# Help-MRC Black Box on USA FA-1 Diesel



## OGC5 (Nov 25, 2008)

Hello Large Scale Forum, I recently built my first garden Railroad and am expanding it now with a couple of Diesel engines. Both are FA-1 Santa Fe .USA Trains and an Aristocraft. I need help installing sound.
According to Lantz web site I could add the Diesel sound to my G scale USA Trains FA-1 by using a MRC 0001817 decoder along with a MRC 0001050 Black Box. It was supposed to be easy install. I also ordered a MRC 10 amp G transformer, the FA-1 Santa Fe Diesel and the sound items from them. When I got the sound decoder the instructions were a little complex for me so I took the items to a local Train hobby shop that does mostly HO scale. The owner informed me today that it appeared that the items might not have enough power to work correctly but he was checking with the MRC tech. 
I called MRC and spoke with the Technical dept. and they said the Black Box was only 1.5 amp and confirmed that it might not work with the USA Engine.
Will this system work or not? Thanks for any help or advice. I live near Bradenton Florida and am retired.


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

I was interested in the Black Box to use with my LGB trolley. It is probably fine to use with something small like the trolley which may pull 1 amp but a bigger two motor engine would probably overload the engine. The Aristo FA-1 will pull a couple of amps. A USA Trains loco like the F-3 will even pull more amps.

-Brian


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## OGC5 (Nov 25, 2008)

Thanks for the reply Brian. Did you mean overload the Black Box? or the actual motors? From my somewhat limited knowledge about the system it looks like the Decoder wires into the motors and you use the DC Transformer to provide the track power but the Black Box then takes control and runs the train as well as supplying sounds. I am calling Wholesale trains tommorow and asking why they are advertising this for G scale diesels if it does not work correctly. The instructions for the Black box and decoder are very confusing, oh well it was made and Printed in China.
Tom


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

I never got around to buying one since all I could do with it is independently control the lights. Here is that thread - http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/34/tpage/1/view/topic/postid/34179/Default.aspx#34179

-Brian


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## OGC5 (Nov 25, 2008)

Called Wholesale Trains this morning, of course all the Big shots were off this day after Thanksgiving. The guy on the other end was trying to tell me all kinds of B.S. just to get it moved from his dealing with it. I kept my cool and asked if I could return the items...Duh? he did not seem to know.I referenced their web site which clearly said it could be used with G scale Diesel and also that I had telephoned before ordering and a Lady confirmed it would work. Anyway I told him to quit the shuck and Jive and help solve the problem. He put me on hold and when he returned he said the Tech people told him it would work but I would need to disconnect the smoke units. 
I have purchased lots of stuff from these folks but their customer service is lacking so this may be my last order with them.


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Join the club!









-Brian


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## johnnyjt (Mar 11, 2009)

Hi 

Yes! You can use MRC Black Box on large scale DCC locos! You have to use a Power Station to boost up the amps required. 

MRC Black Box emulates F0 to F28 of DCC System to a loco at Address 3. I use MRC BB to run my USAT GG-1 

JohnnyJT 
South Philly


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## OGC5 (Nov 25, 2008)

Thanks for the infomation Johnny but I sold the stuff on ebay at 1/2 price. I explained to the buyer it might work better with HO scale. I never got a satisfactory answer from Wholesale Trains(Lantz) They gave me some shuck & Jive about how the smoke unit needed to be disconnected ect. I replied that their web site never mentioned any such requirement and also the speaker was a tiny 1". I am somewhat new to the hobby but am not stupid, they misrepresented the items and I have crossed them off of my vendor list.
OGC5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efus1QaEYIA


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The decoder is a 5 amp decoder, it should have been fine. I am running some ad322 decoders. The MRC stuff is not real reliable or high quality, so maybe they were afraid you were going to blow it up. The documentation shows it is a 5 amp decoder with an 1-1/2" speaker. 

The Black box is rated at 1.5 amps as far as my research tells me. 

So, my opinion is that it would not have been a great combination for a single loco, and definitely not for 2 locos... now this is based on specs, not actually testing... it could be capable of more, who knows. 

(Johnny ran it on his USAT BB and that is definitely not a low-current loco!!!) 

Regards, Greg


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