Railking allegheny conventional conversion???

It's certainly possible to get it working in conventional.  There are only four wires that go from the tender to the locomotive for PS/1, Power, Ground, and Motor leads.  You can just rewire the locomotive and get it back in the game running with PS/1.  The smoke unit and headlight run directly off track power.

 

I have bought a few PS1 locos knowing they were DOA.

I used a WbB or Dallee DCRU board to convert them to 'conventional' runner.

You may need a voltmeter to trace the tether wiring but I've done it with no issues.

You will loose sound.....and I do not always power the smoke unit as I do not run smoke in my basement.....but those can be done too........sound is available from Dallee too.....just more $$$. Good luck.

It would probably be a lot cheaper to use the PS/1 boards, by the time you buy the two boards from Dallee, you're into significant money.  Just the Dallee sound board is $120.  For the same price as the two Dallee boards, you can buy the PS/2 upgrade kit and have conventional sound, cruise control, and if you ever go that way, full command control.

I run conventional only.....and don't care about sound....soa Dallee or WbB board for $50 or less works for me.

BUT.....as I have a 2 DOA PS1 locos awaiting repair how much does a PS2 repair 'set' cost??? ($120 like a Dallee?? and where) And can a average person do it??? Or are we looking at cost plus labor??? Thanks

You can get the Dallee reverse unit for $45 if you don't care about sound.  Since the PS/1 smoke unit and headlight runs on track power, that won't be affected.

 

To wire in the Dallee reverse unit, I suspect you can handle that.  It'll probably fit in the locomotive for many steamers, that will eliminate the tether.  There's only a handful of wires for the typical reverse units.

 

The PS/2 upgrade costs $150 for MTH RR Club members.  It's the reason I joined the MTH RR Club!

Thanks Sir.  I have done about 10 WbB or Dallee conversions. They are easy.

But yet to tackle a MTH repair with MTH parts......and the cost sounds like I'll stick with what I know! Thanks

The PS/2 upgrade kits are pretty easy to install, the instructions are pretty good.  As you say, they're a lot more expensive than the Dallee reverse units.  You can also frequently find used WbB reverse units for $10-15.

Thanks for the replies. What I should do is have my class a upgraded to ps2 and install the sound board back in the allegheny. I have to trace down the short as I stated that I ran new wires and it didn't work. They burnt up as well. I'll have to pull the motors off and do a bench test. I haven't messed with this thing in two years or more. I just hate having a good engine sitting there. Ps2 upgrade on the allegheny is out of the question. I wouldn't even consider it. It's one of the early railkings. It has more sentimental value than anything.

Are ps2 upgraded actually available to purchase now? I remember last time I looked they were impossible to find.

I have only done one so far. But my super budget minded fix for dead electronics is a bridge rectifier and a micro DPDT switch. Total cost about $4.......works great on any loco with a DC motor. As PS1 boards die....some lesser run locos may get this rather than the Dallee board.

There's very little in the locomotive of a PS/1 model that should go wrong.  Wires burning up sure sound like a direct short.  You can test the motors in the locomotive with a DC power supply.  With the tender unplugged, just connect the supply across the motor leads and check if they run in both direction and how much current they draw.

 

As far as PS/2 upgrade kits, I recently received a couple of steam and a couple of diesel kits, so they're coming out at times.

 

I ran a DC powered wire to the motor and both motors work perfectly in both direction. I attached the power wire to the pickups and couldn't get any power to the motors. Could this be a problem with the pickups?

First off, the motors require DC, so you would have to have at least a rectifier between the pickups and the motors.

 

Do you have a meter?  You can quite simply check out the collectors for continuity to the inside connection.

 

I'm using a DC transformer.

I took the leads from both pickups and it has continuity. So I ran a wire to one side of the motor from the DC transformer and the pickup wire to the other side, then ran the power wire to the pickup and was able to turn both motors.

Is there a specific range or type of rectifier I should look for?

I appreciate your help.

I buy 4 amp 200 volt rectifiers.  The micro DPDT are pretty standard.....I buy them with long switch 'handle' so I can trim it if needed. I have a bag of each on my test bench and didn't spend more than $10 for the lot of them.

I got it all back together and have it a test run with a ps1 tender behind it. I think a combination of dirty track and pickups are the problem now. The tender sounds come on, the lights on the engine come on and it will slowly move forward. My legacy system is being delivered tomorrow with my new power packs too. I'm trying to power a 25'x18' layout with an 80w transformer... I'll have to dig out some straight sections and see how it does.

I see above what bridge rectifier to buy now please tell  how to wire it and the switch. Thanks.

 

My way.....there may be others too.....use at own risk.....your mileage may vary....all that lawyer stuff......