Large Scale Central

LGB Chloe Loco - Soundtraxx Tsunami2 Decoder Install

General Discussion
#1

Last year I did a posting of an LGB Olomana decoder install. The Chloe is the sister Baldwin of these two former Hawaii Plantation Locos built in 1883 that toiled there for 62 years. For those not familiar with the Olomana and Chloe history, Ward Kimbal, Walt Disney’s animator, bought one in 1948, and his friend, Gerald Best, the other, and had them shipped to California. They restored these two Baldwins in 1952 - 1953 timeframe, Kimbal’s named the Chloe (after his daughter) and Best’s named his the Olomana (Hawaiian for “old man”). Kimball ran Chloe on his 1500 foot backyard railway in San Gabriel CA until his death in 2002 and the family then donated it to the Southern California Railway Museum, Perris, CA, where it’s currently being restored to operate on their excusion railroad. Best operated his Olomana on the Kimball’s railroad for some years, too, and in 1977, at age 82, he donated Olomana to the Smithsonian Institution Washington DC…it’s on loan to the PA State Railroad Museum, Strasburg PA, where you can see it on display today. So these little LGB loco models are based upon some pretty interesting history.

You can see how I wire one of these locos for DCC in the two photos below…this is my eighth install. This Chloe is a little more complicated since the person who bought it from me on eBay also wants a smoke unit installed…which I’ve never done before on one. I’m getting some electrical technical advice on how to do that on this forum’s Problem Solving Topic. So, currently I’m now waiting for the 18 volt and 24 volt LGB smoke units to be delivered tomorrow so I can test out the best approach to use for the smoker. The overall install takes some very detailed drilling and grinding to fit the wires down and through the back of the smoke box. I also have to cut another 1/2 inch hole in the back of the smoke box for the four track power/motor wires and the two headlight wires to flow through the boiler to the rear fuel bunder where the Tsunami2 decoder is housed. I’ve lost track of the number of hours I invest in one of these small loco installations…but I do enjoy the challenge and the satisfaction of a neat sounding DCC or DC steamer.

#2

Cool back story! I laud your patience in learning new stuff! Have fun!

#3

I have both of those locos, still in analog DC form, and I like them both. As small as they are, I can see why adding electronics to them would be a real challenge.

#4

David Maynard said:

I have both of those locos, still in analog DC form, and I like them both. As small as they are, I can see why adding electronics to them would be a real challenge.

David - A lessons learned is to not use soldered push pins onto the wires to connect to the four pin motor block…you’ll note in the photo I’ve instead soldered the wires to the track power and motor pins. The reason, the electrical metal rods insides these very small and delicate motor block design can be easily knocked out of alignment. Specifically, the two outer pins which are the power pickup rods, will normally fail contact with the carbon brushes on the front wheel set when you push the push pins onto the protruding pins. I found this happen on several loco installs after I did an electrical conntinuity check afterwards of the two wheel sets and the slider shoes…the front wheels failed to pick up the power. Had to open the motor block, discovered the problem, and make adjustment to the wire rods to reestablish reliable connectivity…what a pain! In fact, another LGB repair person whom I know (Mohammed at AllABoutLGB.com) who’s repaired several of these little buggers said just even opening up the motor block can throw things out of alignment! Replacing the motor is a pain, too, with those same motor rods anchored into the motor tabs…getting the tabs loose and then reconnecting is another pain! Anyway, I’m just venting about the challenges working on these little locos…it’s a love - hate relationship!

#5

Normally I hold the pin with pliers when connecting/removing the female connectors. Won’t always prevent the issue, but has never happened to me (but maybe you have done more than me).

I’ve probably only had to play with those specific connectors/wires on about 10 locos in my lifetime. (not a big LGB fan, US Class 1 1:29 for me)

Couldn’t hurt, but I will agree there are some “gotchas” in the fundamental design.

Greg

#6

I only opened them up enough to remove the breaks, A.K.A. Slider shoes/skates. With those in place, those little locos struggled to climb my 2.58% ruling grade. After removing them, those engines can haul 3 or 4 2 axle cars (maybe more) on my railroad, without a problem.

#7

David Maynard said:

I only opened them up enough to remove the breaks, A.K.A. Slider shoes/skates. With those in place, those little locos struggled to climb my 2.58% ruling grade. After removing them, those engines can haul 3 or 4 2 axle cars (maybe more) on my railroad, without a problem.

David - Interesting about your removing the Chloe/Olomana slider shoes. I didn’t realize they would cause that much drag. Regardless, of course, the downside is you now only have two instead of three electrical pickup points on each side of the loco. How do your locos handle the track switch frogs? Even with DCC power, I had stalling on some of the track switches on my indoor layout with these little locos using the Soundtraxx Tsunami2 decoders…the distance between the two wheels sets and the slider shoes isn’t much. I solved that problem by installing the Soundtraxx CurrentKeeper units, a little capacitor that plugs into the decoder, to power it over the switch frogs or a dirty track point. Work like champs with the CurrentKeeper. But I don’t have any grades on my indoor layout to worry about…my new garden railway will be a different story.

Also, to provide enhanced traction for these little guys, I also add some additional weight. I use various sizes of fishing sinker lead weights: Some to the little front bottom compartment (one screw)…there’s an existing lead weight there but I insert more lead in front of it. I also put lead weights into the motor block’s pin connector compartment, isolated from the electrical pins. And finally, I add weight to the smoke stack. The latest version LGB Chloe actually has a large weight inside the smoke stack, which I had to remove to accommodate the LGB smoke unit I’m installing…but there will still be some room to add some weight there too. The biggest weight LGB/Marklin uses is in the Olomana/Chloe boiler.

#8

I have wide radius Aristo switches, and yea I have to run them little locos at at least 10 volts, so they can cross the frogs. My thought is I want to add pick ups to the first car of the train and wire them into the locomotives, but that is a future project.

I also have an industrial 0-4-0 loco from LGB, and without the skates, it hauls 4 2 axle LGB cars plus a 2 axle HLW caboose up the grade without issue, so I am not worried about adding weight to any of these locomotives.

#9

In my Chloe I was able to add the Zimo HO decoder (MX645 wire version) in the front bottom of this loco. This gives me sound, light, smoke, motor control. This decoder has a 35 volt, 1.2 amp spec and can tolerate surges at 50 volts/2.5 amps for 20 seconds.

Great thing with Zimo decoders is they do list all these specs in their manual and I wish other manufacturers would do the same.

#10

Dan Pierce said:

In my Chloe I was able to add the Zimo HO decoder (MX645 wire version) in the front bottom of this loco. This gives me sound, light, smoke, motor control. This decoder has a 35 volt, 1.2 amp spec and can tolerate surges at 50 volts/2.5 amps for 20 seconds.

Great thing with Zimo decoders is they do list all these specs in their manual and I wish other manufacturers would do the same.

Dan, so did I read you correctly that you are using a ho decoder and are you DDC or battery? new into the electronics and trying to decide what to use to battery power my mason bogie I’m bulding but size is important as there is not a lot of room, thanks Bill

#11

He uses DCC like me. One of my decision points was to be able to have remote control and sound and smoke in small locos without a trailing car. With battery those options are often limited due to available space and battery capacity.

Greg

#12

Please note that the Zimo HO decoders have ratings that exceed large scale specs and I use these in all my single short shaft engines. And if using the MX645P22 combination you have 1.8 amps.