How well does the cruise commander work on a open frame motor? I'm thinking of using it with a Hudson with the Vanderbilt tender. I'm not expecting the smoothness of a can motor but a nice improvement, am I expecting too much?
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Cruise will not work with open frame motors.
David, Pardon my asking, but you are not confusing cruise with command are you? Some folks do.
Electric railroad makes an AC commander that will convert your loco to command, but currently you cannot have cruise control without a can motor.
There is no easy/repeatable way to mount a tach strip on the open frame motor, although a few people have done it. And electric railroads back EMF sensor doesn't work without a can motor.
Timko can make a can motor conversion for your loco, and then you can install an electric railroad cruise commander. I did that with the Lionel 777 Commodore Vanderbilt and it's a great runner now, smooth, runs slowly or fast, and holds the speed I set.
There is no easy/repeatable way to mount a tach strip on the open frame motor, although a few people have done it. And electric railroads back EMF sensor doesn't work without a can motor.
I only know of one person who has done this-the mad toy train scientist who does emerge from the basement lab with a surprise or 2 before he comes to the Greenberg Edison show. I've seen the Lionel F3's with pullmor run with TMCC/Cruise and "smooth as a whistle".
I installed an ERR AC Commander into an MPC era dual open frame motor A unit and it runs so much better with the ERR conversion versus the conventional. Cruise would be nice but no having it is not as noticeable as it is on a DC can motor converted locomotive.
The engine already has tmcc and I was just wondering if there was a way to add cruise.
I seen a prototype one out in California once but it was never marketed.
Just add command/TMCC and enjoy.
Jim
If you are really in love with this engine, Frank Timko does DC motor conversions for AC locomotives, then you can add cruise.
