Lionel 104e reverse unit

Try tying pin #22 to ground.  That's how you lock the R2LC into a single direction, I believe these are handled the same way.  That's the PGM/RUN switch for command operation.

Dale, Doesn't the loco have a run program switch?  If it does, but it into Program while in the direction you want.  Locks it in.  G

Yes,but instead of forward only it does 2 cycles,forward,neutral,forward... It is described to work that way in the manual. Lionel refused to give me any information on the subject saying they do not support 3rd party alterations. I will try tomorrow John's solution,if it dont work I will get the meter out and try to reverse engineer the board. . I thank him for his help.  Seems like locking some Lionel locos in forward is a hassle or not in the design. My layout is automated forward only so I need dependable direction locking on all locos.  Seems like doing this simple thing should not be a problem but it is.  For some reason they designed it to go into neutral,I guess so it could be stopped and you could get crew talk in conventional.

 Still working on the PS1 problem. They get fooled into coming out of state when the whistle is blown and power is interrupted. I wish PS1 had a simple lock out switch. Sent you an Email. Will check my mail tomorrow. Thanks for your help. Been sick so things are going a bit slow. 

Dale H

Dale, Johns solution is the same as the Run program switch. That is what that does, just via a mother board connection.  Interesting that Lionel does it that way.  If you remove the QSI jumper, it removes power from the logic board to flop states and it says as last ordered.  This allows automatic same state as selected all the time.

I just sent an e-mail on the PS-1.  You removed 1 or 3, you want to remove 2 and 4.  Power 2 from 1 on the bottom board, while keeping 1 and 3 going up to the top board.  That is power up for sounds.  G

Thanks 

More complicated to describe than do. Pull the shell. Program to run forward. Cut pin 4,jumper 1 and 2 ,disconnect 2 from top board. I dropped a bead of solder across the pins as a jumper. Hope I got it right.  I appreciate the time and help. Seems to work.The thing stays in forward. I hope the sound stays in sync. I have a bunch of these to do,I will try to find a small cutting dykes for the pins. 

Dale H

I assume pin 22 is the bottom right facing the board as pictured in first post. I jumped it out to ground but it still cycles the same way. There is a jumper in the top center,I wonder what that does.  I wonder if Lionel has a fix,they certainly are less that helpful. Anyone have Mike Reagans Email?

Dale H

AS I said, the switch is doing the same as the jumper.  Since the manual states this I assume the chip is coded that way.  This uses a programmable device not logic circuits like older reverse units (qsi, Williams, and early lionel).  So I think you are stuck.  G

Emailed Lionel,they did get back to me. they did not have a wiring diagram of the loco. They said there was no fix other than running the motor off a bridge rectifier from track power. I traced the wires and half waved the motor it with a single diode. Runs pretty good. Smoke unit did not have power. I re ran the wire and powered directly off track power. What is the operating voltage of the smoke unit. Loco is ran in conventional maximum 16 volts on the track.

Thanks 

Dale H

Measure the resistor.  If 27 ohms it runs off track power.  If 6 or 8 it has an ACREG and runs off less power.  G

Thanks G

It measures 33 ohms. I assume it is about a 10 watt element.

Dale H

Typically about 3 to 5 Watt.  G

The idea with the smoke resistor is to run them at or over their design specification to get them hot enough to vaporize the mineral oil.

The 33 ohm element (which may actually be their standard 30 ohm resistor), will dissipate over 7 watts at 16 volts.  However, the mineral oil in the wick will provide heat sinking to keep it from burning up.

Thanks for the information guys

Dale H