MTH 20-2214-1 #80 Coal Turbine Protosounds 1

do you know the original mth item number for your train usually the protot 1's have a constant voltage board that feed the lights and smoke unit. I know that usually on  mth big boy the constant voltage board is inside the steam engine boiler! if I remember correctly your correct they are 6 volts lighting.

The MTH item number is 20-2214-1.

Look at the wiring.  If lights go to CV board they are 6v.  If HL, rl, go to PS-1 bottom board blue and green connectors they are 1.5v. Bulbs. G

GGG

Thanks for the clarification.  I appreciate it

Mark,

Sure would like to know everything about this conversion that you are doing... I will be following this thread... I have a Proto-1 Coal turbine that I purchased DOA, and am looking to get it up and running.

Please contact me using email in profile.   Thanks

The fact that it has an operating MARS certainly suggests it probably has the 6V bulbs and the extra logic board.  Look for a board that looks something like this, usually right in the cab area.

John,

I finally got the Veranda running with basic motor connections.  At very low speed one of the motors is slow to respond.  The other three motors drag the unit till enough voltage is applied to the track and the lagging motor kicks in and runs.  I find this to be most prevelant in the 100 speed step mode.  I have a spare Veranda for parts.  Should I switch out this motor for another, or is this a typical symptom of trying to run 4 motors off of a cruise commander board?  I find it odd it is the same motor over and over.  This is why I think switching it out could possibly fix the problem.

Mark

Running 4 motors is a hit-or-miss affair with the CC.  FWIW, the most likely scenario here is that there is slightly more friction in the geartrain for that motor, not that the motor is bad.

You could simply swap that motor to another location to verify if it's the motor or the drive train drag, I suspect all of them are compatible.

John,

I pulled the motor in question and inspected the gears.  The truck and gears moved very freely.  I pulled the same position motor from the parts Veranda I have in stock.  I installed it and the unit runs perfectly and at super low speeds as well.  There is definitely something a bit wrong with the other motor.  I have to finish the wiring later this week.  Thanks again for all the help!

Mark

The motors occasionally go bad, nature of the beast.  I have one on the bench now, the motor draws 5-6 amps running.  Still runs, but gets very hot.  No apparent damage and it spins freely, it's just cooked.

John,

The Veranda has a light in the rear of the engine and the tender.  Can I wire the two LEDs in parallel with one 470 ohm resistor or do I need two 470 ohm resistors - one for each LED?

Mark

Well, if they're in separate pieces, I'd use two resistors.   While you can parallel LED's, if there is resistance in the leads going to the second one, you might have brightness issues between the two.  In extreme cases, one might not light at all.

John,

Please let me know if Option 1 in my crude drawing is the correct way to wire the two backup LEDs (one in the tender and one in the rear of the Veranda.  I apologize in advance for the poor drawing.

Mark

Since the connections to the Cruise Commander aren't marked, I just have to point out the anode goes to frame ground as the lighting outputs are negative in respect to ground.

John,

I have the Veranda completely rewired and ready.  Everything works except I have a problem.  I never ran an MTH Veranda.  I own a Lionel and have run it before.  The Lionel Veranda is very forgiving on curve radius's.  The MTH Veranda is very tight on a 072 curve and in reverse will jump the track.  I am pretty sure this is not correct.  The Veranda has a sub floor and I was very careful in the disassebly and reassembly.  My parts Veranda is the same way.  Is there any advice you could give me on this situation.  Is there an assembly trick I missed?  Other than this problem the Veranda is running great and ready to go.

Mark

I don't recall any special issues, I know mine used to function fine in either direction on O72 Fastrack, but right now I'm in the midst of building a new layout and I don't have any O72 to actually run it through.

John,

I am wondering what is the outcome if you make a mistake and wire the hot to the ground connector on an ERR Cruise board and the common to the hot?  Does this ruin the Cruise board and the R4LC?

Mark

It would depend on what you have wired to the other pins.  Since the ground goes to pins for the I/O stuff, if you are using those, I suspect it wouldn't have a good outcome.  I've never done it, and I'm in no big hurry to test that issue.

John,

The only I/O things connected were the smoke relay circuit you taught me to build and the motors.  I am in disbelief that I made this mistake.  I have another Cruise Commnader and R4LC.  So I will start over.  Do you think the smoke relay circuit was damaged in this wrong wiring mistake?

Mark