Bachmann Consolidation firebox LED PCB missing

[NDC]

Hello everyone,

I've been refurbishing a broken one for a couple of years, including the inevitable split gear, plus a missing tender and parts. The boiler backhead had gone and inside there are four black wires that have been cut off. I guess these connected to the firebox flickering LEDs PCB. Is it worth looking for a replacement? Or can I make something?

Does anyone know what the four wires do?

 

[Bill Barnwell]

I purchased some red and yellow flickering LED 1mm size and feed them with a current limiter , cut a hole in the firebox, works great

 

[Rhinochugger]

Hello everyone,

I've been refurbishing a broken one for a couple of years, including the inevitable split gear, plus a missing tender and parts. The boiler backhead had gone and inside there are four black wires that have been cut off. I guess these connected to the firebox flickering LEDs PCB. Is it worth looking for a replacement? Or can I make something?

Does anyone know what the four wires do?

The wiring diagram will be on Bachmann's estore - look under parts diagram for the Connie

Large Scale Parts : Bachmann Trains Online Store!

Bachmann Trains Online Store! : Large Scale Parts - Gift Shop Catalogs HO Parts Large Scale Parts N Parts On30 Parts General Parts & Supplies O Scale - Williams Track DCC Sound Boards Locomotive / Tender Speakers All Scale Kit Bashing ecommerce, open source, shop, online shopping, store

estore.bachmanntrains.com

Just looked at it - no colours indicated

 

[JimmyB]

Time for that stupid question:
From time to time forum members talk about Bachmann Annie and Connie (though I am sure there are others) yet I don't seem to be able to locate these locos, please can somebody enlighten me

 

[a98087]

Bachmann Annie stands for anniversary, it’s higher spec version of their 4-6-0 big hauler, sometimes has metal gears and normally metal valve gear and is track powered

Obviously not to be confused with a certain Thomas the tank character.


The connie is 2-8-0 consolidation loco, that is a beast of a thing, it’s quite big and I think is prone to a split drive gear. I think it’s a 1.20.3 scale model but could be wrong

Dan

 

[Rhinochugger]

Time for that stupid question:
From time to time forum members talk about Bachmann Annie and Connie (though I am sure there are others) yet I don't seem to be able to locate these locos, please can somebody enlighten me

Bachmann Annie stands for anniversary, it’s higher spec version of their 4-6-0 big hauler, sometimes has metal gears and normally metal valve gear and is track powered

Obviously not to be confused with a certain Thomas the tank character.


The connie is 2-8-0 consolidation loco, that is a beast of a thing, it’s quite big and I think is prone to a split drive gear. I think it’s a 1.20.3 scale model but could be wrong

Dan

Yes, yes and yes - and Connie is a beautiful beast - once you've installed a brass gear from Bachmann espares (although when I pulled mine apart, the one that had received the most use was absolutely fine, the other shelf queen was about to fail )

 

[Neil Robinson]

Does anyone know what the four wires do?

As far as I can tell they simply connect to two leds, two wires to each led. I think you'll need to trace the wires back to the main board and study the circuit diagram to find which is which. Page 5 or 6 in this link. https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/81294.pdf
On the firebox board assume the left had pair of wires go to one led and the other two to the other led. Polarity matters, if you can check with a meter so much the better but I doubt any harm will be done by connecting the wrong way in this specific case. I suspect the led just won't work until you swap it round. Mind you if you blow it up leds are pretty cheap these days.

The electronics for the flickering effect appear to be on the main board. Often one led is yellow with the other red but both yellow or both red doesn't make much difference.

 

[Rhinochugger]

As far as I can tell they simply connect to two leds, two wires to each led. I think you'll need to trace the wires back to the main board and study the circuit diagram to find which is which. Page 5 or 6 in this link. https://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/81294.pdf
On the firebox board assume the left had pair of wires go to one led and the other two to the other led. Polarity matters, if you can check with a meter so much the better but I doubt any harm will be done by connecting the wrong way in this specific case. I suspect the led just won't work until you swap it round. Mind you if you blow it up leds are pretty cheap these days.

The electronics for the flickering effect appear to be on the main board. Often one led is yellow with the other red but both yellow or both red doesn't make much difference.

I think the ash-pan may have red glass in it, so there may be a need for a white or yellow flickering LED

 

[PhilP]

I think I would stick a resistor in series with the LED.. Just in case..

OP may not have as many LED's kicking about as I have!

 

[Rhinochugger]

I think I would stick a resistor in series with the LED.. Just in case..

OP may not have as many LED's kicking about as I have!

Yeah, although as the leads come off a board, I'd expect the resistors to be in place.

From the diagram, there are two pairs of LEDs - 2 for the firebox (I assume) and two for the ashpan - not sure which two OP is discussing, but looking back it may be the firebox pair which would need to be red. I think I've seen some firebox flicker - tends to be reflected when the cab roof vent is open

 

[PhilP]

Yeah, although as the leads come off a board, I'd expect the resistors to be in place.

The resistors might have been on the 'missing' board?

 

[Rhinochugger]

The resistors might have been on the 'missing' board?

That did go through my mind - slowly

 

[NDC]

Hi

Thanks for all the replies. Looking at the schematic , I can see the missing item which unfortunately doesn't appear in the Bachmann online store. The ashpan PCB contain a yellow and a red LED, a lot of connection and no resistors. I'll assume there are no resistors on the firebox PCB either but will check with a meter first. Just need some flickering LEDs now....

 

[Neil Robinson]

Just need some flickering LEDs now....

I suspect that standard leds may suffice with the flickering effect being generated on an existing circuit board that also has the resistors.

 

[NDC]

Thanks for everyone's comments. To conclude, I tested the voltage and 16v at the track gave 8-9v at the firebox. I found some 12v red LEDs, soldered them in and it works well. I really need a yellow flickering LED for the proper effect.

I found a good guide to this loco on Greg Elmessian's excellent website:
2-8-0 Consolidation "Connie".

The wires are actually coloured if you look inside the boiler. The ends are just painted black so they don't show too much. And I found the metal brake detail shorts out the rear axle if there is no weight on it (eg when upside down)