What motor block is this?

[g-bits]

Do you mean the little red two-pin connectors? If so, that's very interesting, as I've got a whole load of those here already - I hadn't thought to try one as a connector for the motor block under the railbus, though i do need to re-wire it for DCC, so I'll give that a go!
If they are the same ones I'm thinking of, then I think that technically the bit you're using is referred to as the "female" end of the connector - the "male" is the shrouded bit that the other plugs into, which seems the wrong way round until you notice that the shrouded part actually has the two exposed pins inside, which fit into the two holes in the end of the female half......

Jon.

No, from the description those sound like the JST RCY type, also sometimes refered to as BEC, and less helpfully as just plain 'JST'. These anyway :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DC_connector#JST_RCY_connector
They are used on some Aristo wiring looms (almost all the Art19351 B-type trucks I've ever had have included converter cables to translate between them and something else whose name escapes me which I think Aristo used on early runs of the FA etc.), and I also use them on DCC friendly HLW blocks.

As for the male/female issue, my understanding dates back to using MIL-spec 'bayonet' connectors (where the internals could be put in either way round), and that in the first instance male/female dictates the behaviour of the two bits of the case relative to each other. If there are assembly options after that (like the Mil-spec), then you need to specify that too, but in the case of the SM type there aren't, even though the SM 'plug' is internally configured as a socket. Same applies to the RCY type - the one on the left in the wikipedia picture is the socket, even though it has solid pins inside it, and the plug on the right has mechanically shielded hollow metal tubes that wrap round the pins.

Clear as mud? It is of course also possible that someone has sneakily changed the convention while my back was turned all these years.

Jonathan
g-bits

 

[Zerogee]

Yes, those red JST-RCY types in your link are the ones I am thinking of - so those are NOT the ones that fit the USAT block connections.....?

Jon.

 

[g-bits]

Yes, those red JST-RCY types in your link are the ones I am thinking of - so those are NOT the ones that fit the USAT block connections.....?

Jon.

Correct. Just happen to have been designed by the same people, hence similar name. But the red ones do fit some Aristocraft, my modified HLW mac blocks and lots of R/C gear.

Jonathan
g-bits

 

[PhilP]

Convention for JST RCY connectors is that that smaller connector (with holes in) is MALE, and the larger connector (with pins in) is FEMALE.

So, to really confuse you:
The male connector has female receptacles, and the female connector has pins!

 

[Zerogee]

Correct. Just happen to have been designed by the same people, hence similar name. But the red ones do fit some Aristocraft, my modified HLW mac blocks and lots of R/C gear.

Jonathan
g-bits

OK, thanks - do you have a link to a pic of the type that fits the USAT block?
I've used the red ones a lot in wiring up locos, and as battery connections and flying charge leads on my two "multi-power" track/battery DCC locos.....

Jon.

 

[g-bits]

OK, thanks - do you have a link to a pic of the type that fits the USAT block?

Jon.

Here's a link to a pic of the JST SM type I *believe* fit the USAt block.
https://www.makerlab-electronics.co...-to-Female-Wire-Cable-Connector-5-Pair-02.jpg
(No connection to the seller, they just had a nice clear image on their site)

***But I haven't tested it yet. I have some on order and will post the result when I have tried them, as well as adding them to my range if they fit.

Jonathan
g-bits

 

[PhilP]

If I could find the *&%* motor-block... I would try one for you!

 

[Zerogee]

Here's a link to a pic of the JST SM type I *believe* fit the USAt block.
https://www.makerlab-electronics.co...-to-Female-Wire-Cable-Connector-5-Pair-02.jpg
(No connection to the seller, they just had a nice clear image on their site)

***But I haven't tested it yet. I have some on order and will post the result when I have tried them, as well as adding them to my range if they fit.

Jonathan
g-bits

Thanks - I think I have some of those around here somewhere too, I bought a bunch of them a while back - some 2-way, some 4-way and some 6-way (the latter to be used as umbilical connections between locos and powered tenders).

Jon.

 

[g-bits]

***But I haven't tested it yet. I have some on order and will post the result when I have tried them, as well as adding them to my range if they fit.

The JST SM's have now arrived and as far as I'm concerned they DON'T fit. They do sort-of fit the holes on one size of block but it's the outside of solder joints that are contacting the block pins, they won't play with the actual sockets in the plug. Similarly the catches don't engage at all.

So I think that it's a bust. Use LGB connectors or lengths of brass tube as Dunnyrail said in his post.

I do suspect these connectors are used for the circuit boards on at least some USAt locos but I only have one complete machine here and I think it's been modified anyway, so I'm not really in a position to tell.

If anyone wants to pay for the stamps I'll happily mail them a couple of sets, but I think you'd probably be wasting your time.

Jonathan
RDE

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I think there is some confusion here, it seems one person is talking about the round pins on the end of the motor block, and the other person is talking about the connector that is on the end of the stock wiring from the motor block.

The 4 "connectors" on the end of the motor block are just metal rods protruding from the end of the block.

Then there are 2 cables that have round sockets on one end and 2 pin JST type SM connectors on the other, and different sexes for the track and the motor ones.

So I think the OP wants to connect to the pins, and some people are thinking this wiring harness is in place and all you need are the JST SM connectors as shown above.

Greg