Lionel NYC S-1 #100 / Henning's "Your Last Battery" install

I traced where the wire(s) from the center rail pickup went, and attached it accordingly.

I don't know that I can tell you from memory, I'd have to see it.  Maybe some pictures?

The only time you need a battery in a Lionel engine is if you are running in conventional mode.

I am running this Lionel engine in conventional.  I will post some pictures of the insides ASAP.

@Chuck Sartor posted:

The only time you need a battery in a Lionel engine is if you are running in conventional mode.

Strictly speaking, that's not true. You may lose power traversing a switch, even momentarily, that will kill Railsounds. The incident rate is probably higher with steam engines, since the pickup roller spacing on a tender is shorter, but the YLB is still a good thing to have.

@Knight007 posted:

There is an extra wire that I apparently have to attach to track power.  This thing is just packed tight with wires and I have no idea where to put this wire.  

Reminds me of this scene. https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxD...kkjh-wXAbHnRUXeW40Cz

Pictures

Splice in the single wire feed of the YLB.

While at it- who rigged up this likely to short out cob job of lights?

OK thanks - yeah, I rigged in those little lights.  They've worked for years, but I'll take them out if there's a risk of a short.

This specifically is the worst part of it.  That heatsink is most likely = frame ground and thus would blow the front lamp TRIAC on the R2LC- OBTW a part Lionel recently made harder to get and more expensive.

I'm sorry if my comment came off as harsh, it's just that kind of stuff- now that parts are getting harder to get and more expensive- I just cannot let it slide. It ultimately costs you money when/if it fails. Twisted wire connections under what might be a form of clear electrical insulating goop?

I understand wanting to add cab lights and being creative is not a bad thing. But, execution here- a lot of bare wire exposed, possible short to heatsink sharp edge metal- and knowing what the damage could be, and what it could cost you, IMO isn't worth the risk.

I'm not saying every job I ever did was perfect, but long, long, long ago, I learned to solder and use heatshrink because twisted wires and bad insulating jobs just tend to cause more problems than they ever solve.

Don't use that same method of wiring and splicing on the 3rd rail power pickup.

Point taken - I'll get it out of there.  Thanks for the heads up.

I see Vernon has you all fixed up.  BTW, I fully concur on the light wiring, that's a short waiting to happen!

Well, now that there are detailed pictures, could some knowledgeable person give some advice as to how I could properly and safely wire these two 12v bulbs into the circuitry?  Obviously connecting the wires through the spring connections was a bad idea, but the path of the electricity seemed to work.  As Vernon said, it was a sloppy job and a risky experiment.  Where else, properly heat wrapped and insulated, could these connections go to safely provide the same power?

@Knight007 posted:

Well, now that there are detailed pictures, could some knowledgeable person give some advice as to how I could properly and safely wire these two 12v bulbs into the circuitry?  Obviously connecting the wires through the spring connections was a bad idea, but the path of the electricity seemed to work.  As Vernon said, it was a sloppy job and a risky experiment.  Where else, properly heat wrapped and insulated, could these connections go to safely provide the same power?

They could go to those connections- hopefully soldered.  That said, I'm thinking based on labeling that was front directional headlight powered by the R2LC headlight output. Maybe that was your intent- cab interior lights based on direction. That's fine- otherwise, tap into constant power.

I think a road too far would be using the R2LC smoke output and then changing the type code to one with interior light control.

Again, 97% of the comment was concern of your wiring shorting out, where you connected it to is one possible option and obviously worked.

Thanks for everyone's advice and help.  The YLB unit is installed and working fine.  One last question, this S-1 is my only modern Lionel locomotive, and I only run it in conventional.  When I first apply track power, the locomotive immediately starts moving forward.  I have to interrupt track power to get into neutral. Is there any way to set this engine to start up in neutral, like how MTH engines work?  I played around with the RUN-PROG switch, but all I could get it to do is either start up in neutral and never come out of it, or start up in forward and never switch to neutral or reverse.

Normal operation for TMCC in conventional mode.  Later Legacy and PS2/3 start up in neutral.  I know of no way to change that behavior.

Got it - thanks!