Question: Boeing LRV's and DCC?

[CircusFreakGRITZ]

Hey Guys,

I was wondering if anyone has experience with installing a DCC decoder in one of the Ho scale Boeing LRV's? You know, the IHC/ AHM models? Is this possible? I'm guessing it's NOT dcc-ready, so would installing a decoder be risky?

Thanks!

[Cadet57]

Have you repowered the model with the new CustomTraxx drives? If not I doubt you could install a decoder.

http://www.customtraxx.com/

About a 1/4 down the page.

[diburning]

Yes, it is possible to install a decoder. The frame is plastic so theres no motor isolation issues. Just clip the pickup wires wired to the motor, wire those into the decoder, and wire the motor into the decoder. The Mehano motors draw very little current and if you decide to do a little plastic surgery on the models to splice in a second powered section, your decoder can run TWO motors with no problems.

By the way, the Customtraxx chassis costs twice the price of the original model, and that's assuming you bought the original model at MSRP!

[Cadet57]

Yes, it is possible to install a decoder. The frame is plastic so theres no motor isolation issues. Just clip the pickup wires wired to the motor, wire those into the decoder, and wire the motor into the decoder. The Mehano motors draw very little current and if you decide to do a little plastic surgery on the models to splice in a second powered section, your decoder can run TWO motors with no problems.

By the way, the Customtraxx chassis costs twice the price of the original model, and that's assuming you bought the original model at MSRP!

Yeah, but they are very nice runners. Leaps and bounds better than those junky 70's motors. I have four MBTA ones, I plan to repower two of them and make the other two dummies. I couldnt justify putting all that work to make them DCC to have them run on a junky plastic chassis and old motor.

[diburning]

The 70's motors are actually quite efficient and draw very little power.

I have two of them, one for MBTA, and one for MUNI.

[CircusFreakGRITZ]

Thanks for the responses. I'll probably keep the same motors and see how they run for now. First step for me is building the layout. I'm trying to model the E-branch of the green line....we'll see how that goes.

I'm not very knowledgeable about electrical wiring, but I went to the train expo in Marlborough, MA a couple weeks back and found out about this place in Waltham, MA that specializes in DCC/electrical stuff. They could probably help me find the right lights/resistors, but how do I actually mount the lights on the shell so they match up with the holes already drilled? I can't solder them if there's no metal to solder them to, right? I know some of you have the Boeings; what did you guys do? Thanks

[Cadet57]

The 70's motors are actually quite efficient and draw very little power.

I have two of them, one for MBTA, and one for MUNI.

Out of the 4 I have, one being the later IHC version, all of them run horrible except the IHC one. I cleaned, lubed and did everything I could think of to the other three to get them to run better. I've given up, I'm just going to repower them eventually. For now they sit on a display shelf.

[ac0catenary]

Ive put bachmann/lenz decoders in atleast 3 AHM/IHC boeing LRVs and have hooked up LEDs for forward and reverse lighting its quite easy.
check out a youyube video of them in action

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFsq2Ehi-fM

[diburning]

The 70's motors are actually quite efficient and draw very little power.

I have two of them, one for MBTA, and one for MUNI.

Out of the 4 I have, one being the later IHC version, all of them run horrible except the IHC one. I cleaned, lubed and did everything I could think of to the other three to get them to run better. I've given up, I'm just going to repower them eventually. For now they sit on a display shelf.

I have two, one being an IHC model, the other is an AHM (all were made by Mehano by the way) The old Mehano motors were high torque but low speed. They draw so little power that you can run two on one decoder.

One of these days, I am going to gut my MUNI Boeing and splice the motor end onto the unpowered end of my MBTA Boeing so that I can have two motors. The single motor isn't quite enough.

[nearboston]

I am resurrecting this thread to see if there is anything new in the world of repowering the Meheno LRV's. I scored one last November that is practically new and have just.started.a small layout on which to run it. It runs OK, a little noisy.

I'm mainly interested in any layout updates you all might have.

[Mike@IHP]

I don't do DCC personally, but I have repowered the Mehano Boeing LRV. Just replacing the motor will work wonders. The stock gear drive itself is actually quite smooth, it's that stock motor that makes it sound like a coffee grinder.

Mehano still makes the Boeing LRV under its own name, and it's available through European train dealers in the USA that stock Mehano (Reynauld's, Euro Rails, etc.), and it's the same price it's been for years (about $60). I haven't seen one of the current models so I am not sure if maybe they are using a new motor.

A motor such as the Mabuchi motor used in Bowser's trolley cars would work well. I think I used an A-Line #40322 motor in my model, which has a little more power than a streetcar needs, but it fits. Add a little weight in the powered section if you can, and a little over the trailer truck for extra positive electrical pickup.

The Custom Traxx chassis is a great replacement piece if you are willing to spend the money. All the work is done for you and it uses the proven Bowser drive.

Hope this helps!

Mike Bartel

[Cadet57]

Just went to the Mehano website, and would you look at that! They still list them. http://www.mehano.si/EN/article.php?id=55&mo=3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
I wonder if there is anyone in the states that can get them?

Sadly, the Customtraxx/Bowser retrofit frames are out of production. Tried getting some last year.