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Lm3s wiring a steam engine ho.

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carpediem4570:
Good Evening Folks:

New member here from Canada.

Got all of my railpro kit across the border and am getting ready to wire up my locomotives.

I have been scouring the internet looking for info on hard wiring my ho engines.  Lots of good videos wiring up diesel locomotives but nothing on wiring ho steam locomotives.

I have 12 IHC Mehano steam locomotives and one IHC Mehano diesel locomotive.  These engines came in a package with cars, track and dc power pack and we’re marketed by a Canadian grocery chain called Presidents choice.  Presidents choice brought out one train set every Christmas for 11 years starting in the early 90’s.

These trains are not dcc ready and must be hard wired.  There is no room for the lm3s in the engine so, must be mounted in the tender, along with the speaker.

Does anyone out here have experience wiring up a steam locomotive?  I’m trying to do this so the cab and tender are not hard wired together.  Pictures or video would be great.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Kind regards,

Max

G8B4Life:
Welcome to the group and to RailPro Max.

I can't say I've seen much info on HO steam installs here, most of the steam install info here is large scale, but don't let that put you off, perusing some of the large scale installs (check the finished installs board on this forum) may give you some general ideas.

Essentially though you'll need a plug between the loco and the tender if you wish to be able to separate them. I think companies like TCS sell small plugs for this purpose. How many contacts the plug needs depends on how the Mehano loco's are set up (not familiar with them) but you need 2 contacts for each light, 2 contacts for each motor and 1 contact for each pickup that passes from the engine part to the tender.

If I knew how the Mehano steamers are set up I could do a drawing but it's too late in the night now to research it, that'll have to wait

- Tim

carpediem4570:
Hello Tim and thanks for the reply.

My soldering and wiring experience is quite rudimentary but, I am looking forward to the challenge.

The penny dropped last night and I realized I am going to have to install extra plugs.  From what I have learned from the lm3s instructions,  I will have to connect six wires to the cab: two motor, two pickups and two for the forward light. Other engines I have include smoke.  There is an on off switch.  I will cross that bridge when I get to it.

The IHC Mehano train sets were manufactured in Slovakia.  The Loblaws corporation under the brand name Presidents Choice, contracted Mehano to produce a train set for every Christmas season for 11 years.  The focus was on Canadian steam with two sets being diesel.

If you type in presidents choice train sets in your web browser, you will find some really nice info on these sets.  Go to eBay and you will find sets that are still new wrapped in the box.  Average cost per set is between $100.-$150. Canadian.  Of course, some people are selling sets for rediculous prices.  Be patient.

A couple years ago, I purchased a number of brand new sets from the son of the marketing director of loblaws who came up with this promo.  The man grew up with a train set.  In the 90’s, he found train sets were cheaply made and very expensive.  He convinced loblaws to commission the Canadian trains using a reputable manufacturer for a reasonable price.  If memory serves, the sets were under $90. Canadian and, they are quality engines.  The marketing ploy was a resounding success and many children were introduced to model railroading at Christmas time.  What a memory.

I found this individual on kijiji.ca  In Ontario.  Again, type in presidents choice trains.

I’ll keep you folks posted with my conversion project.

Kind regards,

Max

KB02:
The process for wiring in a steamer is actually the same a diesel. The only real difference is, as you have found out, finding a place for everything.
I have a Rivarossi Hudson that was originally built for DC that I have converted to DCC and then to Railpro. I found room in the boiler for the LM as well as a keep alive, but the speaker needed to be put in the tender. This particular loco gets left rail power from the loco and right rail power from the tender, so I have to wire sets running between loco and tender to ring power back and forth. I found micro plugs on ebay for both 2 and 4 wires. They are certainly small (and a PITA to work with sometimes) and do the job nicely.

carpediem4570:
Hello KBO2

Thank you for your response.

The Hudson is one of the engines I will be wiring up for rail pro.

I am waiting for a supply of micro plugs, as well as led’s, solder and various colours of 30 gauge wire and shrink tube from Aliexpress.  The new soldering irons showed up the other day.

Did you attach one end of the micro plug to the engine or tender? How did you do it?

Where did you route the wires on the engine and the tender?  Have you any pictures you can post?

I purchased a dcc ready OO merchant navy series from Hornby in Britain. The female end of the micro plug is located on the underside of the tender, A pain to unplug but very discreet.

Does your Hudson have smoke?  If so, how did you wire that?

I appreciate your input.

Kind regards,

Max

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