GG1-TMCC-ERR upgrade

Did you calculate your space with the E Unit and horn removed? They get replaced.

Pete

Yes I have. Have, 2"x 2 1/2" between motors, need 2 3/4"'s. May have to use pass. car and tether everything to GG1.

I've put an AC Commander in a #8753 GG-1.  Haven't done the Railsounds.  I don't remember having any particular problem making it fit.  When I'm home this evening, I'll try to pull the shell off and get a picture to post.

MHK,  thank you. That would be great.   Tom

Tom

   Its a tight fit, but sounds can be added. The AC commander and RS4 will fit between the motors. Mount the AC commander off center and the RS4 on its side. Mount the speaker in the body above the leading or trailing truck. If you are not going to run overhead wire, then you can use the pantograph as the antenna.

Bill

Thanks Bill, I knew you would know pros & cons.  Tom

Well, it looks like my memory isn't so good.  I did have to do some extra work to get the AC Commander to fit in the 8753.  See pictures below.  I've squeezed AC Commanders into several different post-war steam engines (such as a 681, 736, 773, and 2046) by making custom mounting brackets out of sheet aluminum.  The aluminum is .080 sheet from the K&S Metals stand at my local hobby shop and costs $3 or $4.  I cut it to needed layout with a hack saw, then cleaned up the very rough edges with a file.   I bent it to the angled shape by just clamping it in my vise and pushing on it -- the aluminum is relatively soft and you can fiddle with it enough via trial-and-error to get it to the right angle.

I drilled two holes in the custom bracket -- one to attach the AC Commander using the supplied screw to its heatsink, and one to attach the bracket to the chassis of the 8753 GG-1 using a 6-32 screw with a nut.  If my memory is correct, the hole in the GG-1 chassis was already there.   If you look closely at the photos, you'll also notice that I slightly cut off the corners the AC Commander heat sink to give a little more swing room for the nearest Pullmor motor.  I did this just by filing them down.

I put a piece of black electrical tape on the non-heatsink end of the AC Commander to make sure the circuit board didn't short out from touching one of the Pullmor motors.  I did not mount the Prog/Run switch outside the engine -- I've typically just left these hanging inside as I don't change IDs hardly at all, and doing the external mounting is often a lot of work. As Boxcar Bill suggested, I used the pantographs as the antenna.

The aluminum bracket is rigid enough and the mounting strong enough that the AC Commander is quite firmly positioned, and I haven't had any trouble in running the GG-1 using TMCC.

The pictures below should give you a pretty good idea of the needed shape, and I've included pictures from both sides.

All-in-all, it just barely fits.  I haven't tried getting Railsounds installed, but there may well not be enough room.

I installed the ERR AC Commander in the Conveentional Classics GG!.  I fit between the end of the shell and the lead motor.  Installing sound might be a bigger problem because you have to install a speaker also...

Marty

I put one of the AC commanders in a Lionel SD-40 with dual Pulmore motors, it was a tight fit, but I managed to get the sound and the speaker in without resorting to an angle mount.  That GG1 looks a bit tighter than my SD-40!

Martin,That is what I came up with this morning. I beleive it will all fit including RS4. Had to flatten a 1/2' alum. tab sticking up,that is  not used. I will mount spkr. between motors, which will also fit. MHK,Gunrunner, Thank you very much for your inputs. TOM

MHK, Was looking at your pics again. Very ingenious. The tab I fattened is just in front of your run/prog. switch just out of sight. I will have to use 1/4" spacer on motor side of AC commander. Must learn how to post pics, it sure does make things clearer when trying to do things. Like I have said before, The people on this forum are TOPS!!!!! Tom Hoover

Glad you've got something that will work.  I had looked at putting the AC Commander up front, but as you noted, the tab is in the way and the lamp socket has to be removed to create enough room.  In the end, I did the cantilevered approach.  But your approach should work and also give you room for the sound board. 

You can replace the light socket with an LED directly in the headlight, that solves the issue of the light socket being in the way.

Again, I would like to thank all who helped me on this problem. I will take pics on progress and post; hopefully. Tom Hoover

First pic-Disassembly. Note flattened tab to right below lamp. Small black Marks on alum. frame where AC Comm. goes. Hope you can see them,as this is my first attempt at posting pics. Will post more as I go along. Tom

I presume you're putting the AC Commander in front where the light was?  The RS Commander (if you're putting in sound) should fit in the middle.  You still have room in the rear for a speaker.

John, parts have not come in yet. When they get here I will dry fit and see how it goes. Will keep you posted.

Looks like you have more room there than in the middle.  Also, those motors do swivel, so you have to allow for any clearance for any position.

The AC Commander is only 2.75" long, so it should fit in front of the motor.

John, Have measured for clearances, but you know how that goes sometimes. That is why I will surely dry fit all.

Oh, I surely agree with you!   While I like to plan ahead, there is plenty of measuring and tinkering before I start drilling holes.