WHAT’S ON THE WORKBENCH AT THE MOMENT

@RSJB18 posted:

Re-started my S2 project......and then re-stopped........

The CEO was otherwise occupied today so except for a small detour to the MIL's house to hang a drape, I had some time at the bench today. Some mid-afternoon rain helped the cause as well.

I did the truck assembly, installed the frames, pilots, pick up wires, and Lionel electro-couplers.
Speaker and prog/run switch went into the fuel tank and the tank was installed.

I wired up the motors and tested them, again all is moving in the right direction.

Then I took a good look at the Cruise-commander and railsounds boards and the a aforementioned stop occurred. It doesn't look like the boards will fit under the small narrow hood of the S2...... I tried various arrangements but even if I could fit the boards, forget about connecting any wires. I even considered putting the RS board in the cab but then the engineer and conductor would have to run the train from the back porch.

So unless I'm missing the obvious then I may drop back and punt on this engine getting an ERR upgrade and might try a Flyer-chief or Lionchief board.

At least I got to see it move.....

To be continued......

Bob

Sounds like a frustrating effort Bob. If the only recourse is to use the cab then perhaps you could use a silhouette for the crew.

@Mark Boyce posted:

Bob, small success, but that’s a disappointment about the ERR boards 😢

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

Sounds like a frustrating effort Bob. If the only recourse is to use the cab then perhaps you could use a silhouette for the crew.

I decided to go with a Flyerchief board. Lionel made a Baldwin VO-1000 with decent sounds. It will give me bluetooth/ universal remote control, electro-couplers, and lights.

Now to decide what to put the ERR boards in.........

And for the record....I opened the Soundtraxx/ blunami site and took a look around.......

Thanks guys.

A new/old upgrade to my tool storage, courtesy of the New York office (Thanks, Eric!) 

Mitch

@RSJB18 posted:

Then I took a good look at the Cruise-commander and railsounds boards and the a aforementioned stop occurred. It doesn't look like the boards will fit under the small narrow hood of the S2...... I tried various arrangements but even if I could fit the boards, forget about connecting any wires. I even considered putting the RS board in the cab but then the engineer and conductor would have to run the train from the back porch.

So unless I'm missing the obvious then I may drop back and punt on this engine getting an ERR upgrade and might try a Flyer-chief or Lionchief board.

Dr. Moreau recommends a radical motor-ectomy!  This is a small switcher.  With a little weight and the dreaded rubber tires, it should still be able to pull 8-10 plastic freight cars.  And without the 2nd motor in there, you should be able to mount the ERR and RailSounds boards in the long hood.

Make sure you keep the motor that is more responsive, the one that starts sooner.  (Before you choose, you might give both motors a spritz of Deoxit D5 through the oval-shaped hole where the commutator is.  That stuff has been shown to improve the performance of the ubiquitous RS-385s, especially ones that have accumulated some mileage.)

If you go the LionChief route let us know how you make out.  There is no wrong approach as long as you're having fun.  Thanks for sharing!!

@Ted S posted:

Dr. Moreau recommends a radical motor-ectomy!  This is a small switcher.  With a little weight and the dreaded rubber tires, it should still be able to pull 8-10 plastic freight cars.  And without the 2nd motor in there, you should be able to mount the ERR and RailSounds boards in the long hood.

Make sure you keep the motor that is more responsive, the one that starts sooner.  (Before you choose, you might give both motors a spritz of Deoxit D5 through the oval-shaped hole where the commutator is.  That stuff has been shown to improve the performance of the ubiquitous RS-385s, especially ones that have accumulated some mileage.)

If you go the LionChief route let us know how you make out.  There is no wrong approach as long as you're having fun.  Thanks for sharing!!

Ted, that last line says it all about this hobby!!!

@Ted S posted:

Dr. Moreau recommends a radical motor-ectomy!  This is a small switcher.  With a little weight and the dreaded rubber tires, it should still be able to pull 8-10 plastic freight cars.  And without the 2nd motor in there, you should be able to mount the ERR and RailSounds boards in the long hood.

Make sure you keep the motor that is more responsive, the one that starts sooner.  (Before you choose, you might give both motors a spritz of Deoxit D5 through the oval-shaped hole where the commutator is.  That stuff has been shown to improve the performance of the ubiquitous RS-385s, especially ones that have accumulated some mileage.)

If you go the LionChief route let us know how you make out.  There is no wrong approach as long as you're having fun.  Thanks for sharing!!

If you go back a page Ted you will see why I'm keeping two motors in this engine. I had actually considered running it with one motor if I didn't find the correct truck (which I did). So no shame in dropping back and punting. The ERR boards will find a home eventually.

I have one LC/BT upgrade under my belt with my RS3 so this should go well. What I learned from @Norton Pete, on here was that Flyerchief boards could be used in O gauge. My knowledge of AF was DC power so I didn't know that Flyerchief has a rectifier for AC/DC conversion. Bonus at this level of board is electro-couplers, which basic Lionchief boards don't include. Since the engine was being set up for ERR, I've already installed Lionel couplers and the correct speaker.

And yes, as @Mark Boyce confirmed, I'm having fun, fun, fun!

Thanks

@RSJB18 posted:

If you go back a page Ted you will see why I'm keeping two motors in this engine. I had actually considered running it with one motor if I didn't find the correct truck (which I did). So no shame in dropping back and punting. The ERR boards will find a home eventually.

I have one LC/BT upgrade under my belt with my RS3 so this should go well. What I learned from @Norton Pete, on here was that Flyerchief boards could be used in O gauge. My knowledge of AF was DC power so I didn't know that Flyerchief has a rectifier for AC/DC conversion. Bonus at this level of board is electro-couplers, which basic Lionchief boards don't include. Since the engine was being set up for ERR, I've already installed Lionel couplers and the correct speaker.

And yes, as @Mark Boyce confirmed, I'm having fun, fun, fun!

Thanks

Yes Bob, that was important information Pete shared about the FlyerChief board.  Makes for good features in a small engine!

Here is a Williams NW2 with a Flyerchief board. It has working electro couplers, directional lighting, two motors and it would drive a smoke unit if one were present.

It supposedly has back EMF Cruise as well though trying to move the camera and turn the knob makes it appear a bit jerky.

The Universal LC Remote will operate two identical BT engines but neither the LC nor Cab3 App will. They appear as two engines and can only connect to one at a time. My Williams F3 A units operate as a pair with their Flyerchief boards.

One other note about Flyerchief boards with cruise, the work best with motors in parallel like ERR Cruise. Series motors will not run smoothly at all. Also for single engines the Cab3 App will allow the slowest speed steps. The Universal Remote starts these engine around speed step 6.

Pete

@Mark Boyce posted:

Yes Bob, that was important information Pete shared about the FlyerChief board.  Makes for good features in a small engine!

When I ordered the board for the S2 I also ordered a GP7 that's going in a Beep......

Bob, what is the Lionel part number for the Lionchief board?  Thanks.

John

Bob were those both Flyerchief boards you ordered?

Pete, those are really nice running engines!! 

Here you go.

@Norton posted:

Here is a Williams NW2 with a Flyerchief board. It has working electro couplers, directional lighting, two motors and it would drive a smoke unit if one were present.

It supposedly has back EMF Cruise as well though trying to move the camera and turn the knob makes it appear a bit jerky.

The Universal LC Remote will operate two identical BT engines but neither the LC nor Cab3 App will. They appear as two engines and can only connect to one at a time. My Williams F3 A units operate as a pair with their Flyerchief boards.

One other note about Flyerchief boards with cruise, the work best with motors in parallel like ERR Cruise. Series motors will not run smoothly at all. Also for single engines the Cab3 App will allow the slowest speed steps. The Universal Remote starts these engine around speed step 6.

Pete

I've found that the LC or Base3 app work better than the universal remote. Better speed control for sure.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

I've found that the LC or Base3 app work better than the universal remote. Better speed control for sure.

Bob

For single engines the Cab3 App is the best. Even has a speed step indicator like the Cab2.

Just doesn’t work for multiple engines unless you have a Base3. Maybe in the future?????

Pete

@Norton posted:

For single engines the Cab3 App is the best. Even has a speed step indicator like the Cab2.

Just doesn’t work for multiple engines unless you have a Base3. Maybe in the future?????

Pete

I'll stick with my Cab-1L for now.

@Norton posted:

Here is a Williams NW2 with a Flyerchief board. It has working electro couplers, directional lighting, two motors and it would drive a smoke unit if one were present.

It supposedly has back EMF Cruise as well though trying to move the camera and turn the knob makes it appear a bit jerky.

The Universal LC Remote will operate two identical BT engines but neither the LC nor Cab3 App will. They appear as two engines and can only connect to one at a time. My Williams F3 A units operate as a pair with their Flyerchief boards.

One other note about Flyerchief boards with cruise, the work best with motors in parallel like ERR Cruise. Series motors will not run smoothly at all. Also for single engines the Cab3 App will allow the slowest speed steps. The Universal Remote starts these engine around speed step 6.

Pete

Sharp. As usual.

The Wms NW-2 - I put ERR in one some years ago, but no sound, as those little hoods (about the size of an S-scale boxcar....?) and one motor taking up the cab, made sound not impossible, probably, but beyond my desired efforts. It does run well.

@D500 posted:

Sharp. As usual.

The Wms NW-2 - I put ERR in one some years ago, but no sound, as those little hoods (about the size of an S-scale boxcar....?) and one motor taking up the cab, made sound not impossible, probably, but beyond my desired efforts. It does run well.

The beauty of these D is they come with sound, not unlike the Blunami but without the variety. Still a fraction of the price of ERR. Really all you need for a Diesel anyway. Chuffing smoke is way more complicated though as they don’t use a chuff switch, rather a tach sensor.

Pete

Thanks, Bob!  I didn't see a way to look at specs for the boards, so I have a couple more questions.

It appears there are just two boards, a steam and diesel.  You can't load a specific sound file, you get the generic sound (not a problem for me at that price, plus the diesels I'd like to upgrade are all EMD).  I also would like you to confirm that running on the Lionchief app with your smartphone is one of the control options available.  I believe that's correct based on the posts I've read on this thread.

Thanks again!

John

I just finished updating my Lionel 9515 PRR Passenger car.  The first photo is of the inside.  I taped the lighting regulator to the ceiling rather than put it at the back of the car and frosting some windows, and perhaps making a dummy wall.  It was fine up there.  I added a couple of seats facing each other.  I did see those in some prototype photos of the 60s and 70s, so I thought that was okay.

The movie at the end shows my Lionel 2235060 PRR Doodlebug, followed by my mod'd Lionel 19002 PRR Dining Car, then this 9515 Passenger Car, and finally my mod'd Lionel 9510 PRR Mail Combo Car Baggage Passenger Car.  I'm not sure how many cars a doodlebug pulled in real life, but I think 3 is the max for my RR.