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Afternoon gentlemen: (Gunrunner John, GGG, Jon)

I have a MTH RailKing NW-2 (PS1) Switcher (we call them "shunters" or a "shunting loco" here in Australia) that is going to pull duties in my newly created "freight/fiddle yard".

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It has the "electro-couplers" at each end, but only the coupler that is nominated by the small switch under the cab (on the bottom of the chassis) will "fire" open from the transformer horn/whistle button. Because the loco will be entering and leaving the yard in different directions, this means the "armed" coupler may be at the wrong end of the loco to break-down or build-up consists.

Question:  Can I install a "jumper" or "hot wire" between the positive (+) terminals of both coupler coils (front & rear) so both couplers fire open at the same time??

I realize one of the couplers will be open, and the other possibly closed most of the time, so "firing" both to the "open" position should not place too much of a strain on the electronics, yah think???

If I "jumper" a wire between the two positive (+) connections, and basically bypass the switch under the cab, will this do any harm to the PS1 circuit board?? This way I won't have to lift the loco off the tracks and change the switch position every time I want to use the other coupler.

I know first hand how scarce these PS1, 2, and 3 boards are, and I don't want any repeat of the problems I had with my RailKing PS3 "Challenger" late last year. Let's not go there if we don't have to!!!!

Peter......Buco Australia

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Thanks Dave......finally got it 100% operational, just got to join it to the rest of the layout in my 3rd garage now (next project). I'm going to lift all of the freight yard track today, install the grey underfelt (sound deadener) over the benchtop, and relay the track. Job finished!!!

On my original post, I still have not received any advice on whether or not my crazy idea with the coupler is doable.

Can someone out there in the great US of A give me some insight????

Peter.......Buco Australia

@Buco posted:

Thanks Dave......finally got it 100% operational, just got to join it to the rest of the layout in my 3rd garage now (next project). I'm going to lift all of the freight yard track today, install the grey underfelt (sound deadener) over the benchtop, and relay the track. Job finished!!!

On my original post, I still have not received any advice on whether or not my crazy idea with the coupler is doable.

Can someone out there in the great US of A give me some insight????

Peter.......Buco Australia

Sounds like a special issue for GRJ. or GGG.

I know I can fire two couplers in my drawer by using a 9 volt battery momentarily but I'm not sure about  when they are connected to the board in an engine.

@Buco I read your post last night, thinking that one of the gurus you were addressing would answer.  I suspect that by the time the sun rose on this side of the world, your topic fell from the recent posts banner.

It's an interesting premise to possibly parallel the front and rear electro-couplers.  I think you're right to be concerned about possibly overloading the driver board, but I don't have an intimate knowledge of this board and its coupler output current handling ability.

How certain are you that both couplers would not encounter a scenario where both are in a closed position?

If there are limitations on the output drivers, it seems that something (to replace the switch underneath the shunter) could be added to remotely select firing either the front or rear.  @gunrunnerjohn has built some key fob remote activated circuits.  Maybe one of those could be used to toggle a relay and select control over either the front or rear coupler.

Now that he's been alerted, I suspect he will comment tomorrow when he read this.  Good luck.

Although I don't know for absolute certainty, I suspect that trying to fire both couplers together may either not work or possibly cook the electronics.

The easy way would be to stick a relay in on the coupler circuit and have it route track power to both couplers, that way you will not over tax the electronics, and both couplers will fire.  The PS/1 couplers work fine on up to 18VAC.

@gunrunnerjohn if Peter wanted to have independent remote control over the front and rear electro-couplers, could your Key fob activated remote (like the one you used to provide 3 volume levels to speaker output) be used either stand alone or adapted to trigger a latching relay that would toggle between front and rear coupler control.

If so, could you please provide a link to that remote?  I'm having no luck finding that thread again.

Sure, if you truly wanted separate control, then the RF remote control would work.  I'd use the single relay model in toggle mode, it would select either the rear (default) or the front if you activated the relay.  Since it's a SPDT relay on the receiver, you still have a set of contacts left over, maybe to light a cab light so you can see which direction you picked.

One issue is with conventional control you have power interruptions, so the relay would return to the default position when that happens.  If you really wanted to RF remote to work in this scenario, you'd have to add a large cap to the power supply to hold it up during the power interruptions for direction control.

Thank you guys, especially Gunrunnerjohn.

What you guys are talking about is WELL above my pay grade!!! As Pete Townsend (The Who) once said in a song: "The simple things in life become complicated".

Bottom line......I won't be attempting any "hotwiring" of the couplers.

I have purchased the below loco on the latest Stout Auction, and this should overcome my front/rear coupler dilemma.

MTH 20-21213-1 NWSC Crane VO 1000 Diesel Engine W/Proto-Sound 3.0

Thank you everyone (especially GRJ) for keeping me on the straight and narrow. Till next time!!!

Peter......Buco Australia.

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