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Best way to connect locomotive to tender

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  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 163 posts
Best way to connect locomotive to tender
Posted by Locojunkie on Saturday, November 28, 2020 9:28 AM

Hello everyone, I have yet another dcc question, I am upgrading my N&W Class A Broadway limited from quantum to a Soundtraxx decoder. I am using Decoder Buddy for the mother board. My question is what are some ideas to connect the locomotive to the tender utilizing the existing 6 pin tether.

6 pin connector quantum motherboard 

https://i.imgur.com/G86oTIu.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/sQJNaJ9.jpg

 

Thanks for all your help everyone this time and in my past posts in here. 

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Saturday, November 28, 2020 9:54 AM

Do you have a problem with the JST connectors?

I don’t own any Broadway Limited locomotives but I do use eight wires between my Rivarossi articulateds.  I began wiring my locomotives for DCC back in 2006 and the most convenient connector was the NMRA 8 pin connector.  





I still use the same connectors for my steam locomotives but went to the JST 9 pin for compatibility to the 9 pin decoders in my diesels.

 
 

Mel



 
My Model Railroad   
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 163 posts
Posted by Locojunkie on Saturday, November 28, 2020 10:06 AM

Mel, The existing JST connector is attached to the old mother board. I am trying to utilize the same tether if I can. If I can not then I will go that route. 

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, November 28, 2020 10:06 AM

The locmomotive to tender connection in the BLI Class A 2-6-6-4 is a terrible piece of electrical hardware.

Anything would be an improvement. I use DC, so I only need 2 wires from tender to locomotive, so my solution would not work for your needs.

Just letting you know it is practically mandatory to do something about the connection on this locomotive.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Saturday, November 28, 2020 10:35 AM

If you go with the NMRA type connectors buy them as header strips.  They come in 40 pin single row and 80 pin double row.  The single row are breakable meaning you can snap them off to any number of pins.  The double row need to be cut to length or number of pins using a fine tooth mini saw.  They are compatible and much cheaper than the NMRA connector.

I have several Micro Connector posts on my blog.

https://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2015/01/january-17-2015-micro-connectors.html


https://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2016/02/february-10-2016-polarizing-micro.html

https://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2017/12/december-15-2017-micro-connector-update.html

The Micro Connectors are kinda my thing, I use them for almost all my model railroad connector needs.  You can custom make any connector configuration using the header strips.  There are two types of header strips, round pin and square pin.  The square pin connectors are Arduino type and not breakable but can be cut with a fine tooth saw.  The square pin are physically larger than the round pin.

Both styles can be found on eBay using a .1"/2.54mm header strips search.

Round Pin
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313&_nkw=2.54mm+round+pin+header+strips&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=2.54mm+header+strips

Square Pin
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313&_nkw=2.54mm+square+pin+header+strips&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=2.54mm+round+pin+header+strips
Good Luck

 

Mel



 
My Model Railroad   
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, November 28, 2020 11:47 AM

RR_Mel
If you go with the NMRA type connectors buy them as header strips. 

I bought a lifetime supply of these after one of Mel's previous posts. For less than thirty dollars, you can have all you will ever need.

They work great.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Saturday, November 28, 2020 12:03 PM

You got that right Kevin!  The hobby price for the NMRA connectors is about 10¢ per pin, header strips are less than ½¢ per pin.

I was just looking at a eBay search and put in round pin and several sellers were advertising the Arduino square pin connectors as round pin so make sure you look closely at the pictures before you place an order.

I use a lot of both so no big deal for me, I have a lot of Arduino projects going on all the time.
 

Mel



 
My Model Railroad   
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

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