Williams E7 to TMCC

The only game in town at present is the ERR stuff. Boxcar Bill a forum member here sells the kits at a discount. You can find his email in his profile. He will also advise you on the parts you'll need to do the job.

Ron

Thanks Ron. I'll check him out and see what he advises. One other thing, is ERR as good as TMCC?????????? A guy at a train show said that Lionel owned ERR, and a guy that produced the Train America stuff was bought out by Lionel and works for them at ERR. Is this good info, or trivial B.S.! 

The information you got is correct. The Electric Railroad kits are made up of Lionel's receiver with the cruise commander which is an ERR product. And yes Lionel did buy them out and the owner now works for Lionel. Some people prefer ERR's cruise to the Engineer on Board that Lionel had before Legacy. There currently is no upgrade to a  legacy type of controller and there likely will be none in the future.

Ron

To clarify.  ERR makes the boards that will convert your engine to TMCC.

I replied in your other thread, here's a replay.

 

Well, you're pretty good right up to the alternating ditch lights.

 

The ERR Cruise Commander and RailSounds Commander will get you most of the way, you'll also have to buy the electrocouplers, the Cruise Commander has provisions for plugging them in. 

 

The alternating ditch lights are problematic, as there is no provision for them with the ERR Cruise Commander, and there is no horn/whistle logic output from the Cruise Commander for you to even add them yourself.

Thanks a million Gunrunner. I'll try to get in touch with Boxcar Bill and see what he can sell me, thus accomplishing what I want to get done...............Brandy 

Thanks a million Gunrunner. I'll try to get in touch with Boxcar Bill and see what he can sell me, thus accomplishing what I want to get done...............Brandy 

Also thanks to Ron and William for your help and advise...........Brandy

All you should need from Bill is the CC/RSC package deal he has on the main page of his site and the electrocouplers.

 

I do have a question here.  Are both of these powered?  If not, why bother with the electrocouplers in the middle of the A-A MU config?  You will have to add one additional item for complete control that we didn't mention.  For the dummy, you'll probably want the MiniCommander EX to control the lights, electrocouplers, and smoke.

 

In a strange twist of fate, the MC EX has LED ditch light outputs that will give you the flashing ditch lights on the dummy unit.  Of course, you could arrange the MU so that the dummy unit was the lead unit, thus having the full function ditch lights on the lead unit.

for what its worth Weaver will install TMCC in your unit for about $250

they did an f 3 for me and did a good job

Ron, Lionel never used EOB from the factory.  It was available to convert locomotives.  That was a product of Mike Reagan at Train America Studios.  Mike now works for Lionel as the head of Customer Service.  ERR was developed by Jon Zahornacky who is now the Chief Technology Officer at Lionel.  The ERR products are excellent quality and the service and support from ERR is top shelf.

 

I have done many Williams E-7 diesel conversions to PS-2.  The ERR will work great if you desire TMCC.   If you want an electrocoupler on the other end of the dummy A unit, you will need plug connections between both powered and non powered.  If you can live with a two motored locomotive the ERR is great.   

Marty I had a little Senior Moment on that EOB.

Ron

Many people overlook the Williams E-7 to upgrade.  I consider it a beautiful locomotive.  Two weeks ago I visited Jim Queenan and he had a Boston and Maine Williams E-7 converted to DCS.  A real good running and great looking locomotive.