Lionel 6-18009 Mohawk Electronic Updating

I’m pretty sure you can run it on DC but you’ll lose the railsounds. I converted mine with a mid sized can motor and added ERR products. Runs great and sounds great.

@romiller49 posted:

I’m pretty sure you can run it on DC but you’ll lose the railsounds. I converted mine with a mid sized can motor and added ERR products. Runs great and sounds great.

Thanks for the information!

I will eventually install ERR electronics in my 18009, specifically the AC Commander.  The Pullmor motor is a high-current, 3-pole design that is, IMO, best left as an AC motor, handled by the AC Commander.  The locomotive can be converted to a Pittman DC can motor, driven by the ERR Cruise Commander, at greater cost.  The disadvantage of the AC Commander is that it has no "cruise control" feature.  I don't believe it practical to rewire the Pullmor for DC operation and drive it with a Cruise Commander, but I could be wrong.

@KarlDL posted:

I will eventually install ERR electronics in my 18009, specifically the AC Commander.  The Pullmor motor is a high-current, 3-pole design that is, IMO, best left as an AC motor, handled by the AC Commander.  The locomotive can be converted to a Pittman DC can motor, driven by the ERR Cruise Commander, at greater cost.  The disadvantage of the AC Commander is that it has no "cruise control" feature.  I don't believe it practical to rewire the Pullmor for DC operation and drive it with a Cruise Commander, but I could be wrong.

Thank you for the insight Karl.

The problem with trying to run the Pulmore motor from a DC controller is they're designed to just supply the armature and reverse polarity to reverse direction.  However, the Pulmore motor has a field and an armature, and the field had to stay the same polarity and reverse the polarity of the armature to reverse directions.  Also, the Pulmore motor field is grounded on one end, which poses another small problem.  Finally, the Pulmore motor draws much more current running than the DC can motor, and would tax most can motor controllers.  Finally, the Pulmore motor has three poles, most can motors have 5 or 7 poles.  So, even if you solved the other problems, you still have choppy running.  Jon Z. from Lionel has a prototype cruise board for the Pulmore, but he was never happy with the low speed performance, and so never pursued the project.

Thank you very much John for the detailed explanation.  That all makes sense to me.  I just have that "gotta know gene."