Now that we have, sadly, lost Boxcar Bill, is there any other source of ERR electronics at similar prices?
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Good question. Bill fixed plenty of stuff for me, really going to miss him.
I am also interested. I am fairly new to train electronics and wanted to upgrade several Williams and WBB scale engines to command control. Any vendor advice would be appreciated...
If you wan to do it yourself you can go to ERR website and order what you need.
If your looking for someone to do an upgrade for you, I can do upgrades. My e-mail is in my profile.
As far as parts needs, I carry a large selection of parts for MTH. Upgrade kits, circuit boards, speakers motors, couplers, harness, bulbs tires, pickups, etc,,, No website but folks just e-mail me their needs.
I also do orders on items I don't stock.
I also carry a selection of some common Lionel parts, so I may have what you need.
Plenty of free advice on how to do things when you ask a question here. G
While i do not sell ERR parts to DIYers, i offer installations (parts & labor) at very competitive prices. I won't post them here as some other sellers have gotten upset with me in the past. Email is in my profile.
Originally Posted by GGG:
If you wan to do it yourself you can go to ERR website and order what you need.
If your looking for someone to do an upgrade for you, I can do upgrades. My e-mail is in my profile.
As far as parts needs, I carry a large selection of parts for MTH. Upgrade kits, circuit boards, speakers motors, couplers, harness, bulbs tires, pickups, etc,,, No website but folks just e-mail me their needs.
I also do orders on items I don't stock.
I also carry a selection of some common Lionel parts, so I may have what you need.
Plenty of free advice on how to do things when you ask a question here. G
Good Morning:
I would very much like to hear from you concerning your installation//repair services, ERR parts, and costs. I have two engines (i.e., Steam and the other is a Diesel) that both lack Sound support of one form or another. I would appreciate hearing from you. Much thanks and happy holiday.
Spencer
sfreund@csusb.edu
916-989-1645
S
Model Train Stuff and DCC Hobby both have ERR products.
Model Train Stuff just shows the railsounds boards. DCC Hobby has both.
Originally Posted by cjack:
Model Train Stuff and DCC Hobby both have ERR products.
Here's another question: ERR sells a Cruise Commander and an AC/DC Commander that does not have a cruise capability. At 100 speed steps, how much better is performance with cruise?The price differential is large.
The price differential is large.
The performance difference is huge.
Originally Posted by Bob:
The price differential is large.
The performance difference is huge.
At low speed?
Originally Posted by rex desilets:
Here's another question: ERR sells a Cruise Commander and an AC/DC Commander that does not have a cruise capability. At 100 speed steps, how much better is performance with cruise?The price differential is large.
Rex, the speed features are night and day, without it the trains run like they are postwar trains eratic at best, with the speed control it like running the real thing, very smooth and a nice experence running the old tea kettles and them dirty old diesels. I always go for the speed control.
John
Originally Posted by rex desilets:
Here's another question: ERR sells a Cruise Commander and an AC/DC Commander that does not have a cruise capability. At 100 speed steps, how much better is performance with cruise?The price differential is large.
Buy the Cruise Commander for DC locomotives, and the AC Commander for AC locomotives. I truthfully don't see much of a use for the DC Commander, the cruise brings so much to the table for DC locomotives. Low speed performance with the Cruise Commander will really put a smile on your face.
Rex, I am with Bob. Its worth it to get the Cruise versions. ERR cruise is every bit as smooth as Legacy but it will loose a slow speed race (slowest wins). DCS is close to Legacy in the slow speed department but not quite as smooth at startup. Non Cruise TMCC is not even close to any of them if you are looking for slow speeds. If you want TMCC or Legacy control ERR Cruise is the only game in town.
Pete
Originally Posted by Bob:
The price differential is large.
The performance difference is huge.
I vote with Bob. I'm fussy about scale speed starts and stops.
OK OK OK. I defer to your experience.
Never scrimp on self reward...
Western Depot carries ERR boards. They have occasional sales and you can get them at a discount. You'll need to sign-up for their flyer.
Jan
Doesn't Henning's stock them also?
Originally Posted by 86TA355SR:
Doesn't Henning's stock them also?
Yes. They need a bit more description though.
Originally Posted by rex desilets:
OK OK OK. I defer to your experience.
You are a wise old rocket man Rex. 
Henning's Trains does sell the entire ERR product line.
Originally Posted by Spencer Freund:
Good Morning:
I would very much like to hear from you concerning your installation//repair services, ERR parts, and costs. I have two engines (i.e., Steam and the other is a Diesel) that both lack Sound support of one form or another. I would appreciate hearing from you. Much thanks and happy holiday.
Spencer
sfreund@csusb.edu
916-989-1645
S
I sent an e-mail to this address yesterday. I also have mine in my profile. G
gunrunnerjohn posted:Originally Posted by rex desilets:Here's another question: ERR sells a Cruise Commander and an AC/DC Commander that does not have a cruise capability. At 100 speed steps, how much better is performance with cruise?The price differential is large.
Buy the Cruise Commander for DC locomotives, and the AC Commander for AC locomotives. I truthfully don't see much of a use for the DC Commander, the cruise brings so much to the table for DC locomotives. Low speed performance with the Cruise Commander will really put a smile on your face.
I came across this from an earlier thread. It was interesting because I was just looking at the ERR product list, getting ready to order something, and had wondered about this same thing - the usability of the DC Commander, and what reason there would be, if any, to use that instead of the Cruise Commander. Thanks for commenting on that, John.
The only reasons I can imagine using the DC Commander:
- You're trying to save a few bucks.
- You would like to use the 5V logic output to trigger a conventional horn or whistle board, the Cruise Commander doesn't support that output for reasons I've never understood.
- You have one of the rare motor types that won't work with back-EMF cruise control. Specifically, any motor that with no power applied has a strong "cogging" feel as the armature is rotated will probably not work well at low speeds with the Cruise Commander.
Other than that, I can't imagine picking the DC Commander.
gunrunnerjohn posted:The only reasons I can imagine using the DC Commander:
- You're trying to save a few bucks.
That's it. I have three powered AS616's (MTH early run) to convert. Serious money with the AC Commander. Would also like sound in each if I cannot figger a way to reuse the MTH engine sound.- You would like to use the 5V logic output to trigger a conventional horn or whistle board, the Cruise Commander doesn't support that output for reasons I've never understood.
Nope- You have one of the rare motor types that won't work with back-EMF cruise control. Specifically, any motor that with no power applied has a strong "cogging" feel as the armature is rotated will probably not work well at low speeds with the Cruise Commander.
I hope and trust this is not the case with the MTH motors....Other than that, I can't imagine picking the DC Commander.
Some folks have money to burn. However, I have been browbeaten convinced to go with the Commander so I'll forgo a new diamond ring for wife.
The MTH motors are fine with back-EMF cruise, it's usually smaller motors like some K-Line truck mounted motors and certain Lionel starter set motors. You will not be able to use the PS/1 sounds with TMCC command upgrades. As far as the extra money, this is certainly one case where you actually get more than you pay for, the difference in performance has to be experienced to be believed.
Your wife probably doesn't really need another diamond ring, doesn't she already have one? 
You really won't get much of a ring for the difference between the DC Commander and the Cruise Commander, I'm probably saving you from an embarrassing episode anyway. 
The original questions has not been fully answered. Modern Toy Train Parts sold the ERR Cruise Commander and sound board for $185. Can does anybody else out there sell for that price? Who comes closest?
Good point Dave. It looks like ordering direct from ERRCo is the only option.
I used a couple CC Lite boards for a couple Weaver brass upgrades. They worked very well for small steam and I'm sure they would work well in a diesel. They are rated at 5amps vs. 8 for the full CC setup. I don't know if they're still available though, as I have not asked ERRCo about them. They are $40 less than the Cruise Commander according to ERRCo's site and support RS4 comm.
Actually an alternative was posted. Prices were close to Boxcar Bill's but shipping was not included which I think if you bought from Bill it was if you bought a CC with Railsounds. The vendor is not a sponsor so the post was deleted.
Pete
OK thx Pete, didn't see that post..
PM me Norm.
Pete
The CC-Lite boards are still available, no reason to think they dropped them from the product line. And I believe they're rated at 4 amps, and they're a lit more sensitive to overloads!
Manual says 5 amps.
So it does, but remember that's peak amps, I cooked one of these with a brief motor stall on a switch. The motor stall current was 3.5 amps as measured on the bench, so I think the 5 amps is a bit tongue in cheek! It's not a heavyweight board, and I've installed a number of them.
Norton posted:Actually an alternative was posted. Prices were close to Boxcar Bill's but shipping was not included which I think if you bought from Bill it was if you bought a CC with Railsounds. The vendor is not a sponsor so the post was deleted.
Pete
Would appreciate your PMing me on this, as well.
Thanks in advance
rex desilets posted:Norton posted:Actually an alternative was posted. Prices were close to Boxcar Bill's but shipping was not included which I think if you bought from Bill it was if you bought a CC with Railsounds. The vendor is not a sponsor so the post was deleted.
Pete
Would appreciate your PMing me on this, as well.
Thanks in advance
I would appreciate the information as well (jd-train at Comcast.net) as I am trying to make the leap into TMCC and have a couple of engines that I would like to upgrade to TMCC.
Thanks,
Jim
OK, I have a layout powered with PowerHouse/PowerMasters, using a Cab-1. Layout is 5x9. and FLAT. Do I really need cruise?
Dominic Mazoch posted:OK, I have a layout powered with PowerHouse/PowerMasters, using a Cab-1. Layout is 5x9. and FLAT. Do I really need cruise?
If you are 100% happy with how your trains run now, especially at slow speeds (they will run smoothly as slow as you want them to, don't slow down in corners, etc.) then you don't need cruise. If your trains speed up and slow down as they go around the loop (and you don't like seeing that) or if you wish you could run trains slower but they seem to stall when you try to do so, then you could use cruise.
