# LGB 23132 Christmas CHLOE Steam Locomotive w/Lights converting to DCC



## xmas111 (Feb 6, 2021)

Hi,

I'm interested in getting the *LGB 23132 Christmas CHLOE Steam Locomotive w/Lights**, *I think it's really cool looking and I'm just wondering if anyone has converted it to DCC if possible. 

There certainly doesn't look like there's much room to put a decoder anywhere in it.

Anyway, just curious if anyone has had success converting it.

Thanks,
John


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Would seem this is pretty common. If you don't get an answer here, try GScaleCentral.com DCC conversions much more common there, they are in the UK, and many people own Chloe locos and many use DCC.

Greg


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## xmas111 (Feb 6, 2021)

Thanks Greg for the info. I registered over there earlier and will head back over there soon.

Looks like lots of good info over there for sure!

John


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Plenty of room for the Zimo MX645 decoder and a small laptop type speaker in the fuel bunker. I have even fit a MX645 decoder in the bottom front of the chloe.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, a high power HO decoder... smaller... got it!


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## xmas111 (Feb 6, 2021)

Again thanks for the information.

I ended up ordering the LGB 23132 Christmas Chloe and should have it by the weekend.

Does the Zimo MX645 come with sound files that will sound ok with the Chloe? Or will need to be reprogrammed with different sound files? I don't have the capability to program ZIMO Decoders if need be.

I have the programmer for Massoth decoders but not sure if any of them will fit. Guess I'll have to wait until I receive it and see what I can do.

Thanks again guys.

John


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

The MX645 from Trainli.com does come with a set of American sounds, default is a steam engine. It can be customized for more features active with a DCC system such as programming the IN1 for a bell or whistle magnet activation, and fine tuning the chuff. Contact me offline on how to do this as many settings are just selectable with any DCC system, it is just the customs sound loads that a programmer is needed to do.


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## xmas111 (Feb 6, 2021)

Ok, guys. I was able to use the Massoth eMotion LS Sound Decoder. On each end of the board is a small section that be be snapped off which I did then I had to remove two of the of the output housings. After that I was able to slide it in the fuel housing at the rear end of the loco. You can see in the pictures below.
But the best part of the modification was the speaker I used. I read somewhere that the iPhone 6s speaker works very well with these decoders. You can get them on ebay for $3 or $4.
They are about 2 inches long and about an 1/8 inch thick which makes very easy to put it almost anywhere. I attached to the inside face of the fuel housing. You hardly even notice it there.
What really surprised me was the quality of the sound. It sounds unbelievable. Sounds better than the regular speakers I've used in other locos. I might even replace those with the iPhone speakers too.
I still have to find a better sound file to load on the decoder. Hopefully will do that this weekend.

And here's a video so you can see and hear the Chloe in action. Christmas Chloe

Now I just have to figure out how to get power to the Chloe passenger cars.


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## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

xmas111 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm interested in getting the *LGB 23132 Christmas CHLOE Steam Locomotive w/Lights**, *I think it's really cool looking and I'm just wondering if anyone has converted it to DCC if possible.
> 
> ...


Hi John - Nice work on installing the Massoth LS sound decoder into your Christmas Stainz using the little speaker. I usually use the Soundtraxx Tsunmai2 TSU-2200 2 Amp DCC Sound Decoders and just completed an installation for a customer in his LGB Chloe plus an 18v. smoke unit. Soundtraxx also makes a very small CurrentKeeper capacitor which can also fit into the water/fuel bunker. I'm posting some information on the Beginners Forum topic about the installation and demo video and photos.
Tom


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## xmas111 (Feb 6, 2021)

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your kind words!

I really like the smoke stack you put your customers Chloe, very nice job on the whole modification. I might try the smoke unit in my Chloe in the future but right now I'm having a problem with it.

After installing the DCC decoder in the Chloe it seem to run ok, maybe a little jerky but overall ok. Then I hooked up the two Chloe Christmas Passenger cars (which I electrified) to the Chloe engine and now it has a hard time pulling the two cars. It's really jerky around corners and has wicked wheel slippage too to the point it won't even run.
But here's the strange part, it has no problem running in reverse _pushing _the two cars. Runs pretty smoothly. 
So I'm kind of baffled why it struggles running forward pulling two cars but runs fine in reverse pushing the two cars. I'll try and take a video or two hopefully in the next day or two showing what I mean and hopefully someone might be able to help me figure out the problem.

I have a quick question too. The two trailing wheels, are they suppose to be spring loaded to one side of the engine? I know they're vertically spring loaded but I thought when I first got the Chloe I thought it was odd the wheels were positioned to one side of the engine (I hope I make sense what I'm trying to say). Right now they freely move to either side.

Anyway, hopefully after posting a video or two we can solve the problem.


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## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

xmas111 said:


> Hi Tom,
> 
> Thanks for your kind words!
> 
> ...


Hi John - First, the trailing wheels set does have a small spring that's not very strong........but check to see if it's still there. There's a lip on the rear of the motor block that the wheels set connects to, be sure that's still in place. Lastly, the small screw on the motor block holds the wheels set on........if it's tighted too much, the wheels set can't move properly with the track curves.......make sure the wheels set can move freely back and forth.

Second, about the train cars you're pulling. You indicate you've electrified them to the engine. Please explain the electrical connection you've used. I'd suggest you connect them using the track power input to the decoder; that's what I use when I do a DCC decoder conversion and wire the power output socket on the rear of a locomotive or on the rear of a Mogul's tender.

Last, you shouldn't have any jerky movement with the locomotive even without the train cars connected to the decoder. There are various CV settings that can be used to correct motor operation issues. The most basic: Ensure 28 speed steps are set in both your command station and the decoder........if the command station is set for 14 and the decoder is set for 28 you'll have operating issues. CV2 Starting Voltage can also cause jerky movement and may need adjustment up or down.........read its value and try increasing it say from 2 to perhaps 3 - 5. Also, make sure Analog Load Control in CV49 is off. I had a problem a couple months ago with a Massoth XL Decoder with jerky motor movement between speed settings 3 - 5 and tried all kinds of CV adjustments that didn't work. I finally tried turning off Digital Load Control and it worked smooth as silk........you have to increase CV2 Starting Voltage a lot to compensate for turning off the Digital Load Control, in my case changed CV2=3 to CV2=30.


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## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

Hi Again John - Before fiddling with the decoder's settings, please verify the basic connectivity of the motor block. First, if you took to the cover off the motor block and replaced it, the alignment of the metal rods could be thrown off. So, turn the loco over and use the two power output leads from a DC power supply and apply the two leads to each of the two wheels sets and then to the slider shoes. If you don't get motor movement from all three track power pickup points, then the internal motor block electrical points are out of alignment.........you're not getting power picked up from one or more of the wheels sets and/or slider shoes. That needs to be fixed. It sometimes takes me several tries to get the internal electrical connections back into alignment. Also, I now solder the decoder's wires to the front pins of the motor block instead of using push pin wire connectors. I found that pushing the connectors onto the two track power pins can get the internal connections out of alignment. Solding the wires to those pins solves that issue.

If the motor block's electrical power pickup is okay, then you're jerky motor movement could be from electrical connectivity issues with your track joints or when going over track switch frogs. The LGB Chloe and Olomana have a very small wheel base with the three track pickup points spaced very close together. So, it's common to have operating issues with them on dirty track, track joint connectivity issues, or track frogs. That's why I use only Soundtraxx Tsunmai2 TSU2200 2 Amp sound decoders for my DCC conversions instead of the larger Massoth decoders: They fit better into the water/fuel bunker and they also have the small CurrentKeeper capacitor units........the Massoth unit is too big. The CurrentKeeper helps the Chloe or Olomana the power to get through dirty track, rail joints and track frogs.


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## xmas111 (Feb 6, 2021)

Tom,
Thank you for all that information, may take me a while to digest it all but let's start.

As for the trailing wheels I know there's a small spring that kind of controls vertical (up and down) movement of the wheels but I thought when I first looked them (with the engine sitting upside - down) there was also something controlling the horizontal movement (back and forth)of the wheels. What I mean is if you were to hold the wheels in the center position then let go of them they side to either the left or right side, I don't remember which. Anyway, the small screw holding the wheel set on is fine. The wheels move back and forth freely.

The train cars being pulled are getting power from the track. I was able to make a small contact arm for each of the four wheels to get track power. Works very well, I'll try and post a picture so you can see it. The contact arm wires go to a boost/buck converter that power the lights. I know you're probably thinking there's to much drag on the wheels form the contact arms but the cars move very freely on the track when I push them, so I don't think that's an issue.
And I don't think that would explain why everything works fine when the Chole is in reverse and pushing the cars then struggles in forward pulling the cars....

I haven't played with any of the CV setting, I'm a work (on lunch break) and the Chole is at home.

I know what you mean about the positioning of the metal rods in the motor block! They can be a real pain. 
After I installed the decoder and put everything back together the first thing I did was to check for continuity between both wheels and skate on each side. All was good.
Also, I too soldered the wires to the front pins of the motor block, we think a like.
Lastly, the track is pretty clean and there are no frogs. It's a simple circular track (for testing purposes) with no switches or other mechanical items. RRampMeter measures the same DCC voltage through the entire layout.

I won't be able to play with till tomorrow night or Friday. And I'll try to post some videos then too.
Thanks again for all the help...hope this response makes some sense to you.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I repaired the newer Marklin Chloe that had direction issues and found what I think is a design problem. On the one I repaired the motor had holes in the power input 'bars' and the metal rods just allowed the holes to slip over the power rods. Problem is these rods are not soldered and are a loose fit thus giving issues. I soldered the rods in place and the engine ran real smooth. I do hope Marklin addressed this problem with this motor block as it is used in other small engines like the olmana.


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## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

Dan Pierce said:


> I repaired the newer Marklin Chloe that had direction issues and found what I think is a design problem. On the one I repaired the motor had holes in the power input 'bars' and the metal rods just allowed the holes to slip over the power rods. Problem is these rods are not soldered and are a loose fit thus giving issues. I soldered the rods in place and the engine ran real smooth. I do hope Marklin addressed this problem with this motor block as it is used in other small engines like the olmana.


Dan, I too have found the connections between the rear metal rods and the motor terminals sometimes a connectivity problem. Even when replacing a motor on these Chloe or Olomana locos can be a challenge getting the various types of connections to be reliable. On some I've also soldered one of both motor connections but then it's more difficult to unsolder them when a motor needs replacement. Usually with a little crimping I'm able to ensure reliable connectivity.


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## xmas111 (Feb 6, 2021)

Ok guys, I made a couple videos showing the problem I was talking about.

The first one shows the Chloe struggling to pull the two chloe passenger cars but in reverse works fine. The chloe passenger cars are pretty light weight compared to regular LGB passenger cars.

The second one shows the Chloe struggling to pull two regular LGB passenger cars but again in reverse works fine.

Don't want to keep running it this way because I'm afraid for damaging something.

Also is the picture I said I would post showing the contact arms I used on the Chloe passenger cars for electrical contacts.
I had an miniature 4PDT relay I was able to remove the contact arms and separate them. Then epoxied them to the car. I made sure the contact was near the inner part of the wheel, should cause less drag on the wheels that way. They seem to work very well.

Any ideas you guys might to help solve this issue I'd greatly appreciate

 Chloe with Chloe cars

Chloe with regular LGB cars


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## LGB333$$$$ (Oct 11, 2017)

John - I had a similar problem with a customer's Chloe or Olomana operating in DC Analog.....no decoder installed. It would run okay in one direction but not the other. I finally figured out the motor's drive shaft was defective.......the shaft was loose which could be moved back and forth about 1/16th inch or so. Therefore, when the motor moved in reverse, it would align properly with the drive shaft's worm gear. But in the forward direction, the motor shaft would move forward and cause an alignment issue with the two worm gears. It sounds like the same problem with your Chloe. You'll need to open the motor block and pull the motor gear up slightly to see if your motor has that same shaft movement "play." If so, then you need to replace the motor. I have them in inventory as shown on my Website.
Tom


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## xmas111 (Feb 6, 2021)

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the information, when I get home tonight I'll take it apart and check for motor shaft play.


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## xmas111 (Feb 6, 2021)

Hi everyone,

I played around with the Chloe again last night and this morning. I had one more thing I wanted to try before digging much deeper into the problem.

I noticed the skates needed a little more pressure than I thought should be required to push them in. So I removed the skates . While I had it apart I did notice a little play in the motor shaft but wanted to try it without the skates before doing anything else. 

Well, to my surprise the Chloe runs like swiss clock now. I tired pulling both Chloe passenger car and two regular LGB cars altogether and it had no problem doing so in either direction.
Not sure why the skates would make that much of a difference but glad I tried it without them. If I have any electrical issues in the future I might shorten the springs in the skates and reinstall them but till then.....it going skate-less!

If your interested in seeing it running now here's short video. Christmas Chloe

And I want to thank everyone for their troubling shooting ideas!

John


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