Understanding My Lionel Switch and AC Power

The FasTrack switches are designed to be powered with AC. The LionChief wall pack is DC. The LionChief engines will operate on both types of power.(look at the small print on the wall pack for the output specs.

You need an AC transformer. Set it at 3/4 to full speed. All will be well. You can confirm this with a quick call to Lionel Cust Service, but this is the answer.

The yellow wire provides the power for lights in the switch lever(controller) However, it changes from +5vDC to -5vDC depending on the direction of the switch to power the two colors. Using the DC wall pack prevents that from happening.

You can operate the switch safely, but you won't get the cool lights. Search the forum for sale, your local craig's list for a CW-80 or Z-1000. Maybe the hobby shop guy will give you deal on one.

Thank you so much!   I ordered a Z-1000 a few nights ago, and hopefully will be here soon.  Hoping to run 2-3 trains on it.   

Thank you again. 

No problem, it came up a short time ago. Glad to share the info.

Have fun when the Z gets there!

C4Cheats, 

Moonman has you pretty well covered as to the problem your having, in essence that the lights on the controllers only work as intended when running on AC power.

 Just one thing that caught my eye in the post:

Moonman posted:

Set it at 3/4 to full speed. All will be well.

I'm unsure what purpose this is supposed to serve, given the recommendation for a modern style transformer.  With the design of the electronics in LionChief/LionChief Plus engines, the engine's electronics will see the full, peak-to-peak voltage provided by the transformer, which is the same with the throttle anywhere more than 1/4 of the way up on these modern, so-called 'chopped' wave, or 'shark-fin' transformers.  

Now, with an old, post-war style transformer, or something that behaves more or less like one, like a Z-4000, it's probably a good idea to keep the throttle backed down a bit, as these transformers can supply much more than the recommended 18VAC to the track, and their design allows for the peak-to-peak voltage to be lowered as the throttle is lowered.  

JGL

Moonman posted:

The FasTrack switches are designed to be powered with AC. The LionChief wall pack is DC. The LionChief engines will operate on both types of power.(look at the small print on the wall pack for the output specs.

You need an AC transformer. Set it at 3/4 to full speed. All will be well. You can confirm this with a quick call to Lionel Cust Service, but this is the answer.

The yellow wire provides the power for lights in the switch lever(controller) However, it changes from +5vDC to -5vDC depending on the direction of the switch to power the two colors. Using the DC wall pack prevents that from happening.

You can operate the switch safely, but you won't get the cool lights. Search the forum for sale, your local craig's list for a CW-80 or Z-1000. Maybe the hobby shop guy will give you deal on one.

Thank you for that explanation! None of mine show red and this confirms what I suspected. I already have an AC transformer so I just gotta connect it.