The USRA Long Tender

[dan3192]

I purchased an HO USRA Long Tender, Item #89831, and it is DCC Ready. I operate on DC only.

I'm trying to find an electrical schematic for the circuit board inside so I understand how the two wiring harnesses are used. Does anyone know how this PCB operates or where I can find a schematic for it?
Not sure if I should remove it or hook up to it in some way.

Dan

[jonathan]

Dan,

http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/dwg/dwgs/H825X-IS001.PDF

The link is a diagram of the Heavy Mountain with USRA Long Tender.  It won't spell out the wiring of the harnesses.  You can trace the wires as the connections are marked on the Board.  Suffice to say one plug is for the headlight and the other plug is for electrical pick up wires and power return to the motor.  This connection is NOT universal.  In other words, the USRA long tender plug will not match up to say, the 2-8-0 Consolidation.

Which locomotive do you wish to match with the tender?

Regards,

Jonathan

[rogertra]

As we keep suggesting here, when you swap tenders, you keep the circuit board that came with the loco's original tender and place that into the new tender.  Yes, it may require some minor surgery on the tender but we are modellers and it isn't that difficult.

[dan3192]

Jonathan,

Thanks, now I know what engine it belongs to.  I do see the wires are color coded and the identifying markings on the board.  I have a multitester and will do some checking.  I'm converting some of my engines to on-board battery power and 2.4 GHz radio control.  This longer tender will go with an Athearn Genesis 2-8-2 Mikado (or possibly a Bachmann 4-6-2 Pacific) to accomodate larger batteries.

Roger's(?) idea of keeping the original tender's PCB is fine, but the Mikado engine had an NMRA harness and there was nothing inside the tender.

I appreciate the responses provided.

Dan   

[richg]

Just plug in the DC adapter. It should run ok. No idea if the PC board has a resistor for and LED or no resistor for a light bulb. A simple visual should let you know. Look for a resistor. You will see an R next to the resistor if there is one. There may be more than one resistor. One Bachmann loco I have has three resistors for one headlight. All also had a diode in series with the headlight and resistors. Bachmann varies the PC board stuff a lot. Use you meter to find out the value and trace the wiring.
Bachmann is quite consistent with their inconsistency.

Rich