[Stan kolak]

A friend of mine has a 2-8-4 Lionel engine bought last year. Runs forward only. I took it apart and found 2 slide switches inside at the rear.

Both switches were set outboard. I switched them to inboard and the engine will run for., & rev., on aternat cycles. I presume it is fixed. I only have a homemade PS which I use for HO checkout. I can disconnect the DC side and use it to check out 3-rail AC.

Does anyone know why these slide switches were put in there, and why hidden??

 

[tworail]

Not sure. I know that Marklin 3 rail uses a similar system. When you put the transformer in reverse it sends a quick jolt of power that moves the slide switch to the reversing position (or forward).

We need a Lionel expert here!!!!

 

[Stan kolak]

Thanks, 2-rail: This Lionel was made in China, where else!. It probably was made to use all over the world, using transformers that are different. I had to go back, in memory, to my Lionel back in 1947. It was a simple Xfmr with no reverse. I remember, that old?, you had to kick the switch twice to keep going forward. I did the same now. My friend, no elect no-how, has the famous Lionel swing handle Xfmrs dated to 1950. It has a reverse, but didn't rev. the engine. Thus he gave it to me to look at. These xfmrs are so old, that they didn't have a 3 prong plug, or polarized 2 prong plug. Using 2 of these ancients on a same layout, he was told to "phase" the Xfmers. I call it grounding the low side equally. Despite the antiquity, thesre same Xfmrs now sell for $200.00 each. ALL RIGHT, YOU LIONEL JOCKEYS, TELL ME WHY AND WHAT TO SET THESE 2 SWITCHES INSIDE UNDER THE CAB.!!! Thanks again 2-rail, I"m a DC Ho guy, but help thew head man of our train club. He does put up a great X-mass display open to the public.

 

[Stan kolak]

switches in a Lionel

If all else fails, read the directions. My friend found the directions to the engine he bought last year. The slide switches were for whistles and bells. This is an accessory and shouldn't affect the forward running, but it did. My friend buys these engines and uses them once a year in a X-mas display. He is in such a hurry that he looses the paperwork.