# USA motor block wiring



## honeybooboo (Jan 10, 2014)

Bought a old Bachmann Trolley to run for some of the older folk in our club, of course it lasted all of 7 1/2 minutes before it went up in smoke.
I wish to install a USA Trains 2 axle motor block in it as they seem to be the best on the market but cant find any wiring diagrams for the 4 pins ?
??? anyone done this before ? Pictures or link to article ? Did search came back Neg on my end.
Thanks....

Boo Boo


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Its actually a really simple solution, Here's what I do. There are two sets of brass pins, one one end of the block. You need to bridge that gap between the pins for the block to get power from the track pickups. one set of pins is + the other set is - . Take a thin brass strip that's just wide enough to fit in the slot housing the two pins, cut it to length short enough so it can be bent into a C shape that can be fitted over the pins and act like a clamp bridging the two pins, then just use some electrical tape to secure the clamps in place, and your ready to go. 

Now this is the dumb-simple way to jack the block, if you are looking to hook up any directional lighting or DCC or whatever, then your probably going to need to find a two wire pin connector that will fit that slot, you could then just slice the leads coming out out the pin to each other to get the same pin gap track power jump I described above, then you can connect the power lead to whatever stuff is on the trolley, just remember the two pins on one side are + and the other are -.

How you mount it will be up to you as I have no experience with the trolley's underside


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

The two inner pins go to the wheel pick-up contacts (of the same side) and the two outer pins go to the motor.


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

USA uses single pin connectors..for each of the 4 pins on a motor block..
Wires have a small round female end that presses onto the motor block pin..

Good luck..have fun!!

Dirk


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

What Todd and Dirk said. Done a few myself.

Greg


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

If you tie the pins together, the motor is reversed from the standard.
LGB blocks can have adjacent pins ties together, USA needs cross wiring, OR just flip the motor 180 degrees!!!!


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## honeybooboo (Jan 10, 2014)

Thanks Gentlemen, I ordered one and it's on the way. USA Trains parts dept is awesome.......Thanks Mike.

Boo Boo


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