Re-motoring the Hogwart's Express

Ok ... now this looks interesting.  I've been wanting a DCS version of this engine for quite sometime.  What do you think it would take to upgrade to MTH command control (or am I stepping on the figurative third rail of the Lionel/MTH debate?)  Seriously, I'd love to run the HE on my all DCS layout.  Do you think it's possible?

I don't see why you couldn't do DCS.  It has a flywheel that looks large enough to hang a tach strip on, that's the major requirement.  The biggest challenge will probably be the size of the tender, and you'll have to add significant weight to the light plastic tender for the rather large MTH tether.  I used a pair of the Miniatronics 4-pin mini connectors to tether mine, they're flexible enough not to cause issues on curves.

My Hogwarts express is more that 4 years old and uses traditional track power. I currently have it on an elevated line that has a slight upgrade. I recently purchased 4 additional passenger cars making for a total of 7 plus tender and the engine has no trouble pulling them.

John

As long as it works for you, you're good.  Mine struggles with the eight cars on the 2% grade.  The grade is about 20' long, so everything is on the grade, and it was having difficulty going up slowly.  With a running start it was fine.  This one seems to have much better pulling power, so it's my new configuration.

Can you tell us more about the motor that was installed and what adjustments were made to make it fit.

Also what command upgrade did you do?

Thanks!

Well, I can't tell you a lot about the motor, I just sent it to Frank Timko and asked for a more powerful motor.  As for what adjustments were made to fit it, I see where he took a little off the sides to clear the wheels, obviously put the matching worm from the old motor on, and in the one shot you can see the aluminum block to align it.

The command upgrade was an ERR Cruise Commander Lite and the RailSounds Commander (Small Steam).  I also added a Super-Chuffer and a fan driven smoke unit.  As I said, this is a second locomotive that I'll upgrade now that I have it.

John. that is a great post.  I want to do something with my engine down the road.  My engine will pull 8 K-Line 21 inch cars with no trouble.  I can only guess how many Hogwarts cars it will pull.  This is a great engine.

There is supposed to be some variation on motor sizes over the multiple releases of this set. (Similar as to what happened with the releases of the HHP-8.) 

So, my WAG is that some folks have no problem pulling with the Harry Potter locomotive, because they might have a better motor in it than others do,

Fred, I haven't seen anything in the parts or in person that suggests they're using anything but the small set motor.  The new LC version still has that motor.

Marty, if you're pulls eight 21" cars, you're done!

Right, all the photographic exploded views on Lionel's website show a small, flat can motor similar to what would be used in an HO diesel.  Probably made by Igarachi.  No doubt the Mabuchi RS-385 favored by Frank Timko is more powerful than that!

Fred, Lionel upgraded the motor in its Baby Berk, that might be what you're thinking of.  The motor is the heart of a loco, not a good place to cut corners.  Maybe they'll eventually upgrade the Hogwarts and train-set 0-8-0's.

I lived in hope that they'd upgrade the Hogwart's locomotive since they did the Polar Express.  I converted one of the Series II ones with the larger motor to TMCC, it pulls great.  I had ten cars and my track cleaner on it, and it didn't look like it was breaking a sweat.

If MTH made a Version of the Euro Steam engine I would repaint it and its cars. So I would have "scale version"

That engine was a sleeper.

Morning, John,

Great news that you were able to have a larger motor put into your Hogwart's Express engine.

Quite a while ago there were posts here about a joint effort between Hallmark Cards and Lionel called Toymaker Santa Express, an 0-8-0 LionChief rtr starter set. If I recall correctly I believe you said it had the same small motor as the Hogwart's Express locomotive. If that's true, can the same larger motor put into your Hogwart's Express likewise be put into the Toymaker Express engine? Also, do all of Lionel's rtr conventional set 0-8-0 engines, such as the one in the Strasburg Railroad set have that same small engine, and if so, could that engine be retrofitted with the larger motor?

Additionally, how difficult is it is convert a LionChief engine to tmmc so it can have cruise conrtol? (Or would it be simpler to replace a LionChief innards with LionChief Plus innards?

Finally, how can Frank Timko be contacted regarding replacing a small motor with a larger like what he did for your Hogwart'sExpress engine?

Google Timco train repair; then call him and ask. 

John, I just received the new bluetooth Hogwarts Express.  I am running it with the included cars and the Dementor car.  It runs well.  I especially like the way yours smokes.....I guess thats what the super chuffer and a fan driven smoke unit can do for you.  Just an FYI, I opened her up and it appears they are using the same version of the motor.

-Pete

Are they using the little motor or the one I just installed in this one?

ogaugeguy posted:

Morning, John,

Great news that you were able to have a larger motor put into your Hogwart's Express engine.

Quite a while ago there were posts here about a joint effort between Hallmark Cards and Lionel called Toymaker Santa Express, an 0-8-0 LionChief rtr starter set. If I recall correctly I believe you said it had the same small motor as the Hogwart's Express locomotive. If that's true, can the same larger motor put into your Hogwart's Express likewise be put into the Toymaker Express engine? Also, do all of Lionel's rtr conventional set 0-8-0 engines, such as the one in the Strasburg Railroad set have that same small engine, and if so, could that engine be retrofitted with the larger motor?

Additionally, how difficult is it is convert a LionChief engine to tmmc so it can have cruise conrtol? (Or would it be simpler to replace a LionChief innards with LionChief Plus innards?

Finally, how can Frank Timko be contacted regarding replacing a small motor with a larger like what he did for your Hogwart'sExpress engine?

 

Some of the locomotives have the larger motor, some use the small motor.  I don't know which models have which.  I know the Series II Polar Express set had the larger motor.

Forget about cruise with LC, go LC+ or just go with ERR and TMCC.

http://www.timkorepairdepot.com/

Where do u get these super chuffers i need some and i would buy a bunch of them

Also john does the center driver wheels on ur hp engine not touch the track mines a 1/8 or so off

@Francostrains posted:

Where do u get these super chuffers i need some and i would buy a bunch of them

Here are the links for my products for steamer smoke enhancement: The Super-Chuffer II and the Chuff-Generator will give you the control of smoke like my Hogwards.  Obviously, as stated previously, I also had to add the fan driven smoke unit, these products don't do that for the mechanical smoke units that come stock in the Hogwarts.

@Francostrains posted:

Also john does the center driver wheels on ur hp engine not touch the track mines a 1/8 or so off

I never noticed it before, but the center wheels are very slightly off the track.  Note that the center wheel is a blind driver with no flange.  The rear wheel looks slightly raised, but that's the traction tire lifting it.

Thank you gunrunnerjohn that helps a lot so the next question is what smoke unit do i buy and where do i get it at and where can i get a tmcc upgrade kit?