PS2 transfer from an inexpensive Rail King to a high end Premier Locomotive

I have a hard time to believe it would be cheaper. A kit is 200 bucks, less at some of the dealers. You would get everything you need plus instructions. It would be more labor intensive to have to remove everything from the donor engine so if you didn’t do it yourself it would cost more for labor.

Pete

Thank you Pete for that reply. Would it include a smoke unit that works with PS3?  I understand that a PS1 smoke unit is the wrong voltage, but I'm not sure.

The smoke unit would work, it just requires a simple modification. I think you can download the instruction from MTH if you want to see all that’s involved.

Pete

I'll look into that, thanks Pete.

Here is the link for the steam kit.

https://mthtrains.com/sites/de...ction/50as10709i.pdf

Pete

I have done this for several diesels and electrics. Find a cheap PS3 Rail King Unit with the sound file you want, and then take out the electronics and install them in the new locomotive.  You may have to switch to LED lights in the new locomotive, or take them out of the donor.  I find if I minimize what I take out of the donor (leave lights, electrocouplers, speaker, motors in place) you can sell the donor and recover a lot of your costs

Go with the steam kit, Pete is 100% correct.  While it's possible to do the transfer you speak of, there'll be a lot of custom wiring I suspect.

The smoke unit mods are all described in the steam kit instructions, basically just losing all the electronics and paralleling the two resistors.  When I do one of these, I actually just cut the PCB to the shape of the PS/2 board and toss all the extra junk.

It is cheaper and it is possible.  Depending on the model you purchase, you may not get all of the features you desire.

You should buy a Diesel for a Diesel and a Steam Engine for a Steam Engine.

I have done 4 "transplants"

I upgraded this PS-1 GG-1 to PS-2 with a Premier GG-2 PS2 that I purchased for $200.  It was baby blue and ugly.  I did a 100% swap beten the two and resold the baby blue GG-1 as a PS-1 for $100.

I upgrade this Williams Engine with a Rugged Rails Diesel.  Rugged Rails are very cheap.  I got  one at a show for $125.  Did the upgrade and sold the Diesel as a dummy for $50.

This was a sentimental upgrade.  My Son received this old LocoSound Steam Engine.  He loves it.  We purchased a RK steam engine broken out from a kit for $150.  Did the swap and re-sold the RK engine for $75.  This little engine runs great.

And this last one is the Best...  I purchased this Premier Atlantic for $90 at Allentown this Winter.  I was told the board was fried.  I also purchased a RK 2-8-0 PS2 for $135.   I used the RK to transplant into the Premier Atlantic.  I won't kid you, this one was tough.  I had a lot of help from Gunrunner John here on the forum.  It was like he was in the workshop with me while I did this.  Here is the thread.

https://ogrforum.com/...tlantic-steam-engine

If you just want to try it, start with a Diesel conversion just to get your feet wet.  I think those are easier.  You can really find some cheap PS2 and PS3 RK or Rigged Rails if you are patient.

Have Fun!

Ron

Ron, no one said it couldn't be done, it only makes sense if you don't value your time it'll take.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Ron, no one said it couldn't be done, it only makes sense if you don't value your time it'll take.

It keeps me off the streets at night.   Plus... I got to have some nice discussion with you and you taught me some things.  How can that be bad?

Ron

Well, I guess that's a valuable reason.

John,

I need to move from where I live. There are no model railroad clubs or organizations where we can build modular layouts or certainly not a permanent type layout, the interest is simply not here. The closest cities where there are model railroad clubs is Austin, then Houston then Dallas. They are all at least 7 hours away so too far for me to enjoy membership. I've seen some of your North Penn O-Gaugers Modular RR club on youtube. Very nice.

Housing may be a bit more expensive here, but we have lots of train shows, not to mention York.

And, you can have snow on May 8.

Snow?  No way!

John, we're looking at thunderstorms down here. Earlier today it reached 93 degrees. I grew up in east Tennessee so to travel to the York, PA. shows, Steamtown, Strasburg, Gettysburg and Oxford, it wasn't too long of a trip. I am used to colder weather and miss it. O Scale/gauge Model trains seems to be a colder weather indoor hobby. From here, I am about 1900 miles away from Lancaster, PA.

@John H posted:

And, you can have snow on May 8.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Snow?  No way!

Yup here in WNY, we had snow today. 

Well, I used to live in Watkins Glen, and we did have snow at times in May, so that makes sense.