AF Berk TMCC Conversion

Wow!  The sound is great!!!!!  As soon as I put mine on the track my first thought was to change the sound system. 

Rolland

Carl, I knew you could do it! Fantastic work. Now I am sorry I did not order one.

Wow! It must be nice to be so smart in electronics and skilled in improvisation.

Excellent work and results. 

Gotta' also comment: The overall look of your layout makes me second guess myself on why I was so anal about using scale-sized rail during my foray into S scale.  Seems the addition of Kadee's only might have been enough to push me over toward your approach to rail/wheels.  I dunno'.

Anyway, just thought I'd mention that the overall look of your layout is great. Sure makes the wheelsets/couplers a much smaller issue.

Sweet!   Impressive - loco and layout!

WOW! Carl, you took a very good engine and made it GREAT!  Very impressive and congratulations.

Also beautiful layout, if that's in your home, it's better than most club railroads.

Francine

Yep.  Carl does it again!

And I agree with Andre.  A well done Hirail layout can be just as good as a Scale layout.

Rusty

Well done Carl. Thanks for sharing. Have followed everything you have posted. Have looked forward to your reviews and you improving ever new engine that has come out by the s manufactures. You are a fine machinist, artist and teacher to all of us in this unique hobbie.  Thank you!!!

The Berk they should have made, plus handrails and charged more for.

laming posted:

Excellent work and results. 

Gotta' also comment: The overall look of your layout makes me second guess myself on why I was so anal about using scale-sized rail during my foray into S scale.  Seems the addition of Kadee's only might have been enough to push me over toward your approach to rail/wheels.  I dunno'.

Anyway, just thought I'd mention that the overall look of your layout is great. Sure makes the wheelsets/couplers a much smaller issue.

Hey Andre,

I'm sure you've seen Brooks Stover's layout.  It is also Hi-rail.  I'm adding Kadee #5s and running on SHS flex.  Otherwise, my trains are Hi-rail.

What S could really use is a good Hi-rail turnout.  AM's #4 is the only thing out there that is close -- though IMHO, not very close.

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

Carl

If lionel had made this engine like yours I would have bought one....but they didn't. where did you get the puffer board and what is  "Tach" ....I want to convert a Lionel Northern to legacy and I want to use a Y-3 smoke unit. 

Jackie

FlyerRich posted:

The Berk they should have made, plus handrails and charged more for.

Yep!

Bob

A puffer board takes the chuff switch signal and makes a fixed length pulse for the smoke unit's fan motor.  I designed my puffer board but there are others.

The tachometer is on the flywheel and it creates a pulse feedback for Lionel's cruise circuits.

The ERR cruise board does not use the Tach pulses,  it uses the Back EMF from the motor for it's feedback signal.

Carl, is there any way to add a back-up light to the Berks with out a lot of trouble using Lionel's original set up.  Thanks

If you add a tether you could probably  make the rear LED work.

The  polar express has the wiring for it so you could use one to find out the connections.

The Flyer Chief circuits are not the same as the Cruise Lite so the multiplexing would not work.

Carl 

Carl Tuveson posted:

I finally have the TMCC conversion done.

It includes four chuff smoke. working backup light and rear coupler.

Details at http://www.tuveson.com/Berk/burk.html

Also here is a video of the converted Berkshire.

 

Carl, why did you convert it to TMCC?

Thanks,

Steve

Thanks Carl.  I have three Berks and I am happy with the way they run.  Just wanted to try backup light.  Don't want to gut engine over it.  Thanks again

As I explained on the conversion web page'

"Lionel's Flyer Chief remote control system is an entry level remote with only a few options and can only run one the loco it comes with. Also you can't change it's ID number incase you need to run more than one loco of the same type"

Also with the conversion the sound system is much better, you get 4 chuffs, and I only have to deal with one remote.

Carl

Very nice work!

That looks great, nice work.

Very cool!

Great work, once again, Carl.  Thanks for sharing your videos, photos, and descriptions of your ingenious modifications.  You rule as the Yoda of S.  Now if you would just grind off those cast in hand rails, repaint, and install add-on hand rails and grab irons, you will have certifiably built the Berk of our dream-S.  

Carl the engine sounds great and also like your layout!