Episode 135: Yes, you CAN run traditional Lionel and Marx trains with DC current! And doing so will often improve the performance of these classic trains with quieter and smoother running and better low-speed operation.
In some cases, you can use a cheap HO scale power pack, or buy a Lionel AC to DC converter box. I prefer to make my own, and I show you how in this video.
So all aboard for this adventure in DC power for your Lionel trains!
Components used in this video:
Creality Ender 3 3D Printer: https://amzn.to/3KBO19P
3D Printer Enclosure: https://amzn.to/3KJMAGe
Full Wave Bridge Rectifier (5 Pieces): https://amzn.to/3YYjyqY
Heavy Duty DPDT Toggles (3 Pieces): https://amzn.to/3Sss9Q4
STL File for Enclosure Box [Free Download]: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5875503
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Toy Train Tips And Tricks is a channel devoted to the operation, repair, history, and collecting of classic 3-rail O and O27 gauge trains made by Lionel, Marx, K-Line, Menards, and other manufacturers.
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Nice video. Very interesting, thanks 😀
I've got an early 1990's Lionel Southern 4-6-2 locomotive. It has an electronic reversing unit and the instructions say it will run on AC or DC. It has whistle tender with tether. The instructions say to unplug the wire to the tender if you run it on DC.
Back in 1990 I was given a starter set. And to my surprise it is a DC unit. I avoided using the locomotive but used the cars with my traditional AC locomotive 2026. Well the 2026 was out for repairs so I tried the DC Locomotive. I was surprised it would pull 10 cars I don't think many AC starter locomotives would do that. And I did notice the low speed capability. So I was really interested in this video. thanks
Thanks for that very interesting tutorial!
And for a non-electrician you did MORE than just fine!
This is a great video to watch. Thanks for the tips. Just got back in to o-27 scale, when my cousin brought me a trunk full of ho and o-scale. Sure enjoy watching your videos. Thanks again!!!
Fantastic information Mike.! 👍🏻
Thank You.! 😊
Great video Mike. It was very interesting to see and informative. American Flyer at one point actually had a DC set up for a short period back in 1948-1952. They used a regular AC powered transformer like a #88 “Safety First” Transformer – 100 Watts, and connected with it a #15 “Safety First” Directronic Rectifier to convert A/C power, to DC power to run their trains. I actually have these items, and it’s a very interesting set up. The rectifier is huge, but it still works. It’s a amazing how far technology has come to minimize the size of the rectifier.
You also mentioned about not using a modern CW80 transformer. Is that because it puts out a Chopped sine wave compared to Postwar transformer that puts out a Smooth sine wave?
Now, thats cool. Thank you……..
Thanks for the information, I have a modern O scale LMS 'Jinty' tank loco from Darstaed, even though it uses the same 3 rail track as my vintage trains, she however requires DC power to operate. It's good to know that I won't have to make too many changes to the circuit to run both vintage and more modern DC stuff on my layout.
I have a Lionel Christmas trolley from 1995 and it came with a little transformer that has ac and dc power. The dc side says track and the ac side says accessories. There was a sticker over the ac side that said something about running the locomotive on the ac side might damage it. Before I knew anything about the Lionel ac vs dc power differences, I ran the trolley on a different Lionel transformer that is ac, it actually runs better on it, then it does with the little one that came with it. Could I possibly damage this trolley from running it on ac power? Also this trolley seems to run better at low speeds on ac power. Do you have any idea why that would be?
Would a post-war ZW transformer work with a DC converter?
You kind of lost me there at the six minute mark. Lionchief engines are designed to run on either an AC transformer or the DC power pack that comes with the starter sets. Current from the track goes to a bridge rectifier on the circuit board which then powers the electronics of the engine. You cannot run the electronics on AC with out converting it to DC first so why do you say you shouldn't run modern engines on DC?
I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and you just to happened to make a great video on it! I'm a little late in the layout building process to convert unfortunately. I'll keep it in mind for my next layout
Excellent…I may do this!
I did like the video, however, I think I will stick with AC because I have several engines with electronics and because I am sort of afraid of the magnetization thing. Thanks for sharing.
I have 3 postwar alco diesels, they all run beautiful in reverse and very sluggish forward.
Maintenance was performed and no help.
Do you think if I ran them using DC power that they would improve forward performance?
It's funny isn't it: all early trains were all dc and all 2 rail. It wasn't until the 1890's when 3 rail started up, and the US of course stuck with 2 rail for a lot longer before changing over to the user friendly 3 rail standard.
DC was still of course the norm, it was only the advent of household ac supply that operation on ac became the norm.
It was really the wartime development of superior anisotropic magnets that dc really became the standard.
A bit of an unknown benefit of AC operation is that due to the pulsation way it operates, if using more than one motor at one time they will operate perfectly in phase with each other.
Bummer and why I don't run dc is just the volts and amps. An old Ives or lionel super motor takes about 8 to 10 volts just to start it humming. Even big power mrc dc controllers with a too high for H0 16v max the old Ives is just cruising but nothing to spare and no wagons behind.
Just to add: the first tt system used a very sophisticated form of multi control. It had the overhead catenary as the power feed, but it used locos with different ac phases with controllers with different phases. E.g I'm going to use this loco and controller and set them to 50hz, and this loco and controller to 35hz: independent control on the same track! It was German though so had to be complicated lol
I run all my 027 Lionel engines on DC. I had always thought they were AC only, but, in fact, they do operate better on DC than AC, especially filtered DC without any AC ripple. So now I can share controllers with my HO scale trains. W Rusty Lane K9POW in eastern Tennessee
Thanks for all the great videos and 3d prints! I always enjoy seeing the latest one.
This video in particular, caught my eye. I have been running my post-war Lionel trains on DC only for three years now. I moved out of the USA for work and had to deal with the 120/240v 60/50hz issue. Luckily, I saw a video by Benz Trainz using a 12v battery and pwm speed controller. It was an easy solution that Lionel engineered into their design so many years ago.
Thank you for opening up more information about this topic. There are a lot of folks who still do believe all Lionel is AC only.
Best of luck to you. Keep the great content coming.
Cheers