# 1122 remote switches



## shael_richmond (Oct 10, 2011)

Just got some old switches into my layout. Got a couple of questions.
1) The lantern - is there a way to fix the colors? Looks like the green doesn't show or both sides show red.

2) The switches don't seem to get enough power for the lights. With the train in neutral I can get them to light up but have to turn it all the way up.

3) Is there any problem extending the switch cables so they all come back to one place?


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

On the trains.com forum, I posted a long discussion of how to restore 022 switches. I suggest you read it and perform the necessary fixes on your 022 switches. I have restored more than 80 022 switches, and without exception, every one needed fixing. Mostly it is age related problems. The post can be found at http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/forums/threadlist.aspx?ForumID=95
search for "022/711 switch operating pblms"
Bruce Baker


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, he has 1122 switches, they're a bit different than the 022's. 

1. The 1122 has a lantern that rotates and has the red/green lens. I don't know how they'd show up all red unless that piece of plastic is bad. Look at the lantern closely. Is the lantern rotating when the switch is thrown?

2. The 1122 is track powered, and if the voltage is low, the lights are dim, nature of the beast. You could change the light bulb to a lower voltage one, but that risks overheating and/or the bulb blowing if the voltage gets too high. Another idea would be to use an LED with a constant current chip to directly light the base of the lantern.

3. There is no problem extending the cables, if you run really long runs, say 30-40 feet, you might want to go with #18 wire instead of the traditional #22.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

Hi, John, you are correct. I guess I have a fixation on 022 switches.

I posted a procedure for restoring 1122 switches on the trains.com forum, also. The crimp connections in the 1122 switches go bad because the plastic cold flows, and the connections get loose. Several of the ones I repaired had the plastic somewhat melted. 

I don't remember what the title of the post was, so someone is going to have to hunt for it.

Bruce Baker


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## shael_richmond (Oct 10, 2011)

It's almost like the green color faded in the lantern. Saw some replacements on ebay so that might be the way to go.

Saw some articles about converting the switches to transformer power instead of track power. May look into that in the future. The weird thing is even with the 40watt transformer and 40' of track I barely can get the transformer into the green range.

They actually work pretty well. Got a pair of 1121's too, the only thing I don't like about them is they don't have the automatic derailing feature.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

Bob Nelson on the trains.com forum has some slick circuits to convert the 1122 switches to transformer power. I recommend you look at them because some of the circuits that people have published (including Lionel) may cause the coils in the switches to overheat and emit death smoke.

You can add stuff to the 1121s to make them non-derailing.

BB


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

You could try painting the green with some green paint, I use Tamiya Color paints for coloring bulbs. Much cheaper than buying the overpriced red and green ones.


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## shael_richmond (Oct 10, 2011)

Well I got some 18-3 electrical cord to extend the remote switches. Works great and all my switches come back to one place now! Seemed like the best deal on wire.

Are the remote controllers the same on the 1121 and 1122? Since I have dual controllers I was thinking of changing the controllers so that they would match my layout better.

Also on my 1121 switches the three wire cable is wired differently then the 1122 and 5121 switches. Those are straight forward - left cable goes to left post etc. The 1121 the middle goes to the left. I tried changing it but it didn't work. A manual I found online indicated the wiring should be like the others. Any ideas?


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The 1121 and 1122 will work with the same controllers. The #18 wire is plenty, in truth you can use #22 and it'll work fine.

If the switch controller works in a different fashion, obviously the switches are wired that way.

FWIW, I've noticed some O27 controllers with wiring different from what is "normal", but it's not a big deal to figure out the correct connections, so I never put any real thought into why that is.


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## servoguy (Jul 10, 2010)

The 1121 switches are wired so that the center terminal is ground (wired to the outside rail) The 1122 switches are wired so that the ground terminal is closest to the housing for the switch motor. The dual switch controllers that were included with the 1121 switches were wired so that the center wire was connected to the ground terminal. I don't know for sure, but I suspect all the dual controllers for the 1122 switches were wired the same way. This required crossing two wires when one of these controllers was wired to an 1122 switch. 

Lionel also made some single controllers for later switches. These look like the controllers for 022 switches except they don't have any light bulbs, and don't have any way to indicate the position of the switch. I don't know how these controllers were wired, but I suspect they were wired like the original 1121 controllers.

If you want to change how the controllers are wired, it is a simple thing to open the controller and move wires around.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The wiring of the later single controllers are wired with the ground on one side, not in the middle like the 022C controls.


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## sbakal (Jul 21, 2012)

*1122 Manual*

Is there an instruction manual for the 1122 switches online? I have unpacked my train set which has not been used in 35 years and have no recollection about how or when to use the insulated connection pins, etc. Thanks!


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The Olsen page


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