Powering Emerald Night

[La Petite Brique]

The Cargo train does not have an "M" motor.

An "M" motor will power it though. The motor from the cargo train wont, unless you put it on the carriage or something.

Sorry to bother you, so if I put the Cargo motor in the tender or the passenger car, I can power the Emerald Night ?

I'm asking that because I can get the Cargo for a good price.

Thanks for your help.

[Carefree_Dude]

Sorry to bother you, so if I put the Cargo motor in the tender or the passenger car, I can power the Emerald Night ?

I'm asking that because I can get the Cargo for a good price.

Thanks for your help.

You could, but it would be difficult and ugly. You would also have to fit the battery box in the passenger car, or get an extension cable going to it, as well as shoving the IR sensor in there.

Why not must spend the 9 bucks for the xl motor?

[La Petite Brique]

You could, but it would be difficult and ugly. You would also have to fit the battery box in the passenger car, or get an extension cable going to it, as well as shoving the IR sensor in there.

Why not must spend the 9 bucks for the xl motor?

The idea is to put all the PF parts (from 7939) in a longer tender or in a passenger car.

So if the PF parts can pull a Cargo train, it should also push my Emerald ? Or am I wrong ?

I'm just trying to understand how PF parts and gearing works.

Thanks for your help.

[MetroiD]

6 AAA batteries have the same voltage but less capacity... you could take one of those square 9V batteries and potentially run your train, but only for a few minutes!

I've had the EN for some time now but had totally forgotten to order the PF train powering set until it was too late. My LUG is having an exhibition this weekend and I've fortunately managed to get a hold of all the other stuff I need, but the only battery box I can currently obtain is the 8881. So, if the above is correct, the conversion which a pal was planning to do on my 8881 box - using a square 9V battery instead of a 8881 box in order to power the train AND fit in the tender - won't really work. Bad news, I guess So I'll probably just have to go with the 8881 box sticking out of the tender, ugly as that might look - since I don't really have any alternatives, or time to order off BL.

[hoeij]

I've had the EN for some time now but had totally forgotten to order the PF train powering set until it was too late. My LUG is having an exhibition this weekend and I've fortunately managed to get a hold of all the other stuff I need, but the only battery box I can currently obtain is the 8881. So, if the above is correct, the conversion which a pal was planning to do on my 8881 box - using a square 9V battery instead of a 8881 box in order to power the train AND fit in the tender - won't really work. Bad news, I guess So I'll probably just have to go with the 8881 box sticking out of the tender, ugly as that might look - since I don't really have any alternatives, or time to order off BL.

If you have the new passenger train or cargo train, the battery box in there will also fit in the Emerald Night because it's the same size.

[Lego Otaku]

If you have the new passenger train or cargo train, the battery box in there will also fit in the Emerald Night because it's the same size.

THe PF battery box (both the rechargeable and the 6x AAA box) has studs on top so you can hide them by adding some black plates and topping it off with a few round 1x1 plates to make it look like the tender's overflowing with coal.

[CarrollFilms]

Yeah... so much simpler than just adding a 9V motor. I'm so glad TLG switched

Seriously, though... they at least need a better battery box, something you can put AA batteries in that works with PF and fits on the train. That way, if I want rechargeable, I just use generic rechargables and don't get stuck with some $50 LEGO battery (BTW, the list is missing the charger - #9833; the battery is not much good without a charger... another $25).

I'm glad LEGO made it so much cheaper and simpler for the kids.

Now I wouldn't talk about 9V like that, PF has way more dis-advantages than 9V.

1. Needs batterys

2. Needs to be recharged.

3. Needs to be remvoed from set/MOC in order to be re-charged

4. Can run for only a few hours (4-5) before needing to be re-charged

5. can't control motor speed without IR Speed controler and reciever (extra $30)

Advantages

1. Can run on 9V and RC track

9V advantages.

1. Can run for hours and hours

2. is only a total of $35 for motor and controler

3. can be converted with PF's

Disadvantages

1. needs 9V track

This is pretty much saying that a 9V is better than PF's from my stand point. I do use PF's but that is temporary, until I get my motors in the mail. If you really want to switch to motors costing you $75 go ahead, but i'm sticking with my 9V!

[Lego Otaku]

Now I wouldn't talk about 9V like that, PF has way more dis-advantages than 9V.

1. Needs batterys

2. Needs to be recharged.

3. Needs to be remvoed from set/MOC in order to be re-charged

4. Can run for only a few hours (4-5) before needing to be re-charged

5. can't control motor speed without IR Speed controler and reciever (extra $30)

Advantages

1. Can run on 9V and RC track

9V advantages.

1. Can run for hours and hours

2. is only a total of $35 for motor and controler

3. can be converted with PF's

Disadvantages

1. needs 9V track

This is pretty much saying that a 9V is better than PF's from my stand point. I do use PF's but that is temporary, until I get my motors in the mail. If you really want to switch to motors costing you $75 go ahead, but i'm sticking with my 9V!

you forgot a couple things:

RC advantage: can be used anywhere, can be used even in power failure. Track layout limited to available space, that is you could have track a mile long with turn around at both end and it'd keep going. Also could use any tracks made by Lego in the last 30 or 40 years

RC con: no official "+" cross track like 9v has. Either put up with metal rail or older grey or blue 4.5v version.

9v disadvantages; can't do turn around loop (single track switch, circle tracks to both end) without shorting both rails together, and can't do really large track layout without needing more power units. Most defiantly can't do a mile long track layout. Also no double crossover track like RC has, #7996.

9v is probably best for long play or for showroom or conventions. RC is for short play

[hoeij]

9v is probably best for long play or for showroom or conventions. RC is for short play

9v is simpler because you don't have to figure out a spot where to put the

battery box and the PF receiver. But RC also has a number of advantages

(that are already mentioned numerous times here on Eurobricks, so I'm not

going to repeat them).

[peterab]

PF has way more dis-advantages than 9V.

4. Can run for only a few hours (4-5) before needing to be re-charged

9V advantages.

1. Can run for hours and hours

In practice on the M>LTC club layout, the RC cargo train with an extra motor (pulling a bunch of extra cars) way outperformed our 9V motors. We have gotten into the habit of only running our 9V train for an hour at a time, and sometimes even this is too much for them, and they overheat and cut out. The RC train (and the new yellow PF train) were surprisingly robust, and the RC train ran far more than anything else over the two days of our last show. We also had a lot of fun running multiple trains on a loop at a time. The RC train was also the only one capable of going fast enough to fling cars off the side of the layout around curves. We got through the whole show (just) on one charge of the rechargable AA batteries in the RC train, but we had to swap most of the other 9V trains (about 6 other trains) out at various times due to overheating.

Much of this may be because the 9V motors we have are older, and we don't yet know how the RC/PF motors will last, but currently a I'd rather depend on a new RC or PF motor than buy a potentially worn 9V one.

[CarrollFilms]

I use 5 9V motors on my EN and it has 8 total passenger cars, I run it at the 4th notch or what ever you like to call it, and it runs fine, I have a 126 piece track layout with only 1 power unit, never slows down and works perfectly fine, I usually will run them from 9AM - 4PM at shows without changing trains, even though I have 4 trains running at once on my layout. Not one over heated, and I've had these motors since 1997.

Edited September 20, 2010 by CarrollFilms

[peterab]

I use 2 9V motors on my EN and it has 8 total passenger cars, I run it at the 4th notch or what ever you like to call it, and it runs fine, I have a 126 piece track layout with only 1 power unit, never slows down and works perfectly fine, I usually will run them from 9AM - 4PM at shows without changing trains, even though I have 4 trains running at once on my layout. Not one over heated, and i've had these motors since 1997.

Some of the older 9V motors were reputedly better made than the later ones, but our show trains seem to be longer and heavier than yours. As an example we run about 16 Santa Fe coaches, about half of which are double decker Mocs. We use three motors on that train. Some of our more worn motors pull far less and still overheat. We have about twelve 9V motors and at times had difficulty finding one to run.

[hoeij]

We have gotten into the habit of only running our 9V train for an hour at a time, and sometimes even this is too much for them, and they overheat and cut out....

9V motors can indeed break (that's why I bought quite a few spares) so you have to be careful with them. I'd definitely be concerned if their load is heavy enough to make them run hot. For such loads I'd feel much more comfortable using the new PF train motors because they seem to be stronger (certainly have lots of torque).

[Carefree_Dude]

I love the PF motors simply because of how powerful they are. Also with a few modifications, you can make them run off 9v track. If you modify them to make them run off 9v track, the only real drawbacks are range of the remote, and you still have to have room for the battery box and receiver. Oh, and cost. Also, unless lego 9v motors start being made by a different source, they will eventually become extremely hard to come by and very pricey.

[CarrollFilms]

Some of the older 9V motors were reputedly better made than the later ones, but our show trains seem to be longer and heavier than yours. As an example we run about 16 Santa Fe coaches, about half of which are double decker Mocs. We use three motors on that train. Some of our more worn motors pull far less and still overheat. We have about twelve 9V motors and at times had difficulty finding one to run.

See I don't do that to my motors, what I do is have 2 motors for every 3-4 train cars, depends on how heavy, and 1 with the engine. so I have a total of 5 motors pulling my EM 4 motors in my passenger cars, and 1 in my tender, which puts very little stress into my motors

[Carefree_Dude]

I'd really like to see 16 santa fe coaches being pulled. That would be awesome.

[CarrollFilms]

I'd really like to see 16 santa fe coaches being pulled. That would be awesome.

Not going to happen with PF's!

[peterab]

Not going to happen with PF's!

I hope you are joking. Here's a quote from Railbricks;

"Longer trains/Stronger Motors - The new PF train motors are equal to or stronger than the 9v motors. Trains built with standard PF motors (Either the Medium or XL motors) and brick-built motor bogies are head and shoulders above 9v in terms of pulling power/tractive effort. At Brickworld 2009 a train strength competition was held and none of the 9v locomotives using non-LEGO power supplies could even come close to out-pulling the PF locomotive."

[CarrollFilms]

I hope you are joking. Here's a quote from Railbricks;

"Longer trains/Stronger Motors - The new PF train motors are equal to or stronger than the 9v motors. Trains built with standard PF motors (Either the Medium or XL motors) and brick-built motor bogies are head and shoulders above 9v in terms of pulling power/tractive effort. At Brickworld 2009 a train strength competition was held and none of the 9v locomotives using non-LEGO power supplies could even come close to out-pulling the PF locomotive."

I only said that because it would be a b***h to finally assemble it, just with a 9V you just attach it and put it on the track. I just put very effort into internal design with all those Gears, but that's me.

[peterab]

9V motors can indeed break (that's why I bought quite a few spares) so you have to be careful with them. I'd definitely be concerned if their load is heavy enough to make them run hot. For such loads I'd feel much more comfortable using the new PF train motors because they seem to be stronger (certainly have lots of torque).

I think one reason my PF and RC trains got such a workout at the last show is the owners of the 9V may have been trying to protect their motors. We do like to run long trains as kids seem to like that, and all the reports we've seen from others doing shows is that 9V motors heat up over time whatever trains they pull. I imagine over time we will use more and more PF motors.

[peterab]

I only said that because it would be a b***h to finally assemble it, just with a 9V you just attach it and put it on the track. I just put very effort into internal design with all those Gears, but that's me.

It's a horses for courses thing I think. Given I'm enjoy designing a custom steam engine that will be PF driven, removing the b***h factor would probably remove some of the fun for me. The new PF train motor is also reputed to be stronger than the 9V one so thats an easier option. The strength of the power functions range is there's a bunch of different options. One of the things I didn't like about 9V was that the motor restricted where you could place it due to it's wheel arrangement, it wasn't even as flexible as the 12V motor in this regard which could have a center wheel added.

[domboy]

Ok, I've read through this thread but I still have questions about powering the Emerald Night, which I hope to purchase next week (please Lego keep it available for one more week at least!!). I'm new to Lego trains so please pardon my probable ignorance.

According to everything I have read, the recommended power source is:

8878 Rechargeable Battery Box. This appears to be 8 studs long, and four studs wide. Not sure on the height. Output voltage is 7.4 V

However, it looks very similar to this new box:

88000 Power Functions AAA Battery Box. This also is 8 studs long, four studs wide. Also no sure on the height. Uses 6 AAA batteries, for maybe ~9V, I'm not sure if this is exact or not. Description says "Powers 2 XL-Motors or 4 M-Motors at once Same size as #8878 LEGO® Power Functions Rechargeable Battery Box."

Would it be possible to use 88000 instead of 8878? To power the Emerald Night (or the new 10219 Maersk Train for that matter)???

[AussieJimbo]

Yes, you can use the AAA battery box or the rechargable box, they are interchangeable.

:classic:

[domboy]

Yes, you can use the AAA battery box or the rechargable box, they are interchangeable.

:classic:

Great, thanks for clearing that up!

[mrklaw]

Hope you don't mind the bump..

Just built my recently purchased EN and want to power it. I have all the parts except the XL motor - I have spare medium motors from 8043 excavator though. Will they work or will I need to buy an XL motor?