Moving motors from Lionel Legacy motored B to non-motored A

The boards are likely the same, but the board programming may well be different, this is something I haven't tried yet.

I've also wanted a D&H B unit, I'm thinking of adapting a different road to the task.

Thanks for responding. Actually, I will be using a NYC B unit that I got on a blowout from one of the big dealers. The Shark A units are much lighter than Lionel's F3 and F7 A units and really do need help from a second power unit.

Allan

The boards are physically the same but the programming is different and the new version of legacy boards will have different programming depending on what it is. The dummy a unit board will not have any motor function at all. The powered b unit board may or may not have the dirrect lighting program for an A unit. You won't know until you try. I moved legacy f3 powered b unit parts to the dummy a unit and it worked ok but the lighting was weird and it bothered me so I put it back the way it was

Thanks for your input, Matt.

Allan

Northeast, it will work just fine but you have to move the boards too

Add weight to the powered unit.

There is another way to go.  You can actually buy the Legacy R4LC and a Legacy back-EMF motor driver.  This gives you all the pieces to make a powered unit as long as you're OK without sound, which is a problem to buy from Lionel.

I'm ok w/o sound. The B unit doesn't have sound.

Allan

I am pretty sure that there is another recent thread about this subject, which I have't been able to find but from memory the info in it is basically the same as you have been given above.

The essentials I remember are that the Legacy B unit boards do indeed have different code than the A unit boards and that certain features such as directional/cab lighting are not provided for with the B units. So just moving the boards won't give you the same functions as the powered A units have. It depends on whether you want lighting as well as motor control and smoke. 

Sharks will pull very well.  What is the number of the locomotive you have?    Any Lionel twin motored A will pull a lot of cars.  He must have a monster layout to consider this.

No item number, no answers.

Not liking dummies - though I accept them - when I did a neat little project a few years ago - upgraded a WBB 027 FA2 AA set to ERR and RS - I swapped 2 trucks between Powered/Dummy units - now the AA set has a single motor per unit (at the front), with a tether between the units (several wires, as I control the headlights and Electrocouplers at each end of my cab-style "switchers").

So, both are powered and both are functional, only one has the Cruise Commander/RS boards in it. 6-wire tether (motor, coupler, headlight control) between the units. If you don't want light and/or coupler control, even easier.

I'm not sure that this scheme can be applied, even in part, to your desires, but your loco stays the same electronically. It's moving a truck with motor and adding extension cords. (If only it were actually that simple, but it kinda is, with pitfalls.)

Marty, Thanks for responding. The engine number is 1205, A unit from D&H set 6-38558. My layout makes extensive use of under layout train staging. Staging tracks are about 16' in length with trains climbing a 3% grade to reach the layout. The D&H shark A can pull its train, but doubled up power pulls smoother with less wear on the traction tires.

Hancock52: there was a recent thread describing the difficulty (impossibility) of running two TMCC power units together under TMCC. I had the same problem with my TMCC powered units until I upgraded from TMCC to Legacy Lite.

D500: I have several Williams consists: FA, F3, E, each with add on B units with dual motors added to each B unit; all are stump pullers. Power kits for Williams are available from Train World.

All: thanks for your input; the benefits of moving Lionel B unit innards to a Lionel A unit is not worth the trouble so I am abandoning this project.

Allan