Lionel Backshop 6-22918 Info

There was only 1 run of backshops. The revised motherboard has a white volume control stem, while the original is black. Another way is there is a capacitor between the 2 and 4 pin Molex connector on the revised board. On the original it is on the underside of the board. The new board should clear up the smoke unit problem.

Funny-funny. I remember back then, then president of Lionel Gary Moneau send out a letter to dealers to apologize for the poor quality of the backshop.

Chuck Sartor posted:

There was only 1 run of backshops. The revised motherboard has a white volume control stem, while the original is black. Another way is there is a capacitor between the 2 and 4 pin Molex connector on the revised board. On the original it is on the underside of the board. The new board should clear up the smoke unit problem.

My volume control is black.  Per you I have the original board??   Did Lionel add funnel w/o adding new board??  Later board(s) have different sound?  

Thanks fot your reply.

If there is no cap. between the 2 and 4 plug molex connectors, you have a original motherboard.

 There is only 1 backshop sound board. A previous owner could have added the funnel without changing the board. At the time Lionel sent free backshop boxed upgrade kits, which included the new board and other do-dads.

Chuck Sartor posted:

Funny-funny. I remember back then, then president of Lionel Gary Moneau send out a letter to dealers to apologize for the poor quality of the backshop.

I see that it’s not just a recent thing! Poor quality that is!

Chuck Sartor posted:

If there is no cap. between the 2 and 4 plug molex connectors, you have a original motherboard.

 There is only 1 backshop sound board. A previous owner could have added the funnel without changing the board. At the time Lionel sent free backshop boxed upgrade kits, which included the new board and other do-dads.

Chuck,

Thank you for your replies.

I have enclosed two pics of the motherboard. You can’t see the volume control, which is right og silver metal on right upper corner, but vol. control is black.

Pic two, shows a cap(pencil pointing to it), that is between the 2 & 4 plug moles connectors.

Appears I may have an upgraded motherboard??

Smoke unit has a funnel.

The backshop was bought NEW when it came out direct from a Lionel distributor.  This makes me think that if I do have the updated mb version plus a smoke unit funnel, Lionel did the installation prior to sending them to their distributors.

I am mainly trying to determine if I have the updated MB.  Lionel presently has on their parts web page #691PCB1056 motherboard for $40. I’m assuming this may be same board I have?

As stated previously mentioned You Tube video backshop sounds much better, grinding noise etc which made me wonder if updated board contained new, better sounds? Also lighting different(realize could have been custom), but looks like it could have been a Lionel add-on??

Do you or anyone else think I may have updated board?

Thank you.

yes, that is the upgrade MB

Chuck Sartor posted:

Funny-funny. I remember back then, then president of Lionel Gary Moneau send out a letter to dealers to apologize for the poor quality of the backshop.

As I recall, Gary Moreau sent out the letter due to the metal being thinner than advertised (or was seen as too thin by buyers).

In the end, this is one of the grander accessories Lionel ever made.  You have to give credit (I do, anyway) to Lionel for some great experiments over the past 25 years or so.  

rthomps posted:

Chuck Sartor posted:

Funny-funny. I remember back then, then president of Lionel Gary Moneau send out a letter to dealers to apologize for the poor quality of the backshop.

As I recall, Gary Moreau sent out the letter due to the metal being thinner than advertised (or was seen as too thin by buyers).

In the end, this is one of the grander accessories Lionel ever made.  You have to give credit (I do, anyway) to Lionel for some great experiments over the past 25 years or so.  

RT - I agree the backshop is a very nice accessory & I do give Lionel credit with their releases ove the years.

Chuck Sartor posted:

yes, that is the upgrade MB

Chuck,  that’s great that I have the upgraded board.  I’m assuming the smoke unit will work in command mode when I install it on the layout.   Instructions indicate it does not work in conventional mode unless you turn around a 3-Pin connector on the MB.      

Assume I can operate the BS in either convention and/or command(Legacy) mode.

Would really like to know about sound & lights in You Tube video I mentioned???

Thanks again.

Ive got one and it has the upgrade board. I added additional lighting. It’s one of the centerpieces of my layout. 

Yes, too thin metal, smoke unit problems, weak lighting, and I believe the connections to the transformer are labeled incorrectly on the terminal panel.

Chuck Sartor posted:

Yes, too thin metal, smoke unit problems, weak lighting, and I believe the connections to the transformer are labeled incorrectly on the terminal panel.

Yup, that's why it's VERY IMPORTANT to make sure one has all the addendum sheets and reads them thoroughly before applying power. 

Links to the Lionel instructions and addendum are in this thread.

I understand that if powered the wrong way, it's highly probable to turn a good board into a fried board (as mentioned in that thread as well).

-Dave

I have one bought new still in the box waiting for this next layout... also have the new MB and all the additional instructions.. there has also been various lighting and sound kits made over the years by cottage industries to really turn it into a centerpiece! 

I'm sure RT will remember all the hubbub on the old AOL board when it was released. The "Purple gang " was just giddy over the problems with this much anticipated accessory....

RD posted:

I have one bought new still in the box waiting for this next layout... also have the new MB and all the additional instructions.. there has also been various lighting and sound kits made over the years by cottage industries to really turn it into a centerpiece! 

I'm sure RT will remember all the hubbub on the old AOL board when it was released. The "Purple gang " was just giddy over the problems with this much anticipated accessory....

Oh, yes.

I remember so very well ....  

Those were the days, huh, RD!!!???

RD posted:

I have one bought new still in the box waiting for this next layout... also have the new MB and all the additional instructions.. there has also been various lighting and sound kits made over the years by cottage industries to really turn it into a centerpiece! 

I'm sure RT will remember all the hubbub on the old AOL board when it was released. The "Purple gang " was just giddy over the problems with this much anticipated accessory....

RD,

Would you have info on whether the sound/lighting kits are still available and from whom?   Maybe the sound/lights referred too earlier I saw on you tube by PRR_ B&O FAN were the kits you referenced.  I searched on YOU TUBE for Lionel Backshop & found the video.  The sound was great, could hear metal grinding sounds & appeared to have a flickering light at the machinery.  Lighting was also neat, had bar running across length of building fitting into each original light socket, with multiple lights mounted on the bar.

I would be interested in the sound/light kit if you or someone could shed some light.

Thank you for responding.

Have a link to the videos?

Chuck Sartor posted:

Have a link to the videos?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WRo1oUbBOOA 

Link above. Enjoy. Any comments??

W&W posted:

Chuck Sartor posted:

Have a link to the videos?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WRo1oUbBOOA 

This link has the lights I’ve referred to.    Comments??

LINK ABOVE shows a neat lighting system.  Action later in video.

An other link below with different SOUNDS:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1zl8U_pkp94 

The sounds are very good!

Anyone have info on the sounds??

W&W posted:

W&W posted:

Chuck Sartor posted:

Have a link to the videos?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WRo1oUbBOOA 

This link has the lights I’ve referred to.    Comments??

LINK ABOVE shows a neat lighting system.  Action later in video.

An other link below with different SOUNDS:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1zl8U_pkp94 

 The sounds are very good!

Just noticed when I enlarged video, 2 Wires coming into backshop at door area on right side apparently going to a board you can see just inside behind the last machine  This must be the sound board??

Anyone have info on the sounds??

The lights are aftermarket. The original lights are very dim, maybe too realistic as shops were dark and dank. As far as the sounds, both OTT and QSI offered machine shop sounds in a self contained box.

Will scale sized engines run inside this and clear the doors?

The second video is mine.  The sounds are from a five sound board I bought while stationed in Germany. Grinding, filing, electrical arcing, forge, etc.  I really like the forge.   I'll have to find the box for the info.  The board shown in the video makes flashing lamps to simulate arcing and welding flashes.

Was thinking of maybe picking one of these up off ebay. What should one watch out for when getting one? There are several NIB for sale. 

Here are pics of the box the sound kit came in.  Then a picture of it mounted in the control area.  It came with it's own speaker, mounted on the cardboard.  This kit is over 20 years old now. 

I also add enhancements to the chimney ala American Flyers white stack and red glow.  While you can't see the red glow in the picture it is certainly visible with low light.

Question about the backshop.  Even if you have the original version with incorrect board and incorrect wiring instructions, but have all the addendums, will it at least operate in conventional mode (with switches, etc.?).  I know some people have gutted this and rewired conventionally but I'm wondering that if you follow the addenda to a T if you can get it to work realistically?  I really would only want to run it with switches, which could be through my AIU eventually.

Johnsgg1 posted:

Here are pics of the box the sound kit came in.  Then a picture of it mounted in the control area.  It came with it's own speaker, mounted on the cardboard.  This kit is over 20 years old now. 

I also add enhancements to the chimney ala American Flyers white stack and red glow.  While you can't see the red glow in the picture it is certainly visible with low light.

Thank you for sharing the info about the sound board. It really sounds good. I would be surprised if it is still available.   I may find something eventually.

This forum has members with so much knowledge.  It has been so helpful for me the past couple years.

W&W posted:

Johnsgg1 posted:

Here are pics of the box the sound kit came in.  Then a picture of it mounted in the control area.  It came with it's own speaker, mounted on the cardboard.  This kit is over 20 years old now. 

I also add enhancements to the chimney ala American Flyers white stack and red glow.  While you can't see the red glow in the picture it is certainly visible with low light.

Thank you for sharing the info about the sound board. It really sounds good. I would be surprised if it is still available.   I may find something eventually.

This forum has members with so much knowledge.  It has been so helpful for me the past couple years.

The Busch sound is still available.

Lionelzwl2012 posted:

Will scale sized engines run inside this and clear the doors?

I measured approximately five inches(5”) from top of track to bottom of open door, if that helps.   Some scale engines may not fit.

Check with Lionel for latest upgrade kit and instructions.

My local certified Lionel repairperson got my backshop working within the past 9 months.

At that time everything he needed was still available.

everything on my backshop works perfectly