Some Positive Tips From my Lionel Vision Line Niagra Experience

Here you go John, the link to the YLB: YLB - RailSounds Battery Replacement.

The YLB is designed to replace the 9V primary battery that is used in Railsounds applications.  It requires one wire to connect to track power, usually under one of the wire nuts in the tender.  The YLB works for either conventional or command operation, it will charge down to less than 6VAC on the track.  When fully charged (about a minute with track voltage applied), it will support the typical RailSounds board for 8-10 seconds, depending on the sound volume and sounds in use.  It seems the whistle normally draws more power, so the charge doesn't last as long.

If your locomotive doesn't have the battery clip, you can buy the cable from Lionel for $3.40.  Buy a bunch to minimize the minimum shipping charge.

This is the same cable that comes with the ERR RailSounds Commander products.

Gunrunner John,

Thank you for posting this information.  I really like the new Lionel Vision Line Niagara #6013 and will add this battery to help the sound system navigate across my Atlas O Double 90-degree cross-overs and #5 Double-slip Switches.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

John R, thanks a bunch for the tips on the Niagara; it is this type of info and help in fixing problems that is testimony to the helpfulness of the fellas who contribute to the sight; experienced this first hand when I had to make some repairs to my Big Boy.

John R, hopefully, you will supply pics of your endeavor to install the YLB into the tender.

All that money and only out a week, yet have to work on it already, I'm so tired of this. 2 Niagara this week had front trucks unglued 🤢🤢

I missed hearing about Niagara Trucks.  Mine were fine.  The engineer side traction tire was off when my #6013 arrived.  I had to bend the brake shoe back with a flat hobby screw driver, in order to put the traction tire back on.  The factory may never have put it on in the first place because of the tight brake shoe.

The engine is running fine other than that and a tendency to have the sound turn off going over the large Atlas O #5 switches in my layout.  The YLB battery will solve that problem.  The rechargeable battery will use track power to charge and provide enough power to the sound system to go over hose problem areas in my layout.

I really like the new Vision Line Niagara #6013.  All the smoke features work nicely.

Sincerely, John Rowlen

Dmaxdeere87 posted:

All that money and only out a week, yet have to work on it already, I'm so tired of this. 2 Niagara this week had front trucks unglued 🤢🤢

What part(s) on the trucks are glued?? Never known this with any Lionel die cast steamer I have or have seen.

Why did Lionel eliminate the battery??  Doesn't make sense, they getting that cheap?

Gary, the only thing "eliminated" was the $3 cable, the audio board still supports the battery.  The VL-BB doesn't have that cable either.

John Rowlen posted:

I missed hearing about Niagara Trucks.  Mine were fine.  The engineer side traction tire was off when my #6013 arrived.  I had to bend the brake shoe back with a flat hobby screw driver, in order to put the traction tire back on.  The factory may never have put it on in the first place because of the tight brake shoe.

The brake shoe is attached with a screw, so you can take it off to do any "surgery".

Hancock52 posted:

Dmaxdeere87 posted:

All that money and only out a week, yet have to work on it already, I'm so tired of this. 2 Niagara this week had front trucks unglued 🤢🤢

What part(s) on the trucks are glued?? Never known this with any Lionel die cast steamer I have or have seen.

Possibly the plastic bearing inserts?

MartyE posted:

Hancock52 posted:

Dmaxdeere87 posted:

All that money and only out a week, yet have to work on it already, I'm so tired of this. 2 Niagara this week had front trucks unglued 🤢🤢

What part(s) on the trucks are glued?? Never known this with any Lionel die cast steamer I have or have seen.

Possibly the plastic bearing inserts?

Had the same issue with the pilot truck on my Pocahontas out of the box; there was a little thin square gizmo (the bearing insert) laying under the truck in the foam container.  Had to send it back to Lionel for smoke unit repair and had them also put the bearing in place.

Yea that little plate looks like they used goo on there lol

Not sure I saw this mentioned but for the tender water overflow effect to work well the filler port needs to be sealed. I noticed the foam "seal" on my hatch had come unglued and was not completely covering the hole. I ran the engine with the cover off and all the smoke exited the filler hole. Plugging the hole with a Q tip and smoke poured out of the drains. 

Now to find some material the will seal the hole and still allow easy removal of the cover.

Pete

Norton, regarding the tender water flow filler port, great piece of info!  Took a look at the cover and noticed the small foam seal; when Lionel gets the parts list online, maybe getting an extra cover would be a good idea or some replacement piece of foam.

I ended up using a piece of nitrile (AKA Buna N) O ring that was the right size. About .140" OD. The problem was not so much with the foam but the adhesive used to stick the foam to the cover. Smoke fluid disolves the adhesive.

Pete

Norton posted:

Not sure I saw this mentioned but for the tender water overflow effect to work well the filler port needs to be sealed. I noticed the foam "seal" on my hatch had come unglued and was not completely covering the hole. I ran the engine with the cover off and all the smoke exited the filler hole. Plugging the hole with a Q tip and smoke poured out of the drains. 

Now to find some material the will seal the hole and still allow easy removal of the cover.

Pete

Just took off the cover for the filler port on the tender and the little foam seal stayed stuck to the filler port.  Any ideas on an adhesive that will stick it to the cover?? 

Norton, are you attaching the O ring to the port or to the cover?

I cut about 1/4" piece from the O ring and stuck it in the filler hole. Then removed all the foam from the cover. The O ring is just being used as a drain plug. I left a bit sticking out so I have something to grab to remove it. Could be a little more elegant but this what I had laying around.

Pete

Thanks, I get it.  There is a floor in the port/spout since it is bent to go inward and downward to the smoke units.  That way, there is no danger of the plug going down into the channel.  O rings are common at the hardware store; have to see if there is one .140" OD there.  My foam piece is still intact but came off; will try a glue also.  If that fails, then a piece of an O ring.

RickM46 posted:

Thanks, I get it.  There is a floor in the port/spout since it is bent to go inward and downward to the smoke units.  That way, there is no danger of the plug going down into the channel.  O rings are common at the hardware store; have to see if there is one .140" OD there.  My foam piece is still intact but came off; will try a glue also.  If that fails, then a piece of an O ring.

Took a shot at re-attaching the foam piece to the cover.  Used isopropyl alcohol and a q-tip to remove the glue from the cover and the back of the foam piece.  Used a dab of GE Clear Silicone (blue tube Walmart) on the back of the foam piece and pressed it onto the cover; waited for 24hrs for the silicone to cure before putting the cover back on the tender.  Will see how long the foam sticks.