# lionel transformer cw40 big enough for old engine



## rodneygt

I have recently gotten a cw40. It is powering a modern lionel engine with whistle tender on O guage track. 

I would like to get an old engine from the 1950's but I've been told that the cw40 is not big enough. Is the 40 too small for the older engines? 

I did see an attempt to run an older engine on a cw40 at a hobby shop and it would make about one circuit before stopping. I'm not sure if the engine had issues or the transformer was too small. 

If it's too small, is the cw80 appropriate?

Thanks


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## tjcruiser

The 40 and the 80 designate nominal max wattage output. 40 is not much to work with, especially if any loco in question is drawing power for not only the motor, but a smoke generator, a whistle, etc.

If the power is low, I'd suspect that the train would either run or not. I don't think (???) that the one-lap issue would be symptomatic.

I'm running on a CW80, but even that is for a pretty small setup, with few accessories.

There are lots of older transformers with decent output available on ebay and the like fairly inexpensively ... #1033 at 90 Watt , for example.

Regards,

TJ


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## rodneygt

Thank you for the advice. I'm very much a beginner. 

This project began as my kids wanted a train under the tree. Well, I had received a lionel midnight flyer for christmas in 1979. I retrieved it from it's 30 year hibernation in the attic. The engine would barely go so I bought a new transformer (I surmised I think correctly that it was the problem). Then,the midnight flyer won't run on the ac of the new cw40 (does an interesting dance, tho). So I bought a used modern engine with tender (8632, I believe). Now it ran great but I didn't have sufficient track so I bought 20 plus pieces off of ebay - this is how I learned the difference between 0 and 027.

I should be used to this sort of thing I suppose as my main hobby is rc aircraft.

Thanks for the help,
Rodney


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## T-Man

If you look at the 8632 it has a circuit board, for 15 bucks you can install on on the DC Pensie and run it on AC.

See this thread.


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## tjcruiser

Rodney,

In its "bad years", Lionel went through a phase where they were producing locos to run on DC-powered track. It never really caught on, in my opinion, and these are "odd ducks", to some extent. Newer Lionel locos have internal DC can motors, alongwith an internal rectifier that converts track AC power into DC. You can do that with your 1970's DC loco, per the link and how-to tips from T-Man, above.

Other than the "odd duck" phase, Lionel transformers kick out AC power, as you have found.

Re: O vs. O27 track ... yeah, apples and oranges there. If you want to run smaller locos and cars around a simple loop, O27 is fine. But if you want to run more complex layouts with reliable switches, O might likely be the better (though more costly) approach. There's nothing wrong with considering old track and switches, by the way, per your ebay hunting.

Regards,

TJ


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