Heres a head scratcher.

Thomas,

Last year I purchased an electronic reversing board from The Scaled Tin Rail for my PW 218 diesel project. The original drum type e-unit had been corroded by a leaky horn battery.

I have NOT installed it yet, but after a quick look and test fit I think the challenge will be how to physically install the board. Even though the diesels have more interior space than a PW steamer, it's crowded in there with the horn bracket, horn, horn relay bracket and relay.

If anyone has done this mod, I would sure like to know how the board was mounted to the frame.

I suppose you could mount the board in a dummy and use a tether, but I prefer not to do that.

HTH

Jon

Thomas, there are two possibilities depending on how big your board is. Mount it vertically in the space the E-unit was in and let it stick out the bottom or if not too thick turn the horn upside-down and mount it over the horn.

Al

quote:

Originally posted by Boxcar Bill:
I have installed them in diesels, using 610-8689-126 units...

Those units are designed for replacing e-units and should work fine. A little pricy though at $55.

You can use a plastic bracket to mount the board, but you may have to modify the engine.

Also, the new Conventional CLassic Alco's with pullmore motor have an electronic board that is much smaller, also have a electronic horn/bell board.

No different then adding to a MPC era engine that is a replica of a PW unit. I have converted mid 90 GPs as an example, even added an LCRX to give it electromagnetic coupler capability. G

Hello,

Some time back - 1977ish - I replaced a drum type E-Unit with an electronic one made by QSI (I believe). It was very easy, as the new unit duplicated the dimensions and attachment points of the old unit. I'm not sure if any electronic units are currently manufactured as drop in replacements. Of course, all the QSI(?) unit did was duplicate the functions of the original unit (FWD NEUT REV NEUT plus lockout); there weren't any additional things incorporated into the design.

V/R,

Mike

Dallee makes 2 amp boards, designed for DC can motored locos, a 4 amp board designed originally for American Flyer locos, but they work well in Lionel locos, having used them occasionally. They also make a ten amp board, which I imagine would be used in 2 motored standard gauge locos, or large tinplate O gauge locos. In my limited experience with tinplate O gauge locos, they seem to need less amperage than postwar locos. My opinion, FWIW.

quote:

Some time back - 1977ish - I replaced a drum type E-Unit with an electronic one made by QSI (I believe). It was very easy, as the new unit duplicated the dimensions and attachment points of the old unit. I'm not sure if any electronic units are currently manufactured as drop in replacements. Of course, all the QSI(?) unit did was duplicate the functions of the original unit (FWD NEUT REV NEUT plus lockout); there weren't any additional things incorporated into the design.

Ditto the above.
They were made by QSI and called an ACRUE unit.
I had good luck converting several PW and 80's era units over. Never had one fail.
I recall the price was around $35 each, and there were a couple of other variations available also.

Rod

I've used the Dallee units, they're great for single motored locomotives, never had a problem. I haven't used them in a dual-motor unit, but they claim they'll work.

Dallee says the model #400 that I used is sufficient for most dual-motored locomotives: http://www.dallee.com/e_units.htm

quote:

Posted January 25, 2012 04:28 PM Hide Post
Thomas,

Last year I purchased an electronic reversing board from The Scaled Tin Rail for my PW 218 diesel project. The original drum type e-unit had been corroded by a leaky horn battery.

I bought one a couple years ago from them too. They claimed it would fit in my GP-7. Well it did not fit. They had me send it back for a mod. When it came back there was still no way it would fit. Ended up sending it back for refund. If I had wanted to cut everything out it may have worked, but I did not want to do that. Might be a tough fit if you don't want to hack it up.
Rob

The Dallee unit is pretty small and should fit in most locomotives. If not, you can mount it in the tender with a tether.

I like the tether to tender idea. I remember the American Flyer steam engines where all built that way.
Just make sure that if you go with something like a 10 AMP e-unit that you use a tether rated for that kind of a lode. Even though most engines would never draw that kind of current. I would bet that that puppy is ment for an A-B configuration with four motors under the hood.

The electronic e unit used in the Conventional Classics would work for either single or dual motors. Lionel part #691ACMC103. The only question is if they would fit is some of the smaller steamers. It is the one used in baby hudsons, 2046, 646.

Pete

I have a 2353 double diesel, and at the present time, I have a clamp on ammeter on the wire going to the lockon. The loco draws about 3 amps without any cars and this rises to about 3.5 amps with a dozen post war cars that are well lubed.

I also have tested a 736 which draws about 2 amps without any cars and about 2.5 amps with a dozen cars.

I can't see any reason that a 4A unit wouldn't work fine for these, I don't know that I've ever seen a 10A capable electronic reverse board.