transformer power

Your transformer has enough power but you need to supply more feeder wires!

You need to supply power feeds every five to six feet of O gauge track, regardless of what brand or type of track(even Fastrack).

If you want to have independant control of other trains you need a second transformer if the 1033 has only one handle on it for track power. Maybe another 1033 or a rebuilt post war ZW or KW will work for you.

Lee Fritz

Thanks very much Lee. I totally did not know that about the multiple power feeds. So I could take the power from the transformer to a distribution strip and go to the track at multiple points from there? Is that how it's usually done? I will look into another transformer though I still have my original that came with the train set in the 50's. That one is a type 1053 with 60 watts of power. I will try that on the outer loop (about 50' of track) as soon as I put the last few pieces of track down and get the power feeds on there. Thanks again for taking the time to help me out. 

You can feed the power directly from one lock-on to another.  Remember, there is little loss through the wire feeds to the lock-ons, but there is loss through each track connection. Also check each of your track pin connections.  Try to assure that they are good fitting, and as tight as possible.

I would start by dividing each loop in half, and adding another lock-on for each half of track.  I then would further divide the original loop into quarters for the larger loops, and add a lock-on in the middle of each quarter loop.  After that, if you still experience power losses, you might want to consider soldering the track connections.  It may seem extreme, but it will help greatly with maintaining good power through out the entire loop.

Welcome to the forum, and glad to see you resurrecting your trains!

There are a number of things that need to be done to insure that your trains operate properly and efficiently with a minimum of fuss and anxiety. It sounds like you are using old track. Before assembling the track, make sure there is no rust or dirt on the tracks or in the pins that join the track together. Light rust can be removed with a Scotchbrite pad, and dirt removed with naphtha. Squeeze the ends of the track lightly with a side cutting pliers if necessary to insure tight connections between track sections.

Multiple lockons on each loop will help distribute power evenly.

Independent control of trains in your loops would need 2 or more transformers, or a larger multi-throttle transformer such as a KW or ZW. The loops need to be electrically isolated from each other by using insulating pins. If using 2 or more separate transformers, the transformers need to be phased together to insure proper operation of trains as they pass from the control of one transformer to the next.

To insure good running of your locomotives and rolling stock, the wheels and roller pickups should be cleaned with naphtha and the axle bearings on the locomotive need to be lightly oiled. The wheels of your rolling stock need to be oiled where the axle goes through the wheel. Further maintenance may need to be done to the locomotive if you experience problems after the basic lubrication has been done.

Enjoy your trains!

Larry

What the other gents have recommended is good advice. However, I would like to go back a step and ask about your original situation. You stated that the train ran fine on one of the three concentric loops. Then you tried to run the train on another (I assume almost the same size) loop and the train would "not light up" (do you mean it won't run?) AND your switch lanterns are very dim.  These symptoms are not logical.

Unless you have a severe voltage drop, or you have wired something incorrectly, the train should run as well on any of the three loops.

Are you sure that you have the hot wires all connected to the inside rails, and the return wires all connected to the running rails? Are you supplying voltage to the 022 switches directly from the track, or from extra power leads?  Have you isolated the three loops by separating their third rails with insulating pins, etc?

What size wires are you using for track power?

There's something that does not quite make sense. After you follow the good advice about extra track feeds, BUT before you attach any wires, and before you turn on the power, do a couple of things: take an ohmmeter and see if there any leakage between the third rail and the running rails, on each loop. You will need to temporarily remove any loads from the track, including any rolling stock, AND the lamps in the switches.  I suspect you may have a shorted piece of track. Is the track new, or old?

This is the likely problem - back-to-back 022 switches with fiber pins in the trigger rails will not conduct common/outside rail current through them except for a minor bleed through the coils and bulbs/controller bulbs. If the 022 pair delineates two "loops" or circuits, all three fiber pins will need to be in place at the junction and all power will need to be supplied to Lockons on each side of the switch pair.

Well indeed I have 2 O22 switches within 6" of each other on the middle loop, the one that will not run the train In the smaller inner loop the 2 switches are 6 or 7 feet apart. Plastic pins are installed on the inside rails of each of these 4 switches. As soon as I disconnected the track connecting the inner loop with the middle loop, the train started running again on the inner loop. On that smaller loop (as mentioned about 20') I have only one power feed and it seemed to be sufficient. The straight track is all new on the inner loop, and mostly new on the middle loop. All the O31 curved pieces and the remainder of the straight pieces have been well cleaned but are old. To answer Arthur there is only one lockon at the moment, and it is wired correctly with 22 gauge solid. As I mentioned, on my first try with inter connecting the inner and middle loops, the train did not light up or run at all, but I was getting very dim light on the O22 switches which at the moment are track powered. I really appreciate evreyone's input. It has all been helpful. Thanks guys.

If you wish to run the train through all the loops, connect at least one lockon to each loop, but suggest at least 2 lockons per loop. Hook jumper wires to each lockon. In the future, each loop can be powered independently to control 2 or more trains.

Larry

You have a short circuit in your "middle" loop. A common fault is a missing or compromised center rail insulator somewhere along the way.

Disconnect the loop and reconnect it in small sections with the inner loop powered, when the lights go out, you have found the section with the problem. 

Continue with the problem section only, narrowing it down to the track piece that has the short.

Hey Rob, just to follow up on my request for help and your suggestions, I noted that I had put up some steel tressels on that middle loop. Seems odd but taking those off AND putting power feeds on both sides of the pair of O22 switches has solved the problem. I now have an inter connected inner and middle loop. Thanks to all of you that posted suggestions. They all helped me learn more about what I am doing, a very fun pastime indeed.

What I meant by "seems odd" is how did anyone ever use steel trestle on their layout if they cause shorting of the circuit? Are they supposed to be used with some kind of insulator between the trestle and the track?

One more area to consider is the turnout(s) themselves. Are these Postwar 0-22's? it is not unheard off to see solder connections break on the underside of 0-22 turnouts. remember, these things are going on 55 years+ old for many of them and some will need the bases removed and checked for shorts and broken solder connections on the various buss-bars underneath.

Another concern, 22 gauge wire is awfully small for track power feeders. I'd step up to 18 gauge at least; even a 1033 transformer outputs 5 amps (if working correctly) and with a big enough short circuit, that 22 gauge wire will turn into a filament at the wrong time.....

The trestle bents("piers") are designed to support the track under the ties only, not under or in contact with the three rails.

Ah, Duh. I didn't know. Thanks.