# Lionel 10-5906-001 Sound Activation Switch



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

What exactly is in the Lionel 10-5906-001 Sound Activation Switch? I find very little on it, but some obscure reference mentioned a D-Cell battery. I have a Rail-Sounds boxcar, and I'd like to get a reverse polarity DC bias to trigger the bell. If this is just a D-Cell with a swtich, I might consider building one, since I've been unable to locate one for sale. I'm guessing there might be a component or two to allow the A/C to pass while injecting the DC signal.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The switch is a glass heater element with some diodes. To buy one will costs you 12 bucks on e bay. I recommend a CW-80 transformer with the whistle and bell button. Stay away from earlier whistle controllers they do not have diodes, but ancient selenium buttons. I have collected some but have not indulged myself. This question has been dealt with before just search button in this thread.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, I did a search, but I didn't actually get an answer to what's inside the box.  I looked on eBay, and I didn't find any reasonably priced transformers with both the whistle and bell button. The CW-80 is more expensive than the button, and I already have several transformers. I'll keep looking...


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The button cannot be copied because the heater element is not a standard component that is sold. The diodes are 1n4003.

I couldn't find the plan in the CTT forum, too many hits.
But I did find the eledctric rr co. They have plans for the relay and button under hobby corner. I am only a genius in the making and haven't gotten this far yet. Good Luck.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I just connected a 3.5 ohm resistor and a diode in parallel, and managed to get the horn and bell to work connecting it in series with the track voltage. Since the transformers actually supply a boost voltage to the whistle, my rig had the effect of slowing the train down instead of speeding it up. OTOH, I think I have a plan.

I can actually find a small 3V 5A transformer, couple that with a switch, diode and resistor, I think I can make one of these.

I could also just add a switch to the 1033 transformer to reverse the polarity of the diode, I already had to replace the selenium rectifiers with diodes in them anyway. This would allow the use of the existing diode/resistor in the 1033, not to mention a convenient whistle/bell control already build-in. I just have to figure out a way to get the switch outside neatly.

The variable resistor that automatically comes in is a nice touch in the whistle button, but I can live with the standard way.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

If you ever get time please post that 1033 modification.

It has an elevated base try to feed it out from there?


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, the transformer repair was pretty simple. I just ripped the rectifier disk out (pull the tin nut securing it off), drilled a hole in that plate sized for a stud mounted diode, and hung the resistor right below it. The wiring was the same as was there, the components are just in different places. Again, the hardest part is the physical layout, I had to bend the top lug of the diode over to fit the case and find a spot for the resistors.

As for the 1033 whistle switch, I was trying to figure a way to put the switch on the top, but mounting the switch where it doesn't interfere with the controls and what's under the plate is a problem. A cord out to a small switchbox would be a way, I'll have to consider that.


----------



## ADCX_ROB (Jan 27, 2012)

T-Man said:


> The button cannot be copied because the heater element is not a standard component that is sold. The diodes are 1n4003.


That's a 8251-50 in those pics.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Yes, both the 5906 and 8251 are sound buttons. Do you know of any difference? They do the same thing. One is a more modern version.

It's been a long time since I answered a technical question of any relevance for John.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Well, it's a long time since the question was posted.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

SInce then, you made one and we determined it was more economical to get a transformer with a button or build one, If you found one they ran 12 bucks. I never did get 5906 to peek inside.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Yep, building one isn't that difficult. Also, I swiftly went to the dark side and got rid of most of my PW stuff for modern command equipment. Those have all that stuff without any special equipment.


----------



## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

Well, I picked up one of the railsounds locos thinking I didn't need anything else to run in conventional mode. Now I discover that, with my transformers, I can only make the horn or the bells work but not both.

Gunrunner--did you make any more detailed instructions on how to modify a 1033 to add this functionality? I'm not sure the Lionel sound activation button is worth the price.


----------



## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

Guess I'll have to try Big Ed's trick and make my question big enough to see!



eljefe said:


> Well, I picked up one of the railsounds locos thinking I didn't need anything else to run in conventional mode. Now I discover that, with my transformers, I can only make the horn or the bells work but not both.
> 
> *Gunrunner--did you make any more detailed instructions on how to modify a 1033 to add this functionality?* I'm not sure the Lionel sound activation button is worth the price.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

eljefe said:


> Guess I'll have to try Big Ed's trick and make my question big enough to see!


*NO!*

Does that help? 

Truthfully, the pictures I posted of the inside of the bell/whistle box should be sufficient for most folks to build one, there is no complicated stuff in there.  I never figured out a good place to add a bell button to a 1033.


----------



## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

These pictures must be in a different thread. Can you point me in the right direction to them?

Large print edition:

*Can you point me in the right direction to them?*

:laugh:


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Did you scan the O-Scale forum?

Whistle Bell question

Was that big enough? Or is this better?

Whistle Bell question


----------



## eljefe (Jun 11, 2011)

I did a search but didn't find that thread. Wasn't sure what search terms to use. Thanks for the second link. The first was too small to read!


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

eljefe said:


> The first was too small to read!


You need a change in your eyeglass prescription.


----------

