Detailing the Heljan AC Railbus

[roythebus]

Hello Roy, thanks for posting this, do you have a picture of the pattern or the code so we can look it up ?

 

Best regards

Craig.

 

I have the code for my BEA coach moquette but not the railcar stuff.

[brossard]

Possibly off topic, but I'm wondering if the four marker lights should all be on.  Somehow I got the lights direction backroads on but by reversing the wires I managed to get everything showing properly.

 

There should be a tail lamp too I'm thinking, but in 1962 that would be an oil lamp.

 

(I just got the sound decoder and speaker installed (AAAAARGHHH!) so relieved at that.  (Aside:  the requirement to solder the speaker leads to very tiny pads near the decoder pins nearly had me giving up - what a faff!  Surely Heljan could have come up with something easier for bodgers).)

 

John

Edited November 14, 2017 by brossard

[Dava]

Can anyone who has fitted this suggest:

 

What DCC chip is recommended for the Heljan 0 gauge AC Cars railbus? [sound or non sound].

Specifically, what amp rating?

 

I am likely to convert to DCC as a late adopter, and this may be the only Heljan item in my collection.

 

Thanks

 

Dava

[brossard]

Dava, I got mine from Digitrains.  You will need sound file ZS100A if you go the sound route:  http://www.digitrains.co.uk/ecommerce/search/zs100a-railbus-soundfile-for-zimo.aspx (not the W&M version).

 

I have the Zimo MX644D (in all my locos) and a Loksound 50332 V4 4 ohm speaker.

 

The sound file can be uploaded to a Loksound decoder if you want.

 

John

[roythebus]

Having looked at the underframe details, the dampers seem to be the same as those fitted to the GWR railcar at Tenterden, and the same as front shock absorbers fitted to the TD bus at the London Bus Museum, and the same as those on FX4 taxis! 

[dibber25]

Having looked at the underframe details, the dampers seem to be the same as those fitted to the GWR railcar at Tenterden, and the same as front shock absorbers fitted to the TD bus at the London Bus Museum, and the same as those on FX4 taxis! 

 

If you mean the dampers between the body and chassis, I am told they are MGB shock absorbers, as AC Cars were fitting to the Cobra sports car at the time. So, yes, presumably a standard automotive component. (CJL)

[Dava]

On 17 June 2018 at 00:26, brossard said:

Dava, I got mine from Digitrains.  You will need sound file ZS100A if you go the sound route:  http://www.digitrains.co.uk/ecommerce/search/zs100a-railbus-soundfile-for-zimo.aspx (not the W&M version).

 

I have the Zimo MX644D (in all my locos) and a Loksound 50332 V4 4 ohm speaker.

 

The sound file can be uploaded to a Loksound decoder if you want.

 

John

 

I finally got round to dismantling and trying to fit a DCC chip into the Heljan O Gauge AC Cars railbus. The leaflet said a 21 pin chip and didn't specify make except for sound where it recommends ESU Loksound. I'm not bothered about fitting diesel sound as its expensive and irritating, just my opinion. Also I find Loksound very finicky to set up.

 

But after removing the blanking plate, the ZEN 21 pin chip I have is a very loose fit and doesn't connect electrically with the pins. I had recently fitted an identical chip to a Heljan 05 successfully.  So is it necessary to splay out the connecting pins on the board to make contact with the chip socket, or is a Loksound chip necessary? I thought a 21 pin was a generic fit.

 

Advice welcome.

 

Dava

[brossard]

I got mine done some time ago and don't recall any decoder fitment issues.  I did have an electrical problem with motor connection so had to take it apart to repair that.  There is a rats nest of wiring inside and getting it all back in again was like the proverbial barrel of monkeys.  It's been in its' box for months.

 

I had to install a Loksound decoder in my J39 and had lousy start performance with the back EMF.  I fixed this by the use of a little known feature of Loksound called Autotune.

 

John

[neal]

I don’t know whether others have had the same issue, however my model has increasingly been susceptible to gear ‘jumping’ when accelerating or braking hard. This relates to the O gauge model.

 

Having investigated this twice, I think I have resolved the issue.

 

The drivetrain to each axle has a ‘floating’ gearbox which includes a series of gears extending from the motor worm to the axle.

 

This is held in place by a keep-plate retained by screws at either end.  There is some 

’slop’ between this gearbox and the motor worm, and a small foam pad appears to be in place to keep pressure on the gear connecting to the motor drive.  It appeared that this pad had degraded such that there was inadequate pressure between the gear and worm, and under relatively minor stress, this ‘jumps’.

 

To resolve this I swapped the degraded pad, with a short section of plasticard angle (3mm x 3mm, appx .6mm thick) which fits snugly between gearbox and case, and provides adequate pressure between gear and worm to prevent jumping.  This is clear of the gears and appears not to compromise requisite clearances.

 

This, combined with a good clean of wheels, pickups and pick-up ‘grooves’ to the axles, resulted in good smooth running again.

 

 

(Note: photo taken before wheels cleaned and pick-ups adjusted)

 

Hope this makes sense and is of use to others,

 

Neal

Edited January 9, 2020 by neal