Within the last few years, relatively speaking, AF/Lionel switched from slider pickups to roller pickups. Has anyone had any issues with the roller pickups?
Thanks,
Steve
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They can break if not handled right and they are difficult to find a replacement for. Lionel doesn't have any for Flyer engines.
As Bill said, they work great if handled with care. These roller pickups are far better than the design used on the latest runs of Legacy diesels.
Would you guys prefer the rollers or the sliders?
Steve
On current production diesels there is no choice. The FlyerChief engines I have seen have the small diameter rollers. The Legacy diesels rely on the wheels and springs to pick up the current and get it to the motor controller input. The spring are very fine wire which fails. Fortunately there is an aftermarket fix that uses heavier gauge springs because six of my seven new Legacy engines failed within days.
The original Gilbert sliding pickup shoes worked well on the Gilbert track until they wore through. That did not take long. Today there is not a good fix for those. The replacements are designed differently and are a challenge to install.
On FasTrac and SHS/MTH track (.138 NS) the rollers work much better in my opinion.
amflyer who makes the aftermarket rollers
Sorry, I was not clear. PortLines sells aftermarket sliding shoe replacements for Gilbert engines. There are no aftermarket rollers I have ever seen. The fix for new Legacy engines with failed truck conductor springs was developed by Carl Tuveson.
The S gauge community is lucky to have Carl. He has designed many wonderful things for S gauge locomotives.
He really does a lot for S gauge and he's right up there with Don Heimberger in my opinion.
I STRONGLY agree with Roy Boy about Carl !!!!!
Bob Guckian
