Anybody work on a WBB Chugginton engine yet?

We have one too.  Good value for $60 bucks, with metal gears. Wish it had a horn.  I am also interested in wiring in series to slow it down but have never done it.

The only concern I have is the coupler looks vulnerable to being easily broken by kids.

I bought one to power a Williams GP-7 which I will be putting command in. I may pick up an extra for hopefully a future grandchild!  Here is a diagram to wire the engine in series which will help to slow it down.

Any thoughts on an inexpensive horn system?  Speakers don't cost much, but I have looked at sounds boards from ERR and Williams and they are list price close to $100.  I basically just want a buzzer of a horn and maybe a ding-ding type noise for a bell.  Surely I can do this for under $50 in parts.  I can't foresee spending much more on an engine I picked up for $60.  

Lionel diesel trainsounds are decent and can be had inexpensively.  I've seen the trainsounds boards for less than $10. If you ask around on here someone that upgraded to railsounds or works on engines may have boards laying around they are willing to send you.  I've seen them passed around in the past and received one when my son's entry level GP-38 sound board went belly up.  Add a speaker and I think you are good to go.  I do not know if you would need to provide input of some sort to tell the board the engine is moving or if it would work on voltage difference alone. 

jhz563 posted:

So I picked up one each of the Chugginton engines.  These were rather high priced at first, but are now being blown out for $60.  I know some forum sponsors still have these available.  

In the favorable column, they are colorful, have a solid feel, twin vertical can motors, and bronze gears.  On the down side they take off at seriously low voltage and what really bugs me is that there is no horn!!

Here’s a pile of pictures for fun.

 

JHZ563

Well, that's interesting - that particular Chuggington resembles a British Deltic locomotive, but cut in half; right down to the side windows.

Going to have to get around to changing this wiring. The video below is at 5 volts.

If anyone has a left over horn sound board from doing an upgrade I’d gladly buy it from you.  

The blue loco has essentially the same running gear as the Williams F7 and GP9. The red loco has skinnier flywheels that hopefully will fit into the Williams F3.

My last Marx 21 tin-rodded loco is powered by the power trucks from the blue Chuggington loco. Motors are wired in series.

Firewood posted:

jhz563 posted:

So I picked up one each of the Chugginton engines.  These were rather high priced at first, but are now being blown out for $60.  I know some forum sponsors still have these available.  

In the favorable column, they are colorful, have a solid feel, twin vertical can motors, and bronze gears.  On the down side they take off at seriously low voltage and what really bugs me is that there is no horn!!

Here’s a pile of pictures for fun.

 

JHZ563

Well, that's interesting - that particular Chuggington resembles a British Deltic locomotive, but cut in half; right down to the side windows.

 

Yep, it's Brewster and that's the train he was modeled after. You can find these under $40 NIB if you look. Paid $80 for mind before Christmas. :/