What electronics do I have exactly?

rplst8OGR Forum Member

I recently purchased two Atlas SD35 locos and I have some questions about them. Based on the number boards I have a pair that were delivered around 2001. The box advertises TMCC and Lionel RailSounds. The Atlas info page in their product archive says it has EOB. However, the locos both act like they don't have any sort of cruise or speed control. Interestingly both also seem to fight a bit when going into a curve. This is running each by itself BTW. I can take a video if it's not clear what I mean.

I noticed some squeaking when going into the curves too and the rear light and front marker likes weren't working so opened it up. The lights were an easy fix, just a loose spring contact. The trucks are painful to dissemble but I got in there and greased and oiled them up. No change to what I'll term binding in the curves.

So I got reading on how to enable/disabled EOB and ERR cruise. Tried some sequences I found here in the forums and it didn't seem to work (using a CAB-1 and TrainMaster Command Base). I could be doing it wrong, I'll attach an image of the sequence I was using.

So now I'm wondering if these things even have cruise/EOB and if I could upgrade them with a Cruise M or something.

The radio board seems to be an R2LC07, motherboard looks to say "Rev B", motor controller says DCDR Rev B, and it has RailSounds 3 I believe, chip says RS25D25.

Any help on whether this has speed control, how to activate it (there's no switch for it), or what I could buy to get spped control would be most helpful. Thanks in advance!

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9/18/204:02 PM

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gunrunnerjohnOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

Well, you didn't take pictures of the whole electronics package so we could actually see what you were running. However, based on the Lionel motherboard, you don't have EOB, so I suspect cruise is not happening. The R2LC if from around 1999-2000, probably well before EOB was around.

9/18/204:40 PM

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RoyBoyOGR Forum Member MEMORIALIZED MEMBER

@gunrunnerjohn posted:
Well, you didn't take pictures of the whole electronics package so we could actually see what you were running.

It's funny how someone will take a picture and the thing you really want to see is just outside the frame. Happens all the time.

9/18/204:46 PM

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rplst8OGR Forum Member

Ha I did take it, I just forgot to post it!

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9/18/206:12 PM

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gunrunnerjohnOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

Bog standard Lionel electronics. No cruise, that has a standard DCDR motor driver. If you want cruise, the ERR Cruise Commander M is the easiest way to get it done. Technically, you should replace the -07 version R2LC, but I've put the CC-M in several and they worked just fine with that version.

9/18/207:19 PM

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rplst8OGR Forum Member

@gunrunnerjohn posted:
Bog standard Lionel electronics. No cruise, that has a standard DCDR motor driver. If you want cruise, the ERR Cruise Commander M is the easiest way to get it done. Technically, you should replace the -07 version R2LC, but I've put the CC-M in several and they worked just fine with that version.

Ok. Good to know. Looking into CC-M now. So if it’s a standard Lionel DCDR would it have Odyssey? I have another Lionel engine from the same timeframe with (I think) a DCDR and it has Odeyssey I and is much much smoother running.

i guess it doesn’t have the magnet ring on the one motor though...

9/18/208:21 PM

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gunrunnerjohnOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

No Odyssey, that was never installed with Atlas.

9/18/208:39 PM

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rplst8OGR Forum Member

@gunrunnerjohn posted:
No Odyssey, that was never installed with Atlas.

Thanks for all the information!

9/19/208:06 AM

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Mike CTOGR Forum Member

Some of the Atlas SD35's were before speed control. Pictured is an early modular mother board. Atlas modular mother board, before ( R2LC 08 (Lionel)), there could be some operational differences, mostly lighting. The model was also offered with a set of blind drivers, for the middle axle of the three axle trucks, which allowed the model to work on at least O72 or smaller. Changing the axle(s) was an involved project. The model was a very good example of Atlas detail. Later Atlas models would have double thirdrail pick-ups and EOB speed control.

9/19/208:41 AM

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rplst8OGR Forum Member

@Mike CT posted:
Some of the Atlas SD35's were before speed control. Pictured is an early modular mother board. Atlas modular mother board, before ( R2LC 08 (Lionel)), there could be some operational differences, mostly lighting. The model was also offered with a set of blind drivers, for the middle axle of the three axle trucks, which allowed the model to work on at least O72 or smaller. Changing the axle(s) was an involved project. The model was a very good example of Atlas detail. Later Atlas models would have double thirdrail pick-ups and EOB speed control.

Yes that’s exactly the model I bought, cab numbers 6018 and 6025. I wish I would have known about the lack of EOB in the early versions, as the Atlas archive page indicated the all had smoke and EOB. Oh well, at least I got a really good deal on them, I think so anyway.

The detail is excellent, even if a bit on the fragile side and even with RS3 the horn sounds pretty nice.

I’m wondering what would be best - get a couple of DCDS boards that have Odyssey from Lionel during the parts sale, or just get some CC-Ms now.

9/19/2010:04 AM

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gunrunnerjohnOGR Forum Member SUPPORTING MEMBERDIGITAL SUBSCRIBER

@rplst8 posted:
I’m wondering what would be best - get a couple of DCDS boards that have Odyssey from Lionel during the parts sale, or just get some CC-Ms now.

Bad idea with Odyssey!

You'd have to retrofit the motors with the Odyssey sensors and flywheels, they may not even fit! You also get 32 speeds steps vs. 100 speed steps for the Cruise Commander M. I have had a number of customers have me take the working Odyssey out and install the CC-M, save a step and just go for the best option first.