Second decoder install (LGB Mogul)

[Tim Brien]

I still need to reassemble, but all the wiring is intact and tested. NCE supply a free 4 amp decoder with their systems. I fitted it to a late 1980's LGB South Park Mogul. The three pin conversion was pretty straight forward. I gutted the stock circuit board and wired up the decoder using just the headlight and smoke functions. As the loco only has a single light bulb, I replaced it with a 24 volt bulb. NCE have no provision to reduce board voltage for low voltage bulbs.

I had a very old new old stock 18 volt smoke unit from a LGB #2080D, so I fitted that to the loco to replace the standard 5 volt unit. I normally never fit smoke units to my locomotives, but carried this out more for the practice of mapping functions experience. A very impressive amount of smoke ensued. My system is only powered by an 18 volt DC power supply, so DCC power at track would hardly exceed around 15 volts.

 

[Tim Brien]

Further to above. I had a basic digital sound unit from a 2-4- 'shorty' LGB locomotive, so fitted it to the tender of the Mogul. Chuff on these sound units is woeful to synch and basically not adjustable. I used a type 1 (#55020) direct decoder installation, but found that I could not 'read' the decoder, nor adjust. I removed the decoder and set required CV's and then refitted to the sound board. The board is designed for a type 2 decoder (#55021).

I fitted track magnet operated bell/whistle, plus using 'F1', I was able to trigger the whistle remotely. As it did not seem to be able to read a 'F2' function, I wired the bell to the 'rear headlight' pin on the decoder. Heaedlight pins are not used on the sound board. I set to 'serial' actuation (the decoder is circa-2000), so obviously no parallel ops. Tested on the NCE system, which suprisingly can transmit serial pulses. Single pulse gives me whistle and double pulse gives me bell. Due using the headlamp pin, the bell remains 'on' until another double pulse is sent.