# Lionel O guage 2046 problem



## dmnspeedz (Dec 4, 2011)

I am running a Lionel O gauge 2046 with tender on lionel fastrack. The train receives plenty of power to go around the track, but when I press the whistle button on a lionel cw 80 transformer, the train whistle sounds, but the train comes to a stop as if all the power is drained just to turn the whistle on. I tried searching the internet and could not find a solution. Does anyone have any idea why this would be happening. I also switched the train out with a newer O gauge Polar Express train, and the bell and the whistle work perfectly with no power drain.

thanks guys


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

What tender do you have? Assuming an old-school type, the tender has a DC-operated relay switch that engages (turns on) an AC-operated whistle fan motor.

To operate a whistle, a whistle controller (or a whistle-button-equiped transformer) will send out a DC-voltage superimposed on the normal track AC-voltage ... about 1.5V DC. This triggers the tender relay (essentially turning the switch in the tender on), and then AC power is drawn from the track to operate the whistle. Inherently, this takes some AC power away from that available to power the loco.

Knowing this, old-school Lionel whistle controllers (stand-alone or built into the transformer) have a "shunt" circuit that "burns off" some AC power when the whistle is not being activated, and conversely, sends out a little boost of AC power when the whistle is being activated ... so that the loco (hopefully) doesn't slow down.

That said, modern whistle controllers and modern circuit-board whistle tenders may operate somewhat differently .. I'm not too sure about those.

What happens when you try mixing/matching the pair of locos/tenders ... loco A with tender B, etc.?

I don't think I've answered your question, but given just a bit of background, perhaps.

TJ


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

First I would remove the tender and run the engine and then PRESS the whistle to see what happens. 

This will indicate if the tender is the source. Just place the tender on and then try it. Now try another engine on the track but not latche to the tender and try it. See what happens.

I would check the relay wiring. When it is activated the track shorts out and stops the engine. But does a red light go one signaling the short? Weird. 

Did it ever work correctly?


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## dmnspeedz (Dec 4, 2011)

the tender by itself works perfectly during the test you recommended. So what i did is i took the new polar express tender and put it on the old 2046 engine, works perfectly. Took the old 2046w tender put it on the polor express engine, works perfectly. Put the old tender with the old train engine and it powers down the train in order to blow this whistle?


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Did you leave the engine 2046 disconnected from the tender? There may be a difference.


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## dmnspeedz (Dec 4, 2011)

yes i disconnected the engine form the tender and it works perfectly, i then put the engine on the track, the old engine, and gave it power but kept it in netrual so it wouldnt move, and the whistle was perfect, but as soon as it moves, when you whistle is stops the old train, i now have the new engine on the old tender and train and it works perfect, and i have the old engine on the new tender and train and it works perfect, but put the two old ones together and it doesnt work when its moving as i just discovered it shuts the whole engine down and then whistles. hope that makes sense


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## dmnspeedz (Dec 4, 2011)

maybe its a power problem, the old engine and the old tender take up to much pwer together, i wouldnt think it was that though since the old trfin runs really fast until you try the whistle on the old tender


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I looked at the manual and the O gage whistle operates at 12 volts and the 027 operates at 9. SO maybe you are right. As of now I can't pull a rabbit out of the hat. You can read up on whistles and double check everything, Find out exactly what whistle you have. The Olsen library is here If indeed, the whistle is sucking up juice. CLean and lube everything. Track, motors, moving parts, and electrical connections. INcluding the e unit drum connections. Maybe you have a poorly soldered joint too. SOmnething that offers a lot of resistance like dirt or a poor track connection. That is where you are. Perhaps by using it the connections may improve as will the performance.


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## dmnspeedz (Dec 4, 2011)

i will try that thank you for the ideas i will let oyu know how i make out


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## dmnspeedz (Dec 4, 2011)

I figured the problem out, see if this makes sense to you. Everything works now, I am usign a new cw 80 lionel transformer, if i have it at 85-100 percent and run the old train and old tender when i try the whistle the train slows train whistle doesnt come on, but if i run the train at 70-85 percent everything works great and the whistle too, im thinking the tranformerr is giving the old train and old tender to much power, because at 70-85 percent it still is running really fast and now the whislte works too. I am very happy the problem is solved.

thanks for all the ideas.


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## Chooch (Jan 28, 2013)

*VERY similar problem*



dmnspeedz said:


> I am running a Lionel O gauge 2046 with tender on lionel fastrack. The train receives plenty of power to go around the track, but when I press the whistle button on a lionel cw 80 transformer, the train whistle sounds, but the train comes to a stop as if all the power is drained just to turn the whistle on. I tried searching the internet and could not find a solution. Does anyone have any idea why this would be happening. I also switched the train out with a newer O gauge Polar Express train, and the bell and the whistle work perfectly with no power drain.
> 
> thanks guys



Here's my problem. I have both a set of regular O gauge and a set of fastrack. I have two modern 8632's (Penn flyer and Santa Fe engines) and an old 671rr with a 2046W-50 whistling tender. I have a Tech II transformer and a totally reconditioned ZW 275 that was made in the late 50s.

Both 8632's run excellent on both tracks and both tenders. My 671rr runs the best using the ZW because the Tech II just doesn't output enough power to properly run it.

And now to the problem. Using either transformer, the tender will only whistle when it's the only thing sitting on either track. As soon as I add any engine, it just won't whistle. If it's the only thing sitting on the track, it takes just a little bit of power and it whistles loud and clear.

Any thoughts? Is the wire I'm using too dinky? It's regular lionel fastrack wire. Please help

I told the guy who reconditioned both the 671rr and the 2046W-50 about my problem and he had no idea and told me to research the problem myself. Go figure hwell:


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