I bought an MTH engine that still had its motors but all the electronics had been stripped out. I put in a Lionel electronic e-unit board (600-0103-001) that I believed would be capable of handling the job. A number of sources suggested it could handle two motors. But after a couple laps around a small test track the thing started getting seriously hot. Is the draw of MTH motors that much higher or different than Lionel? Is this e-unit only capable of handling a single motor? I was hoping to keep this a basic, traditional engine without re-fitting a full set of electronics. I have a simple rectifier that should handle the load but with that I lose the forward-neutral-reverse options of the e-unit. Any thoughts?
if you subscribe to ogr look in it usually an advertiser in there has a small electronic e-unit that should work for your application is a very basic e-unit with either steam or diesel horn and will operate ac/dc motors. hope this helps.
Wire the motors in series - this will cut your current draw in half.
If you’re serious about simplicity, a regular old Lionel E-unit can be used with your bridge rectifier for full F-N-R operation. The E-unit is a DPDT sequence switch with center off(neutral) positions.
Rob
+1 Works well. Lionel or AF reverse units will work. Ask Bob Nelson, he has set up some MTH with the old reverse but kept the tether and other items in tack. If your engine is stripped that is no big deal though.
It is not easy without knowing the spec’s of the board. I went to the Lionel site to see if that unit was used in engines with two motors.No Luck. They have diagrams to compare too. That may help. Supplemental 35 has one, page 6,7. You may find one if you keep searching.
http://www.lionel.com/customerservice/service-documents/index.cfm
Dallee electronics in Pa. makes reverse units. make sure you tell them its for DC motors. I think they make them in 2 and 4 amp. OR a Williams will work but they seldom have them. Try Ma & Pa Junction.
I have converted a Rail King Big Boy and a GTEL each to run with a bridge rectifier and a Lionel electromechanical 3-position e-unit. I used a horizontal e-unit in the Big Boy, for lack of headroom. An American Flyer e-unit is another option.