LGB & other Large Scale Trains
Lionel Standard Guage Trolley Set............New........Boxed.....................$695.00
Retro-Fit your tender
Did you notice anything different in this photo?
This is now a confused tender. Lionel/MTH in a perfect combination. I needed more weight on the track and a good ground connection so I removed the plastic trucks and installed a set of sprung RailKing trucks with axle wipers and roller pickups to start my project.
I want a air whistle like my Post War trains so I removed the shell and cut away the cross brace and the casting sprue protruding into the cavity. When I test fit the RailKing whistle assembly in the shell I discovered more fit, fits.
Here in this photo is the assembly which bolts right to the original Lionel whistle screw holes in the frame but notice the top motor bracket screws are sideways. To get the whistle into the shell I turned the motor and bracket lengthwise and cut the motor bracket ears down. Even then it wasn't quite low enough so with my Dremel tool on low speed I whittled and fit, whittled and fit until the shell screw holes were aligned with the tender frame. I might add this is probably the only tender shell type with this problem. I really like the circuit board relay/DC motor assembly. You get more whistle without the motor grinder racket.
stock motor position photo
modified motor position photo
This type tender shown below is perfect for this installation.
ZW modifications
Pikes of large size cause a lot of heat and also older transformers like the ZW need a replacement for the rectifier disc. Above is one version installed I bought several years ago and like very much.
Above is the drawing furnished with the kit and pieces on right. Original pieces on the left.
Large Train Pikes should have at least two transformers. I did this to our ZW to allow the heat to escape. As a matter of fact I made the mistake of putting all accessories and two trains on this one and it got so hot it burned my hand. It survived because I vented it. We will add another. I don't recommend this if children are using the transformer. Anything wet should be avoided near a vented transformer. Sorry guys that includes coffee.