Pickup Rollers for a locomotive?

Have you asked the local tech if he has any pick up rollers that will fit this locomotive?

There are SD 45 on ebay where you can see the pickup roller.  It is a small unit and repairer or MTH should have the replacement.

Thanks, gentlemen.  I found one on ebay for $5. I don't often buy from there, but in this case I made an exception.

You'll really want two rollers unless you like wildly blinking lights.

Brad

I have found eBay to be my best friend for finding small items a lowest cost.  Much better than Amazon and any other site.

Charlie

What did the tech do with the rollers that were on the engine?

Forest

@Forest posted:

What did the tech do with the rollers that were on the engine?

Forest

He sold them on Ebay!

Atlas had done (4) rollers, (2 roll pick-up, per truck).  First on their SW9 switchers, and then to other models.

@Brad Trout posted:

Thanks, gentlemen.  I found one on ebay for $5. I don't often buy from there, but in this case I made an exception.

What did you buy?  If this is like most early diesels that I have seen you will need to remove the trucks to install them. You will need rollers, insulating pockets and mounts, and mounting screws.  I can look in my storage unit junk box for a set of rollers and hardware off of a parts engine that is not worth repairing .

If you still need rollers, I have a ton that you may have free, except for the postage.

@ssm - the trek is just far enough that I don't really want to drive there for them!

@DMASSO - thanks for the idea!

@Forest - I don't hold the tech at fault here; he agreed to do the diagnosis and gutting of this engine and diagnosis of another in exchange for the motors from this one.  I just didn't think ahead at that time that I might want the rollers later.

@dkdkrd - that's funny!!!

@Choo Choo Charlie - I agree-- except for the shipping/handling which always seems to be the kicker.  As an amazon prime member, I usually pay no shipping for many items I buy there.

@gunrunnerjohn - after you got me thinking, I did some digging in my parts box and low and behold, found a couple of these.  So between those and the one on it's way, I have at least 2 to install.

@RonH and @Forest - Thanks for the kind offers.  I think I have screws and related parts in my junk box along with the rollers I found from some distant past I don't quite remember.  But, hopefully it's OK if I reserve the right to revisit this with you if/when all the parts arrive and I tackle the job. 

You'll also probably need the insulators or ad-lib some replacements for them.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

You'll also probably need the insulators or ad-lib some replacements for them.

I'll have to pull up a parts diagram somewhere to see what all these various parts are.  I didn't know rollers had subassemblies.    Thanks for the heads up!

Or run a wire with a tiny one-conductor plug/socket from the adjacent powered unit and call it a day.  It'll be just like the real thing...an MU cord from one unit to the next. 

The above message is certified "LASH-UP" free.

@Brad Trout posted:

I'll have to pull up a parts diagram somewhere to see what all these various parts are.  I didn't know rollers had subassemblies.    Thanks for the heads up!

I tried that. No parts diagram on MTH's sight for this engine.

The sub-assemblies are the top and bottom plastic insulators. One on the bottom of the truck that insulates the roller from the truck, and one on the top that insulates the screw.

There's also the hex post and the three screws that hold the whole mess together.   Here's a typical power truck, and the parts needed to assemble a pickup roller.  Although the shape and length of the roller varies, the other stuff is pretty standard.

@Arthur P. Bloom posted:

Or run a wire with a tiny one-conductor plug/socket from the adjacent powered unit and call it a day.  It'll be just like the real thing...an MU cord from one unit to the next.

The above message is certified "LASH-UP" free.

I like that idea the best.

OK, gents.  Lights came today from Evan Designs.  Project completed.  Thanks for all the help and support:  both offers of and moral!

Turns out I didn't have all the endless subassemblies of the rollers from my junk box.  So, I improvised.  I did have the plastic insulator that the roller sits into, and the tiny screw that goes into the roller.

First, I positioned everything so that the screw would be in the very middle of the opening in the base of the truck.  Then I affixed the insulators to the trucks with super glue.  Next I affixed the rollers to the insulators with more super glue, being sure the screw was still in the middle of it's opening.  Allow everything to dry a bit.

From there, solder a red wire to the screw and protect with a tiny piece of electrical tape.  (Tried a drop of Gorilla glue in one of them as an additional insulator, but can't really tell if that helped or not).  Finally, affix the black wire to a screw on each truck.  Test on track with multi-meter.  All good.

Wait another day until bulbs arrive in mail.  Affix those to the wires coming up from each truck/roller.  Test.  Glue bulbs into position (1 with super glue, the other with white glue).

Results:

Looks great, and obviously did the job.  FWIW, I put many rollers on steam, usually on the tender, and I frequently have to roll my own insulators as the trucks aren't made for the factory hardware.  You do what you have to do to get the job done.

You guys are amazing in your ability to fabricate these eentsy modifications. I have neither the patience nor the dexterity to even try these projects. You are to be commended.

Arthur, these aren't that small, it's just mechanical work for the most part.   For really small, try some of these surface mount parts, this is all hand soldered.

@Arthur P. Bloom - Thanks for the kind words!  I am not a big fan of these types of "fussy" projects either, especially the manual dexterity part.  So...if I can do it, so can you!

I used to work on printed circuits at The Phone Company, sometimes being required to swap out components on PCB's. But as the peripheral neuropathy advances, things don't stick to my fingers the way they used to.  It also seems that the gravity settings in my house have been increased. Parts that used to stay on the workbench keep escaping to the floor.