Reverse board with AC motor

[Woofer]

I have a Lionel Rail Diesel Car equipped with a three-poll AC motor: with a solenoid activated reversing unit: and without a sound board.  I bought an W-by-B No. 00249 REVERSE BOARD with LOCKOUT so that I would not ever have to clean the E unit's rotating drum and it's contacts in future.  In your 2015 catalog you advertised "electronic sequence reversing for all locomotives".  I also bought a W-by-B No. 00252 GP 30 TRUE BLAST* PLUS sound board for my RDC engine.  When I received the instruction sheet for your reversing unit it stated that "This board is designed for use with DC motors..."  I do NOT have a DC motor.  Your catalog does NOT mention this requirement.  I have the following questions:
1. How can I get my new 00249 reverse board to work with my existing AC motor?
2. Can I successfully power my existing AC motor with DC current supplied with my new reverse board?
3. Can I power my existing AC motor's field windings with AC current and it's rotor windings with DC current supplied from my new reverse board?
4. If parts of my existing AC motor are supplied with DC current will the RDC car run at slower speeds?
5. Will my new True Blast Sound Board work off my existing AC current or does it have to be supplied with DC current from my new W-by-B Reverse board?
6.  Does W-by-B manufacture a REVERSE BOARD with LOCKOUT that is specifically made for AC powered motors?
7. Should I return the ordered reverse board and sound board for a refunds from Bachmann because they won't work with my equipment?

[3rail]

Dear Woofer,

The reverse board is designed to work with all Williams locomotives. They have always used DC motors. We will revise our description in the catalog going forward to avoid any confusion.

We do not make a reverse board specifically designed for AC motors.

I found this information on the Internet, but I cannot confirm it will work without having a locomotive with an AC motor to test it, so use it at your own risk:

Here is a method to operate the AC motor with a DC board and rectifier.


Hot + DC wire from Reverse unit to one AC terminal of the bridge rectifier
The armature across the + and – of a Full Bridge Rectifier
The other AC terminal of the bridge to one of the field coil ends
The common point of the field coil to DC ground on the PC board.

The True Blast Plus board will operate off of AC track voltage and can be triggered with a transformer that has a horn AND bell buttons. 

Older transformers with just a whistle button may work, but will only activate one sound. (IF the rectifier is still in good working condition. Many disc rectifiers degrade with time and do not function properly.)   The horn will blow if the hot lead is connected to the center rail and the bell will ring if the hot lead is connected to the outside rail.

If you do not wish to install these items in your Lionel RDC car, you should return them to the retailer where you purchased them.

Regards,

3rail

[tomplatten]

You will need to install a Dallee Electronics Reverse unit!

[Len]

The WBB should work with a universal AC motor, and control direction, with the addition of a Full-wave bridge rectifier.

Disconnect field coil connection to frame ground on the side of the motor and connect it as follows:

Make the following connections to the Full-wave bridge connections (Both AC connections are generally just labeled 'AC', I call them AC1 and AC2 just to show they don't get tied together):

[ + ] to the Field Coil end on the motor center tab (Green wire from electro-mechanical e-unit was here)
[ - ] to the Field Coil end from frame ground (Bare wire, insulate with heat shrink tubing)
[AC1] to Motor Brush1 & Reverse Board Blue Wire (Was yellow or blue wire from electro-mechanical e-unit)
[AC2] to Motor Brush2 & Reverse Board Yellow Wire (Was yellow wire from electro-mechanical e-unit)

The Red and Black wires from Reverse Board go to the Pick-ups and chassis ground respectively.
The sound board plugs into the normal connection on the reverse board.

It's important to make sure the Field Coil ends only connect to the + and - terminals of the rectifier, and nothing else. Especially chassis ground.

Len

[RobbParnes]

As per my knowledge older transformers with just a whistle button may work, but will only activate one sound.
If the rectifier is still in good working condition. Many disc rectifiers degrade with time and do not function properly.
The horn will blow if the hot lead is connected to the center rail and the bell will ring if the hot lead is connected to the outside rail.