Heavy Duty Bell Button

[Joe Satnik]

Dear All,

If you modify John Zollo's horn-whistle/bell button design (Classic Toy Trains mag. - November 1998), you can get a simple, heavy duty bell-only button. (7 diodes and an SPDT momentary switch.)

1. Connect (solder) 7 Radio Shack 276-1661 diodes in a circle, stripe end to non-stripe end.  

2. Connect the Common terminal of a RS 275 -1549 switch to one end of a diode in the circle.  

3.  Connect the N.C. terminal of the switch to the other end of the same diode in the circle.  (The switch's N.O. terminal is not used.)

4. Run a red wire from the switch's common terminal out to the lock-on's center rail terminal.

5. Run a black wire from the switch's N.C. terminal out to one of the transformer's track terminals.

6. Run a wire from the the transformer's other track terminal to the lock-on's outside rail terminal.  

7. If the button blows the horn-whistle instead of activating the bell, reverse the red and black wires.

The above switch is rated at 3 amps.  An uglier 5 amp switch is the RS 275-016.  It would be nicer to have a 6 amp switch, though.  

I will research getting a better switch, perhaps from Digi-Key.  

An SPST momentary N.C. (normally closed) 6 amp or greater switch would also work.  

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik        

[Jim Banner]

Is this about what the circuit would look like?



Jim

[GTBob]

I'm confused??  Wouldn't a Lionel #6-5906 Sound Activation Button serve the same purpose without  going thru all the above ?

GTBob

[Joe Satnik]

Dear GTBob,

Go to Lionel.com and try to find it in (or buy one from) their online catalog.

Don't try to pull a lot of current through (overload) your Lionel button:

Avoid long strings of lit passenger cars, old AC motor locos, AC motor air whistles, shorts from derailments, shorts from screwdrivers laying on the track, shorts from sagging/dragging magnetic uncoupler levers, etc.

Dear Jim,

Excellent.  Thanks a ton.  Nice touch on the diagonal track.

Dear All,

SPST momentary N.C. (normally closed) switches are available on e-bay "buy it now". 

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik   

[GTBob]

Dear GTBob,

Go to Lionel.com and try to find it in (or buy one from) their online catalog.


Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik 

 

Yes--you are correct.  Lionel no longer sells this item.  However, I had no trouble finding new ones with online Lionel parts suppliers.  Think I paid $16 ea plus shipping. 

Regards, 

Bob

[Joe Satnik]

Dear Bob,

The RS parts are about $9.

By shopping on-line for equivalent parts from competitors you can save a little.

You can save more if you buy in quantities, however, I don't know too many people that need more than 1 or 2 bell buttons.

Hope this helps.  

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: Added "for equivalent parts from competitors".