# Disassemble a 2020 loco



## Tim Long (4 d ago)

I would like to put a Blunami decoder in a 2020 loco. I've downloaded an exploded diagram of the engine but I can't figure out how to get at the motor and wiring.

Does anybody know how to disassemble one of these?

Thanks!
Tim Long
Charlottesville Va


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## martan3d (4 d ago)

Which Loco? I'm also in Charlottesville BTW.

Martin


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## Tim Long (4 d ago)

martan3d said:


> Which Loco? I'm also in Charlottesville BTW.
> 
> Martin


Martin,

The model is 2020. It’s a 0-2-2-0 steam loco. It’s similar to models 2010 and 2010D. It looks similar to the Santa Claus and Circus Train locos but the exploded diagrams show some interior differences.

Have you ever been to the C-ville train enthusiasts lunches? They are usually on Fridays. I haven’t gone in the last couple of years because of Covid but I plan to start up again.

Tim


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Tim,
So who makes this loco?
Cheers,
David Leech, Canada


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## Tim Long (4 d ago)

David Leech said:


> Tim,
> So who makes this loco?
> Cheers,
> David Leech, Canada


David,

It’s made by LGB/Lehman.

Tim Long
Charlottesville VA


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## martan3d (4 d ago)

I have a lot of experience with the Tsunami decoders but have not tried their new Bluetooth one. Have they released the new 4 amp one yet? The TSU 2200 didn't quite have enough oomph for my Aristo or USAT locos so all of mine have 4400s in them. I also don't use track power, all mine are battery. However, in all cases, I gut the original electronics and replace all bulbs with LEDs. I also don't use the smoke generators, it eats power and is kinda greasy but I have hooked up a few just to try them out. The rest is fairly straight forward, the light outputs go to a cl2n3-g led chip (looks like a transistor) that drops the battery voltage (14.8v) and current to what the LED needs. The motor leads go to the power outputs on the Tsunami. The power side for me is a bit more because it's battery but if you have track power it should just come directly off the input shoes/wheels.

As far as train meets, I generally try to get to the annual show they do in the summer over on Pantops. Last time I went though they didn't have any G scale stuff at all. The Hobby shop here, Rail Tales, has no G scale either but he does have a good selection of tools and scratch building supplies so I drop by there every once in a while.

Martin


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## Tim Long (4 d ago)

martan3d said:


> I have a lot of experience with the Tsunami decoders but have not tried their new Bluetooth one. Have they released the new 4 amp one yet? The TSU 2200 didn't quite have enough oomph for my Aristo or USAT locos so all of mine have 4400s in them. I also don't use track power, all mine are battery. However, in all cases, I gut the original electronics and replace all bulbs with LEDs. I also don't use the smoke generators, it eats power and is kinda greasy but I have hooked up a few just to try them out. The rest is fairly straight forward, the light outputs go to a cl2n3-g led chip (looks like a transistor) that drops the battery voltage (14.8v) and current to what the LED needs. The motor leads go to the power outputs on the Tsunami. The power side for me is a bit more because it's battery but if you have track power it should just come directly off the input shoes/wheels.
> 
> As far as train meets, I generally try to get to the annual show they do in the summer over on Pantops. Last time I went though they didn't have any G scale stuff at all. The Hobby shop here, Rail Tales, has no G scale either but he does have a good selection of tools and scratch building supplies so I drop by there every once in a while.
> 
> Martin


Martin,

I work part time at Rail Tales doing decoder installs. I put a Blunami in a customer’s loco and put one in one of my diesels. So far I’m happy with it except for one issue: You can operate the decoder from a dcc throttle or an iPhone app, but once you use the app, you can’t switch back to a regular dcc throttle. You have to depower the decoder to reset it. I talked to Norman at Soundtraxx and he confirmed that situation.

I did a stall test on the LGB 2020 and found it maxed out at 1.3 amps so the Blunami 2200 will be adequate. Soundtraxx has not yet produced a Bluetooth 4400 yet.

I took the loco into Rail Tales this afternoon and Bret figured out that you have to remove the drive train on both sides and then you can pull out the motor box. It looks like the decoder will just fit in one of the coal bunkers and a square speaker in the opposite bunker.

Tim
Charlottesville VA


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## piercedandan (9 mo ago)

Unfortunately the 2020 had more than one version motor block. I never upgraded the growler version.

If there is a line down the center bottom and top of the motor block then the wheels must be removed on the side with 4 screws (2 are under the wheels). 
Be careful as these engines had separate changeable springs and brushes and they will 'fly' out and get lost. 
Now you can pull the block apart but the sticker on the bottom may keep it together, I just run an exacto down the middle of the 2020 sticker. 
Now you will see the brass connectors and to upgrade to dcc you must remove the ones to the motor. 
Add wires to the motor and feed up through holes you must drill to get motor connections to the decoder. 
When putting this back together, now is the fun of aligning the motor/wheels for quartering. 

Note: I use a resistor to drop power to the smoke unit as I have 24 volts on the track (Zimo system) and smoke units are 18 volts in these engines and I just use the lever on the bottom to activate the smoke. Other DCC systems (LGB and Massoth) only place 22 volts on the track and some of the other systems are even less.


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## Tim Long (4 d ago)

piercedandan said:


> Unfortunately the 2020 had more than one version motor block. I never upgraded the growler version.
> 
> If there is a line down the center bottom and top of the motor block then the wheels must be removed on the side with 4 screws (2 are under the wheels).
> Be careful as these engines had separate changeable springs and brushes and they will 'fly' out and get lost.
> ...


Pierce,

Thanks for the description! That matches what Bret & I saw as he took it apart. The exploded diagram helped in recovering the different springs.

This model does not have a smoke unit which is good because I haven’t figured out how to use/install a smoke unit that works with Soundtraxx decoders. This model runs on 12 volts so the NCE DCC at 14 volts (+/-) will be just right.

Tim Long
Charlottesville VA


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## piercedandan (9 mo ago)

While the LGB small steam engine does run well at 12 volts, the design was for approx. 22 volts. But this is way too fast for a small steamer. Myself I run some fast diesels at 24 volts on the track via DCC. One needs the larger LGB R5 switches to do this. The little 2 axle engines do run all day at low voltages with the R1 4 foot diameter curves and I use these at my open house as I do not have to watch them!!


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## Tim Long (4 d ago)

piercedandan said:


> While the LGB small steam engine does run well at 12 volts, the design was for approx. 22 volts. But this is way too fast for a small steamer. Myself I run some fast diesels at 24 volts on the track via DCC. One needs the larger LGB R5 switches to do this. The little 2 axle engines do run all day at low voltages with the R1 4 foot diameter curves and I use these at my open house as I do not have to watch them!!


Bret wants this to run on an elevated track at the hobby shop similar to the large scale train at our local Wegmans grocery store. The Blunami decoder will allow him to control it from his iPad.
Now all I have to do is connect wires (the easy part) and reassemble the loco (the hard part).

Tim Long
Charlottesville VA


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

piercedandan said:


> Unfortunately the 2020 had more than one version motor block. I never upgraded the growler version.
> 
> If there is a line down the center bottom and top of the motor block then the wheels must be removed on the side with 4 screws (2 are under the wheels).
> Be careful as these engines had separate changeable springs and brushes and they will 'fly' out and get lost.
> ...


Hi Dan - I'm curious how many volts under load your smoker and other devices are actually receiving through your Zimo system and I assume a Zimo decoder......have you measured it with the appropriate meter for PWM? As you know, most large scale DCC decoder loose about 1 - 2 volts from the track power through the decoder to the installed devices. I'm using 20 volts DCC to my track using either the Massoth or ESU CabControl DCC systems and an LGB 18v. smoker receives about 18 volts under load. Even 22 volts wouldn't be a problem since the smoker would get about 20 volts which it can easily handle. And why do you like using 24 volts DCC to the track which is at the max end for LGB locomotives..........what's beneficial over 20 or 22 volts?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

One short answer: Try running an lgb track cleaning loco on 20v.... also notice the scale speed of an Aristo 3 axle diesel on 20v DCC.... you will understand.

Greg


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

Greg Elmassian said:


> One short answer: Try running an lgb track cleaning loco on 20v.... also notice the scale speed of an Aristo 3 axle diesel on 20v DCC.... you will understand.
> 
> Greg


Hi Greg - I run my LGB track cleaning loco on my garden railway's 400 feet of track all the time on 20 volts DCC with my little Piko 5 Amp DCC system or my Massoth DiMax 12 Amp DCC system and it works great......never any problems?

I don't have a Aristo diesel so I can't give you any feedback on it.


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## piercedandan (9 mo ago)

With my TCL running on my track I can run the loco very slow and the cleaning job is great plus as I use my own decoder, the loco will clean in both directions, just in and out on sidings!!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The first time I ran mine, on a level, smooth SS rail, it would barely move... I had an 18v MRC 6200 on DC.... I've learned over the years.

put a grade on your track, or have really dirty track and 20v might be marginal.

You do installs for $$, so I'm surprised you have not done an Aristo 3 axle diesel... I have... when designing a DCC system the last thing I want to hear is 2 months later is a complaint...

I do warn people about voltage and locos. Personally i try to build my system to be the best possible. I had NCE modify my boosters to raise to 24v, they did not question me why, they knew.

Greg


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

Greg Elmassian said:


> The first time I ran mine, on a level, smooth SS rail, it would barely move... I had an 18v MRC 6200 on DC.... I've learned over the years.
> 
> put a grade on your track, or have really dirty track and 20v might be marginal.
> 
> ...


Greg, I do have a 3 - 5 percent incline on my garden railway, and as I mentioned, no problems running the LGB track cleaner in DCC on it. My second LGB track cleaner is apart for repairs but a couple years ago I ran both at the same time on 20 volts DCC.

Sorry, as an LGB Authorized Service Center I specialize with repairs and DCC sound decoder installs only on LGB locomotives.....no other brand large scale. The three other Authorized LGB Service Centers: 1 only does Massoth; another only does Zimo (unless that's changed); and the third only does LGB locomotive repairs, no DCC installs. But I install and sell the following DCC sound decoder brands and components: Massoth; ESU; Soundtraxx; Marklin MSD3; LGB 65000-series Sound Module; MD Electronics; and Phoenix Sound (install only, not a dealer). So, as a one-man show, dealing with only LGB locomotives is my capacity limit! And I only switched over to DCC five years ago so learning all this is my limit (ugh!).


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

post deleted

whatever.... sure use 5 volts .... I was tryping to help not have a stupid battle


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