Conversion of (old) LGB and Piko locomotives with ESU XL

[LGB333]

Hi everyone!

I'm new on this forum, let me introduce myself. I'm Maxim De Donder from Belgium. Me and my dad are building on our model train layout since 2001. We are Märklin enthousiasts, but since 2014 we also have an LGB layout in the garden.

I love to do conversions of older loco's, because you can get them 'cheap' and configure them as you like. I always use ESU (XL) decoders.

So enough said, time to show something! In this topic, I will post all my conversions of LGB locomotives. I hope it will help some people or inspire them. Enjoy watching and tips are always welcome!

LGB BR 99 6001 with pulsed smoke, firebox lights, wheel lights, moving door and fireman
(Still has to get some adjustments on the software)

LGB wagon with moving doors and interior lights (controlled by selfmade DCC functiondecoder)

LGB Krokodil with moving doors, panto's, dashboard lights, interior lights

LGB V200 with moving door, pulsed smoke, machine control lights

LGB Mallet with pulsed smoke, firebox lights, servo untkuppler

What do you think?

Greetings,

Maxim

Maxim - Very impressive work you're doing with the DCC conversions and your great garden RR layout. I have a YouTube videos site for my new Massoth DCC garden RR built last year which you may find of interest......more sidings and buildings will be installed this Spring into the rail yard. I have a demo of a track Wye operation that shows an LGB F7AB diesel locomotive's direction being turned around in the rail yard using a Massoth DCC Reverse Loop Module. Check it out:

Old Dominion Railways - LGB Trains

LGB-LocomotivesPro demonstrations of upgraded locomotives installed with digital sound & power decoders. Website for LGB locomotive repairs/installations/sal...

www.youtube.com

 

[MaximDeDonder]

Again a new conversion, a Piko Alex this time. Not very many special features, just high beams and servo controlled pantographs. Further as always an ESU XL 5.0 and Visaton speaker!
Enjoy the video!

(I took the sound of an older Taurus locomotive because I like that one better than the newer version.)

 

[MaximDeDonder]

Here is a new conversion, of the PIKO BR 50 this time! I ordered the analog version for a very good price. I built in: ESU Loksound 5 XL, Visaton FRS 7 speaker, ESU Dual Smoke generator, Wheel lights, moving coal load with a servo motor and I added custom sounds.

 

[LGB333]

Here is a new conversion, of the PIKO BR 50 this time! I ordered the analog version for a very good price. I built in: ESU Loksound 5 XL, Visaton FRS 7 speaker, ESU Dual Smoke generator, Wheel lights, moving coal load with a servo motor and I added custom sounds.

Maxim - Another well crafted DCC sound installation project you've done.......super! I did my first two ESU 5 XL DCC Sound Decoder installs for a customer's LGB 2018D Mogul and LGB 21252 Forney locomotives. These ESU decoders are great so I've recently become an ESU Dealer here in the USA. I see you're using the ESU pulsed smoker; ESU LLC USA no longer stocks these for USA ESU Dealers because of unreliable performance.......what's your experience with them? I used the Massoth pulsed smoker for round boilers for my customer's Mogul and Forney locomotives and they seem to put out a heavier smoke volume than your ESU unit. You can see a short video demo on my Website of the Mogul and Forney locomotive installs I did using the ESU 5 XL Decoder and the Massoth Pulsed Smoker. LGB Trains | Old Dominion Railways | Repairs & DCC Installs | United States

 

[MaximDeDonder]

Maxim - Another well crafted DCC sound installation project you've done.......super! I did my first two ESU 5 XL DCC Sound Decoder installs for a customer's LGB 2018D Mogul and LGB 21252 Forney locomotives. These ESU decoders are great so I've recently become an ESU Dealer here in the USA. I see you're using the ESU pulsed smoker; ESU LLC USA no longer stocks these for USA ESU Dealers because of unreliable performance.......what's your experience with them? I used the Massoth pulsed smoker for round boilers for my customer's Mogul and Forney locomotives and they seem to put out a heavier smoke volume than your ESU unit. You can see a short video demo on my Website of the Mogul and Forney locomotive installs I did using the ESU 5 XL Decoder and the Massoth Pulsed Smoker. LGB Trains | Old Dominion Railways | Repairs & DCC Installs | United States

I used the normal Massoth smoke generator and the 'big' version of ESU. Both smoke generators produce an equally amount of smoke. In the beginning I had some 'big' versions of ESU that leaked a bit of oil. These problems were solved years ago.
Only the Dual now is doing not so good. Even tough it's not the generator itself, but the software.

The Massoth round boiler smoke unit uses a simple splitter inside. Which means you have no control of the cylinder smoke. The Dual has a separate fan and heating element. I can make the cylinder puffs more strongly if I want too. Also during a blow off the steam of the cylinders is prototypical heavy, not affecting the smoke out of the chimney.

Too bad ESU LLC isn't stocking them anymore. I had many people (from America, England, ...) that asked me where to get them. I pass them to the shop in The Netherlands were I buy my stuff.

 

[LGB333]

I used the normal Massoth smoke generator and the 'big' version of ESU. Both smoke generators produce an equally amount of smoke. In the beginning I had some 'big' versions of ESU that leaked a bit of oil. These problems were solved years ago.
Only the Dual now is doing not so good. Even tough it's not the generator itself, but the software.

The Massoth round boiler smoke unit uses a simple splitter inside. Which means you have no control of the cylinder smoke. The Dual has a separate fan and heating element. I can make the cylinder puffs more strongly if I want too. Also during a blow off the steam of the cylinders is prototypical heavy, not affecting the smoke out of the chimney.

Too bad ESU LLC isn't stocking them anymore. I had many people (from America, England, ...) that asked me where to get them. I pass them to the shop in The Netherlands were I buy my stuff.

Good information.......thanks! Maybe ESU LLC USA will eventually bring back the Dual units once ESU fixes the issues.

 

[MaximDeDonder]

A few years ago I updated my Märklin Adler 1/32 with an ESU Lokpilot M4 decoder. I waited until I found a fitting speaker. The Loksound 5 with it's modular speaker was the answer. Enjoy!

 

[LGB333]

I used the normal Massoth smoke generator and the 'big' version of ESU. Both smoke generators produce an equally amount of smoke. In the beginning I had some 'big' versions of ESU that leaked a bit of oil. These problems were solved years ago.
Only the Dual now is doing not so good. Even tough it's not the generator itself, but the software.

The Massoth round boiler smoke unit uses a simple splitter inside. Which means you have no control of the cylinder smoke. The Dual has a separate fan and heating element. I can make the cylinder puffs more strongly if I want too. Also during a blow off the steam of the cylinders is prototypical heavy, not affecting the smoke out of the chimney.

Too bad ESU LLC isn't stocking them anymore. I had many people (from America, England, ...) that asked me where to get them. I pass them to the shop in The Netherlands were I buy my stuff.

Yes, the BigTrainWorld.com in the Netherlands is a great store but the shipping to the USA is very costly. A few years ago I bought two new LGB Schoema Diesels from them and then a couple years ago a new LGB USA Street Car with DCC sound decoder. The decoder was defective and I shipped it back to them and they promplty fixed and ship it back to me. Seem to know their stuff for LGB trains.

 

[MaximDeDonder]

Yes, the BigTrainWorld.com in the Netherlands is a great store but the shipping to the USA is very costly. A few years ago I bought two new LGB Schoema Diesels from them and then a couple years ago a new LGB USA Street Car with DCC sound decoder. The decoder was defective and I shipped it back to them and they promplty fixed and ship it back to me. Seem to know their stuff for LGB trains.

I wasn't talking about them. They have good knowledge but are the most expensive shop of them all. I was talking about treinplezier.nl.

 

[LGB333]

I wasn't talking about them. They have good knowledge but are the most expensive shop of them all. I was talking about treinplezier.nl.

Maxim - Glad you shared this with me. I wasn't aware of this store and it's nice they offer English translation. I'm an LGB, ESU or Massoth Dealer and any items you might need, I can ship anywhere in the world and our USA prices don't include the very high VAT taxes folks in most European countries must pay.......buying some items here might be cheaper even withe the shipping costs........just a thought. For example, I sell the ESU 5 XL for $195.

 

[MaximDeDonder]

Thanks for you're offer Tom. The problem is that I'll have to pay import costs. Everything summed up the price will be the same as in Europe.

 

[LGB333]

Thanks for you're offer Tom. The problem is that I'll have to pay import costs. Everything summed up the price will be the same as in Europe.

Okay, understand. When I buy Massoth items from my supplier in Germany, he keeps the total value of each shipment below 1000 euros to preclude export fee, and likewise here in the USA, if the total value is under $1200 there's no import fee.

 

[PhilP]

if the total value is under $1200 there's no import fee.

Ooooh, you jammy-b*gg*r! - As they would say up t'north..

**Means you are well-served / getting 'something-for-nothing' / an enviable deal..
My thoughts, here in the UK: "I wish!"

 

[MaximDeDonder]

I searched it for Belgium, under 22 euro free of VAT, under 150 euro free of import costs. I think the values you mention is only for professionals.

You're price for the XL decoder is pretty good. Can't find them so cheap here. But combined with shipping and import, I still pay less I think. An ESU XL costs me including shipping 212 dollar.

 

[LGB333]

I searched it for Belgium, under 22 euro free of VAT, under 150 euro free of import costs. I think the values you mention is only for professionals.

You're price for the XL decoder is pretty good. Can't find them so cheap here. But combined with shipping and import, I still pay less I think. An ESU XL costs me including shipping 212 dollar.

Yes, definitely your buying approach makes the most sense.

 

[MaximDeDonder]

Another BR 50 conversion, same as the previous one, but this time with an ESU Big smoke unit instead of the Dual (Big in front).

 

[MaximDeDonder]

A friend got annoyed by the battery for the sound electronics of his Bachmann steam locomotive. He still uses an analog system so just installing a voltage regulator was not enough. I used a buck-boost converter so now the sound works even at the lowest voltages!

 

[MaximDeDonder]

Time for a new conversion video. This time the full 'behind the scenes' video of the conversion of the LGB Ballerina BR 99 6001.
Special features:

• Moving fireman with 'burning' cigar
• Massoth Pulsed Smoke Generator with splitter for cylinder smoke
• Moving door
• LED lights
• Visaton FRS 5 speaker
• ESU XL 4.0
• Fire imitation
• Steaming whistle with custom made Heng Long smoke generator
• Wheel LED Lights
• 26 functions over DCC, 16 over MFX, support for analog DC, AC, Selectrix and LGB MTS

Secondly I made a video on how to control a servo with an ESU decoder:

 

[bruno.degraeve]

hallo Maxim, do you recall which sound file you applied for the LGB 2085 Mallet ? Did you compiled one yourself or found a good set at Eso, LeoSoundLab or Schwoboda ? I'm busy converting my own Mallet (with ESU material) and wanted to see if you can share something about the sound and smoke experiences/configuration. All the best, Bruno

 

[LGB333]

hallo Maxim, do you recall which sound file you applied for the LGB 2085 Mallet ? Did you compiled one yourself or found a good set at Eso, LeoSoundLab or Schwoboda ? I'm busy converting my own Mallet (with ESU material) and wanted to see if you can share something about the sound and smoke experiences/configuration. All the best, Bruno

Hi Bruno - In April 2021 I converted a customer's LGB 2085D DR Mallet to an ESU 5XL DCC sound decoder and used the BR96 Mallet #S0009 sound file. It only has 9 F Key sounds, however, compared to most of the other German steamers' sound files. Of course, the proper installation of the speaker in a locomotive is critical to the quality of the sound; on the LGB 2085 I placed it in the smoke box area using a Massoth 8241060 FRS5 50mm 5W 8 Ohm Speaker carefully positioned and the base air tight sealed around the speaker holes I drilled...........required a little other Dremel work for the fitment as I recall.
There's a demo video of that installation on my Website if you'd like to hear the sound file: LGB LOCOMOTIVE DEMO VIDEOS | My Site