a really dumb question to start....

[jostby]

I'm completely clueless with model trains. I have a Lionell "027" that belonged to my father when he was a child (probably late 40's or early 50's?) I do not know what "gauge" it is, or which forum to start asking for help on. The transformer has 2 levers, one is slow/fast, the other reverse/whistle. We (son and I) just set it up under the Christmas tree (first time in 10 +/- years) and anytime I power it up the whistle blows the whole time and seems to be related to the speed (slow/weak, fast/loud). I seem to remember this happening before but can't remember what the problem was but it seems like I was able to cure it then somehow. The reverse fuction works fine. Anyhow, anybody have any ideas where I can turn for help? The engine works great by itself. There is a coal car behind it that is the "whistle". The engine car has a switch on the top of it that I thought had something to do with it but doesn't seem to have any affect wichever way way it is placed. Coal/whistle car problem? Transformer whistle switch problem? Any help is appreciated. Thanks,
Jeff.

 

[60103]

Jostby: You'll get a more accurate response by posting on the O gauge section of the forum (G/O/S it's called.)
I think we covered sticking whistles there about a year ago.
Your Lionel trains are O gauge, which means 1 1/4" between the running rails. O27 is really a description of the track -- Lionel made a lighter track for the "less expensive" parts of its line. (however, you could buy O27 sets that cost more than the cheapest O gauge set.) O27 was lighter track and had a shaper curve -- 27" instead of 31".
Lionel trains run on AC current. The whistle is operated by adding DC to the AC current, and there is a relay in the tender (coal car) that notices the DC, tuns on, and supplies electricity to the whistle motor. Most likely the relay is stuck on. It is unlikely that the transformer has stuck in the whistle blowing position.
The lever on the locomotive is for the direction control. On one side it allows the loco to do the forward, stop, reverse, stop, sequence. The other way, the loco keeps running in the last direction (which may be stop!). This is helpful on display layouts or if you have dirty track.
OK?

 

[Russ Bellinis]

One final clarification with Lionel the 27 in 0-27 is the diameter of the circle of track. In ho when we speak of curves, we talk in terms of radius.