Got my Strasburg 90!

Ryan,

Did you do the 2-rail conversion?

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

Ryan,

Did you do the 2-rail conversion?

Dave

Hey Dave. No, it’s still 3-rail. I just sat it on my layout for pictures. I ran it on the store layout for about 10 minutes before boxing it up to come home. It’ll run under the Christmas tree this year. I would eventually like to have it converted to 2-rail.

I'll have to head up to Mainline Hobby and check them out. That's my LHS as well.

@Stinky1 posted:

I'll have to head up to Mainline Hobby and check them out. That's my LHS as well.

Definitely. I think that’s the lowest price on them out there at the moment, to my knowledge. They’re super nice.

Thats a great price, congrats! They look much better without the whitewalls. Can't wait to get my 90's version

@Surefire posted:

Thats a great price, congrats! They look much better without the whitewalls. Can't wait to get my 90's version

I saw the 90’s version there in the store. It looks really sharp.

@ryanexpresstrains posted:

Hey Dave. No, it’s still 3-rail. I just sat it on my layout for pictures. I ran it on the store layout for about 10 minutes before boxing it up to come home. It’ll run under the Christmas tree this year. I would eventually like to have it converted to 2-rail.

How do you want this converted? …..retain all the legacy features? Or do you plan on DCC?

Pat

I visit Mainline Hobby during York week...sorry, not now, if l could see Great Western #90's.  Wanta see pictures of those versions.

@harmonyards posted:

How do you want this converted? …..retain all the legacy features? Or do you plan on DCC?

Pat

I run DCC on the layout, with TCS Wow or Soundtraxx Blunami decoders typically. I wish there was a way to keep the Legacy sounds, as the sound on 90 is incredible. I don’t know how to go about that and be able to control it via DCC (I wish Lionel was like MTH Proto 3 with the switch for DCC control).

@ryanexpresstrains posted:

I run DCC on the layout, with TCS Wow or Soundtraxx Blunami decoders typically. I wish there was a way to keep the Legacy sounds, as the sound on 90 is incredible. I don’t know how to go about that and be able to control it via DCC (I wish Lionel was like MTH Proto 3 with the switch for DCC control).

What about having the ability to switch from DCC to TMCC on the layout?….some mods to your layout  wiring would pay off in dividends if you wish to maintain Legacy/TMCC…….your engine can be converted to 2 rail and keep all the sounds, smoke & control stock Legacy, ……if your layout is loops, you could isolate & dedicate one to TMCC, ……I have 2 railed TMCC with ERR products for cruise, sound, & smoke …….it can be done, your layout would need the mods, more so than the locomotives….2 rail MTH already has this capability….

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

What about having the ability to switch from DCC to TMCC on the layout?….some mods to your layout  wiring would pay off in dividends if you wish to maintain Legacy/TMCC…….your engine can be converted to 2 rail and keep all the sounds, smoke & control stock Legacy, ……if your layout is loops, you could isolate & dedicate one to TMCC, ……I have 2 railed TMCC with ERR products for cruise, sound, & smoke …….it can be done, your layout would need the mods, more so than the locomotives….2 rail MTH already has this capability….

Pat

What's the feasibility of using the Lionchief app/bluetooth for sound/locomotive control after conversion on DC/DCC power? My layout isn't just loops. It's a single track mainline with double track portions (essentially very long passing sidings). It's fully integrated and also set up for operations.

I only have one other Lionel locomotive, and it's converted to 2-rail and has Soundtraxx Blunami. The rest of my locomotive fleet is either Overland, Sunset/3rd Rail, Key, or MTH.

@ryanexpresstrains posted:

What's the feasibility of using the Lionchief app/bluetooth for sound/locomotive control after conversion on DC/DCC power? My layout isn't just loops. It's a single track mainline with double track portions (essentially very long passing sidings). It's fully integrated and also set up for operations.

I only have one other Lionel locomotive, and it's converted to 2-rail and has Soundtraxx Blunami. The rest of my locomotive fleet is either Overland, Sunset/3rd Rail, Key, or MTH.

The problem with anything Lionel electronics is you need AC on the rails, ….can’t overlay it on top of DC, ….the fellas I know doing Blunami, are converting the AC to DC in the engine, so they get versatility, …..unfortunately, if you can’t mod your layout to get AC on the rails, ( with nothing else on it ) TMCC & Legacy isn’t happening, ……the two for the foreseeable time can’t intertwine……but the bright side for your endeavor is that #90 sound & control system ought to be worth a pretty penny on the secondary market if you so choose to 2 rail the engine …..

Pat

One option might be to build a DC to AC inverter. They tend to be larger than what might fit in the engine but it could fit in a passenger car. You can find small ones that convert 12v DC to 120 or 220 AC and swap the transformer to a 12v to 18v transformer.

Pete

Certainly would be a good alternative Pete!..

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

The problem with anything Lionel electronics is you need AC on the rails, ….can’t overlay it on top of DC, ….the fellas I know doing Blunami, are converting the AC to DC in the engine, so they get versatility, …..unfortunately, if you can’t mod your layout to get AC on the rails, ( with nothing else on it ) TMCC & Legacy isn’t happening, ……the two for the foreseeable time can’t intertwine……but the bright side for your endeavor is that #90 sound & control system ought to be worth a pretty penny on the secondary market if you so choose to 2 rail the engine …..

Pat

It would be nice futuristically if Lionel built in the DCC option like MTH does. That would be a game changer.

@harmonyards posted:

The problem with anything Lionel electronics is you need AC on the rails, ….can’t overlay it on top of DC, ….the fellas I know doing Blunami, are converting the AC to DC in the engine, so they get versatility, …..unfortunately, if you can’t mod your layout to get AC on the rails, ( with nothing else on it ) TMCC & Legacy isn’t happening, ……the two for the foreseeable time can’t intertwine……but the bright side for your endeavor is that #90 sound & control system ought to be worth a pretty penny on the secondary market if you so choose to 2 rail the engine …..

Pat

I've been wondering about something, at some point on the board it has to convert to DC, as the motors are DC and most electronics are DC; is there a point we could tap and provide straight DC? 

I've been thinking about this because I was wondering if it might be possible to run Legacy off battery power (keeping all the Legacy sound and other features), and turning DC into AC just for the board to turn it back to DC seems like a lot of unnecessary loss.

@PSM posted:

I've been wondering about something, at some point on the board it has to convert to DC, as the motors are DC and most electronics are DC; is there a point we could tap and provide straight DC?

I've been thinking about this because I was wondering if it might be possible to run Legacy off battery power (keeping all the Legacy sound and other features), and turning DC into AC just for the board to turn it back to DC seems like a lot of unnecessary loss.

That’s above my pay grade,….not sure you can send the legacy/TMCC signal down a DC pathway, or a dead rail…….that’d be a good question for our EE guys,….I’m an ME, I make it fit on the rails,….😁

Pat

Pete’s inverter idea woukd be the lessor of all evils for you 2 rail fellas,…..the only thing that would be left to figure out is how to get the signal to the engine,…..that’s not something I could answer,…..but, in thinking about 2 railing your favorite Lionel legacy engines, this would be a good idea ….it would actually save you some money in the long run not having to worry about power pick ups on the engine & tender,….the “power” car would feed the engine…..the track power in could be disguised as innocent air hoses or steam lines ….

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

Pete’s inverter idea woukd be the lessor of all evils for you 2 rail fellas,…..the only thing that would be left to figure out is how to get the signal to the engine,…..that’s not something I could answer,…..but, in thinking about 2 railing your favorite Lionel legacy engines, this would be a good idea ….it would actually save you some money in the long run not having to worry about power pick ups on the engine & tender,….the “power” car would feed the engine…..the track power in could be disguised as innocent air hoses or steam lines ….

Pat

Thanks for that, Pat. I'm considering my options when it comes to sound/control. So you do 2-rail conversions?

@ryanexpresstrains posted:

Thanks for that, Pat. I'm considering my options when it comes to sound/control. So you do 2-rail conversions?

Yep, ….soon all day every day,….just built this feller,….she’s sweet as can be!…

Pat and this one:

@harmonyards posted:

Yep, ….soon all day every day,….just built this feller,….she’s sweet as can be!…

Pat and this one:

That is SWEET! I'll be in touch once I decide how I want to proceed with sound/control on this. It would make it so much easier if they had a DCC switch like MTH!

@PSM posted:

I've been thinking about this because I was wondering if it might be possible to run Legacy off battery power (keeping all the Legacy sound and other features), and turning DC into AC just for the board to turn it back to DC seems like a lot of unnecessary loss.

I'm pretty sure that's going to be a tall order for legacy prior to 2020.  For the LCP2 and LCP3 boards, that "might" be possible, I haven't looked into the latest Legacy board characteristics.

It can be done, ….my swaps won’t be in the ordinary category, ….every available option always gets put on the table before I commit to anything!….from full blown chassis swaps, making drivers, and everything in between,……this keeps all the opportunities available for research, ……there will never be a one size fits all approach….it’s a different ball game these days with just way too many cool options & effects to just blindly gut a fully featured locomotive like your 90,……..so always there will be round table discussions on the best path to take ….

Pat

@ryanexpresstrains posted:

That is SWEET! I'll be in touch once I decide how I want to proceed with sound/control on this. It would make it so much easier if they had a DCC switch like MTH!

The sad part is they’ve offered this feature in their S-scale American Flyer line.

That might be one option. Purchase the BEMC for an AF steamer and drive the tender sounds with that.

The only thing I’m not sure of is how to power the RailSounds board.

This is for a diesel, but just showing that it was done…

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...3742542150ES44AC.pdf

Here is the board for that one…

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...R-A-F-ES44AC-6-42542

Also, heres the BEMC from the 2020 American Flyer Legacy Berk. This would probably work better.