Gentlemen I need a wiring diagram of the board in the Weaver 2-8-0 tender so I can add and connect pickups that will allow it to operate over Roco dead frog turnouts. Weaver does not have one. Thanks!
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Reply author: jscorse Replied on: 2007 July 11 9:40:53 PM Message:
quote:
My new Weaver 2-8-0 hesitates at all 5 of my turnouts. A friend's Weaver pacific also dies on one of his turnouts.
The Weaver 2-8-0 has terrible pickup. Only the front and rear drivers pickup from the track. Theoretically the center (blind) drivers can pickup but without a flange they are virtually useless for truly contacting the rail.
The tender trucks are designed for pickup from the rails but they dont have actual contact with the tender frame.
You can improve the situation it by taking each tender truck, clean the blackening from the wheel tread of the non-insulated side and attach a 4-5 inch flexible pickup wire under the head of one of the bolster sideframe screws. Replace the trucks making sure to reverse one of them so that you will have one truck picking up from the right rail and the other truck picking up from the left rail. Drill a 1/8 inch hole in each end of the tender floor (don't drill through the circuit board by accident!) so you can fish the wires through the floor and connect them to the "dog bone" circuit board. Attach the wire for right rail to the circuit board tab marked "RPK" and the wire from the left rail to the tab marked "LPK"
For a more deluxe pickup method you can always add wheel wipers to the other tender truck wheels for 8 wheel tender pickup. If your layout has 36" or greater radius curves you can order two extra flanged driver axle sets to replace the blind drivers. My all flanged 2-8-0 negotiates 36 inch radius switching curves with no complaint.
No matter what you do remove that gawd-awful smoke puffer mechanism from under the boiler (only one screw) and your 2-8-0 will lose that slow speed stutter and wheel hop.
Jim Scorse
Thank you, I appreciate your help!!!
I second that thanks. Your input gives good reason to pull mine out of teh box and get it sorted out and running.
Al O.
You're both welcome but the big thanks goes to Jim Scorse for documenting his fix. 
Matt
