Menards Santa Fe F3 Diesel Locomotive 3945 Beta 1 ERR upgrade

Looks great! How does it run?

I'd love to see a video.

John

videos

Looks like the first time around the track was to close to your baseboard leaving a mark.

to close to your baseboard leaving a mark? I don't understand? 

I was just making light of the mark on the base bord in the second video when the loco is rounding the curve next to the base. I have a construction background and just someting I notice and tried to make a small joke about it. Sorry I meant no offense.

Dan

Oh!!! LOL, No offence taken.  Yes, I had  a few engines rub on the baseboard.  I need more room!!!

Nice work TB. I may need to do mine one day....I could run it with my F3's!

Videos don't play.

John

@RSJB18 posted:

Nice work TB. I may need to do mine one day....I could run it with my F3's!

Thank you. Yes, that would look nice together.  I should put all my Santa Fe's together and make a video. 

videos play with my Chrome, Not with my Firefox browser.

Rip out the track or get rid of the engine!  I for one hate dented or rubbed baseboards.  If you ever had to custom cut, install, prime and paint them, you would know why!   :-)

Mannyrock

@Mannyrock posted:

Rip out the track or get rid of the engine!  I for one hate dented or rubbed baseboards.  If you ever had to custom cut, install, prime and paint them, you would know why!   :-)

Mannyrock

No WAY!! I much rather repair or replace the baseboard then get rid of any of my engines.   I'm selling this house anyway. Need a bigger train room.

@Mannyrock posted:

Rip out the track or get rid of the engine!  I for one hate dented or rubbed baseboards.  If you ever had to custom cut, install, prime and paint them, you would know why!   :-)

I guess you never had kids.  If you did, you would understand the comment.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I guess you never had kids.  If you did, you would understand the comment.

I have two boys 15, and 17, both in wheelchairs, so I am constantly repairing walls and baseboards that they run into.  Are you saying get rid of the kids? LOL

@Susan Deats posted:

videos play with my Chrome, Not with my Firefox browser.

Plays with a black screen in Chrome.  Not at all in Firefox

John

@Craftech posted:

Plays with a black screen in Chrome.  Not at all in Firefox

John

Is there an HEIC add-on for Firefox?  The videos play in Chrome, and Edge.

Weird to comment on the scratch on the base trim.  How do you know how it got there.  One swipe with a paint brush and it is gone.  Rip out the track, huh, it’s a loop on the floor…. Guess you can’t deal with, I don’t know, imperfections…. I’m sure.  Sorry, but that is one of the strangest posts I’ve ever seen on this forum.  And yeah, I’ve installed base trim, touched up all kinds of scratches and made them better than new.  It’s what you do when you build or live in a house, not under a rock manny.

@TB440 posted:

I have two boys 15, and 17, both in wheelchairs, so I am constantly repairing walls and baseboards that they run into.  Are you saying get rid of the kids? LOL

The comment wasn't for you, but rather the guy obsessing over a scratch in the baseboards.

@TB440  Nice job converting the engine to ERR DC commander, and a Railsounds PCB while still keep the Menards PCB so that you may still be able to use their remote.   

Videos look great as well.

Out of curiosity, what does a conversion like the run approximately and is this something anyone can do with some well written instructions?

Dan's comment above about the scratch was simply a joke as stated by him.  So why not take in that vain.  Too many folks are way to serious.   

No harm in having a bit fun with each other while discussing how we like to run our trains.  It makes the day interesting and a bit of fun. 

I also like the kids joke, some of you are simply too much!

@Allegheny posted:

@TB440  Nice job converting the engine to ERR DC commander, and a Railsounds PCB while still keep the Menards PCB so that you may still be able to use their remote.   

Videos look great as well.

Out of curiosity, what does a conversion like the run approximately and is this something anyone can do with some well written instructions?

Kazar- I'm on my second ERR upgrade. Check out my build thread here.

The installation instructions from 3rd Rail/ ERR are very easy to follow. I'm also new to Lionel Command control so I'm still on the learning curve with the programming on the engines.

Adding new lighting to the conversions takes the majority of the time and labor but I enjoy it.

Contact Gunrunner John- He's an ERR dealer and can set you up if you decide to try a conversion. He's also a valuable resource for questions and answers.

Bob

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

The comment wasn't for you, but rather the guy obsessing over a scratch in the baseboards.

OH, ok. That makes more since. 

@Allegheny posted:

@TB440  Nice job converting the engine to ERR DC commander, and a Railsounds PCB while still keep the Menards PCB so that you may still be able to use their remote.   

Videos look great as well.

Out of curiosity, what does a conversion like the run approximately and is this something anyone can do with some well written instructions?

Thank you. Yes, I feel It is something anyone can do, just take your time, and lay it out first.   The instructions on the website are very good at explaining how to install.  see below parts I purchased. 

@TB440 posted:

Thank you. Yes, I feel It is something anyone can do, just take your time, and lay it out first.   The instructions on the website are very good at explaining how to install.  see below parts I purchased.

Cruise Commander Kit      - Cruise Cmdr, R4LC-C08

149.95

Steam RailSounds Medium Steam Listen on Sound Cloud

124.95

Dual "Fat Boy" Speaker With Baffle and WIre Leads for Railsounds Board ( 3.5" LONG X  1.75" WIDE X 1.5" HIGH)

40.00

Oh!!! and yes!! If I have any questions I Contact Gunrunner John.

@Allegheny posted:

Dan's comment above about the scratch was simply a joke as stated by him.  So why not take in that vain.  Too many folks are way to serious.   

No harm in having a bit fun with each other while discussing how we like to run our trains.  It makes the day interesting and a bit of fun.

I also like the kids joke, some of you are simply too much!

I didn't take any offence, I just didn't understand the joke.  I agree no harm in having fun. 

William 1?  Really?  Really?  You don't understand a plain jest when you see it??   Did you happen to notice the smiley face at the end of my comments?   

Geez,

Mannyrock

I'll keep my sense of humor to myself, I didn't expect to start such a s*** storm.

Dan

I considered modifying my Beta one the same way (with a Cruise Commander, not a DC commander) but with plastic gears, I do not think the loco will have a long enough lifespan to justify the work.

Oh, and people misunderstanding and/or becoming offended by my sense of humor has been a major hallmark/low point of my life, continuing to this day. 

@TB440 that is a definite improvement. Looking at cost I'm not sure it's worth it. I'm guessing you can reuse the electronics?

@RoyBoy like you I also get into trouble all the time with my sense of humor and dad jokes.

@RoyBoy posted:

I considered modifying my Beta one the same way (with a Cruise Commander, not a DC commander) but with plastic gears, I do not think the loco will have a long enough lifespan to justify the work.

Oh, and people misunderstanding and/or becoming offended by my sense of humor has been a major hallmark/low point of my life, continuing to this day. 

Makes since, or just have fun with it and, replace the trucks with something better, after 10 years or so when they wear out.  Aren't there a lot of old MPC engines with plastic gears still out there running like champs? 

I haven't been offended by anyone on this site, and I hope I don't offend anyone either.   It happens, just a part of life.  I try not to offend people too but, it happens. 

@RJ Shier posted:

@TB440 that is a definite improvement. Looking at cost I'm not sure it's worth it. I'm guessing you can reuse the electronics?

@RoyBoy like you I also get into trouble all the time with my sense of humor and dad jokes.

I paid $75.00 for the set, so in my mind it's worth it.  Now it's worth more to me, and probably others, if I was to sell it? 

@Dan Kenny posted:

I'll keep my sense of humor to myself, I didn't expect to start such a s*** storm.

Dan

No problem, no offence taken.  I just didn't understand the joke.  At first I didn't understand you meant wall baseboard.  I thought "is the bottom of the engine called a baseboard, and its scratched?"

No worries Dan.   

@TB440 posted:

I paid $75.00 for the set, so in my mind it's worth it.  Now it's worth more to me, and probably others, if I was to sell it?

For $75 yes it's worth it. The parts you listed add up to $275 plus another $40 for the speaker....

@RJ Shier posted:

For $75 yes it's worth it. The parts you listed add up to $175 plus another $40 for the speaker....

What some of you may be forgetting is this mod is easily and completely reversible. The original board is still in the engine and 4 wires have to be swapped.

I admit I don’t have this engine but don’t they come with a remote? If so that implies track power is fixed and you should be able to use TMCC for motor power and Menards RF for sound, no?

Pete

@TB440 posted:

Aren't there a lot of old MPC engines with plastic gears still out there running like champs?

The MPC locos have plastic idler gears, but have metal worm gears. The plastic gears  that trouble me on the Menards locos are the worm wheel (the driven worm gear) and the gear on the end of the driven shaft.

Plastic idler gears that turn freely on their shafts are no problem.

IMO, plastic gears that are press fit onto metal shafts will fail due to the different expansion rates of the plastic and the metal that happen with every day temperature changes.

Only time will tell.

I re-wired my beta 1 in series and it made a huge difference. Good enough for me for now.

@Norton posted:

What some of you may be forgetting is this mod is easily and completely reversible. The original board is still in the engine and 4 wires have to be swapped.

I admit I don’t have this engine but don’t they come with a remote? If so that implies track power is fixed and you should be able to use TMCC for motor power and Menards RF for sound, no?

Pete

Correct completely reversible. 

Yes, they come with a remote, and requires fixed track voltage well, it will run on 6-20 volts.  Correct, I can use the Railsounds I installed, and the Menards remote still works for the original Menards sounds.   

@RoyBoy posted:

The MPC locos have plastic idler gears, but have metal worm gears. The plastic gears  that trouble me on the Menards locos are the worm wheel (the driven worm gear) and the gear on the end of the driven shaft.

Plastic idler gears that turn freely on their shafts are no problem.

IMO, plastic gears that are press fit onto metal shafts will fail due to the different expansion rates of the plastic and the metal that happen with every day temperature changes.

Only time will tell.

I see, like you said time will tell.