Troubleshooting Post War and 1999 ZW Whistle/Bell function on Post War Tenders

Woodsy

I do not have an answer to your problem of fixing whistles and bell in coal tenders.  You probably will not follow my cure for train whistles and horns, as it is not for everyone but I did make my train running life much easier by doing the following:

I installed a junker Lionel steam whistle in a building with open windows on the original train board and I installed a Bachmann HO Shell Oil Storage Tank that has a diesel horn in it on original train board.  Real Oil Storage Tanks come in lots of sizes.  I added another junker Lionel whistle and diesel horn on the new addition when built.  I put a button to operate each on each end of the both control panels each near the Lionel LW train control transformer for easy access.  Both control panels have buttons for horns and whistles on both boards.  This allows me to have whistles and diesel horns no matter which engine or coal tender is on the train board.

I find the Lionel whistle is much more reliable in a building because it does not have a middle rail pick up and a DC relay like when in a coal tender.  They do not require train transformer power and good transformer diodes for DC voltage.  It is just wired 14 vac directly to the whistle motor.

Many of the Diesels that have horns (F3, etc.) that require batteries.  I hate batteries in trains as they will leak and usually have expired when I get around to operating them.  I have too many engines to bother with batteries including the newer ones that are required for electronics.

The layout transformers do not have to have a working whistle or horn button meaning I do not have to maintain the diodes in the transformers to made DC.  None of them work on my 3 LW transformers and I do not care.

Most can not tell where the train whistle or horn sound is coming from on medium size layout.

Today I often buy locomotives without the coal tenders and coal tenders without whistles, often at a much lower price.  Whistling coal tenders also are heavy dead weight (not on the engine drive wheels), waste amps, and slow down the trains.  Only one or two of my diesels has a horn installed.

Just an idea to consider

Charlie

I have done the same thing with my Lionel 2046W tenders reconditioned. I run ZW transformers and the late Model R. I even have one with whistle diodes. If the train is stopped the whistle works fine. On the run it hardly  works  and even activates the e-unit instead sometimes.  If I increase the voltage I get a better response but nothing like when the train is stopped. Track is clean.  Disappointed. Looking for answers too.

On advise from a member I bought a K line whistle switch and it works great train doesn't slow down or speed up. I only have a small loop of track so I don't know if it will work on a large layout as well. Got it on the auction site for $25.00 K-952B

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I apologize for posting so 'wordily'. My latent Irish blood urges me to use 50 words when 5 would do just fine

The root of my problem is that all of the whistle tenders worked poorly if at all  before I cleaned, lubed, and rewired them (none of the relays chattered)- NOW that they are all fresh and sounding better the whistle relays chatter while applying track voltage without pushing any button at all

I hear you. Mine does that. Mine speeds up and slows down even activates the e-unit sometimes. If I stop it the whistle works fine. Track is clean and rollers. I have a 1952 675 and the 2046W tender the one I cleaned and also a 1952 726 and the 2046W tender and also a 736 with the 736W tender all do the same thing. My MPC and modern Lionel work fine. Nature of the beast?

@Lionel/MTH Railroader posted:

I hear you. Mine does that ... Nature of the beast?

Sigh... yes, it IS the nature of our 70~90 year old "toys" I suppose. What wrinkles my forehead is that some of them worked ... ye know... just okay when they came out of the box after 30+ years, but with no chatter, before I cleaned them up. My cranky uncle used to say, "frustrating starts with F for a reason"

I know. In the day they was made they worked fine and years after. Like you say 50 or 70 years after not so. I see on you tube some people that repair them and put them on their layout work fine for them or other people. Maybe they have the magic touch?