Converting Williams Budd Car to TMCC

The new Cruise Commander Lite would be a good fit for this, and until the end of the year they're selling as a special price of $50 MSRP, and cheaper through several forum advertisers.

 

The Mini Commander 2 is also fine for this application, though you don't get cruise control.

 

The AC Commander is not a candidate for this upgrade.

Thanks.  I'll give my Mini Commander (I think it is the previous version) and if it doesn't fit the bill I will order a CC Lite.

 

Any recommendations on which sound board would be the most appropriate?

You can go to the ERR website and listen to sound clips for each of the available boards and make a choice.  Click on the Purchase link on their site and the RailSounds boards all have a link to a sound clip.

I went ahead and ordered the CC Lite and GG1 sound board.

Can a Mini Commander be used on DC track power?

I'm going to hazard a guess and say no.  I know the full TMCC and Legacy boards all insist on AC, so I'm assuming the Mini-Commander would as well.

 

In every Legacy manual I looked at...

 

Power your locomotive at 12-18 volts with your alternating current (AC)
transformer.

 

The TMCC manual was a little more direct.

 

Do not power your locomotive with direct current (DC). Damage to sensitive
electronic components may occur.

I was fortunate when I added TMCC to my Williams RDC that ERR was offering their first edition mini cruise board along with a Sound Commander with RDC sounds. The two tone chime horn is sweet and I have not heard it in any other sound set since. If one of these comes along don't hesitate to snap it up.

 

Pete

I found a workaround. I am trying to run a TMCC trolley on a Super Streets layout that is DC powered. The problem is the intersection pieces share a common outer rail, the middle rail is isolated. I was able to get it working by hooking up both the AC and DC commons to the outer rails and AC to the trolley line and DC to the car line.

Sounds like a plan.

 

Pete, I have the RDC Sound Commander in my K-Line set, there's nothing like it in the current lineup from ERR.