I have a new Lionel Santa Fe Alco #218 from the set 6-38342. This Christmas when I set the train up I could get no sound from the unit. My initial power was a MTH Z-4000 then I switched to a Lionel LW (horn only)that I've used for years. Both transformers worked fine with other Lionel and MTH engines. No matter what I tried, no horn or bell sounds from the 218. So off it went to Lionel under warrenty and back it came with no problems found. So I set the unit up and again no sound with the Z-4000 or the LW (horn only). At that point I was confused as to why Lionel saw no problems. So As a last attempt I pulled two sound activation buttons (610-5906-001) out and hooked them to the Z-4000. Both horn and bell worked fine. Then I moved the buttons to the LW and again everything worked fine. I also tryed both the Z-4000 and the LW (minus the sound activation button) with two other Lionel engines and everything worked great.
Has anyone on the forum had a simular experience? What is the magic of the sound activation units that the 218 likes? I know how to make it work but I certainly don't understand why.
Thanks for your time.
