Is it possible to install an Electric RR Cruise Commander in an MTH PS1 locomotive? Has anyone accomplished it? If so, was it difficult to do and how did it turn out?
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I converted an MTH Alco RS-27 to ERR Cruise Command. I gutted the PS-1 electronics and started fron scratch, including new Railsounds. I converted the lights to LEDs. It is actually a pretty simple conversion if you approach it with the idea that you have to replace almost everything but the motors. As far as the Railsounds go, I used the Big Alco sound package. It has the throaty sound that I was looking for for this unit. I have been very pleased with the results.
Tom
What modules did you install since you "started from scratch"?
Funny, has anyone put PS2 into a Flyer S Gauge engine?
I consulted ERR to see if their equipment was compatible with any of the PS-1 equipment, especially the sound package. The bottom line is NO. I would need to replace almost everything to achieve my goals.
I ordered a Cruise Commander kit and a Railsounds kit. ERR includes detailed instructions on how to install and hook up these components. If you have any questions they have excellent customer support. I ordered my parts directly from ERR, but there are others that sell their equipment also. Boxcar Bill is one that comes to mind. I used LEDs from Evan Designs.
The Railsounds kit includes the speaker and baffel. I had to modify the baffel to make it fit into the fuel tank of the RS-27. I don't know if the original MTH speakers are compatabile with the ERR Railsounds. If you don't need or want sound, you can just order the Cruise Commander.
Please note that there is a difference between the Cruise Commander and the Cruise Commander M. The Cruise Commander is for retrofitting a non TMCC locomotive. The Cruise Commander M is for installing cruise control in a locomotive that already has TMCC. You will need the Cruise Commander for your purposes.
Tom.
Originally Posted by JDA:
What modules did you install since you "started from scratch"?
You would want the Cruise Commander and a RS4 Sound package for whatever engine you want to upgrade. Be advised that there is only twelve sound packages available. Of course you can buy sound from lionel and upgrade the sound package. Doing this cost a little more then the available package. Both kits come complete and are easy to install.
If you decide to purchase the kits, visit our web page. We offer the kits at $185.00, thats $35.00 off list price.
Bill
Suppose you have a PS1 diesel (Baldwin AS616) and you like the prime mover sound. Can you carve away all the PS1 motor electronics and keep the motor sound? I realize you lose the horn, and, perhaps, any throttling effect. But you can use the ERR Commander and turn off the motor portion of sound (as I recall from correspondence with ERR) and have command of the horn.
I don't know of any way to keep the PS/1 sounds with the TMCC conversion. There used to be packages to accomplish that, the Digital Dynamic Equalizer was one such product. TAS also had a conversion that retained the PS/1 sounds. Both companies are gone and the boards are scarce.
I would be inclined to just convert to PS2.0, but I am presuming that you run TMCC and not DCS. I do like the ERR kits. They are nicely built and straight forward installations. Good luck with your project and let us know how it turns out.
Can you check American Flyer and PS2 on You Tube i have an Alco mule with DC Cans and tach, PS2 with smoke, couplers and sound in S Gauge. Its pretty intimidating, but great sounds.
Originally Posted by DMurf:
Can you check American Flyer and PS2 on You Tube i have an Alco mule with DC Cans and tach, PS2 with smoke, couplers and sound in S Gauge. Its pretty intimidating, but great sounds.
What does this have to do with converting his PS/1 to command using the Cruise Commander and retaining the sounds? I'm not sure why this is intimidating, but it's also totally off-topic.
Sorry, I was watching the thread and lost track. Please remove if you can.
Not me, I'm just a user here. 
I do run DCS. Was looking for an economically way to upgrade these engines. It is 2 AA units with 2 motors each. I think there is no economical way to do this and it is not worth 2 PS2 upgrades to me to convert these engins.
Originally Posted by LocoMods:
I would be inclined to just convert to PS2.0, but I am presuming that you run TMCC and not DCS. I do like the ERR kits. They are nicely built and straight forward installations. Good luck with your project and let us know how it turns out.
If MTH would sell the slave kits, it would be more cost effective to do the upgrades, but the way it is, it's $300 (MTH Club price) or more to do it with the upgrade kits.
I like the ERR units -- their quality and simplicity of installation. I am not sure of the current cost. I am thinking that it is around $150 to $200 for the TMCC and sounds conversion kits combined and I think the PS2.0 kits are about $200 (discounted to about $150 if you are MTH RRC member which is a good value if you are going to purchase some PS2.0 kits). But I like both for different reasons and applications and am sure you have done your homework. I do think the ERR kits are quicker to install in many applications -- especially the tight ones like the General type locos -- a real bugger with the tight fit of the PS2.0 boards. Again, I hope your installation goes well. It looks like there is some excellent help on these forums. I am fairly new to the forums after being steered to them by a friend. I am especially impressed by the support and sharing by so many.
Originally Posted by JDA:
I do run DCS. Was looking for an economically way to upgrade these engines. It is 2 AA units with 2 motors each. I think there is no economical way to do this and it is not worth 2 PS2 upgrades to me to convert these engins.
Originally Posted by LocoMods:
I would be inclined to just convert to PS2.0, but I am presuming that you run TMCC and not DCS. I do like the ERR kits. They are nicely built and straight forward installations. Good luck with your project and let us know how it turns out.
The ERR Cruise Commander and RailSounds Commander will set you back $185 from Boxcar Bill on the forums here, and that's about the best price I've seen. The PS/2 upgrade kit is $180 list and that's what you can commonly find them for. As you say, if you go through the MTH RR Club, they're $150.
As far as the right fit, the PS/2 package is actually a lot smaller than the combined Cruise Commander and RailSounds Commander combo. AAMOF, the Cruise Commander alone is less than 1/2" shorter than the whole PS/2 upgrade module.
As for installation, I have to give the ERR kits the "ease of installation" award generally, though the PS/2 kit isn't all that difficult. The PS/2 kit comes with more complete hardware, including all the lighting you need for any installation. With the ERR kits, you either use the existing lighting or add that.
I also like both for different reasons.
Thanks for your follow up on your earlier post. I was just researching the PS 2.0 conversion price to be sure -- I was bothered that the price might have risen dramatically and I am pleased that it has remained stable -- actually it has declined about $20 over the past 4 years and is currently priced as noted. For those who are interested, the link to a diesel kit is:
I guess I had thought the ERR kits were a bit smaller -- maybe because I too, think the ERR kits are slightly easier to install. In the WARR installation, I had to cut the loco tether board, removing the diodes, in order to get the board to fit. Then I had to mount the diodes in line with shrink tube. Then because of the tight fit around the motor (I would swear they must have cast the shell directly over the motor 
, as it had an ohnometer clearance -- as in "OH NO! if you look cross eyed at it, it shorts to the shell casting) I had to fashion a thin plastic insulator sleeve to slip over the motor wiring contacts to prevent future problems with shell to motor shorts. I used a thin plastic sheet similar to that used for window panes. I hope it works -- it is 4 years and counting.
, as it had an ohnometer clearance -- as in "OH NO! if you look cross eyed at it, it shorts to the shell casting) I had to fashion a thin plastic insulator sleeve to slip over the motor wiring contacts to prevent future problems with shell to motor shorts. I used a thin plastic sheet similar to that used for window panes. I hope it works -- it is 4 years and counting. Originally Posted by gunrunnerjohn:
The ERR Cruise Commander and RailSounds Commander will set you back $185 from Boxcar Bill on the forums here, and that's about the best price I've seen. The PS/2 upgrade kit is $180 list and that's what you can commonly find them for. As you say, if you go through the MTH RR Club, they're $150.
As far as the right fit, the PS/2 package is actually a lot smaller than the combined Cruise Commander and RailSounds Commander combo. AAMOF, the Cruise Commander alone is less than 1/2" shorter than the whole PS/2 upgrade module.
As for installation, I have to give the ERR kits the "ease of installation" award generally, though the PS/2 kit isn't all that difficult. The PS/2 kit comes with more complete hardware, including all the lighting you need for any installation. With the ERR kits, you either use the existing lighting or add that.
I also like both for different reasons.
Well, for a tight fit, I crammed the PS/2 upgrade kit into the MTH General. I had to modify the tether connector by chopping the diodes off and relocating them, and I had to make my own mount for the tach encoder as it wouldn't fit under the shell the way it was designed. The small tender barely fit the PS/2 boards, and there was no way to mount the standard speaker, I had to use a small one. There's no way the ERR boards would have fit.
ERR does have smaller stuff, the MiniCommander 2 is a 1" x 2" x .65" board that fits into a lot of places, I use them in small motorized units and stuff like Docksiders that you can't squeeze the full sized stuff into. The bad part about the ERR stuff is they have no small sound solution, so many of these units are saddled with no sound options. The problem with the MiniCommader 2 is there is no cruise control as you get with PS/2 or the Cruise Commander. ERR used to have a small board with cruise control for the RMT BEEP, too bad it was discontinued.
Did they continue that one for the BEEP! Too bad. I had a lot of fun with that one and wanted to buy more.
My General project was the MTH also. It sounds like you did about the same thing with the diodes. I did, however get the tach board in (my solution was the tight fitting plastic shield (tube -- really about 3/4 of the circumference) as an insulator. I located it and glued it in place in the shell and everything fit like a glove. I was concerned about the motor having enough breathing room, but heck, the space was already tight -- surely they used the motor for the mold plug. I also used the standard kit speaker, but it was tight. It is also possible that the speaker in your kit was a bigger speaker, but I have no idea if they produced variations in that kit.
Dittos on the mini-Commander. Fun stuff.
Originally Posted by trainloon:
Did they continue that one for the BEEP! Too bad. I had a lot of fun with that one and wanted to buy more.
They have the MiniCommander 2 that will fit a BEEP, but they no longer offer the one with cruise control, I'd love to get some of those!
