# The continuing saga of the Ping Pong Table Layout



## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

Ain't these old American Flyer units great? They are all 60 to 70 years old. And they are like me, they work sometimes and other times they are confused and stop working!:laugh: 
I had thought that I had developed a high resistance short on my track. The 15B transformer would the circuit breaker.:thumbsdown: So I thought that maybe I had a paper insulator shorting to the tie or something like that??? I just didn't know. So I started to sectionalize the power feeds and as I did, it moved me all around my main line as I tore up track and turnouts. I thought that I was getting close until... (All power feeds were off the track and the power feed was at max) Then, all on its own, the circuit breaker tripped without a load. So I suppose that I will be buying a new circuit breaker and hopefully there will be no further problem.:dunno:


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Well, don't bet on no further problem.

I think my 12B has stopped putting out power. The green light is on but no juice.
I will look at it some day. I love my lionel ZW transformer and really care no longer
about the 12B.

Good luck with your 15B.


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

That is one of the reasons I quit using original transformers fron the late 1940's/ early 1950's.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

AmFlyer said:


> That is one of the reasons I quit using original transformers fron the late 1940's/ early 1950's.


What do you use? I am always open to better ideas. I chased my self all around the layout pulling up track and turnouts. A real waste of time and quite frustrating!


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## AmFlyer (Mar 16, 2012)

For my permanent layout I use ZW-L's with the Legacy system. Easy to run Gilbert engines on it with a Cab2. For my holiday layouts I use the MRC AH101's. These are the DualPower units with the tethered handheld controls. They are no longer made but seem to still be in good supply. The Pure Sine Wave transformers MRC made after the AH101 are also excellent choices. They made singe and dual control versions.
I still have a lot of Gilbert transformers, some NIB, but it is just my personal preference to not use transformers almost 70 years old.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Broke, the lionel ZW-L is the cat's meow. Its a newer much better version of my old ZW.

It is very cool with meters. Only one drawback. It is in the $700.00 range.


The MRC units are reasonable price. If I had to buy another transformer I would go the MRC ones.
I don't like AF transformers anyway. They come on at 7 volts. That's almost half throttle. Not good
for slow running.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

mopac said:


> Broke, the lionel ZW-L is the cat's meow. Its a newer much better version of my old ZW.
> 
> It is very cool with meters. Only one drawback. It is in the $700.00 range.
> 
> ...


Way out of my league. I will just have to repair my 15B. I like building and rebuilding better than roundy round so it is quite hard to justify the expense. And I shudder what "She who must be obeyed" would do to me,,,


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

LOL, could be bad for your health.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Broke, check out my new engine in what have you added to roster here on S forum.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

BrokeCurmudgeon said:


> Way out of my league. I will just have to repair my 15B. I like building and rebuilding better than roundy round so it is quite hard to justify the expense. And I shudder what "She who must be obeyed" would do to me,,,


If not a ZW-L, why not a Post War ZW. A reconditioned ZW can be had for $150 to $175.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

I use a post war ZW. Works great now but it is old. I use it for S and O scale.
I put new rollers and bigger diodes in it and cleaned the coil.


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## BrokeCurmudgeon (Feb 8, 2016)

I found two problems with the track power. One was a flaky transformer and the second was a high resistance short to a metal tie. All's well now.:smokin:


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Glad you got your short problem solved. Its always something with these model railroads.
The real railroads have problems also.


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