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I'm converting my original Williams (late 1990s) scale GG1 to TMCC with an ERR DC Cruise Commander. At this point...

  • I've temporarily made the motor and power connections (including the non-directional lighting) to the ERR boards.
  • I've tested the engine in conventional mode at my workbench. The engine worked as expected.
  • Given that the engine worked in conventional mode, I assume (or I hope) that when I connect the PROG/RUN switch and program the engine, it will work as expected in TMCC mode.

Here's what the setup looks like:

IMG_0595ow I'm left

Now I'm left with two questions:

  1. How would I wire the front and rear lights to achieve directional lighting? The original wiring seems to have the lights wired in series with the common coming from the front and rear trucks, as shown in these photos:

IMG_0597IMG_0598

2. What (if anything) can I do with the original conventional horn? Here's a photo of the        original board for the horn:

IMG_0599

Attachments

Images (4)
  • IMG_0595
  • IMG_0597
  • IMG_0598
  • IMG_0599
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As far as lights are concerned,  take the bulbs out of the sockets in the loco and forget about them.  Pick up some led lights from the source of your chosing.  These are then wired directly to the cruise commander, the instructions tell you the correct locations on the board.  Once connected you will have directional lighting.

Thank you both for your suggestions. Here's an update--and one little, but baffling, problem.

At this point, the installation is complete, except I haven't done anything with the lighting yet. For that, I'm planning to follow Henry's advice: remove the incandescent bulbs and connect LEDs to the Cruise Commander.

Here are photos. As you can see, I decided to keep the original horn board. I connected it to the power on the Cruise Commander. Now I can still use the horn--and it does work--if and when I run the engine in conventional mode. For the antenna, I connected a wire between the two posts for the pantographs.

IMG_0602

IMG_0605

IMG_0604

Now for the results:

  • Most important, TMCC operation works as expected.
  • However--and this is what's baffling me--conventional operation is fine at my workbench, with an LW transformer and a few pieces of track. BUT, on my layout, using a Legacy Powermaster--with the switch set to conventional--the reverse unit doesn't cycle, leaving the engine sitting with its lights on.

Any ideas about what's going on? Am I forgetting something?

Attachments

Images (3)
  • IMG_0602
  • IMG_0605
  • IMG_0604

I've now, per Henry's recommendation, removed the incandescent bulbs and connected LEDs to the Cruise Commander.

In conventional mode at my workbench, the lights function as expected: in neutral, both on; in forward, front on; in reverse, rear on. However, in command mode on my layout, no lights at all.

Per the recommendation in the Cruise Commander installation instructions, I programmed it with code 6. When the lights didn't function, I also tried code 2. However, the lights didn't function in command mode with either code.

I also toggled AUX2 in case I might have inadvertently turned the lights off. I was looking at the front light, and I noticed it flash very briefly, but that was all.

Again, am I missing something?

What LED's are you using?  I use bare LED's with a 470 ohm resistor and a diode to protect against reverse polarity.

Remember, in conventional mode the lighting outputs are full-wave track power, in command mode they're half-wave track power, ground positive.  Since LED's only conduct in one direction, I have never seen any difference between conventional and command mode.

This is the LED I'm using:

Size12v Pre-Wired 5mm Flat Top Wide Angle LED
ColorWarm / Soft White
Operating Voltage10v-15v (volts) (15v Not Recommended Continuous)
Wire LengthApproximately 15cm (6 inches)
Resistor Built InYes
Additional Resistors RequiredNo
Luminosity/Brightness12,000-14,000 mcd
Forward Voltage10v-15v (volts) (15v Not Recommended Continuous)
Shrink Wrapped ConnectionsYes
Current20mA
WavelengthN/A Warm White
Viewing Angle105-115 Degrees
Mount StyleCustom
Lens ColorClear
LED Brightness ClassSuper/Ultra/Extreme

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