Can I operate my Lionel Operating Fork Lift Loader Station with DC power? It too is also very loud!

A word of caution if you do this,Turn the DC voltage down,until the gate just works,then add a volt or 2. Too much DC can burn out the AC coil over prolonged operation.

Dale H

Pete, where do you connect the capacitor? Can it be across the terminals on the power pack?

Chris: Using an old TYCO Ho Power Pack.

Dale: thanks for the tip. I did burn out the coil last year on AC as well. It was on a display layout and got pretty heavy use, since it was controlled by the train. This time I will connect it to a push button so there should be less use.

I don't know how DC would work on other accessories, but I would expect if a coil is involved it should be more quiet.

Bob, It could be across the power pack terminals but you would have to make sure its plus to plus and minus to minus as the capacitor is polarized. Also lock the reverse switch otherwise you can literally blow up the capacitor. I had assumed you were using a full wave bridge across the accessory terminals of the transformer. If you opt for that method then positive and negative terminals would be clearly marked on the bridge and capacitor. You could put both the bridge and capacitor under the roof.

Pete

I am just thinking that may be nice on my prewar gateman and my postwar oil derrick. Then again, if I run more trains, I don't notice

For those of us who have burned out the gateman coil, any suggestions on repair?  I have a Christmas Gateman from 6 or 7 years ago, that I'd been using under DC.  It stopped working last year - which I assume was due to over voltage.

Thanks,

Sam

Sam, you can see the coil if you take off the bottom. Mine was a melted mess. Replacement coils are available. I had mine replaced at my local Lionel Dealer, but I don't think it is hard to do yourself.

I like the gateman but my Christmas version got fried 2 years ago when I wired it to track power 18V. Bad idea!  

One caution about DC.  After a lot of operations, the core tends to get magnetized and the arm will start sticking up.  Cure is to reverse the polarity of the DC to drive the unit.  A few AC activations will demagnetize it as well.

Not the 264, or any Vibrotor powered accessories.  They depend on the AC for motion of the armatures.

if you think Lionels 45/145 is loud, pick up a Marx Shanty. That sucker will wake the dead!

If you're talking about this one, it has a motor, and should run on DC, though I've never tried it.

My gateman tried to burn up tonight when a tain parked with the nutcracker looking at the train.  I turned the voltage down as low as I could go.  I am thinking a timer circuit may be wise.

I now have a functioning nutcracker gateman!  The original core was definitely shot - installation of the replacement wasn't too bad...

-Sam