Lionel 6-22918 Locomotive Backshop Issues

Let me start by saying that I know absolutely nothing about the Lionel Back Shop accessory.  However, about a year ago I bought a box of post war service station parts.  In that box was a plastic bag labeled "Back shop mother board". I have no idea if it is the new or older version or weather it is good or bad.  Right now I am not sure I can even find it.  But I will look for it.  As this thread moves along keep me in mind.  

i have this accessory, and it works great.

Below is the link on Lionels website for all the service documents.

https://www.lionelsupport.com/...8&productNumber=

i have one i recieved from a friend of mine who could not put it on his layout he had someone rewire the backshop and added a control switch box with 6 switches to activate the sounds smoke and doors not sure how or who did it but it works great. I will keep it that way i just looked on lionel website and they still have the mother board on there for sale

Thanks Mark & FL9 turbo. Mark, the instructions on the Lionel website are dated 10/98, the addendum with the amended instructions is dated 02/99; it isn't on the web site.

David I will keep that in mind.

Mike

MohawkMike posted:

Thanks Mark & FL9 turbo. Mark, the instructions on the Lionel website are dated 10/98, the addendum with the amended instructions is dated 02/99; it isn't on the web site.

David I will keep that in mind.

Mike

I found the 02/99 and an 06/99 and a 04/99 in addition to the 10/98.

Ron

Mike,     I have the Backshop and am very well pleased with it.  The motherboard as I am aware of is for the smoke unit operation.  Other than that, I have not heard of, or had problems with the operating of this accessory.  And, yes, as noted above, going on line you can find the new "motherboard" and copy of the instructions.

Jesse     TCA

Here is the 02/99 addendum.

Thanks to Nick's trains for the addendum. I discovered that my accessory was late production and has the new motherboard which as Jesse indicates was designed to solve the smoke problem so that it doesn't have to be rewired.

I'm going to crank it up now, sure takes a lot of real estate.

Thanks to everyone for your help, sounds like it is a fun accessory.

Mike

Hi Ron, I have the 10/98, 02/99 and 04/99 but not the 06/99. Can you post this one or direct me to the location. Thanks, Mike

Ron, I found the 06/99, it is the instruction for replacing the motherboard and adding the smoke funnel. No need for this as I have the revised motherboard in my unit.

FYI, very tricky and sensitive accessory.  I recommend wiring it to an accessory transformer and don't use track power.  Start with low voltage and increase slowly.  Trouble is you can't get much light out of the fixtures at low voltage.  I recall when I bought this new, originally in July, 1999, Lionel shortly thereafter actually issued an apology letter for the problems with it, ie. motherboard, metal structure thickness, etc.  It's rather tinny for it's size.  The doors can be difficult if they come off the track.  Don't be stupid like me and run a locomotive into a closed door.  It is a lot of fun, just fickle.  Use caution!

Jim Miehls posted:

FYI, very tricky and sensitive accessory.  I recommend wiring it to an accessory transformer and don't use track power.  Start with low voltage and increase slowly.  Trouble is you can't get much light out of the fixtures at low voltage.  I recall when I bought this new, originally in July, 1999, Lionel shortly thereafter actually issued an apology letter for the problems with it, ie. motherboard, metal structure thickness, etc.  It's rather tinny for it's size.  The doors can be difficult if they come off the track.  Don't be stupid like me and run a locomotive into a closed door.  It is a lot of fun, just fickle.  Use caution!

I have this accessory. Original lighting is nearly useless. I upgraded lighting using fluorescents. If you search "Control Lionel Backshop" and scroll through to end you'll see pics and videos of my upgrades. Sorry, I don't know a better way to get you to it. 

Thanks for posting the addendums. Now my smoke unit is puffing like a champ!!! I had no idea to use the throttle to control the smoke level. This accessory is so cool!!!!

I added additional lights & put the lights on a separate line from the machinery & smoke so the lights could be on all of the time & nice & bright. Bought additional parts way back when to do the upgrade. Also, changed roof out to smoked plexi-glass so machinery would be much more visible. Run it in command. Use about 4-5 volts to open doors & then 18 volts for machinery & smoke. Upgraded smoke unit & now smokes very well. See attached pic.

Having just one unusual problem now & that is accessory seems to lose it's I.D. after a week or so & I have to re-program it & sometimes it works & sometimes it doesn't work. Really strange as I might try it after a few days of not working & all of a sudden it will work. Anyone else have this problem. Appreciate any help. Not sure if it was just a freak thing, but seem to just start to happen after I upgraded my remote to 1.60. Mike R. said that it has nothing to do with the upgrade & I believe him, but really strange that it just started to happen after that as I've used this accessory in command for years.

Highly impressive!  Way, way beyond my capabilities.  I'm an out of the box guy.  Thanks for the picture!

I inherited a backshop.  I have it working but the motor for the doors is binding. If I take it apart the motor runs fine and the gears seem to mesh but if I put it together it tries to move but binds.  Also I found that the light have seperate terminals on the unit that will work the lights if powered directly. Is that correct?

Good thread- just found it.  I posted a question over in the electrical forum but this thread appears to have a good group of backshop experts.  I found the lionel update information but don't seem to be able to find solutions to these questions:

1) I am running conventional and as soon as I apply power, the smoke unit runs.  This appears to be fixable with the change noted by nicks trains in the       02/99 addendum.  If I make this change, it says the smoke unit "will run only at activation" but what does that mean for conventional operation?

2) The backshop equipment runs fine but I can't get the doors or sound to work.  Are there any tricks to look for on this? 

Thanks.