Beginner’s question on HO Roco OBB 1016

[Keith Addenbrooke]

All, I wonder if I might tap into the collective wisdom of the Overseas Modelling Forum again?  I’ve been test running an HO Roco OBB 1016 ‘Taurus’ that I’ve acquired ‘good as new’ (#63680).  I only run DC (so I have to do my own singing when it sets off 😀).  As you’d expect, it glides beautifully, but my question is this:

 

Even at a reasonable speed, the directional LED lights are very dim (both front and rear).  Is this to be expected?

 

I’ve usually bought older, lamp lit locos from the pre-DCC period, where excessive ‘light bleed’ can be a problem, so this is a new one on me.  I wondered about the following (I admit I’m guessing):

 

1.  The LED’s need to be suitable for DCC running on 16v so are bound to be dim when drawing less than 12v DC?

2.  The tinted headlight covers have quite an dulling effect?

3.  My other models have been too brightly lit?

 

Hope it’s OK to ask for any thoughts.  Thanks, Keith.

 

 

 

[ellocoloco]

The service sheet for that loco shows it having bulbs, not LEDs. It dates from 2007. I reckon it will need a decent turn of speed for bright lights.

 

 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

12 hours ago, ellocoloco said:

The service sheet for that loco shows it having bulbs, not LEDs. It dates from 2007. I reckon it will need a decent turn of speed for bright lights.

 

 

Thank you @ellocoloco - I stand corrected: this model does have bulbs (I must have been looking at the spec for a later release, sorry).  Better still, I had another look in the box and there’s a folded copy of the Service sheet under the packing too.

 

Given this model is older than I thought (which shows how well it had been looked after), I’m wondering if a spot of careful lubrication might help?  That’s something to think about later.  Thanks again for the advice - spot on!  Have a good New Year, Keith.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Having found the Service Sheet, I used some free time this afternoon to remove the body.  The instructions were very good, and showed exactly where to put each of the usual four cocktail sticks to release the body.  This showed how small the lamps are:

 

 

And how small the apertures are for the light bar:

 

 

This confirms @ellocoloco’s observation that the loco needs to be going at quite a lick for the lights to show - there’s nothing amiss with my model (and it was nice to see how clean everything is ‘under the bonnet’).  A few dabs of oil where indicated and a change of couplings and a four-car push-pull service is running on my test track (between the loco and four coaches - all Roco - I started with four different types of coupling: fortunately I had enough pairs to connect a train!).  Here’s to 2023, Keith.

Edited December 31, 2022 by Keith Addenbrooke