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MrB

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  1. MrB
    After a spell of work at home and away, I have still been really busy since the new year and appear to have no time for modelling, although I have managed to find sometime to make the wheel pick-ups more reliable and rotate easier. There are 2 A4's and 2 A1's still to be renumbered, as the old numbers have been removed but not time to number them yet .
    The prototye was to hard solder some wires from the wheel around the axel then back on the wheel, but that was more hassle than it was worth and the results were poor. The plastic bushes could take the heat as long as you in no way touched them then they melted. After a month of thinking I decided to give 'wire glue' a go.
     

     
    1st was to secure the spring away from the wheel where I'd be working, also at this stage burnish the wheel where the contact is to be made.
     

     
    2nd thing was to solder a connection to the wheel, not a good idea as two of the plastic bushes found out.
     

     
    2nd this is then to open the 'Wire Glue' and give it a good stir. Then apply using a cocktail stick leaving to set.
     

     
    Finally wheels attached for the third time to the prototype.
     
    Although this makes an improvement the connectivity still not as good as i'd liked, think on the next two wagons i'll try;-

    Making one bogie with two pick-ups for the left and the other bogie to have two pick-ups for the right, (easiest) As the prototype one for left/right on each and to connect wires at each end, (most fiddly) and to add some weight to the prototype to improve connectivity. (best to do anyway)
  2. MrB
    Having made the prototype light fitted ballaster, the time has come to fit lights to the other 4 wagons in the rake.
    For me the first step was to sort out the wheel sets to allow electrical connectivity (the pick-ups), for these I used the DCC concepts spring

    The wheel set on the left is as it comes, and the one on the right is with the insulating coating removed.
    I removed it using 600 emery cloth.

    The above photo shows the insulating bush, this is between both wheels and the axle.

    This shows the wheel removed from the axle to allow the spring to fit.

    As above and below to remove the wheel I used two sets of pliers, levering one against the other to carefully remove the wheel, but allowing the snipe nose pliers to slide up the axle avoiding any scratches or damage to the axle or wheel and ensuring the wheel is removed square.


    Above, one done 19 to go.

    Above all done, still have to complete the electrical pick-up as there is still no connection from the wheel to the axle.
    Also there is always one, one of the plastic bushes is loose on the axle, a dab of clear nail polish and a back-to-back gauge check is all that's required then allowed to set. I used a grip to hold the spring away from the glue, as if the spring was to be glued to the axle it wouldn't be free to rotate.
    Remember to roll the wheel sets to ensure the flanges are square, if they are not I would replace with new ones as a wobble could cause de-railment.
     
    In part two i'll solder an electrical connection between the axle and the wheel.
     
    Roy
  3. MrB
    Above shows the components for modification and sound equipment for fitting.
     
     
     
    Above and below show the modifications to the tank and the speaker fitted.
     
     
     

     
    Above and below show the speaker, tank and the battery box fitted to the loco
     

     

     
    Above shows the assembled loco.
     
    Hope this is of some help, will post another blog showing the mods I made to the early Bachmann class 66s pickups.
     
    Regards
     
    Mr B
  4. MrB
    The easiest and quickest way is to remove the bogie frames as shown below in DSC01157.jpg or to strip the whole loco and remove the whole bogie as shown in DSC01160.jpg. I've done this work to improve the original class 66 electrical pickups for DCC sound.
     
     

     
    The Above Image shows the 1/16" x 0.005" x 6" Phos. Bronze Strip from Slaters soldered behind the existing pickups.
     

     
    The Above Image shows the strip cut to length bent and completed
     

     
    Above shows how I've wired the loco for directional lighting.
     
    Hope this is of some help.
     
    Regards
     
    Mr B
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