Adding Extra Functions to Dummy Unit

Truthfully, you may not want the lighting boards unless you want to figure out how to wire them into the lighting circuits.  I'm not sure what inputs these take.  I'd probably just use bare LED's, I know how to make them light.

As I mentioned in the other thread, here's a reprint...

Keep in mind that without Legacy electronics, you won't be able to have electrocouplers or directional lights that operate under Legacy control. 

A possible addition to allow you to have those features is this board that is used in the Lindbergh Atlantic, it has Legacy capability and handles lights and couplers.

I haven't tried this, but I've thought about doing it.  I'm just not sure if it would have the backup lights or rear coupler as those would be on the serial data stream to the tender.  OTOH, it may well have them in the code, the hardware is there to support them.

ERR used to sell this board with TMCC code, I don't know if they still do.  I have a couple of them, and they have directional lights and couplers.  They also have serial data out, of course getting a Legacy sound board is another issue.  Legacy sound boards are pretty much unobtainium without a trade-in defective board.

I was thinking of using one of the upgrade kits Lionel made for their traditional GP B units, and adding that to a Legacy dummy engine. These were designed to add directional lighting and coil couplers to the dummy, and have the electronics for TMCC function to operate the coil couplers. That would would be usable in a Legacy environment, wouldn't it - at least the lighting? Couplers might be a bit cumbersome.

They will not respond to Legacy commands, so if you have a Legacy locomotive, you'll have to run it in TMCC mode to get the benefit of this installation.  You won't get directional lights and the couplers won't respond to Legacy coupler commands.

Upgrading your dummy to be controlled with legacy is not that difficult. Other then the things you have listed except for the mini ex you could use a legacy motherboard, R4LC. If you want ditch lights and dimming cab lights add a hall effect switch and a Tac board. This can get costly, but remember "Speed cost money, how fast do you want to go".

Bill

I like the $40 board from the Atlantic if the rear lights and coupler are supported in the firmware, something I haven't checked.  For the R4LC, it's a bit harder to connect the wiring without a motherboard or at least a connector.  Of course, the R4LC costs a bit more as well.

Bill so it seems I purchased the incorrect board. I know it wasn't a R4LC, but ERR's website has them if I need that instead. The rep on the phone didn't say that this wouldn't work for what I'm trying to do. This is a side project. I don't want it to get too expensive. I just want headlights(no ditch lights) and coil couplers to work when I go from conventional to Legacy next year.

Also do you have any idea how to get the common to the board? I'm not sure how to connect a common wire to the trucks from to the board. I see your a Lionel Factory Trained Repair Tech.  Would you explain to correctly do this please.

I didn't realize that TMCC commands are that different from Legacy. I always thought that Legacy was just the sounds with among other bells and whistles like smoke output along with TMCC commands with it.

I hope this doesn't derail my project when I get the Legacy Remote later.

I read that the DCS remote can do TMCC function(no legacy). I may pick it up down the line if I get MTH Locomotives. I just got into the model trails this past two months and own 2 Legacy Locomotives. Not invested too much in either MTH or Lionel so far.

Thanks for the responses.

The R4LC that ERR sells will NOT receive Legacy commands, it is programmed to look just like an R2LC-C08 board.  The R2LC is no longer produced, and the ERR TMCC products are designed for that board.  Since the R4LC is plug compatible, they have just transitioned to that board with the older TMCC software.

You need to buy the R4LC that is from a Legacy locomotive so it will have the Legacy software.  Legacy commands are an extension of TMCC, but they are a different encoding and TMCC boards do not react to Legacy commands.  I won't go into the coding differences, suffice to say that they won't be seen by a TMCC receiver.

You can use TMCC to talk to a Legacy locomotive, it will operate within the limitations of the TMCC operation, and you won't have access to Legacy specific features.

The Legacy system will do virtually anything the old TMCC CAB1/BASE1 will do, the only exception is talk to the old PowerMasters.

As for your question about the common to the wheels, there are a number of screws on top of the trucks of your dummy locomotive.  A wire to a ring terminal under one of them is the classic way that Lionel connects the common.  You'll also have the hot lead coming from the center roller when you add those parts.