Hi Phillyreading, I believe that several positives can become available by the series wiring of the dual motor locos.
1. Running the locos at the higher voltage ( motors in series )allows the standard lighting in the loco, passenger cars, spot light cars, cabooses to be brighter and smokers ie caboose smoke to emit more smoke.
2. Voltage drop at the higher volltage settings is not as senitive as it is at lower operating voltages. I.e. A drop of one - two volt at 8 volts may be more noticable ( 1/8-1/4 power reduction ) than a one-two drop volt at 16 volts ( 1/16-1/8 power reduction). This voltage drop could come from the upside of a hill. The amperage draw will go up and this will cause a voltage drop. Resistance in the overall location of the loco to its' nearest power source. ( Track lenghth ). Dirty track. Any intermittant added load... Switch track, crossing gates, milk cars unloading,etc.
                            Thanks again.....671

    In reference to the question of the difference in speed to voltage setting.
I would guess that one would need to double the voltage input when the motors are wired in series. The reason for this thought, is that inorder for the loco to do the same amount of work i.e. Speed and Load ( train length ) the two motors would require the same amount of wattage. Now since wattage is the based upon......
  Volts X Amperage =  Wattage by running the motors in series as opposed to parrallel the resistance in that motor circuit has doubled. This would cause a need to double the voltage to allow the motors to consume the same amount of total wattage to do the same amount of work.
     This could be easily visualized by a simple light circuit. Two twelve volt bulbs wired in parrallel ( Like the motor circuit within the locos ) powered by by 12 volts, would be lit up to their design brightness.
     Now if you wire the same bulbs into a series circuit, you would need to double the voltage to achieve the same brightness. 24 volts ( the force needed ) would then produce the needed wattage to power the circuit by over comming the doubled resistance.   I hope this is clear, 671

DOES ANYONE HAVE PLANS FOR A HORN / BELL ACTIVATION SWITCH TO BE USED INCONJUNTION WITH ZW 275? I WOULD LIKE TO BUILD IT MYSELF. WHAT ACTUALLY ACTIVATES THE HORN / BELL ELECTRICALLY. I AM AWARE OF SOME RECTIFIED DC. IS IT HALF WAVE -- FULL WAVE? WHAT ABOUT THE BELL ACTIVATION?

                                      THANKS   671

Thanks Nitro man. Sounds like a well thought out solution.

                                           671

I would like to thank all for the input. I still would like to know if there is an aftermarket puffing smoke unit that could be installed within the Williams locos. I.e. The Berkshire and the semi-scale Hudson. I would like to shy away from the Seuthe style unit if at all possible. I am in need of a fan driven unit. I NEED SMOKE!!!

                      Thanks 671

Would anyone know if it is possible to use either a light dimmer style switch or a ceiling fan motor control switch on the input or output of a ZW - 275 Lionel Transformer to safely reduce the starting ( ie  6 volt ) voltage to create a smoother start to the more current style model trains? Williams etc. HELP...

                                         671

     Thank you JOE and NITROMAN. I am trying to find an aftermarket smoker that will really Smoke me out. I Beleive that the  smoke unit has a voltage / current control. Reducing the current/voltage to the motor will probably not increase the output of the smoker. I am trying to locate a great puffing / high output smoker to replace the stock unit. I have a NEEEEED for SMOKE. A unit that puffs and really puts out. I do not care about my " lifetime warrenty " I want high volume, long lasting smoke.
      As I have stated, the Steamers are a little bit too high on their gear ratios. Higher revs on the electric motor and lower speeds on the engines would make me a much happier owner of Williams products. Power is more important than reckless speed. Ten volts to my track = too high a speed less pulling power.
       I own and run several original Lionel F3's. Power is the best. There is nothing better than hauling a long line of 1940-1950's cars at a realistic speed. I love it!!!!
Please help me with my quest. I need a puffing ,high out put smoker. I am not happy with the Seuthe style puff-pop poor smoke unit that comes with a WBYB steamer.
                           Thanks, 671

I CURRENTLY OWN FOUR WILLIAMS BY BACHMANN LOCOS, GP9, SEMI-SCALE HUDSON, GG-1 SEMI SCALE, AND A BERSHIRE. THE TWIN ENGINE DIESELS ARE GOOD RUNNERS. THE STEAMERS WOULD DO BETTER WITH A LOWER GEARING, BUT THEY ARE GOOD RUNNERS.  MY ONLY COMPLAINT, AT THIS TIME, ARE THE SMOKE UNITS. THE SEMI-SCALE HUDSON SMOKE UNIT IS NON-PERFORMING AFTER ITS' SECOND USE. IT GETS HOT, IT ONLY PUFFS ONCE WHILE ADDING WILLIAMS SMOKE FLUID AND THEN STOPS. I CAN HEAR A CRACKLING SOUND FROM THE UNIT BUT NO SMOKE PRODUCTION. I HAVE DRAINED THE SMOKE UNIT BLEW IT OUT WITH LOW PRESSURE FROM MY COMPRESSOR, STILL THE SAME RESULTS. THE BERKSHIRE IS STILL SMOKING AFTER FOUR TIMES USE THE SAME AS THE FIRST DAY.
     THE QUESTION IS ARE THERE ANY REPLACEMENT AFTERMARKET SMOKE UNITS THAT CAN BE FITTED INTO THESE LOCOS TO HELP SATISFY MY NEED FOR SMOKE?

                                          THANKS,.......671