I've wanted to expand my old Lionel 027 Christmas layout so I searched Ebay and aquired a pile of used track and a set of right and left K-Line turnouts. The layout laid down according to plan but wiring the turnouts and powering the track with my Lionel 1033 transformer from the mid 1950s has become very frustrating.
The 1033 seems to work perfectly when used to simply power the track. Lead wires from the track connected as center rail to U post and outside rail to A post. This results in 5 to 16 volts or use the U and B posts which measure 0 to 11 volts all through the throttle side of the 1033.
The early K-Line turnouts feature non-derail, 5 terminals, large red and green light bulbs, and the accessory three wire switch also has large red and green bulbs.
Okay, with the 1033 U, A and C posts and the three wires from the switch connected to either K-Line turnout everything looks good. An easy push of the lever selects the right of way with the corresponding lights. Both non-derail features choose the correct right of way and lights. And the hand switchig with the plastic bar works.
What doesn't work is the throttle. If I rotate it less than half way the voltage will increase to 10 volts. From there the voltage drops to almost nothing at full throttle. That's the problem! My track power is gone.
And so...if the wire from the C post of the 1033 is disconnected from its terminal on the K-Line the throttle will return to the correct operation, 5 to 16 volts, but of course the switching stops working. I can't understand why it doesn't work and am ready to pack it up.
The 1033 seems to work perfectly when used to simply power the track. Lead wires from the track connected as center rail to U post and outside rail to A post. This results in 5 to 16 volts or use the U and B posts which measure 0 to 11 volts all through the throttle side of the 1033.
The early K-Line turnouts feature non-derail, 5 terminals, large red and green light bulbs, and the accessory three wire switch also has large red and green bulbs.
Okay, with the 1033 U, A and C posts and the three wires from the switch connected to either K-Line turnout everything looks good. An easy push of the lever selects the right of way with the corresponding lights. Both non-derail features choose the correct right of way and lights. And the hand switchig with the plastic bar works.
What doesn't work is the throttle. If I rotate it less than half way the voltage will increase to 10 volts. From there the voltage drops to almost nothing at full throttle. That's the problem! My track power is gone.
And so...if the wire from the C post of the 1033 is disconnected from its terminal on the K-Line the throttle will return to the correct operation, 5 to 16 volts, but of course the switching stops working. I can't understand why it doesn't work and am ready to pack it up.
