Adding power functions to narrow engines

[towerwarlock]

I am wanting to add power functions to several 6-wide engine designs I have put together. However, with the battery box and the receiver unit being 4 wide, most of the diesel engine designs i have found, do not have the room to modify to add them. Unlike most of the modern European engines, there is not enough room. Can anyone offer any help?

[greenmtvince]

There's really only 2 ways to do this with a North American Hood unit. You can use the modified tiles for the sides like in the new Maersk SD40-2 or you gut the powerfunctions system like I did in the picture below for this Alco S4.

I used a 9V LiPo battery as my power source since it's only 16mm (2 studs) wide and relatively cheap. Just solder on the leads from a 9V battery connector right to the IR reciever board and it works perfectly.

I removed the PF IR reciever from its casing removed the IR reciever itself from the circuit board to make it much easier to fit in the tight 6 wide cab.

I've taken the most extreme ways of doing it. There's ways where you can create a 9V battery connector to PF cable so you don't have to mess with the IR reciever (there's a tutorial on MOC pages,) and if you make the cab 5 studs long you can probably fit the whole IR reciever in there.

[TaltosVT]

Eric Kingsley did a nice conversion of one of his narrow-hood locomotives. Basically he hid the majority of the battery in the diesel's fuel tank, then covered the top part with panels.

You can see images here: http://www.trains-n-town.com/mediagallery/media.php?f=0&sort=0&s=20101029222556545

-Elroy

[Tearloch33]

I have a BNSF GP-38 that I am modifying for PF. Basically, I am taking the easy way out by hiding the battery box and half the IR receiver with decals that I am custom making to match the color scheme. I seriously looked at using a commerial LiPo battery like another poster did, but I wanted to avoid using my unskilled electrical knowledge. After seeing the pictures of the future TLG Cargo Train set, that also uses decals (or maybe they will actually mold the battery box in red?) to "hide" the battery box in the 4 stud wide body, I feel better about my decision. I will post a couple of pictures with where I am at (no decals yet, and still need to order some peices to complete the build). I also was able to create a "push button" for the battery box on/off switch very similar to that used in the current cargo trains set (#7939).

I am sure there are many "custom" options, it just depends on how intrusive you want to be with your modifications. I do like the idea of recessing the battery into the fuel tanks, but that would require a custom base to be made (and I don't desire to go that far right now).

[Brickimad]

Adding PF to narrow trains, or for small engines is practically impossible!!!

Of course, with the older 12v and 9v external power motors, it was only the motor, leaving space inside the cab for all the other bits.

Now apart from the motor, and wire, there is the huge battery box and the IR sensor unit.

"progress", I suppose.

One way to get round the problem is use the next rolling stock as the "power module" and run the cable into the engine. Only thing is that you'll have a cable showing, and need to disconnect/reconnect the cable when re-coupling the train.