ZW-L and 5 volt MTH engines

Some MTH stuff doesn’t like the chopped sine wave from the newer transformers, hence the better performance from your ZW and 1033.

The ZW-L uses a chopped sine wave to vary the voltage. In neutral, the buzz you hear in those 5 volt engines will slowly go away as you increase the voltage from MIN to MAX on the ZW-L. At max voltage, the sine wave on ZW-L looks more like what the sine wave on your old ZW looks like all of the time no matter what the voltage is set to.

My dad had a ZW-L but went back to his post war ZW and Z4000 combo because he didn't care for how the chopped sine wave of the ZW-L made his engines growl.

I probably should have mentioned I run conventional, but I have the feeling it doesn't make a difference. I found a video on You Tube by Mike Reagan, "Chop vs smooth sine wave".  This helped me to understand the difference between postwar and modern transformers.

My 5 volt engines are a relatively small part of my collection, so I still feel good about my investment in a ZW-L.  My engines have better protection and they no longer slow down when you blow the whistle or ring the bell.  My postwar engines not only run better, they run cooler.

Thanks for your replies.