ZW worth $$$ ?

The number is ZW for the postwar transformer.

In my area, I think a ready to go a clean ZW, with a good cord and all checked out, would go around $100

C W Burfle posted:

The number is ZW for the postwar transformer.

In my area, I think a ready to go a clean ZW, with a good cord and all checked out, would go around $100

Thank you, that is what I needed.

I think that CW Burfle is about right, the days of a dollar a watt for PW transformers are long since past. Awhile back I had a nice ZW(still have it) for sale at a couple of swap meets, priced at $135, and all the lookers were basically remembering their childhoods, not even any offers. strolling the meet, I noticed a couple other vendors with nice ZW's on their tables, and priced at $130-150, and they ALL took them home.

 The Post War transformers just are not commanding the prices that they did 10-15 years ago.

Doug

The ZW was the "gold standard" before the age of electronics.  Many people recall that "huge" transformer with the two handles.  That and their all metal trains.  Running today's trains with yesterday's power is not a good idea.

WOW, a stock number for the iconic ZW. That's like someone asking for the address of the Empire State Building. Just not needed.

Gerry

Trainman52 posted:

Running today's trains with yesterday's power is not a good idea.

I still do that (running today's trains with yesterday's power) and did not know there was something wrong with it!

Regards

Fred

These days, $100 is on the high side.  Would only pay that for a fully-refurbished unit.  If there's any risk of the unknown, $50-65 is probably more like it.

I'm amused by the folks who continue to haul these boat anchors to meets and still expect $125 or $150 for one.

sncf231e posted:

Trainman52 posted:

Running today's trains with yesterday's power is not a good idea.

I still do that (running today's trains with yesterday's power) and did not know there was something wrong with it!

Regards

Fred

There is nothing "wrong "with it in the sence it can be done but with today's expensive electronics the good old ZW's breaker won't trip quick enough so if you have a derailment your board will be cooked before it trips.  Back in the day of meachanical E units that wasn't such an issue.  In line fuses can be added to the older transformers but a newer power source will trip much quicker avoiding disaster.    I have an old ZW from my family's trains I use only for lights and accessories but running my trains power source comes from my ZW-L or power bricks. 

I like my ZWs. Work well with the old Standard gauge engines.

Mallard4468 posted:

These days, $100 is on the high side.  Would only pay that for a fully-refurbished unit.  If there's any risk of the unknown, $50-65 is probably more like it.

I'm amused by the folks who continue to haul these boat anchors to meets and still expect $125 or $150 for one.

I guess it depends on where you live. And I did say a ready for use unit in nice shape. 

I get them in occasionally. I refurbish them with new rollers, new cord, diode conversion, and if super clean, no chips, no cracks, tested and ready to run, I usually can get $125 for them. With a nice original crisp box and some patience, $150 is possible. Without it being serviced, typically $75 if confirmed to work.

Tin

Agree with Chris.  I have been running two trains apiece on both my overhead layout lines with one ZW for four years.  All are MTH engines, and both lines have fuses to protect the electronics.  I also power my TIU on that layout with AUX power.  Seems to run perfectly that way.

I have been thinking about adding a third ZW to the table layout.  $80 to $100 for a used ZW seems reasonable to me.   I need all 4 outputs to work great.  I have added so many lights and accessories, I need the extra utility a ZW provides.   Roger, or anyone, please let me know if you are interested.

Jerry

Just sold one of the ones I had cleaned new plug, box for 190.00 including shipping to SC. I have another one, nit as nice but also with a box, old plug, not selling but think it would fetch $150.00. I plan to use it for the layout to power lights, houses, 2 yards and keep the Z4000's for other work. Thinking of maybe getting the "new" Lionel transformer

gmorlitz posted:

WOW, a stock number for the iconic ZW. That's like someone asking for the address of the Empire State Building. Just not needed.

Gerry

I grew up in Queens. The first time I wanted to take some out of town visitors to see it, I had to ask where it was.

And I had made deliveries there as a truck driver's helper.

Walk around New York looking up, get run over by a bus !!

jim pastorius posted:

Walk around New York looking up, get run over by a bus !!

Locals never look up.

gmorlitz posted:

WOW, a stock number for the iconic ZW. That's like someone asking for the address of the Empire State Building. Just not needed.

Gerry

350 5TH Ave.  New York City, NY. 10118.

I recently picked up one very clean, in a crisp original box as part of a collection negotiated at $100.   The gentleman paid $225 for it 10 years ago.  I recall clean ones going for $300 in the early 2000's.

With 180W bricks with fast acting circiut breakers available at around $100, the reduction in price makes sense.  Far lower demand.

I purchased an excellent ZW with little wear (except cord had time cracked insulation and I replaced) for $56 at a local Goodwill in March 2017. 

Charlie

Jim Harrington posted:

I recently picked up one very clean, in a crisp original box as part of a collection negotiated at $100.   The gentleman paid $225 for it 10 years ago.  I recall clean ones going for $300 in the early 2000's.

With 180W bricks with fast acting circiut breakers available at around $100, the reduction in price makes sense.  Far lower demand.

What does the modern era "ZW" control head cost? Can the brick be usex without some sort of control unit?

Trainman52 posted:

The ZW was the "gold standard" before the age of electronics.  Many people recall that "huge" transformer with the two handles.  That and their all metal trains.  Running today's trains with yesterday's power is not a good idea.

WHAT?   Far as I know the A/C way back then is the same generated today.   Add a tranzorb to the output of the ZW and you are fine.

  What has kept my prewar Z divided into 4 blocks from cooking my tmcc all these years?

 Plenty of derails at the switch at the bottom of the downgrade, so I have no idea.  I guess I should have a hole in the roof from it blowing up, lol.

 Back then I doubted any command unit. But my perception was actually based on MTH early issues I had seen with my own eyes. I'm guilty of "lumping" them into a group without much thought too  Because I doubted GRJs statements of near bulletproffness on most tmcc, I actually more or less tried to burn one out on that switch. No tvs, no fuse, just a good ZW era breaker, because they were improved. (I don't have any Legacy. Too much money for things I don't use. I'll wait for those that do burn out and fix them simply...burn out which happens on new power too fyi)

  Old ZWs are still a great full sine transformer at the heart. Just short a few sound options missing for full operating potential in conventional, and can be used as a "brick" too. (No bell on old ZWs so some "whistle/bell" command sequences can't be done)

Add more modern protection if you want to. It IS possible.

 I think most of this is todays perceptions; automatically new= good & old=bad without much thought because it's easier. If new, simple and/or easier to get it done and over with is your goal, there is nothing wrong the new ones either though. Oh, except that they drop out unnecessarily under start up peak loads on some of my old locos, so it's a give take imo. Use what works for you.

  Now how much do I save & get to throw at more protection and still save a few bucks, because I'm cheap and not afraid of old or "ugly"?...And I don't use the sound either (...ok, its on VERY low so I know if sound does die during my "grand experiment")

Which wattage? There are two PW ZWs.  

$20-$30 savable basket case, $130-150 mint, reconditioned & box/papers & WARRANTY.

 I'd be ok witb buying a nice later one at about $75-$100, a tad less with the tad smaller output.

I still have an early VW, the predecessor to the ZW that looks identical but is only 150 watts. Don't use it for anything at this time but it may find it's way into use for aux power again someday....

Is the VW particularly 'rare' in that it was only produced for a short time?

gmorlitz posted:

WOW, a stock number for the iconic ZW. That's like someone asking for the address of the Empire State Building. Just not needed.

Gerry

Not needed mainly because everybody knew it was just a couple blocks north of the truly iconic Polk's Hobby Department Store.

Pete

On my layout, with 28 locos running DCS, a 65 year old ZW with external breakers still powers 2 tiu circuits.  Absolutely no reason why a ZW can't be used with modern eqpt.

I've used ZW's to run modern trains in different ways.  I use it with a 10 amp fast fuse.  I've run electronics laden engines directly and through a TIU.

I recently sold one on the bay for about $125.

Alan

c.sam posted:

I still have an early VW, the predecessor to the ZW that looks identical but is only 150 watts. Don't use it for anything at this time but it may find it's way into use for aux power again someday....

Is the VW particularly 'rare' in that it was only produced for a short time?

In my experience, VW transformers are much less common than ZW transformers. But they were not a predecessor, both were offered at the time. The VW was dropped  after just 2 years.

I have 2 VW transformers on my bench waiting for service. I picked the first up because I never had one before. Got the second because the first needs a lot of TLC. One of these days both will get done.

Trainman52 posted:

The ZW was the "gold standard" before the age of electronics.  Many people recall that "huge" transformer with the two handles.  That and their all metal trains.  Running today's trains with yesterday's power is not a good idea.

There is NO REASON to avoid using a vintage ZW with modern trains(except maybe the lack of a "Bell" Button).Many people add Fast Acting Breakers, which is a Good Idea, but breakers are intended to protect the TRANSFORMER, what most people are trying to accomplish would be better handled with a TVS(Transient Voltage Suppressor), which are very cheap and easy to install.

A couple of reason TO USE Vintage transformers would be Nostalgia and budget, there are often very good prices for many vintage transformers, Cheap Wattage, what's not to like?.

I don't know the family lineage regarding the ZW/VW, I wouldn't call the VW RARE, there weren't as many built, but they aren't particularly DIFFICULT to find if someone wants one. Their lower production numbers don't seem to have increased their value any, as from what I have seen, the identical looking, more common, more powerful ZW's tend to sell for more in similar condition.

Doug

I have been refurbishing ZW transformers for  resale the past 12 years. When I offer a ZW for sale it will have new rollers, a new cord soldered directly to the transformer leads as was the original cord. It will have the rectifier disks removed and replaced with diode's.  I replace the circuit breaker with a higher speed circuit breaker.

If it is a newer ZW with a so called "solid" core and has any hum at all I remove the end of the core clean it and then re-epoxy it to the other portion of the core to totally remove the hum.

I have sold many of these refurbished KW on the forum in the range of $160-$175, according to the condition of the case. If I'm lucky enough to have a box in reasonably good condition with the dividers still in the box, I can normally get another $35. 

I can normally net about the same amount on evil bay, however I do not like to use evil day as a sales source.

To date I have never had a callback for a transformer that did not operate satisfactorily.

I do offer a repair and rebuild service for KW transformers however with the weight of the transformer if the person wanting a transformer repaired or rebuilt and they're more than a couple states away the freight both ways can almost equal the cost of the repairs.

When I first started this about 10 or 12 years ago I was probably getting between $40 and $50 more for the ZW's.

Jim Lawson