# LGB 26192 - C&S Mogul - Light power to Cars?



## CptLanier (Jun 4, 2012)

I have a new LGB 26192 Loco/Tender - track is complete and I've finally started purchasing cars to go with the set. Very exciting part of the process for me, but as I collect cars - I also want to start gearing them up with lighting, etc...

My dad has a old LGB that came as a starter set - and he recently upgraded to the LGB 2080D - both of which had/have 2 little pin-holes on the back of the loco - where you can plug in the red/black cables - and more or less daisy-chain power to all of the trailing cars. Now - I ASSUMED all LGB's would be this way and that lighting would be as simple as that - but apparently I was mistaken  When I printed out the blueprints/manual for my 26192, I see that it SHOWS a socket on the back of the tender that has red/black leads connecting to it - but when I look at my tender - i see the little black rectangle, but cannot for the life of me figure out how I get that thing off...

Is that how I should be setting up the lighting anyhow?


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

The rear of the tender has a small rectangular plug. 
The newer LGB locos have this connector and it is standard 100 mil spacing. 
There are kits for converting the 2 round to 2 pin rectangular connectors. 
Train-Li a sponsor here stocks the polarized 2 pin LGB connector for the locos as well as the 3, 4, 5 and 6 pin connectors.


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## CptLanier (Jun 4, 2012)

Yes! Fantastic info, thank you! To remove the plug, just pliers or is there a screw I need to release?


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## mbendebba (Jan 22, 2011)

If you need to pry it out by using a tool, a small flat screwdriver behind what looks like a hinge will do the job. 
Have thought much about the kind of lights you want to put in your cars. If you haven’t you should. 
If your train are running on DC, you would be better off with light boards with built-in 5V voltage regulators. The lights will be fully bright when the train is barely moving If you put in Light boards without voltage regulators the lights would remain dim until the train is running at a fast pace. 
If you are running DCC (LGB MTS), it would not matter. 



Mohammed
http://www.allaboutlgb.com/
http://www.massothusa.com/


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## CptLanier (Jun 4, 2012)

Running on DC, so a board with a regulator would be optimal. Do you by chance have any links where I can find some? Current cars I have are the LGB 3062, 3071 & 3019 - ill probably add about 2 more 3062/3071's...


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## mbendebba (Jan 22, 2011)

you could try my website. 


Mohammed 
http://www.allaboutlgb.com


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## CptLanier (Jun 4, 2012)

By the way - totally correct, plug is out, prongs exposed. Now I just need the lights and an adapter for the plug to the tender, if necessary!


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## mbendebba (Jan 22, 2011)

We have everything you may need. 



Mohammed


http://www.allaboutlgb.com


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Posted By CptLanier on 04 Jun 2012 06:28 PM 
By the way - totally correct, plug is out, prongs exposed. Now I just need the lights and an adapter for the plug to the tender, if necessary! 
Have you considered spending a bit more money and using individual power pick-ups on each car for the lighting.
Eliminates the daisy-chaining, looks more prototipical and makes it easier to couple/uncouple individual cars.

Knut


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Posted By mbendebba on 04 Jun 2012 06:21 PM 
you could try my website.

Very nice website Mohammed.

And W3C compliant - I'm impressed!
Loads like a flash

Knut


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## mbendebba (Jan 22, 2011)

Thanks Knut, I have been working at it. It has become my other hobby. 

Mohammed


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I would rather do with out the connecting wires. The carbon pick ups that run on the inside of metal wheels do a good job. The best way I have found is to use LED's with a voltage rectifier and a capacitor to eliminate flicker. I just did the Thomas Coaches with 6 LED's and the cap, works very well, could use the stock Bachman wheels. I can set you up with all of the parts.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I choose LED light strips for my cars. 

The ones from Train-Li have a regulator and bridge and light up starting at 8 volts and power can be AC, DC, DCC from the track. 

And I use wires between the cars as well as the power plug/jack to the engine and cars have power from the track. The more track contact for power pickup the better a train will run on track power.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By Dan Pierce on 05 Jun 2012 04:47 AM 


And I use wires between the cars as well as the power plug/jack to the engine and cars have power from the track. The more track contact for power pickup the better a train will run on track power. 



This is true.

However, one has to recognize that there can be consequences. If you run your railroad from track power and have "blocks," the engine can be in one block while the railcars would be in another letting the current "bridge" between the blocks. If the engine comes to a block that is purposely dead to stop the train, the railcars will let power "spill over" from the prior block and the train keeps on running until the last electrically attached railcar is also in the dead block, and by then, the engine may have moved on to the next live block that is hopefully running off the same power pack with the current switched in the same direction. Furthermore, when all but the last set of wheels on your caboose, observation car, etc., have "passed on" to the dead section, you can draw a whole lot of current through that last set of wheel contacts and wires running through the last railcar that were never designed for that much current.

On the other hand, if you pull all of you lighting power from the engine, you can pull a lot of current through just a few wheels causing micro-arcing and undue pitting.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

A block has to be longer than the longest train, otherwise a short can occur from any metal wheel on any car bridging the gap regardless of any wiring like in a freight train. 
Since I run metal wheels on all trains, the wiring does not matter, the wheels will create a short. 
And to anticipate future change, the block needs to be at least 2 cars longer than the longest train in case a car or 2 are added in the future.


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## TJH (Dec 27, 2007)

If you go the onboard carbon pickups on the wheels of the cars, just know that this can add a lot of drag to the train and limit the number of cars your locomotive can pull. As has been discussed on other threads here, the LGB Mogul is not the strongest puller. If you can afford it, using ball bearing pick up axles is your best bet.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Posted By Dan Pierce on 06 Jun 2012 05:36 AM 
A block has to be longer than the longest train, otherwise a short can occur from any metal wheel on any car bridging the gap regardless of any wiring like in a freight train. 
Since I run metal wheels on all trains, the wiring does not matter, the wheels will create a short. 
And to anticipate future change, the block needs to be at least 2 cars longer than the longest train in case a car or 2 are added in the future. 

Actually, no it doesn't, it isn't always practical, or necessary, and we have several that aren't. You just have to recognize the consequences of the arrangement and plan accordingly, ( i.e., have the prior/next block set for the same user or be sure that the other user has their controls set for the same direction).

For example where you have two turnouts to change from one set of tracks to another, those two turnouts would constitute a block separate from the two mainlines.


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## CptLanier (Jun 4, 2012)

Thank you for everyone's input on my first question here. What a helpful community, certainly compared to some message boards. I'd like to shamelessly plug Mohammed's site, allaboutlgb.com - with a phone call alone, he was able to assist me in every detail and now every car in my set has good, steady lighting with very minimal effort on my part. Everything came individually wrapped with directions as what went with what, spelled out very clearly. Thanks again, will without a doubt look you up every time I get a new car, and when it's time to outfit my dads new cars. Thanks!!


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

In the case of a dog bone, there are not multiple blocks involved, and for most running trains, human error will prevail, so the block (read dog bone loop) MUST be longer than the longest train!!! 
I repeat, a metal wheel will create a short plus the electrically challenged will find it difficult to find root cause. 

For those not fully understanding wiring, electronics, you must use the KISS principle.


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