Question Regarding Any Upgrades for a Southern PS-4 Model 6-11103

Randy,

Sounds like your engine has the "Odyssey lurch" that was prevalent with many early boards. You can search this forum for many topics.  Sometimes replacing the Odyssey board will solve the problem (if Lionel still makes one), however you still have just 32 speed steps as compared to the Legacy 200.  I have found the ERR cruise M retrofit is the best solution for this issue.  It fits in the same space as the original board, uses most of the same connections, and gives you 100 speed step control.  The existing RS board stays in place and is not affected by the upgrade.  If you decide to go this route make sure you order the Cruise M steam board.  Good luck!

Bruce

Bruce,

Thanks for the suggestion.  I have bought the Lite boards from EER in the past to upgrade some conventional trains to Cab-1, so very familiar with them.  I was hoping this was an option, but was not sure how many boards I would have to change and the Pittman motor is larger than what I was working with on the conventional systems.

Randy

For that locomotive, you don't have to do a total replacement.  Go to ERR  at This Page and order the following item.

 Cruise Commander M Kit - Steamer kit (all versions)

It's a fairly simple install and you'll have 100 speed steps and no more Odyssey Lurch.

Of course, if you want some other Legacy-Like features, consider adding my Chuff-Generator for 4-chuffs/driver rev and optional ground lights.  Then you can use my Super-Chuffer to give you great chuffing smoke, smoke at idle, Rule-17 headlight operation, and automatic cab light control.

FYI, John, your links lead to a page that says Hennings website has changed..

GAD!  Those guys keep changing where the stuff is!

I'll have to fix my links again.

All fixed...

Hi John,

I'm sold on the ideas you have suggested and would like to implemment them.  I assume ordering both the Chuff-Gen and the Super-Chuffer through the Henning's site is your site?  I read all of the directions and everything seems pretty clear.  One question, what are ground lights?  I am guessing they are lights that illuminate the bottom of the train during idle and serve as working/maintenance lighting?  If I recall, the PS-4 has an incondesent bulb for the headlamp.  Can you make a suggestion on a source for ground lights LED's and Front lamp if not an LED?

I discussed the controller board with Ken at ERR.  He confirmed the Cruise Commander M was the correct board.  I was a little confused which on to buy whenb i saw three listed on the ERR site.  Thanks John for the specifc details as to the correct board to order.

Excited to do the upgrades and glad to learn there are improvements i can make to my favorite engine.

Thanks,

Randy

Ground lights are lights under the walkway on a steamer.  If you've seen locomotives like the Vision Line Big Boy, they have them.  They are on when stopped and at slow speeds.  When you reach 10-12 scale MPH, the lights go off.  Of course, in the prototype 1:1 world, they're manually controlled by the engineer.  The Chuff-Generator has an output to energize them when stopped and until you reach approx. 10 scale MPH, then it turns them off.

I made myself a little .031" thick set of lights, and I cut these apart and glue them under the walkway.  I drill a tiny hole for the wires through the boiler and wire them to track power on one end, a current limiting resistor, and to the Chuff-Generator ground light output.

As far as the headlight, I just use a 3mm flangless warm white LED for that task.  The Super-Chuffer powers that single LED headlight directly.  The LED gives you a FAR brighter and more realistic headlight than the wimpy bulb that is used in those models.

Thanks John,

Just ordered the Super-Chuffer and Chuff Generator from Hennings.  I see two LED headlamp bulbs on ERR.

No mention of Warm white.  Where do you get the 3mm flangless warm white LEDs?

Randy

I buy them in bulk on eBay, I use them all the time in upgrades, so I have to keep stock.  When it comes to lighting things with LED, I have all the bases covered, white colored, flashing in various colors, flickering, slow color changing, etc. Sizes are 1.8mm, 2mm, 3mm, 5mm, and larger.

ERR has a very limited selection.

John,

Do the LED's you run for Rule-17 need a specific voltage to avoid premature dead bulbs? Normally I don't use the Rule-17, but since the headlight housing on one of my engines - the MTH Blue Comet - is too small and skinny for the 3mm's I usually purchase, I decided I would purchase a 2mm from DigiKey and give the Rule-17 a try this time.

The Super-Chuffer drives one 20ma white or warm white LED, the bulbs should last forever if you use a standard LED.  The headlight is driven through a 100 ohm resistor from a 5V output on the uP. 

Is there a specific wattage? Depending on which one, I could probably just get both the LED and 100 ohm resistor at my local RadioShack. https://www.radioshack.com/pro...n-film-resistor-pk-5

You don't need a resistor, I was describing how the Super-Chuffer drives the LED.  You just need a white LED that is the size suitable for your application.  Refer to the Super-Chuffer documentation about wiring the LED headlight.

Thanks John  Spoke to Stepahnie today

Gents,

I have received the Cruise Commander M, Chuff-Generator and Super-Chuffer, so started my upgrade this weekend.  I decided to upgrade just the Cruise Commander first before adding the Super Chuffer and Chuff Generator.

Well, I have encountered some problems and just sent Ken at Electric RR an email.  As I wait for a response, I include my email to Ken below in the event some of you perhaps can offer some suggestions.  The manual I reference in the email is on line at ERR for the Cruise Commander M.

Thanks, Randy

My email:

Hi Ken,

For all the installations I do with the CC-M, I have never needed pin 2 of the 10-pin connector.  I did fool around with it once to see what happened, but it doesn't actually output usable serial data, not sure what it's outputting.

The top suspect for taking off is that pin 1 of the CC-M 10-pin connector isn't connected to pin-24 of the R2LC (serial data).  Also, if you didn't get the newer CC-M labeled Diesel and Steam, you may have a problem driving the wireless tether and the CC-M, the serial data isn't strong enough to drive both of them with the older CC-M versions.  I had to add a serial data buffer to some installations with the older CC-M to solve this issue. 

In this diagram, RailSounds Serial Data In goes to the IR tether or the RailSounds board in a diesel installation.

Thanks John,

The board as shipped was labeled the "Diesel and Steam" as you noted, so I assume I have the latest version.  I took your suggestion and attached the J4 pin 1 to pin 24 R2LC, but unfortunately it is doing the samething as described earlier.

Randy

Did you plug the 2 pin on/off on the right pins?  G

GGG,

Referencing the instructions on page 3, I have the original two receptacle plug in position pins 6 and 5, with pins 4 thru 1 exposed.  I used the process defined on page 14 in the instructions and my connection is the same as illustrated in the bottom picture on that same page.  I have not toggled the switch since I made the mods suggested earlier by John; can try that.

Randy

OK.  Sometimes if board gets zapped that is the response you can have.  Also if no Serial data getting to the board.  If wired correct back to ERR.  G

The following is the response from Ken at ERR to my original email above:

The Cruise-M was made for a certain type of Lionel engine, and that did not include Odyssey.  Since then Lionel has produced many versions with Odyssey, and in typical Lionel fashion they are all different.

Pins 1 & 3 on the J1 board are both 5 volts and are common on the board.

I don't know what you have on pin 1 of J4.  One thing for sure is it definitely needs the 10-pin connector with the serial data wire from the R4LC as shown on page 10 of the instructions.  That is serial data and causes the engine to run away when not present.  Wire on pin 2 of j4 is not used.

When using a Legacy controller be sure to enter the engine as a Cab1, not Legacy.

Because they are all different there is no standard answer I can give you.

Ken 

The only "required" connection to the CC-M is the serial data to pin 1 of J4, and of course the two connectors from the old DCDR or DCDS.  I've never found a use for the signal on pin 2 of J4.  The other eight pins are four for two operating ditch lights, and four for driving marker LED's.  They are, obviously, optional connections.