BREAKDOWN B UNIT

I don't have this unit, but the horn/whistle conventional control can be used to rhythmically tap out "codes" that is interpreted by the units. In this case, your B unit seems to indicate that the horn/whistle control can be utilized to trigger air blast sounds. When used in conjunction with an A unit, it may ignore the selected rhythm and make no additional noise, but just hunkering down on the horn/whistle button will cause the A unit to emit a horn sound (and the B unit will make no additional noise).

Details on conventional and command information can be found within the owners manual:

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...ents/72-4595-250.pdf

Mine doesn’t have horn sounds. I don’t know if Lionel ever reissued these in Legacy. I got mine some time ago when my LHS blew them out, so I’m guessing they must’ve not been popular. IMHO, like the hot box refers, the novelty factor of the program sequence gets old after awhile, but these are cool to have nonetheless. I frequently use mine in ABBA consists for engine sound reinforcement and rarely run the breakdown sequence.

Rich

The Hot Box Reefer is a very cool accessory when you add command control to turn it on and off.  Then you can run for 15-20 minutes and only pop it on when it's appropriate.   It's super annoying if it's always on!

I put command in my Hot Box Reefers and also a small  LED (smallest Radio Shack green LED in a mount) poking out the bottom of the frame so you can tell if it's on or off.

JohnActon posted:

I recently bought a Lionel 6-24595 Breakdown B unit based on info on a Lionel site product info page. It states that the unit has and I quote,  "Multi Whistle effect simulates blasts at different air pressures, creating a realistic varity of sounds with each press of the WHISTLE button." Now, reading the instruction manual it says nothing about how to access a Whistle/ Horn in this case. It does say in the Conventional operation section, "While the B-unit receives HORN commands to stop and start the breakdown sequence, because it is a B-unit, it does not produce the horn sound.  I am obviously missing something. Is there even a horn and bell in the Breakdown B-unit ?  If so, how do I activate them in the Command mode ?   j

Link to product info page.  

http://www.lionel.com/products...-unit-333-b-6-24595/

Ran a friends SuperBass unit last night and the most annoying thing was Horn and Bell sounds from it!

Would have preferred just engine and other sounds from it.

cjack posted:

I put command in my Hot Box Reefers and also a small  LED (smallest Radio Shack green LED in a mount) poking out the bottom of the frame so you can tell if it's on or off.

Yep, a useful option.

The Breakdown sounds are a cute novelty but get old about the third go round.  I think I will swap out the board for a common F7 / F3 sound board.    j

Getting my 2nd hotbox, this one in REA green. To go behind,in front of ? milk car in an heavyweight consist. I remember from my 1st one yes,very cool and why no sequence control. Will be installing mini commander in this one! Thanks goes to grjohn for that one! To cjack, I'd like to be able to duplicate through the mini. Will probably use green led also but put it near a fixture as some imaginable indication. 

The REA came in a set with an NYC Mikado. Also came with an operating caboose. A brakeman with a lantern would come off the back platform and swing a lit lantern...then go back on.

Was swapping sound boards out on the Breakdown B and found that only when the original RS5.5 board was in place would the couplers fire. The Breakdown B uses a RCV1 radio board instead of the R2LC.  It would seem that the coupler trip function was moved to the Railsound 5.5 board or to the motherboard as I see a pair of triacs on the MB.  I am assuming in order to keep coupler function I must keep the RS5.5 board. My question is can I swap the ROM and PIC from a RS4 with F3 sounds in place of the Breakdown chips. My guess is that it should work fine but I am certain several of you know this stuff far better than I do and I just hate to fry boards and chips. One more thought I have is that coupler function is controlled by the PIC in which case I have to choose between coupler function and the sounds I want.  j

The RS4 chips will work fine in the RS5 board.  RS5 and RS5.5 use the same RS5 board hardware.  The coupler function is on the RS5 hardware board.

I just purchased the add-on TMCC ATSF F7 B Breakdown Unit 6-24595 and the smoke unit is melting the plastic top... Luckily Lionel still stocks replacement covers for the roof. Has anyone else had or have this problem?

One problem is that came with a 6 ohm smoke resistor, and it was recommended to change all of those to 8 ohms.  Truthfully, for the use in the breakdown unit, I'd probably consider upping that value to maybe 10 ohms.  That will lower the smoke output, but it'll also lower the heat inside the shell.

Probably wouldn't hurt to buy several hatch covers and also the AC regulator/motherboard.  They won't be available forever, good chance to get one while you can.

@JohnActon posted:

Was swapping sound boards out on the Breakdown B and found that only when the original RS5.5 board was in place would the couplers fire. The Breakdown B uses a RCV1 radio board instead of the R2LC.  It would seem that the coupler trip function was moved to the Railsound 5.5 board or to the motherboard as I see a pair of triacs on the MB.  I am assuming in order to keep coupler function I must keep the RS5.5 board. My question is can I swap the ROM and PIC from a RS4 with F3 sounds in place of the Breakdown chips. My guess is that it should work fine but I am certain several of you know this stuff far better than I do and I just hate to fry boards and chips. One more thought I have is that coupler function is controlled by the PIC in which case I have to choose between coupler function and the sounds I want.  j

I have one of these that I haven't used in many years. Sold off the ABA to upgraded to a plated version but still have this breakdown unit as the engine sounds were terrific. Was hoping to eventually use it again sometime and didn't realize that it had a coupler that fired. Most of these were likely used with an AA pair or an ABA trio going in with the other B unit in most cases. Why in the world would we need a remote uncoupler in these cases?  I guess a few of us may eventually put this B unit behind a single A or maybe an AB and it could then be used to uncouple from whatever it was pulling? Personally, I have rarely uncoupled from a consist with any of my locomotives in normal operation. Seems a waste for the most part.  Kinda like the lobster claw on the rear of our otherwise scale appearing Observation cars, huh?

The RS5 board is the same hardware used for RS 5.5 (Legacy).  You can move the chips from an RS 5 or RS 5.5 board to another RS5 hardware board.  You can not use RS 5 or RS 5.5 chips in an RS4 board.

At least one of the triacs on the breakdown unit is for the smoke regulator function, not sure what the other one is used for, never tracked it down.  If I ever find my breakdown unit in the pile of boxes, I'll take a closer look.

I own one of these, and have a question.   Can a TMCC/RS Breakdown B unit (PRR in my case), run successfully in a Lash up with Legacy F3/F7 powered units, or do all the engines in the Lash Up need to be either, Legacy, or TMCC RS

Asking mainly because, I sold the Lionel TMCC / RS F units that I was going to try and use the powered Breakdown B unit with, the only F Units I have left running are WP F3's pulling the California Zephyr.

Thanks 

Novice - when it comes to resistors. Where would I purchase the item and how would I install it?

Thanks for the advice