wjstix ATLANTIC CENTRAL Well, whether or not you know how the prototype works, directional headlights are a practical solution for those not interested in that level of operational minutia, or those not interested in DCC, with all its extra issues and costs. And to clarify, I wasn't advocating setting up your model engines like the prototype. I was just pointing out that I have seen posts here and other places where it's clear the person has come to believe that automagically on-off reversing headlights are the way real engines are set up. My own preference with is that when I hit F0 both headlights come on, with the headlight in the direction of travel bright, and the opposite headlight dim. That way, even running in nighttime conditions, I can see where the engine is and which way it's going to move when I turn up the throttle. (I believe rules/regulations require an engine doing switching to have both headlights on, at least at 'dim'?) Depending on the decoder, setting that up is as simple as changing one or two CVs. I was able to set it up even on my very first DCC-engines quite easily.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Well, whether or not you know how the prototype works, directional headlights are a practical solution for those not interested in that level of operational minutia, or those not interested in DCC, with all its extra issues and costs.
And to clarify, I wasn't advocating setting up your model engines like the prototype. I was just pointing out that I have seen posts here and other places where it's clear the person has come to believe that automagically on-off reversing headlights are the way real engines are set up.
My own preference with is that when I hit F0 both headlights come on, with the headlight in the direction of travel bright, and the opposite headlight dim. That way, even running in nighttime conditions, I can see where the engine is and which way it's going to move when I turn up the throttle. (I believe rules/regulations require an engine doing switching to have both headlights on, at least at 'dim'?) Depending on the decoder, setting that up is as simple as changing one or two CVs. I was able to set it up even on my very first DCC-engines quite easily.
That's fine, I understand.
My point is I don't want to hit F0, and I don't want to install, wire and program 150 decoders.
Just like I don't want a proto throttle or a CTC panel with all the separate "steps" of the real thing.
Sheldon
ATLANTIC CENTRALWell, whether or not you know how the prototype works, directional headlights are a practical solution for those not interested in that level of operational minutia, or those not interested in DCC, with all its extra issues and costs.
richhotrain I never really thought about it until you mentioned it, Sheldon, but that would be quite a feat for the engineer to simultaneously reverse the direction of the locomotive and the lights. Rich
I never really thought about it until you mentioned it, Sheldon, but that would be quite a feat for the engineer to simultaneously reverse the direction of the locomotive and the lights.
Rich
Yes, but here is the hands free beauty of a model setup like mine.
Locomotive sitting on track dark. Engineer is ready to move, turns light on (I just push my throttle button a few quick times and lights come on, loco stays still). Now engineer is actually ready to go (I push and hold the button until the loco moves, it ramps up in speed and I adjust as needed).
When I stop, I slow the loco but do not shut the power all the way off, light stays lit after loco stops.
Engineer wants to back up and switches the light (I kill the power completely, push the direction button, power up and the other light comes on before the loco moves).
I just did all that with five big easy to feel without looking buttons. I did not have to remember which button is the headlight, or the backup light, or how to toggle to a function (something I still have trouble doing quicky on my phone or tablet).
I don't want the "in the cab" experiance, I want the streamlined fun version.
Same with my signal system and CTC. That too is the streamlined fun version.
Looks realistic with less "operator steps".
Alton Junction
richhotrain ATLANTIC CENTRAL wjstix crossthedog The Atlas YELLOW box RS-1 (the orange and black GN) that I have running behind this locomotive has both lights on all the time, or rather they both come on with speed, never very bright and quite dim at lower speeds. Interesting that you say that's more prototypical. Well that isn't really prototypical either. On real engines the lights aren't affected by the direction or speed of the engine. The front and rear light can each separately be set to be bright, dim, or off by the engineer. However, model locomotives have come with automatically reversing headlights for about 30 years now, so I suspect many people who have joined the hobby in this century assume that the auto-reversing lights must be the way real engines are set up. Well, whether or not you know how the prototype works, direction headlights are a practical solution for those not interested in that level of operational minutia, or those not interested in DCC, with all its extra issues and costs. Sheldon Very interesting point made here. Rich
ATLANTIC CENTRAL wjstix crossthedog The Atlas YELLOW box RS-1 (the orange and black GN) that I have running behind this locomotive has both lights on all the time, or rather they both come on with speed, never very bright and quite dim at lower speeds. Interesting that you say that's more prototypical. Well that isn't really prototypical either. On real engines the lights aren't affected by the direction or speed of the engine. The front and rear light can each separately be set to be bright, dim, or off by the engineer. However, model locomotives have come with automatically reversing headlights for about 30 years now, so I suspect many people who have joined the hobby in this century assume that the auto-reversing lights must be the way real engines are set up. Well, whether or not you know how the prototype works, direction headlights are a practical solution for those not interested in that level of operational minutia, or those not interested in DCC, with all its extra issues and costs. Sheldon
wjstix crossthedog The Atlas YELLOW box RS-1 (the orange and black GN) that I have running behind this locomotive has both lights on all the time, or rather they both come on with speed, never very bright and quite dim at lower speeds. Interesting that you say that's more prototypical. Well that isn't really prototypical either. On real engines the lights aren't affected by the direction or speed of the engine. The front and rear light can each separately be set to be bright, dim, or off by the engineer. However, model locomotives have come with automatically reversing headlights for about 30 years now, so I suspect many people who have joined the hobby in this century assume that the auto-reversing lights must be the way real engines are set up.
crossthedog The Atlas YELLOW box RS-1 (the orange and black GN) that I have running behind this locomotive has both lights on all the time, or rather they both come on with speed, never very bright and quite dim at lower speeds. Interesting that you say that's more prototypical.
Well that isn't really prototypical either. On real engines the lights aren't affected by the direction or speed of the engine. The front and rear light can each separately be set to be bright, dim, or off by the engineer.
However, model locomotives have come with automatically reversing headlights for about 30 years now, so I suspect many people who have joined the hobby in this century assume that the auto-reversing lights must be the way real engines are set up.
Well, whether or not you know how the prototype works, direction headlights are a practical solution for those not interested in that level of operational minutia, or those not interested in DCC, with all its extra issues and costs.
Very interesting point made here.
Things people forget or don't understand.
Not everybody wants the "proto throttle" experiance of having to work every button and lever that is in a locomotive cab.
Also, before the 1950's many railroads ran without headlights at all during the day. Starting in the thirties there was a slow movement to run with headlights on in the day, and tests of gyro lights, Mars lights, etc. But it was far from universal or required.
And no ditch lights........
With my Train Engjneer throttles my loco lights come on nearly full brightness before the loco moves, and I can have a loco sit still with the lights on. That and directional lighting is close enough for me.
Rules varied considerably for a long time.......
Well, whether or not you know how the prototype works, directional headlights are a practical solution for those not interested in that level of operational minutia, or those not interested in DCC, with all its extra issues and costs.
crossthedogThe Atlas YELLOW box RS-1 (the orange and black GN) that I have running behind this locomotive has both lights on all the time, or rather they both come on with speed, never very bright and quite dim at lower speeds. Interesting that you say that's more prototypical.
PC101I see in your pictures, that brass strip is sticking out towards the side. The brass strip should be caught behind the little black plastic catch on the side of the motor. See the yellow arrow pointing at the black plastic catch with the brass strip behind it.
-Matt
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
Stix, thanks for this. I think this little "once upon a time" you've told constitutes a very likely reconstruction of what happened here. Interesting especially about the slower speed with the constant lighting.
The Atlas YELLOW box RS-1 (the orange and black GN) that I have running behind this locomotive has both lights on all the time, or rather they both come on with speed, never very bright and quite dim at lower speeds. Interesting that you say that's more prototypical. I never even noticed that it wasn't directional until I put the two locos together a couple days ago.
Although the green "light boards" are commonly associated with DCC, since they eventually came to have a receptacle for plugging in a decoder, the original purpose was to provide for constant lighting, and to reverse the lights so only the light in the direction of travel would be on (which isn't really prototypical, but was a neat trick 30 years ago).
The light board had diodes to do the reversing headlights, and as Kevin mentioned, was set up so the first say 3 volts of power went to the lights. That meant if you were careful, you could reduce the power to just under 3 volts and the engine would stop but the lights would stay on..."constant lighting".
Unfortunately, that also meant that an engine with that set-up would run slower at any given power setting than other "straght DC" engines. So many DC operators removed the lightboard and hardwired the engine - two wires from each truck connected to the motor wires, and lights connected to those wires too.
It appears that is what happened with the OP's RS-1, except whoever did it used diodes with the lights so they still reversed direction...and they either chose to, or by accident, wired it up 'backwards' so it ran the opposite of normal DC engines.
PC101.
No. The motor was never over taxed and was running great. I was just cheap and instead of buying a board replacement decoder I had used a hardwired decoder I had on hand. The locomotive was always run in a consist with four and sometimes six other RS units. Mostly on the club layout and module group setups. It probably had well over 100 hours of run time until the motor toasted. I surmise that the combination of the missing support and the flexibility of the plastic upright allows the upper brush to run at a different angle other than 90 degrees of the armature.
Since replacement with the RS1 motor and proper board replacement decoder the unit has functioned flawless.
Pete.
crossthedog I believe I will try swapping the trucks first. If the couplers have been replaced, it makes sense that the trucks had to come off, and maybe the previous owner sold it before he noticed he'd put the shoes on the wrong feet. -Matt
I believe I will try swapping the trucks first. If the couplers have been replaced, it makes sense that the trucks had to come off, and maybe the previous owner sold it before he noticed he'd put the shoes on the wrong feet.
The Atlas RS1 trucks do not need to come off to replace the couplers.
wrench567 You don't need a light board. Just something to tie the two motor uprights together. A twist tie or piece of plastic with slots would do the trick. You have to keep them from spreading apart from the center of the motor. I neglected that on an Atlas RSD4/5 and ruined the motor in less than a year on the clubs layout. Luckily I had kept the motor from the melted RS1. Lesson learned. Pete.
You don't need a light board. Just something to tie the two motor uprights together. A twist tie or piece of plastic with slots would do the trick. You have to keep them from spreading apart from the center of the motor. I neglected that on an Atlas RSD4/5 and ruined the motor in less than a year on the clubs layout. Luckily I had kept the motor from the melted RS1. Lesson learned.
@wrench567, Is there any chance you had a bad motor or a heavy load and it was running hot and melted the saddles/uprights?
If the two screws part #707113 that go through the bottom of the mainframe/chassie and into the motor saddle set #707102 are tight, you will not need a top light board or anything to tie the two motor uprights together. If the screws are tight the saddles/uprights do not move up, down, side to side or front to back without the light board. The motor will stay in place if the two bottom screws are tight, the saddles/uprights do nothing to keep the motor ends together, the shaft from moving forward/rearward or up and down.
@crossthe dog, Now a light board or a flat piece of plastic the size of a light board with slots to fit on the saddle/upright latchs as mentioned above will help keep the wires away from the flywheels.
Always check (yearly or depending on run time) that those two bottom screws are tight on all your Atlas engines.
@crossthedog, on your motor you have a red wire soldered to the brass strip that comes from the bottom of the motor. I see in your pictures, that brass strip is sticking out towards the side. The brass strip should be caught behind the little black plastic catch on the side of the motor.
See the yellow arrow pointing at the black plastic catch with the brass strip behind it.
Looking at the picture of the shell you posted. It appears that you do have LEDs. So your safe there. One thing an incandescent bulb does very well is generate heet. When the good people of the north decided to exchange all the traffic lights to LEDs to save money on electric costs, they didn't consider winter weather. When ice and snow accumulation on the lights became a problem the only solution was to retrofit electric heaters in every traffic light. Now it cost more than the old incandescent lights to run. Problem solved. They still get iced over but now it falls off in large chunks.
SeeYou190 crossthedog Also it sounds as though you're saying it would behoove me to eventually find a light board to put in there. I have a few older DC locomotives with light boards. There is not a lot of variety in my plastic diesel fleet, so I do not know if this is typical or not. On the locomotives I have with light boards (mostly Life-Like Proto 2000 around 20 years old), the light board functions so that the bulb (LED maybe) in the direction of operation comes on full brightness before the locomotive begins to move. Then, when the locomotive begins to move, the bulb stays at a continuous level of brightness no matter what speed the locomotive is moving. I found this a nice feature. Now when I run my old Athearns with variable brightness bulbs, it is something I do not like. None of my "dual mode" DCC decoder equipped locomotives do this while running on DC. The constant brightness seemed to be only a feature of DC locomotives with directional lighting. Anyway... maybe someday (probably not) I will install DC light boards in my old Athearn locomotives. -Kevin
crossthedog Also it sounds as though you're saying it would behoove me to eventually find a light board to put in there.
I have a few older DC locomotives with light boards. There is not a lot of variety in my plastic diesel fleet, so I do not know if this is typical or not.
On the locomotives I have with light boards (mostly Life-Like Proto 2000 around 20 years old), the light board functions so that the bulb (LED maybe) in the direction of operation comes on full brightness before the locomotive begins to move. Then, when the locomotive begins to move, the bulb stays at a continuous level of brightness no matter what speed the locomotive is moving.
I found this a nice feature. Now when I run my old Athearns with variable brightness bulbs, it is something I do not like.
None of my "dual mode" DCC decoder equipped locomotives do this while running on DC. The constant brightness seemed to be only a feature of DC locomotives with directional lighting.
Anyway... maybe someday (probably not) I will install DC light boards in my old Athearn locomotives.
-Kevin
Kevin, Matt's loco appears to have LED's for lights so that will provide constant brightness lighting. There are a number of different circuits that will provide simple constant brighness lighting with LED's or 1.5 volt lamps that are easy to built and install - without a circuit board.
I too have a lot of older Proto 2000 locos. Most have really good constalt lighting, some have voltage hog diode setups which I replace. My max track voltage is 14 volts, so I'm not wanting lighting circuits that suck up 2-3 volts.
And thank you for taking the time to post diagrams and photos in this thread. I'm just not that computer savy with the drawing on the photo thing, and I don't have a stock of computer generated drawings like you posted.
Matt, again glad you were able to fix it. And no matter your skill level with electronics, you just improved your skills. We are start somewhere with any skill.
I was exceptionally lucky, my training in this stuff started around age 12, I'm 65 now.
So I will apologize again for being testy with some of the others. I came to this late, and read thru the whole thing reading as you both filled in missing info, and had to explain what seemed obvious to me.
That said, you really don't need a light board if you are happy with how the loco is running. In your case, the light board is just a mounting spot for part of the simple lighting wiring you already have.
The loco is not likely to run any better or different.
It is my belief that learning and understanding basics like this will be of great value to you as you progress in the hobby. Maybe later you will switch to DCC, maybe not.
In any case, understanding how and why your trains work in DC has value that will make your model train experiance better.
As I think you know I am starting on a large layout. It will be DC.
I have lots of experiance with both DC and DCC, one of a list of reasons why I stay with DC is related to this thread - I dislike all the complex wiring inside the locos with DCC.
The main reason I have never switched to DCC is that for my desired goals, the benefits would be small and expensive. That is a long discussion.....
If you switch to DCC later, it will be easy enough to just hard wire a decoder in this loco without some factory light board. If not, you are finewith what you have.
Take care,
crossthedogAlso it sounds as though you're saying it would behoove me to eventually find a light board to put in there.
Living the dream.
crossthedog Everyone helped in well-intended ways; no one is rubbing their hands together and saying "I'm going to derail this fool and enjoy watching him trash his new toy!"
Everyone helped in well-intended ways; no one is rubbing their hands together and saying "I'm going to derail this fool and enjoy watching him trash his new toy!"
Good or bad, it is the way of a forum, and this forum is no exception. There are no trolls here, although once in a while one does show up and the moderators do a good job of eliminating them.
There is often criticism of replies drifting off topic, but usually the drift is beneficial. The key is not to intentionally post misinformation or to speculate when one has no idea what may be the cause of a problem.
Beyond that, forum members who are making suggestions and trying to be helpful are much preferable to no one replying and offering advice. If we just wait for the real expert(s) to show up, little is gained.
wrench567Clearly the previous owner removed the light board and installed a decoder. Before disposing the locomotive the decoder was removed and crudely hardwired. Hopefully there are LEDs in the shell with resistors. If there are bulbs you run the risk of the heat generation from the bulb melting the shell.
The bulbs, or LEDs, are at upper right, up inside the shell, glued to the roof. They each have a black and a white wire joining into a small black heat shrink tube just at the base of the bulb. I'd rather not melt my locomotive, having waited two years to find one. So, question for you: are you saying that the "golden white" LEDs are less likely to melt the shell? Do you have a source for those you can link to?
Also it sounds as though you're saying it would behoove me to eventually find a light board to put in there. I saw someone had posted a photo of several models with light boards in them (thank you). If anyone has a spare they're willing to part with let me know. Otherwise, I could maybe find one online but I'd need help discovering exactly what kind I'd need for this model. I'm wondering if that should be a whole new thread
SeeYou190I wish I would have taken a closer look at your picture sooner than I did. I feel terrible for sending you in the wrong direction when the answer was right in front of me.
If Stix hadn't given me clues about removing the shell early on, I wouldn't even have known it came off so easily, and I might have ripped the handrail off the cab in doing it.
As for the debate about quality of comments, all I can say is I am grateful for all of them, even the ones that seem like the poster didn't read the full thread, and the ones that give encyclopaedic information, and recommendations for extra-credit "best practice" work that I'm not ready to do yet. Everyone helped in well-intended ways; no one is rubbing their hands together and saying "I'm going to derail this fool and enjoy watching him trash his new toy!"
I would much rather have to filter a bit of din than to return to my post and find only crickets. And lastly, I will say I'm extra-super-grateful that there are people here, like you Sheldon, who have such useful experience in fields that rather terrify me and are willing to share it. And Rich, I think you have been one of the many who have bent over backwards to explain simple concepts to me over the several years I've been asking for help here.
So, let the debate continue if it must. For my part, it's just thanks all around.
wjstix Many real railroads ran their first generation engines long-hood forward. However I believe all Atlas Alcos (RS-1, RS-3, RS-11 etc.) come from the factory wired up with the short hood being the front. They may all use the same chassis / motor etc. so it was easier to do it that way? In any case, Atlas doesn't differentiate which railroad ran long-hood and which ones ran short-hood first, all the models are set-up short hood.
Many real railroads ran their first generation engines long-hood forward. However I believe all Atlas Alcos (RS-1, RS-3, RS-11 etc.) come from the factory wired up with the short hood being the front. They may all use the same chassis / motor etc. so it was easier to do it that way? In any case, Atlas doesn't differentiate which railroad ran long-hood and which ones ran short-hood first, all the models are set-up short hood.
Just a guess but the original owner might have reversed the wires because he wanted the long hood forward.
Clearly the previous owner removed the light board and installed a decoder. Before disposing the locomotive the decoder was removed and crudely hardwired. Hopefully there are LEDs in the shell with resistors. If there are bulbs you run the risk of the heat generation from the bulb melting the shell. Don't ask me how I know. I melted an RS1 she'll with a bulb when I first got into DCC using a bulb. Golden white LEDs had not yet been available and all the supposed white LEDs had that blue tint.
I checked my scrap box for an Atlas light board but to no avail. Another potential problem is the two posts on the motor not being tied together. The Atlas light board and recommended decoders tie the two plastic posts and keeps them in alignment. Flexing of the posts could accelerate brush wear and reak havock on the motor bushings from the armature moving fore and aft.
richhotrainWow, you've got me beat,Kevin. I keep 10 colors on hand (red, black, orange, gray, blue, yellow, white, green, brown and purple) in both 20 gauge and 22 gauge.
Having Skycraft Parts And Surplus nearby in Orlando really makes it easy to keep all these wire colors and other electrical doo-dads on hand.
The twelve colors they stock are:
White Black Brown Blue Red Orange Yellow Green Gray Purple Pink & Light Blue.
I also have all kinds of remnants from there in various stripes. Most of these wires are super flexible in silicone insulation. This is not the same supply of wire I use for wiring the layouts.
If any model railroader is ever in Orlando, they should really plan on a trip to Skycraft.
After too many times dealing with Spartan Motor Home Chassis problems, where EVERY wire is white, I will color code. If for no other reason, just my own preservation of personal sanity.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Had I answered sooner, I would have asked Matt some questions before asumming a it had a decoder, or a light board, etc, etc.
Had I answered sooner, I would have asked Matt some questions before asumming a it had a decoder, or a light board, etc, etc.
richhotrain ATLANTIC CENTRAL Glad to see Matt got it figured out. Others did say the motor was likely wired backwards, but only Kevin and I gave him any real guidance on changing that. As far as suggestions that the motor is wired in reverse, the very first reply by Wayne raised that issue. That was followed up by similar replies by betamax, wjstix, me, and then Kevin. You had the advantage of posting after Matt had posted photos. Before that, we could only offer advice that the motor wires might be reversed. Without the photos, we had no way of knowing how the wiring was done by the previous owner. Rich
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Glad to see Matt got it figured out. Others did say the motor was likely wired backwards, but only Kevin and I gave him any real guidance on changing that.
Glad to see Matt got it figured out. Others did say the motor was likely wired backwards, but only Kevin and I gave him any real guidance on changing that.
As far as suggestions that the motor is wired in reverse, the very first reply by Wayne raised that issue. That was followed up by similar replies by betamax, wjstix, me, and then Kevin. You had the advantage of posting after Matt had posted photos. Before that, we could only offer advice that the motor wires might be reversed. Without the photos, we had no way of knowing how the wiring was done by the previous owner.
And that was largely due to the fact that I did not see or have time to read the post until then.
Had I answered sooner, I would have asked Matt some questions before asumming it had a decoder, or a light board, etc, etc.
And, many of the responses were reasoned based on the info, many were not.
richhotrain SeeYou190 richhotrain This is good advice on the color coding on the wires. Follow the NMRA standards and completely rewire the locomotive. Red wire for the right side power pickups (front and rear trucks), black wire for the left side power pickups (front and rear trucks). Orange and gray for the motor wires, blue, yellow and white for the lights (front and rear). I color code everything I do. Maybe not to NMRA RP, but I keep 12 colors of each 24 through 18 gauge wire on hand for projects. It sure makes life easier. -Kevin Wow, you've got me beat,Kevin. I keep 10 colors on hand (red, black, orange, gray, blue, yellow, white, green, brown and purple) in both 20 gauge and 22 gauge. In an instant, I can trace wiring without even touching it. It absolutely does make life easier. Rich
SeeYou190 richhotrain This is good advice on the color coding on the wires. Follow the NMRA standards and completely rewire the locomotive. Red wire for the right side power pickups (front and rear trucks), black wire for the left side power pickups (front and rear trucks). Orange and gray for the motor wires, blue, yellow and white for the lights (front and rear). I color code everything I do. Maybe not to NMRA RP, but I keep 12 colors of each 24 through 18 gauge wire on hand for projects. It sure makes life easier. -Kevin
richhotrain This is good advice on the color coding on the wires. Follow the NMRA standards and completely rewire the locomotive. Red wire for the right side power pickups (front and rear trucks), black wire for the left side power pickups (front and rear trucks). Orange and gray for the motor wires, blue, yellow and white for the lights (front and rear).
I color code everything I do.
Maybe not to NMRA RP, but I keep 12 colors of each 24 through 18 gauge wire on hand for projects. It sure makes life easier.
Wow, you've got me beat,Kevin. I keep 10 colors on hand (red, black, orange, gray, blue, yellow, white, green, brown and purple) in both 20 gauge and 22 gauge. In an instant, I can trace wiring without even touching it. It absolutely does make life easier.
If I was wiring DCC locos I might consider color coding important too, especially if I was modeling modern locos with ditch lights, hooking up sound speakers, etc.
But I'm not. When I go into the wiring of a loco it is to make it simpler, just like the loco in question. It is to eliminate things that interfere with good performance with my Aristo throttles. But I always look for the simplest way to rewire.
Many times I keep factory DC lighting boards, some times not. Some of those boards use large diode banks that reduce motor voltage more than necessary for my purposes. They have to go because I'm not running my trains on 18-20 volts.
Among my many previous occupations, I am an electrician and electrical control system designer. I have designed and wired houses, factories, process machinery controls, traffic lights, bottling factories, automobile assembly lines, paint factory process machinery, wastewater pumping station controls, cardboard box machines, etc, etc.
In many cases of machinery controls, wire numbers are prefered over color codes. OR, color codes are simple, like white for neutral, black for power feeds, red for all other parts of the control circuit.
And again, the OP has expressed his lack of experiance in disassembling a model loco. The last thing he needs to do is take those trucks apart to change the color of the pickup wires from the trucks.
In the recent thread about ALCO PA locos I mentioned that I have purchased several more Proto2000 PA/PB locos. Since the older versions only came with dummy B units, I will be removing the lighting from several A uint powered chassis so they can power my newly aquired B units.
Wires that don't need to be disturbed will be simply reconnected as needed, other wiring removed and saved for other projects - no matter the color.
While maybe I should not be after all these years, I am still amazed at some of the replies to this thread. Yes, this is a small soap box moment.
I thought the OP was surely clear enough in describing his problem, except for not letting us know at first his method of control.
Yet he recieved a list of "sound bite" answers that assumed all sorts of "facts not in evidence", and few that were just down right silly.
So I will appoligize for being testy last night, but it makes it harder for those with appropriate knowledge to be helpful thru a din of nonsense.
Seems I remember a person no longer part of the group who raised that din of misinformation to a new level until he crossed intollerable lines.......
So I will politely ask, if you don't have the knowedge to answer the question, or the time to cover the subject, what is the point of the "sound bite" answers?
These days I limit my time on here, I skip over a lot of stuff, maybe I need to skip even more....