Original Williams scale GG1 upgraded to TMCC
Mar 1, 2023 18:45:04 GMT
Country Joe, Adam, and 2 more like this
Post by keithl on Mar 1, 2023 18:45:04 GMT
I enjoyed the video that Denny shared here recently on his original Williams Lackawanna PA that he upgraded to TMCC with ERR boards. It inspired me to share my upgrade of my original Williams scale GG1 that I did in the last month. I’ve had this engine since the late-1990s. I’ve run it on the smaller, conventional part of my layout, but it always seemed too big for the O54 curves and begged to be run on the larger, Legacy/TMCC part of my layout with O72 curves.
I installed the ERR Cruise Commander (CC) and R4LC receiver board. I didn’t install RailSounds because, as the prototype GG1 was an electric, I didn’t think a sound board would add that much. Although I knew the original horn was not compatible with the Cruise Commander, I initially reinstalled the horn board and connected it to the power on the CC, thinking the horn could be used if I ever ran the GG1 conventionally again. However, in command mode, I was getting occasional spurious horn sounds, so I disconnected the horn board from power, but left it in place.
Here’s a photo of the installation. Note that I connected the antennae wire to one of the two posts inside the body shell for the pantographs, and I ran a wire between the two posts.
Here’s a close-up of the boards. The board standing vertically at the bottom of the photo is the original horn board, but, as I said, it’s now disconnected.
To achieve constant-voltage, directional lighting, I removed the incandescent bulbs at either end of the chassis. I used each empty socket as a base to which I mounted three LEDs, securing them with cable ties. They illuminate the headlight and marker lights at each end. (Note that the brass nut at the lower-right is for one of two screws securing the Run/Program switch at the front of the chassis, where it’s easily accessible.)
Here’s the locomotive on the track, striking an impressive pose as it leaves the station and rounds a curve through town.
I installed the ERR Cruise Commander (CC) and R4LC receiver board. I didn’t install RailSounds because, as the prototype GG1 was an electric, I didn’t think a sound board would add that much. Although I knew the original horn was not compatible with the Cruise Commander, I initially reinstalled the horn board and connected it to the power on the CC, thinking the horn could be used if I ever ran the GG1 conventionally again. However, in command mode, I was getting occasional spurious horn sounds, so I disconnected the horn board from power, but left it in place.
Here’s a photo of the installation. Note that I connected the antennae wire to one of the two posts inside the body shell for the pantographs, and I ran a wire between the two posts.
Here’s a close-up of the boards. The board standing vertically at the bottom of the photo is the original horn board, but, as I said, it’s now disconnected.
To achieve constant-voltage, directional lighting, I removed the incandescent bulbs at either end of the chassis. I used each empty socket as a base to which I mounted three LEDs, securing them with cable ties. They illuminate the headlight and marker lights at each end. (Note that the brass nut at the lower-right is for one of two screws securing the Run/Program switch at the front of the chassis, where it’s easily accessible.)
Here’s the locomotive on the track, striking an impressive pose as it leaves the station and rounds a curve through town.
