ZW-L does not run 'Streets vehicles that much slower

Lee is it possible to mount the new Bachmann rollers onto the older K-Line/Lionel ones with the flimsy?  You already sent me a couple of the flimsy ones to help me get one running for a little one, but it would be nice to replace with better ones if they can be found since I haven't found a source for the originals.

Thanks

Jim

I really don't know.  Interesting question though.  I doubt it would be easy, but will look tomorrow, and if it is, will post here.

I doubt it could be done easily, cleanly, and durably.  The K-Line by Lionel units with the spring-steel center contact arm have a post cast into them fopr mounting of those special cnnectors, and wiring made for those connectors.  It would be possible, though - a lot of work. 

Below: three "generations" of the 'Streets Ford panel van.

right: Very early K-line model, cast metal chassis, ugly wheels, has an e-unit with F-only switch, very good center contact rollers in recessed mounts with vertical springs.  Same motor and axles as in the others, though.

Middle: K-Line by Lionel from about the last your they were offered.  Plastic chassis, spring steel arm, "itsy bitsy" center rollers, nicer wheels.

Right: Bachman: plastic chassis, nicer wheels, good center rollers withlever action springs.

Lee;

I know there is very little space in those vans, but have you considered adding a set of dropping diodes in line to the motor? I suspect you can use a much lower wattage and thus smaller diode than we use in Train engines.

After reading what I posted on the forum, it occurred to me that the transformers used can't be properly loaded by just the 'streets vans. Have you tried running the power to a short track with a Train on it or a big light to load the power down a bit?

Many power supplies do not regulate well until properly loaded.

Russell you make all good points. Taking the last point, I ran three 'Streets vehciles at once in the test, but that was still only about 10 watts so it was not really exercising or loading the ZW-L - only 5% of the maximum rating of one output and less than 2% of the units capability.  Probably did not load it enough. 

There is room inside all except the K-line version (it has an e-board inside) to easily install dropping diodes.   But I use a different approach in an all my 'Streets vehicles, I remove the full wave rectifier and wire them direct, then use a chopped DC, variable duty cycle power supply like the TechIII.  This has two advantages - 16 volts all the time which reduces electrical connectivity problems with those tiny and few pickup points, and you can back up the vehicle by reversing polarity.  I expected the result I got, by the way, which is that the ZW-L would do a tiny bit better, because it think its sending out 18V rather than 16, again with a type of "variable duty cycle." 

With the high (16 or 18) voltage and the variable duty cycle, either the TechIII or the ZW-L do a fair job of making the vehicles run fairly smoothly at fairly slow speeds - they do much better than pure sine wave (I've tried them on an old Marx pure AC unit) and slightly better than on a CW-80 or the Z4000 (not a dramatic but its a noticeable difference).  The real problem with either the TechIII or the ZW-L, at really low speeds, is the 'Streets motor.  If the things had a flywheel they would run som much more smoothly at really low RPMS - those two units will turn the motors very slowly, but without a flywheel they stagger and run unevenly just a bit - annoying.  All my best running locos have flywheels.