I have a early R2LC, the type that has pin connectors and not plastic sockets. Was used in the early D&RGW SD50 and B&A 4-6-4. I am hooking up a new ERR sound board. The problem is I don't know where the serial data out is on these boards to hook up for TMCC signal to the ERR sound board. I called the techs at both companies and each of them said to call the other as they didn't know. Does anyone here know where the serial out is on these early R2LC boards are?
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Chuck, do you mean LCRU or a real R2LC just with pins instead of socket? Can you post a picture? Is it possible one of the Lionel Supplemental has the wiring diagram for the engine? G
Oops, sorry can't get the right answer if I don't give the right information.
It is a LCRU. It was used in an up grade years ago, It works fine for the motor control, but somewhere there is an output to trigger the railsound bell and whistle.
It is installed in a diesel, so chuff triggering is not needed. I am using it with ERR's newest sound board.
The LCRU serial out on these boards are normally on the Violet wire that is connected to the Prog/Run switch. The drive level on the serial data from the LCRU may not be strong enough to drive the RailSounds boards from ElectricRR.
OK, something to check. The Lionel website has the incorrect wiring diagram for the 18042 pictured which added to my confusion.
GGG,
Thanks for the reference. Didn't have the LCRU.pdf.
Jim
Yes, thanks Jon and GGG. I didn't have this reference either. So Violet is what I need to look for.
Assuming wiring was standard.
G
Fallow up:Jon is right, the early LCRU's won't support the new railsounds boards from ERR. The sounds only starts in conventional, and doesn't recognize a TMCC signal. I did Jim Sandman's fix by adding a R2LC board to the mix and it works now.
Glad to hear it worked out.
Jim
But it will support RS 2.5 and I assume you could use it with a RS4.0 package from Lionel? Is this a signal strength issue or is the programming different for ERR packages, Jon...??? G
From Jon Z's earlier post:
The drive level on the serial data from the LCRU may not be strong enough to drive the RailSounds boards from ElectricRR.
Looks like a place for a little buffer circuit.
You mean boost? G
Actually, I mean buffer, as in a high impedance input and a low impedance output. The amplitude doesn't need boosting, it's just that the drive current isn't there.
Something to try.
I had a similar problem using the Mini Commander with the Railsounds Lite board.
I put a 1N914 diode in series with the serial signal line from the mini to the Audio board with the cathode side towards the audio board.
It decoupled the boards and they worked fine then.
Carl
What do you mean by decouple? Does the RS lite still work in command, or just conventional? G
Without the diode in the serial line the sound board loads down the Mini's serial line and the Mini thinks it is the program mode. The diode keeps this from happening.
The RS board then works in both command and conventional
I assume this is the same thing happening with the LCRU boards.
Carl
Carl, Thank you for the response. I have a couple of LCRUs still so it may come in handy. G
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