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Dutchman
Administrator
USA
23230 Posts |
 Posted - 11/13/2011 : 09:58:45 AM
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Just last night I was reading about the Ken Kidder locos in the latest issue of the Gazette, and here you are working on one.
Interesting project. |
Bruce
Modeling the railroads of the Jersey Highlands in HO and the logging railroads of Pennsylvania in HOn3 |
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masonamerican
Crew Chief
Sweden
530 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2011 : 10:11:30 AM
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Very good idea and robust. I have put pickup on all tender wheels but not tried any pickup on the loco. With this type the pickup reliability will be much improved.
Thank you for sharing.
Håkan |
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Greg Rich
Engine Wiper
284 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2011 : 10:37:10 AM
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Bruce,
I've heard it said that "things happen for a reason".
Hakan,
You're more than welcome,
Greg R. |
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Dutchman
Administrator
USA
23230 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2011 : 6:34:18 PM
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| Greg, that article in the Gazette referenced an article in the July 1962 issue of Model Railroader that detailed how to rebuild and detail one of the 2-6-0's. |
Bruce
Modeling the railroads of the Jersey Highlands in HO and the logging railroads of Pennsylvania in HOn3 |
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closetguy
Fireman
USA
1288 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2011 : 6:39:32 PM
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Nice work Greg. Very clean. How viable is the wire you strung between the two pickups?
Mike M |
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adrian_batey
Crew Chief
Australia
670 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2011 : 7:03:47 PM
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| I know what i will be doing tonight. I have a few Hon3 locos that i have been working on and this is just the trick to improve the pic ups. Should make a big difference if i do this and the tender trucks on my locos |
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George D
Moderator
USA
9907 Posts |
Posted - 11/13/2011 : 9:27:47 PM
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Great idea, Greg. Thanks for showing us how you did it.
George |
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Greg Rich
Engine Wiper
284 Posts |
Posted - 11/14/2011 : 06:58:18 AM
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Mike,
The wire I soldered between the two new electrical pick-ups is really a piece of .020" Phosphor bronze wire that I got from Tichey. The wire is relatively stiff and it sits high enough above the rail so that I should not come in contact with the frogs that it will traverse. It is also high enough between the drivers that in "normal" handling, I would really have to work at stressing it to the point that it will get into mischief., and even if it does get into mischief, it's a simple job to re-solder it back into its assigned location.
Adrian,
I think you'll like this technique. The best of luck and remember, . . patience does it.
George, Thanks for the positive comments,
Greg R. |
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Greg Rich
Engine Wiper
284 Posts |
Posted - 11/15/2011 : 9:18:15 PM
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Well, It's time to talk about mounting the electrical pickups on the tender trucks. I used the same technique on the tender as I described for the locomotive but with a couple of new twists.
Not having the luxury of the "great" amount of space as I enjoyed on the loco, I had to "work" at making the most of the space that was provided. I also had to straddle the truck mounting screw and spring assembly in the center of the bolster. (see pictures)
Circuit Board
To start with, cut circuit board, copper clad both sides, 2 per truck. File these to fit the under side of the truck bolster. These tiny pieces have to clear the mounting screw and spring and allow the truck to swivel freely. When satisfied that these newly fabricated pieces will fit and provide the clearances needed, the trucks are disassembled and both pieces of circuit board soldered in place to the underside of the bolster. The same thing is then done on the second tender truck.
Brass Tubes
Next, cut 4 pieces of brass tubing (2 per truck) that fit between the gauged distance of the tender wheel-sets. Locate these brass tubes on the circuit boards parallel to the wheel axles in such a way as to ensure that when the pin/KD spring is inserted, the spring will force the pin head against the inner wheel, providing good electrical contact. Note: Be certain that the tube is short enough that it will not come in contact with the opposite wheel, which would cause a dead short. Once you have determined this location and tubing size, solder the tubes in place to the circuit board. (Once soldered, these tubes should be electrically isolated from the truck bolster.)
Assembly
Assemble the trucks & contacts,(pins & springs) keeping the insulated wheels to the side of the new contacts. Install on tender chassis.
SO, . . . If done correctly, all the wheels on one side should be common with the tender chassis and all the wheels on the other side should be:
a) isolated from the chassis and,
b) common to your new contacts.
Here's to happy soldering and patience,
Next we're going to close the gap between the Loco & Tender.
Regards,
Greg R.
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adrian_batey
Crew Chief
Australia
670 Posts |
Posted - 11/15/2011 : 10:58:45 PM
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| Really enjoying this rebuild. Don't think i will be able to fit all that between a hon3 truck but it is interesting to see how you do it. I will hvae to be creative and come up with something else. |
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Dutchman
Administrator
USA
23230 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2011 : 08:56:17 AM
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| Creative solution on the electrical pick-ups, Greg. |
Bruce
Modeling the railroads of the Jersey Highlands in HO and the logging railroads of Pennsylvania in HOn3 |
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dougcoffey1950
Crew Chief
Canada
899 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2011 : 09:04:26 AM
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| Yes, love the pin and spring idea. I have a couple locomotives to try that out on. |
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Greg Rich
Engine Wiper
284 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2011 : 6:40:49 PM
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Adrian,
In putting pick-ups on HOn3 trucks in the past, I have again resorted to my KD parts box. The phosphor bronze centering spring used in the coupler box makes a pretty good wiper if cut to the proper shape. These wipers can also be soldered to a piece of circuit board. Wire leads can then be soldered to the board and routed to the appropriate terminal.
Bruce & Doug,
Thanks for the kind words.
Greg R. |
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Greg Rich
Engine Wiper
284 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2011 : 8:54:18 PM
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Well, There are certainly a lot of details that needed to be addressed on this little engine. So far, we've reassembled and rail tested it, rebuilt the front coupler (and off-line mounted a KD on the rear), added electrical pick-ups on both the tender and the loco and now we're going to address something that I just couldn't leave alone; the serious case of "gapp-osis" between the loco cab and the tender. It's been "buggin' the daylights" out of me since I first joined the two. So, I fixed it.
Below is a picture of the loco as built, with it's obviously major gap and not to mention, UGLY link.
My plan is to reduce the gap to as small a clearance as possible without allowing the tender frame to touch the Loco chassis (which would cause a short) when negotiating curves on the railroad. My first course of action is to disassemble the loco and its link. Below.
Next, I removed the mounting lug on the rear of the chassis using my Dremel and a cutting wheel.
With the lug removed, my next order of business was to relocate the loco link stud.
The new location is on the loco chassis, under the motor carrier bracket. It's the black square, flat area at the rear of the chassis as pictured below.
I drilled a hole identical to that in the old mounting lug hole, and installed the original lug screw stud and insulating washers. This stud needs to be electrically isolated from the loco chassis.
I then fabricated a "test link" that would allow me to temporarily link the loco and tender at my desired new distance of 2mm. The loco and tender were then rolled around the layout's tightest curves and a #4 turnout. This was done to be certain that the new desired 2mm gap would prove sufficient. It turned out that my first guess was pretty close. So, my new gap is to be 2mm versus the old unsightly 7mm gapp-osis. Sorry, but I didn't take any pictures of the test link. But, It was just a piece of .040" bent brass wire.
Next I fabricated a new link from some phenolic sheet stock that I had in my junk box. I found that I had to relieve the loco frame about .040" or so for the new link to clear and swing free. Due to the amount of new wiring required for a Tsunami installation, the loco and tender will be permanently joined when the job is completed. The new link and loco stud location are pictured below.
AND, Last but not least, the view of a crew member satisfied with the new gap of approximately 6 scale inches. No more jumping from tender to loco with a shovel full of coal!
Due to family obligations and the Thanksgiving holiday, the work on the old 2-6-0 will come to a screeching halt until the first week of December. At that time, I am hopeful that I will have my new motor in hand and we can proceed with its installation.
Regards,
Greg Rich
President & Chief Wheel-knocker
New Baltimore & Fair Haven Rwy.
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dougcoffey1950
Crew Chief
Canada
899 Posts |
Posted - 11/19/2011 : 9:17:42 PM
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| Great job of moving the tender up Greg. That always drives me nuts too. On a couple I even fashioned tender aprons to help with the visuals. |
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Topic |
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Repowering an HO Ken Kidder 2-6-0
