Take control of your Lionel empire with your CW-80 Transformer! You choose how much
power your accessories need. Your CW-80 Transformer features a programmable accessory
output. The ability to control the voltage allows you to set the speed of your accessory motors
and the intensity of your lights. Follow these steps to set the voltage.
The accessory voltage was set to 12 volts at the factory.
1. Connect your accessory to the CW-80 Transformer as discussed on page 6.
2. Bring the throttle all the way back to turn off the power.
3. Press and hold down the DIRECTION, WHISTLE/HORN, and BELL buttons on
the Controller. Refer to Figure 4 on page 8 for the location of these buttons.
The green light on the Transformer will flash, and track power will turn off.
4. With all three buttons held down, raise the throttle slowly until you reach
your desired accessory voltage.
5. Release the buttons once you have reached your desired voltage.
The accessory turns off, and the solid green light indicates that you have set the accessory
voltage.
6. Bring the throttle all the way back to turn off the power.
The voltage will momentarily increase, briefly causing the lights to shine brighter or the
motors to operate faster, before returning to the set level. At this point, increasing the throt-
tle again will control track power.
Setting the accessory output
9
Note!
Controller operations
Powering your layout with the CW-80 Transformer
Your CW-80 Transformer provides a total output of five amps. The track outputs will deliver
all of this power to the track when no accessories are connected to the Transformer. Keep
in mind that connected accessories borrow some of this power. For example, if the accessories
require two amps of the total five-amp capacity of the Transformer, you have three amps avail-
able for track power. This built-in flexibility will provide power for virtually any small- to
medium-sized railroad. Also, available voltage depends on how much load is on the two out-
puts. Generally, track voltage and accessory voltage are 0-16 volts (AC) each.
This Transformer is capable of operating trains up to and including dual-motored AC
engines. To operate at this level of track power, it may be necessary to disconnect any acces-
sories. You may also want to attempt to lower the accessory voltage settings. Refer to the
“Setting the accessory output” section.
You may momentarily approach or exceed the five-amp limit of the CW-80 Transformer
when pulling illuminated cars, fighting over grades with heavy loads, or operating accessories.
When you reach five amps, the green light on the Controller will begin to flash. This indicates
that the Transformer is in “fold-back mode.” In fold-back mode, the Transformer is automati-
cally reducing, or folding back, power. This gradual reduction in power provides interruption-
free power while bringing the amperage back down to a safe level.
