# Why do old LGB Mogul Tenders appear to be miswired?



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

This has bothered me for years...

Once again I am working on my old LGB Mogul Tenders and once again I cannot help from being puzzled by what appears to me to be illogical wiring of the back round plug connectors of old Mogul Tenders.

LGB always appears to use *RED* to identify the right track contacts (wheels, drivers etc.) of locos & tenders etc. LGB also always seems to use *BLACK* to identify the left track contacts. LGB Circuit Boards confirm this by marking them in German for RED or BLACK according to the track side.

When I look at the inside back of the tenders I find the wires appear to be reversed with the *RED* feeding the left side of the tender connector and the *BLACK* feeding the right side of the tender connector.

This causes a problem for me in that when I add an LGB Ball Bearing set to a Coach or Driver's Caboose I wire it with the right wheels feeding the right side of the coach/caboose and left wheels to the left side.

This results in a short when the coaches with ball bearing wheels are connected to old tenders with the rear plug reversed.

There has to be a logical reason why LGB did this but I cannot figure it out. It is easy to swap wires in the tender to fix it but I would rather know why LGB did this - or if I am missing something obvious.

My concern is that if I "fix" it for myself, that some future owner might have a problem if they expect the tenders to be wired the way LGB diagrams show them to be.

With the old LGB and LGBoA gone my main sources for LGB info are now gone.

Surely someone must know why LGB wired their tenders this way. It may have to do with something LGB did before they converted to the new square type of connectors (and why their 68334 adapters are all black).

Does anyone here know the reason for this?

Thanks,

Jerry


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Maybe LGB intended for those plugs to provide power to light cars from the engine and not to have power coming into the tender from the cars. Do you need to have additional power coming into the tender?

If you do, reverse the wires coming into the tender from the cars, with red left and black right.

Chuck


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

chuck n said:


> Maybe LGB intended for those plugs to provide power to light cars from the engine and not to have power coming into the tender from the cars. Do you need to have additional power coming into the tender?
> 
> If you do, reverse the wires coming into the tender from the cars, with red left and black right.
> 
> Chuck


Hi Chuck,

Both the Moguls & the tenders have track contacts.

The Mogul will run without the tender and the tender will light the coaches without the Mogul.

By coincidence, years ago I bought a lighted Drover's Caboose with reversed BB Wheels.

Since all my tenders that I have looked at recently have been "reverse wired" I am hesitant to keep reversing them as my memory is not reliable to remember having done it.

Since all my LGB coaches now have the new LGB lights and new square connectors it is easiest to use or make LGB 68334 adapters when used with "S" or "D" Moguls.

This could somehow be part of LGB's purpose as the old LGB screw in coach light holders were far easier to install and did not need soldering or partial coach disassembling.

Getting old is a ..... but playing with my toy trains helps.

Somewhere I am sure someone knows why LGB did this.

Jerry


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