I agree that they are called classification lights but all the stuff I buy says marker lights. People looking on the manufacturer's web site will be able to find them if they put in what the manufacturer calls them. It's like the railroads call them turnouts and the modeling world calls them switches. At crossing 7 decades this year, I could care less what they're called as I'm more interested in working on my hobby. A rose by any other name is still a rose. A lot of stuff for me is 'good enough'.
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SP AC-4 assembly (cont)
Tender:
Speaker and electronic components installed. This is the first engine where I have tried the new 'sugar cube' speakers. I've only got about 7 of the old PFM edge speakers left. The 'sugar cube' speakers give a good quality sound; being steam, it's important to have the low frequencies. They are not as loud as the PFM speakers but one usually doesn't need the sound to be too loud.
Engine:
Pre-test of sound before assembling engine.
Had to solder one of the small valve linkages as it was broken in the middle.
Some 1/16" thick lead sheeting rolled and installed for the smoke box area. A hole drilled in the lead and a small screw used to secure it.
With the lead added to the smoke box, the spring was a little weak to support the extra weight so a spring was put over the existing plunger and a black plastic washer was CA'ed (thick stuff) on the plunger to secure the spring.
First, the front engine drive assembly was attached to the boiler. It takes a little 'fiddling' as there are 4 steam pipes that aligned into the steam chest cylinders plus 2 screws in front and 2 more in the back.
The back engine drive assembly has a male/female connection between the two engines(for motor power transfer to each gear box) plus a sliding steam pipe to be connected.
Everything was bench tested after each procedure.
Had trouble with the lead trucks coming off on the layout (railroad!): found some burrs along the slot that needed to be cleaned up.
To be safe, I ran an extra wire from the motor to the back of the engine that connects to a wire coming out of the tender. I figure that this wire, which normally connects to the rigid engine frame, but in this case, connects to the pivoting frame, which probably doesn't have as good electrical contact to the motor as the pivoting frame only touches the boiler via a small piece of brass and the plunger.
A nice quiet runner, with the sound off. Difficult for me to get clear pictures with the engine moving.
