Adding Electro Couplers

Most Williams accept Lionel type C mount couplers. They come in 1 3/4" and 2" length plus a few other sizes. You probably want an ERR Mini Commander, EX or HC to trigger the couplers. You can also install an ERR Cruise Commander, DC Commander or MTH PS3 kit to upgrade your engine with command control. They all have coupler control.

Pete

Thanks for the reply "Norton".  I've had years of experience working with and installing DCC in HO, but working with O scale/gauge electronics is rather new to me.  Is their a practical way to keep the conventional sound, horn and bell features of a Williams locomotive and still add electro-couplers?

-Joe

OK, after some thought you can't operate electro couplers and keep conventional control and sound using the items mentioned above. They run on 14volts or above. Your train would have to run 100 MPH to trigger the couplers.

You could use a Post War whistle relay though. The catch is blow the whistle and the couplers open.

ERR used to offer a circuit called the Sound Convertor that would trigger conventional sound boards in a Command Control engine but that is NLA.

Pete

If you want electrocouplers in O-gauge, you pretty much need to look at MTH or upgrade to TMCC and/or Legacy command control.  MTH does have electrocouplers with PS/2 or PS/3 in conventional mode.

"MTH does have electrocouplers with PS/2 or PS/3 in conventional mode." That's exactly what I was  thinking of when I asked about using them in conventional mode.

-Joe

There are different lengths.  Atlas made an interesting articulated coupler, that bent in the middle.  Coupler operation is designed for a momentary surge.  Atlas SW coupler.

@Joe_1971 posted:

"MTH does have electrocouplers with PS/2 or PS/3 in conventional mode." That's exactly what I was  thinking of when I asked about using them in conventional mode.

That's your answer, MTH PS2 or PS3 run in conventional and have electrocoupler functions.

"I love having electro couplers on my Lionel....locomotives."

Doubtless I'm missing something above - but how are you getting Lionel E'couplers to work in a conventional environment?

@D500 posted:

"I love having electro couplers on my Lionel....locomotives."

Doubtless I'm missing something above - but how are you getting Lionel E'couplers to work in a conventional environment?

D, it will work with PS1, PS2, and PS3 by using a sequence of bell and horn button presses in conventional. Expensive solution and not very elegant but it apparently works.

Pete

"Doubtless I'm missing something above - but how are you getting Lionel E'couplers to work in a conventional environment?"  It's simple...I'm not!  I don't run everything I have in conventional mode, I know that with my MTH locomotives with PS 3.0 I can operate the electrocouplers in conventional mode so I was wondering if there was a practical way to do that with a Williams locomotive.

-Joe

@Norton posted:

D, it will work with PS1, PS2, and PS3 by using a sequence of bell and horn button presses in conventional. Expensive solution and not very elegant but it apparently works.

Pete

@Joe_1971 posted:

"Doubtless I'm missing something above - but how are you getting Lionel E'couplers to work in a conventional environment?"  It's simple...I'm not!  I don't run everything I have in conventional mode, I know that with my MTH locomotives with PS 3.0 I can operate the electrocouplers in conventional mode so I was wondering if there was a practical way to do that with a Williams locomotive.

-Joe

Ah - all is clear. I know that PS1/2/3 can open Protocouplers in conventional (gosh, it's been so long since I did that; remember the "selector switch" under PS-1 diesels whereby you manually chose which P'coupler would be the "remote" one?), but I read your comments as if you were somehow opening the coil couplers on Lionel equipment conventionally/remotely. So, there you have it.

Now, if you put ERR in that Williams loco and get a TMCC command base and CAB-1, you'll really enjoy that.