Seacoast posted:Mark and Rusty,
AM has some engines that I would like to get but don't understand the difference between AC and DC.
AM engines come in both versions. AC engines have an electronic reverse board installed so the engines will respond to a F-N-R-N-F command from sequencing an AC transformer like most postwar engines did. DC versions operate on a strictly DC power source like most HO engines do. Direction is determined by a switch on the transformer.
Just looking at American Models website. I see you either order DC or traditional AC. What do the majority of S users/ hobbyist today do? Scale ? Or HI rail with AC motors or HI rail with DC motors ?
The DC can motor is universal nowadays in S. Lionel hasn't used an AC motor in Flyer since the 1980's. Traditional Flyer from the A.C. Gilbert company are, with a few exceptions, AC motored.
Here are the basic internals of an American Models diesel locomotive:
This is their GP9, scale wheels, DC only. It will just sit there and hum if AC (or DCC) is applied. Eventually, the motor goes up in a puff of smoke under AC.
A DC Hiral unit would look the same, except the wheel flanges would be deeper and an A/F compatible coupler would be mounted.
An AC unit would have a circuit board that converts AC to DC and circuitry for the cycling reverse mounted on the motor with double-stick foam tape. The AC locomotives allow a folks with traditional American Flyer railroads to run AM locomotives with no modification. An AM AC locomotive will run on DC, but reversing can be temperamental at times.
Lionel/Flyer uses two DC can motors, one above each truck. This is the rear motor of their ES44 locomotive, equipped with scale wheels and couplers:
The Legacy control boards are mounted between the two motors. The rear board controls the sound volume, smoke on/off, program/run switches and provides a connection for the rear headlight. This is a "smart" locomotive. The code programmed on the Legacy boards detects the power being applied and runs the locomotive accordingly.
Scale guys (like me) use DC, DCC or both. I have an MRC DCC system connected to my block toggles and can select either conventional DC or DCC operation. I run my American Flyer SD70's and ES44 with my DCC system.
I set up a loop of S-Trax track on the floor occasionally to run my AC trains. I use an MTH Z4000 for conventional AC or an old TMCC system if the loco has either Legacy or TMCC guts.
Rusty
