# Help For A Newbie Daddy



## meatlocker (Dec 24, 2010)

Hi everyone. I've read with great enthusiasm the wisdom espoused in these forums, and I am grateful to have found such a great resource. As the subject alludes to, I am a dad trying to absorb as much as I can to help my 6 year old son along with his LGB Large Scale set that his grandfather (my dad) got him started on last year. The original set is the 20231.2 LGB Loco + Coal car, Tanker, and Caboose. Here is the issue...
Grandpa sent him the awesome LGB 4268 Stock Car w/sound for Christmas this year to add to his set. Try as I might, I am unable to figure out how to make the sound work on the car. The web has been useless, unfortunately. The car has a 9v battery terminal (to which I have connected a working battery), and I have found the switch and volume control inside the car. There are also 2 wires that come out of the top of the car that can be retracted, one black and one red. They have what appear to be mini RCA connectors on the end. From what I can tell, these are supposed to connect to something (the loco???), but the loco nor any of the other cars have any sort of female receptacle for these plugs. So I am lost. How in the world is this car going to make sound? Is this the wrong car for this set? I though they all *should* be compatible.
Thanks for your help in advance. Rest assured, you are helping a 6 year old boy have a much better Christmas, and helping his dad from losing any more hair over this!

-Scott- 
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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes, the 'banana plugs' connect to the locomotive. I'm not sure all LGB locomotives have the ports (looks like 2 small holes), or not. Or if they may be hidden under a cover (water hatch?).

If you can post a pic of the rear of the locomotive, and/or tender it might help.


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## studeclunker (Mar 15, 2009)

You’re quite right Mik. There are two holes on (I’m pretty sure) the left side of the LGB traction equipment. However, I don’t believe the Starter Set engines have this option. May I recommend a Spreewald engine for your son? It has the virtue of the female plug outlet and also being one of the lesser expensive engines. 

Also, now you know why your father had lost so much hair by the time you were in High School.


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## meatlocker (Dec 24, 2010)

Mik and Studclunker, thanks so much for the advice. The set is indeed a starter set (72423), and I've found a power connector on the rear of the tender which I had not previously noticed. Unfortunately, it is a universal power port (2 prong), and will not accept the banana plugs. I'm thinking that a trip to Radio Shack may be in order today to get connectors to convert the banana plugs. Have either of you ever attempted this sort of mod? Thanks again for the help.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

No, I don't think you need to change the connectors to anything. You just need a place to connect them.

Perhaps these go to a chuff switch in the loco? We have one of these at the Botanic, but I've never dug into it.

Try this: With the battery in the sound car, touch the tips of the two wires together. Does it make a chuff sound? If so, you just need to fix up a switch to connect them to, perhaps under the car with a magnet on a wheel to operate it. If not, then my theory is bogus and you need a better expert than me. I might see Dave this afternoon and can ask him, but then I won't be around tomorrow.


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

If the "Stock car" has sound (cattle mooing and the like) its generally "MOTION" activated. I can't recall the need for AUX power, but its been a while. I have a couple of these cars and directions; somewhere... I'll see if I can't find them ASAP. 

Try wiggling the car around with switch ON and 9V battery attached. Cycling the volume control maybe required. 

Does the stock car have metal wheels and brushes for power pick-up? 

Pictures available? 

Michael


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

What a terrific present for your son and you. 
I have a LGB starter set with sound and there is a hookup on the back of the tender behind a hatch. I have 2 LGB coke boxcars that play coke jingles and they do need to be connected to the engine. The 9volt battery is used to continue the song until the end if the train stops. I had to purchase a seperate wire that connects to the tender and the banana leads from the boxcars. I don't remember the LGB number for this wire but they do sell one. I was lucky to find one at my local hobby shop. 
Maybe you can make something up to get it working from radio shack parts. Good luck and Merry Christmas.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Ah! Somebody who knows what they're for.

(I'm part of the put-away crew and I just disconnect them when I take it off the track.)


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I had to purchase a seperate wire that connects to the tender 
Well, in the interest of adding another little nugget of info... Many moons ago I built a 'battery boxcar' for an LGB owner who just wanted to run a train when visitors dropped by, without having to clean the track, etc. 

What I learned was that LGB had a track power connector on the back of the locos [no idea which ones] to feed coaches and other cars that didn't have pickups. I bought a cable from my local hobby shop without much trouble. My boxcar fed the loco using the same connector.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

These sound cars need track power. Get it from the plug in the loco, or add electrical pick up wheels then you can just set it on the track anywhere in the train. This will cost more but is much more convient.


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Just plug the dang thing into the holes on the back of the tender!! LGB put them there for a power outlet!! I have run QSI equipped boxcars through there to run an LGB engine, as long as you have a complete setup with QSI decoder and G-wire and or the TE setup below using the trackside unit in a boxcar otherwise yer engine will take off like a stripped you know what monkey with NO control to stop it!! But should work to power up the sound boxcar!! I also ran with TE and battery from a Ryobi hand held flashlight!! Those banana plugs should work, otherwise go to the "Rat Shack" and get some metal connectors that will they sell em, i've used em. Regal


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

OK, we've got the wiring issue solved, now we need a video of the train with the sound car mooing away. 

Let's see that boy at the controls enjoying grand pa's present.


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## meatlocker (Dec 24, 2010)

Wow, probably the most helpful board I have ever had the pleasure of posting on...thank you ALL! Cape Cod Todd, you are exactly right - it sounds like you and I have the same setup (minus the Coke cars). The connection to the tender actually tells the stock car when the train has juice - the mooing (the equivalent of your 'song') plays all the way through from the battery. So in this case, it is not so much motion that activates it, but juice through the track when the throttle is activated. 

I managed to rig this up for the time being, by getting a some small alligator clips from Radio Shack and swapping out the banana plug ends for them. Once I got them taped up correctly to where they stopped touching, it works great as a temporary solution until I can find the actual adapter. I'll get a video of the action ASAP - my son is in hog heaven. 

In the meantime, thanks once again to all of you for your help and wisdom! If anyone knows the actual part number to that banana plug converter, I would be most obliged. I've looked myself, but am apparently not using the right search terms, because I am not seeing it.


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## Ltotis (Jan 3, 2008)

Actually LGB made an adapter cable for just this problem. Contact Train-Li and if they don't have one they can make one up. I still have a stock of these cable myself. or you can remove the barrel connectors and get the proper connector to plug in. 
LAO


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

The connector on the rear of the coal tender has male pins (100 mil spacing) and these are 100 per cent compatible with the 2 pin female cable ends found in all windows based computers. 

The socket is polarized in case you have power pick wheels on the cars and the kit Larry mentioned would be necessary to insure no short circuit/burnt wire/boards in the engine. 

I added 1 power pickup to the 2-4-0 tender and the operation improved a lot. For long term running, always add additional power pickups for track powered locos and sound cars.


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