Electric RR Polar Express Upgrade

[MartyE]

The ERR Cruise board does trigger the whistle via the tether into the tender.  The Cab 1 will trigger it.

[broadythecableguy]

I assume you are not planning on controlling the whistle with the R.R. board?

 

[dwiemer]

Looks great Marty.  Thanks for pioneering this project.  I will be tackling some similar issues in the near future and it is great to have this insight.

Dennis

[wrmcclellan]

Marty - that is pretty impressive!

[MartyE]

Here is alink to a really crappy video but you can see the results...

 

http://www.martye.com/videos/PEERR.wmv 

[Buckeye Riveter]

Thanks, Marty. This information is really helpful.

[MartyE]

I've been wanting one of those speeders...but without TMCC...but now with ERR.  YIPEEEEE!

[ChiefEagles]

Me next!!!!    My next upgrade.  Thanks for the info.

[MartyE]

Here are a few pics of the install.  Please note that I did try an antenna install on the engine without success. 

 

Here is the finished engine before the shell was put back on.  Please note the tether connector is only a 3 position.  Jon sends a 4 position.  He was confident that I would solve the handrail antenna issue so he left the tether connector out of my kit.  I had one in my stack of stuff.  The 4th position on the tether is a spare or coilcoupler which the manual says is hard to install on the PE.

 

Side view. 

 

Tender part of the install.  The antenna, a common, and the whistle trigger go here.

Last one.  This is the engine with the board installed before any wiring was done.  As you can see this is the only board.  No tach strips and no sensor boards.

Once again this is a great addition to the PE and went in very easy.  **It took me 3 days only because of trying to work around an antenna solution.**  Without that it would have taken me approx. 2 hours.  The directions are very clear and the board works great.  The PE creeps up the hills and has all the functions of TMCC.  Thanks Jon...Great Product! 

[dbaker48]

Great job Marty!!  Sounds like you really nailed it.  I too am a very satisfied customer of Electric RR, I have had a couple of conversations with Jon, and found him more than helpful. I have installed the BEEP command system with sound in two Beeps and they work great.  Also installed the TMCC portion in a Speeder no problem EASY to do.  Guess I need to do the Polar Express, that will be great.

[ChiefEagles]

Great news Marty. 

[MartyE]

The upgarde is done.  Hope to post some pics later.  I want to send them to Jon first since he helped in trying to solve the antenna issue.  I have been waiting on a tether but actually found some connectors in my workshop of the same type so I went ahead and used them.  The only thing at this point I need to do is add a regulator to the tender to keep the whistle from over reving. 

If you are even thinking about doing this upgrade go for it.  IMO it was very simple, well though out and worth it.  No difficult tach strips or readers.  If I have one disappointment it's that I couldn't solve the tether issue but I'm going to keep trying things.  ANother very satisfied custimer.  Looking forward to doing some more engines especially is an AC motor version comes out. 

Now the Polar Express will have some life after Christmas visiting all the young children in Kodiak Junction. 

[MartyE]

Chuck  I have layed the antenna via a insulated wire along the handrails and all works fine.  I believe you are right and I have already asked Jon for the tether parts.  This is the way he has the sytem layed out.  I thought I may have been able to work around it.  I applaud him for his patience.  Still the upgrade is so far before the tender is moded a 100% sucess.  The PE is cruising smooth!

[chuck]

Just for grins, try taking the wire and just tape it alongside the boiler casting about the height of the hand rails.  This is close to the optimum height for signal.  The radio signal would look like a large sausage casing (think salami sized) about 4 inches in diameter with the track at the center.  The running boards may be too low and shielded by the "shelf" the running boards form.  I'm afraid  the tender may be the best bet.

[MartyE]

The wire under the running boards are a bust.  I guess just too close to the shell.  Very poor signal.  I don't want to go to the extreme to isolate the shell so my next step is the antenna in the tender route.  I'll continue to examine alt antenna placement but for now will follow Jon's instructions.

[Anonymous]

Metal shell tenders are prety easy to isolate, plastic screws and black tape around the frame will float the shell.  These make great antennas after they are isolated.

Nylon washers could be used to achieve the same effect.  One between the shell and frame, and one between the frame and screw.  You would still need the electrical tape around the frame edge to isolate the shell sides from the frame edge.

[chuck]

Metal shell tenders are prety easy to isolate, plastic screws and black tape around the frame will float the shell.  These make great antennas after they are isolated.

[MartyE]

Is there any room under the running board to hide a small (aka 24 gauge) black coated braided wire, one on each side?

 Chuck I'll look into that tonight.  Looking at it quickly that maybe an idea.

 The tender has a plastic shell and the upgrade actually recomends this instalation there.

[twaldie]

Marty,

Sounds like a great project.  I look forward to seeing the pics.  Does the Polar Express loco have a pull rope to the bell?  Maybe a small black wire could be put in to simulate a rope and act as an antenna? 

Have fun with it.

Tim

[daan]

I didn't ask but Jin seems to have a lot of cool stuff on his site.  I think if the sound could be tweeked to the PE I might shoot for it but for now I am just doing the basic upgrade. 

Marty,
I just saw this movie for the first time after Christmas... wife bought the DVD for me.

While I was watching the film I couldn't help but wish Lionel would make a PE Specific Sound System and include the TMCC and Odyssey systems!  Would also have been cool if the Hot Chocolate Car would play some of the music from the film as well.  I'm sure this was not done due to licensing reasons, but wouldn't that have been one nice set!?!  I would have been willing to pay an additional $150 for the set to get the PE Sounds, TMCC, and Odyssey add-ons, and would be willing to fork out the standard $249 for a Station Sounds Hot Chocolate car that played the music and the Station Sounds.

Hmmm... maybe an email to Lionel would be inorder!

Licensing reasons.. mmmmh, as far as I know Lionel obviously had a big finger in the porridge when making that movie. On the end even a train with "lionel lines" comes right in front of the camera.. May be they simply didn't thought about it, or it became too expensive. But I also heard that they needed to change the logo's on the sides of the train because of licensing reasons.. stupid!

[daan]

If an antenna under the locomotive shell isn't working, I'm afraid of the tender as a place for the antenna. I don't know if the polar express set also has a diecast tender, but if it has, it will also shield the antenna signal from the antenna.. You need a place on the outside of the shell or somewhere where the shell is plastic.. Under the running boards is absolutely not a bad idea either!

[chuck]

Is there any room under the running board to hide a small (aka 24 gauge) black coated braided wire, one on each side?

[MartyE]

Chuck

 

I thought about that but the handrails are pretty tight into the shell.  I suspect that the clear coating could wear of even if teh rail is moved a bit.  The hole is just a tad bigger than the rail.  Also while trying to bend the rail a bit from the inside to attach the antenna it was very hard and would not bend.  I think getting it out of the boiler to perform a coating could do more harm than good. 

[chuck]

Any chance of just coating the antenna with clear acrylic (nail polish) where it enters the shell or makes contact with the boiler mount grabs?  If you can "float" the entire casting you will have an incredible antenna.

[Anonymous]

I didn't ask but Jin seems to have a lot of cool stuff on his site.  I think if the sound could be tweeked to the PE I might shoot for it but for now I am just doing the basic upgrade. 

Marty,
I just saw this movie for the first time after Christmas... wife bought the DVD for me.

While I was watching the film I couldn't help but wish Lionel would make a PE Specific Sound System and include the TMCC and Odyssey systems!  Would also have been cool if the Hot Chocolate Car would play some of the music from the film as well.  I'm sure this was not done due to licensing reasons, but wouldn't that have been one nice set!?!  I would have been willing to pay an additional $150 for the set to get the PE Sounds, TMCC, and Odyssey add-ons, and would be willing to fork out the standard $249 for a Station Sounds Hot Chocolate car that played the music and the Station Sounds.

Hmmm... maybe an email to Lionel would be inorder!

[MartyE]

I didn't ask but Jin seems to have a lot of cool stuff on his site.  I think if the sound could be tweeked to the PE I might shoot for it but for now I am just doing the basic upgrade. 

[ChiefEagles]

Marty, is there a sound kit to go with the upgrade?  Since you have to go to the tender, would be nice to put speaker and sound in it.  I will be watching for the photos.

[MartyE]

I tied different antennas like you mentioned and it's no go.  As far as the handrails go I was intent on trying to use them but am not inclined to go to such extremes.  They are attached pretty well inside the boiler by a bend which seems pretty intent on staying in there.

[daan]

just an idea, but can't you stick the antenna on the underside of the shell? or is the metal shell blocking the signals? (just a few pieces of double stick tape?)

You could also opt to completely remove the handrails and put shrink tube around it, drill the holes a bit bigger where it enteres the shell and spread the lugs on the boiler a bit. I don't know if there excists something like clear shrink tube, but you could probably paint it afterwards..

Or change both wire handrails into a silver isolated electric wire with a solid core. It's a bit weaker than steel handrails, but you can keep the whole stuff in the locomotive without tether.