ERR upgrade, problem with sound.

ERR sound has an isolated input.  You use the provided reed switch.  But since you have Johns super chuffer you follow those instructions.  The cruise M does not get chuff to it.  It gets serial data in from the R2LC.  Serial data out to the sound board.   Those instructions are pretty clear.  G

Thanks GGG,

Having roasted 2 sound boards already, just trying to eliminate any doubt about how it all goes together. Don’t want to let the magic smoke out of another one. This project is getting too expensive!!

Bob

You should ONLY have three connectors going to the ERR RS Commander, the 2-pin power connector, the 3-pin speaker connector (2 wires), and the 9-pin serial data connector (2 wires).  As long as you have the proper frame ground and track voltage connections, and the speaker leads are TOTALLY isolated from the frame, you should not be toasting boards.  The serial data line to the ERR RS Commander should be connected to the serial data that's coming from pin-24 of the R2LC.

FWIW, there is nothing about the Chuff-Generator or Super-Chuffer that has anything to do with any of the connections to the ERR RS Commander.

Hi John, thanks for taking time to reply.

     Got everything hooked up, and chuff generator timed for 4 chuffs per driver revolution. LED flashes as it should, but no chuffs. Background sounds, bell, and whistle running ok. Looked up connections for mother board 91-pcb1-0B9 on the Lionel website. They show serial data on J3, pin 1. I did a continuity check, and have continuity between pin 1 and what looks to be pin 24 (they aren’t numbered, that I can tell), so serial data should be ok (I hope). I don’t understand where the chuff trigger (input?) wire is located. I thought it was J3, pin 3 on the mother board, but the Lionel diagram says that is  for the rear coupler. I thought I unsoldered that wire from the old mechanical chuff switch. (It’s been 3 months since I last worked on this thing. Got a little discouraged with it.) Memory’s not what it used to be!

    I’m using a Cruise M board. I noticed on the diagram that comes with the chuff generator that the Cruise Commander has its own separate connection for chuff input. Where is that for the Cruise M board? Or do I need to remove the Cruise M and go with the Cruise Commander? If I try another upgrade, I think I’ll go that route. Seems to be a simpler setup. At least I haven’t let the magic smoke out of anything yet!

thanks again,  
Bob

There is no chuff input to the CC-M board, it doesn't process that data.

If you actually connected the Chuff-Generator output to the coupler Hot Lead, that would likely have cooked that output and rendered the Chuff-Generator inert!  The chuff output from the Chuff-Generator can't take full track AC, that's what comes out of the coupler outputs!

The chuff input will be one of the connections on the R2LC motherboard.  The chuff input to the R2LC on the 691-PCB1-0B9 MB is the SOS HOT connection in the lower left of this graphic.  Note this graphic is from Rod Stewart's excellent Motherboard document, he documented a bunch of Lionel TMCC stuff in a similar manner.

Thanks John! That’s exactly the info I was looking for!

I did see that document, just didn’t know what the input was called.

thanks again!

Well, SOS isn't exactly descriptive, but if you check it with a meter, you'll find it goes to pin-17 of the R2LC socket, that's the chuff input.   Also note the jumper should be in the B position for proper chuff operation in command mode.

Well, progress, and problem.  
Everything is operating normally, (in conventional mode. Don’t have a tmcc, or legacy unit yet. They seem to be very scarce right now. Everything up to this point has been DCS.) except, in forward, the whistle randomly blows. Fine in reverse, and neutral. Acts like it’s operating as a random background sound. Any ideas, suggestions?

@Robert Davis posted:

except, in forward, the whistle randomly blows. Fine in reverse, and neutral. Acts like it’s operating as a random background sound. Any ideas, suggestions?

That's probably the chopped waveform you're using on the tracks, it's a common issue.  If you run it with a pure sine wave transformer, my guess is that  will go away.

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FWIW, the Lionel CAB1L/BASE1L set is readily available, however the Legacy #990 sets are not.

Lionel O 6-37147 CAB-1L Remote Control and Base 1L Command Set at ModelTrainStuff

Lionel #37147 CAB-1L/Base-1L Command Set at Trainworld

I'm sure other retailers have them as well.

Makes sense. Running it with a DCS system in conventional mode. I did notice the faster it ran, the less frequent it got. Thanks for the info on the command sets. I’ll look into one. Seems no one around here can get them. (Most hobby shops around here have died off anyway.) I’ll put her back together, and call it done, until I can get a proper controller for it.    
     
Thanks again for all your help! Much appreciated!

Bob

No problem Bob, hope you can find a command set to fully enjoy the upgrade.