LGB 26630 Plymouth Switcher Tips

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The LGB 26630

101114_girr_lgb_26630_wp_3_9226.jpgThis LGB 26630 Plymouth Switcher followed me home today as a door prize. Like most LGB stuff, it ran fine out of the box on DC. It draws 260 mA with no load (but with lights) on the bench and 4 amps stalled at 18 volts. The loco is wired to accept a DCC decoder and even sound, but it is not a "standard" socket. The manual does have the pinouts though. It has no smoke unit.

This is one of the ones made in China, but it looks just like the German built locos.

There was a 175 HP gas mechanical loco on the WP & Y that carried the number 3. It was originally US Army 7651 and was destroyed in a roundhouse fire in 1969. I have not been able to locate anything more substantial on the prototype. Since LGB painted these locos up in various ways, (i.e. D&RGW 50) I assume that the model doesn't look much like WP & Y #3 except for maybe the paint.

I also have not found any photos of Plymouth locos that used siderods. Even though it says Plymouth on the front, the instruction booklet calls it a Davenport.



Size and Scale

101114_girr_lgb_26630_size_vs_davenport_9231.jpgI'm not sure what scale this loco is, it looks pretty big. This photo compares a 1:20.3 scale Davenport switcher to the Plymouth. This is either a VERY big Plymouth or it's way bigger than 1:20.3 scale. It is 10" long over the end beams, 6" high and 4.5" wide. I searched the internet for something similar and found only obviously smaller locos in the 18 to 20 ton range.



The Mechanism

101114_girr_lgb_26630_wp_3_mechanism_9227.jpgThe bottom side is pretty typical LGB. There are 4 driving wheels driven by intermediate gears, a 7 pole Buhler can motor and a pair of sliders. One wheel has a traction tire. This same switcher is also offered in a 6 wheel configuration, the slots for the center axle are visible as well as the clearances in the power conductor strips to step over the center axle.



Couplers

101114_girr_lgb_26630_stock_coupler_9230.jpgThis one came equipped with LGB knuckle couplers which would make a natural for the GIRR Mtn Division (which uses LGB couplers) but it doesn't look like conversion to Kadee couplers will be especially difficult.



DCC Conversion

101114_girr_lgb_26630_wp_3_pwb_9228.jpgUnder the hood (8 screws to remove the hood and cab) is a printed wiring board that interconnects the loco. There is a harness coming up from the brick (motor/pickups), another going to the switch in the cab that allows some control over the motor and lights, a couple of small connectors that go to the power socket on the rear and the rear headlight and one connector for the cab light.

The non "standard" DCC socket is fitted with a jumper plug. The manual defines the pinouts for this connector so another type of decoder can be installed. I have not investigated what type of decoder is still available that would plug right in, but it probably would not have sound and still be pretty expensive if it still exists.



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© 2010 George Schreyer
Created 14 Nov 2010
Last Updated December 18, 2010