WHAT’S ON THE WORKBENCH AT THE MOMENT

How does something like that happen? Internal wiring short?

@Lou1985 posted:

How does something like that happen? Internal wiring short?

Hi Lou

It could be many different things. Hard to tell where it started because different areas are burnt up pretty bad.

Alex

I was hoping there was a main cause. I'm always interested in why things failed.

Holy poop Alex!

This engine is going for over $4,000, used, on ebay.  At that price I wonder if a call or copy of your video to Lionel would produce a good will offering?

I would think that they would want to know the cause too.

That's terrifying as an owner of one. I hope this is an isolated incident.

What a mess Alex, but that locomotive is in good hands.  I'm sure you'll have it running good as new!

It’s a very isolated incident, I work on VL BB constantly and this is the first one like this. When I take it apart I’ll take a closer look and see if I can find exactly where it started from.

Alex

Alex will have that all sorted out, good as new, ,....but first, he’s got to be a forensics fire investigator...😉...right man is on the job!

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

Alex will have that all sorted out, good as new, ,....but first, he’s got to be a forensics fire investigator...😉...right man is on the job!

Pat

Thank you Pat !

Did you buy that one at Dowsers on Dekalb Avenue

After Alex posted his response about finding the exact cause, I heard the distinct theme of Law & Order- LOL!!!!!

@bluelinec4 posted:

Did you buy that one at Dowsers on Dekalb Avenue

Yes ! It’s slightly used but it will work just like the one the guy showed me in the store LOL 😂

@Lou1985 posted:

Got this thing running. Came with no boards, minimal wiring, no motor, and no driveshaft. The only wiring in the locomotive were the 10 pin connectors on each end of the wireless drawbar. I ended up combining a spare PS2 3V harness from a Railking 2-8-0 with what was left of the Yellowstone harness. It was a bit of a PITA, and took awhile, but it works. I installed a ball bearing 9434 Pittman in the locomotive and a PS32 board in the tender. It runs well and is massive. It's larger than my Premier AC6 Cab Forward and has less than 1/4" clearance in several spots around my layout. So no more articulateds for me....

Boy  Lou , I certainly  envy your  talents.

After accumulating various doner parts and engines it must be a lot of fun getting the results that you are achieving  in your pastime.

@Alex M posted:

It’s a very isolated incident, I work on VL BB constantly and this is the first one like this. When I take it apart I’ll take a closer look and see if I can find exactly where it started from.

Alex

Let us know what you find. I'm curious how it got that burnt up.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Boy  Lou , I certainly  envy your  talents.

After accumulating various doner parts and engines it must be a lot of fun getting the results that you are achieving  in your pastime.

Thanks. I'm not that talented. I'm just putting stuff back together. I'm not machining parts or anything crazy 😉.

Years ago in Trains magazine in an article featuring the Quanah, Acme, & Pacific Railroad there was a picture of Hubert Wells standing beside a QA&P caboose quite similar to this one.  I am still searching for that photo, but it will turn up some time.

This caboose is cast metal, and a person might be able to defend his home with it.  No decals for this project exist so I will be printing them myself.

@SIRT posted:

                          #1,904...

Your work is always nice to see. A very good  job on the pipe load build

This is has returned to the bench now. I need to add some mud flaps and paint the wheels and it’s ready to Piggyback

Working on Dad's Marx Engines.  Has five shoe tubs of them.  Here's an 1829 and a 333 apart.  Both are working great now.

Kelpieflyer, now that’s enjoying the hobby. Keep us posted.

nice  job Alex HOPE you'll show a video when repairs are all done .  nice to se a badly damaged overheated engine come back to life  as always you do a terrific job repairing any engine. I especially liked the VLBB you repaired that the guy that owned it destroyed it ! the right repair man was repairing that Lionel vision line !

Alan

@Alex M posted:

Yes ! It’s slightly used but it will work just like the one the guy showed me in the store LOL 😂

Did the guy in the store show you on this one?    You put on an attachment and it cleans upholstery

Just "completed" my first attempt at a die-cast upgrade.  It looks like I need some well-placed tape to block some of the light underneath.  I am upgrading the SuperStreets police vehicle right now.  I'll post when I get that finished!

Dennis

Today on my bench is the old Lionel o27 Piggyback car.

Just coming off the work bench today from an ERR upgrade is my Lionel 6-18018 Southern 2-8-2 Mikado Steam Locomotive & Tender. It came from eBay with sound and transformer control. I removed the Constant Voltage Board thinking I wasn't going to need it but soon found out I did need it for the lights on the locomotive. I had to figure out which lead was input and output and ground. It all worked out pretty good. Had to clean out the smoke unit, it was all gummed up.

I picked up my 4th MTH Premier Santa Fe 3460 class Hudson back in October. It was mint but missing boards and the motor. All wiring was there. I installed a ball bearing, rare earth magnet, 9234 Pittman. I tracked down a set of PS3 boiler and tender boards and installed them today. It's fully functional and runs very well. Pat, @harmonyards, made up a set of recessed alan bolts for the roller side rods as well.

Well I'm back at stuff again. I'm turning a MTH Premier Nickle Plate USRA Mikado into something resembling an ATSF 3129 class Mikado. Tender is done and converted to oil firing. next up is adding ATSF gingerbread (number boards, headlight, bell) to the locomotive to "ATSFize" it.

Making a Fuselage transporter following the Feb 2004 OGR article.    [url=https://postimg.cc/HVCcVzmV][img]https://i.postimg.cc/Yqv1DDyf/20210720-142226.jpg[/img][/url]

As of a month ago, I am a member of the Red Lion, PA Model Train Club. I am working applying scenery  to a carved foam back-corner piece.

@Lou1985 posted:

Well I'm back at stuff again. I'm turning a MTH Premier Nickle Plate USRA Mikado into something resembling an ATSF 3129 class Mikado. Tender is done and converted to oil firing. next up is adding ATSF gingerbread (number boards, headlight, bell) to the locomotive to "ATSFize" it.

Man got talent,..😉

Pat

[url=https://postimg.cc/DJMR5hL5][img]https://i.postimg.cc/J0rmr4nw/20210720-174546.jpg[/img][/url]

I had to extend the flat car 2.5 inches.. [url=https://postimg.cc/68Q36yZT][img]https://i.postimg.cc/9Qdqp9FP/20210721-124631.jpg[/img][/url]

Further progress..  [url=https://postimg.cc/y3NGKVS4][img]https://i.postimg.cc/D0Q3q0vZ/20210723-095601.jpg[/img][/url]

                                                     SIRTOA NJHR D.K.'s 6 pk...

[url=https://postimg.cc/kVZKNpzm][img]https://i.postimg.cc/KzcfbX5R/20210724-084821.jpg[/img][/url]

@Alex M posted:

Here’s what I’m currently working on

Boy Alex........are there any parts inside the boiler that can be saved ?

What is your best guess as to what caused this . 🤔

Well this finally made it off the bench

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Boy Alex........are there any parts inside the boiler that can be saved ?

What is your best guess as to what caused this . 🤔

It's hard to pinpoint, but seems to be a derailment and transformer breaker didn't shut the power off. Electronics cooking for a while.

Alex

The Frisco railroad passenger car roster included a lot of round roofed cars, especially headend cars.  I do not expect to find this style of car in Frisco livery, so I patiently search for bargains.  I do not know which manufacturer made this RPO pictured above.  It has a wood roof and stamped metal sides.  Actually quite realistic as compared to several other manufacturers.
It was made as 2-rail, so I had to refit it with MTH heavyweight trucks. The truck coupler shanks were hideously long, so I did some “surgery” to get the pictured results. I have some custom made Frisco decals to be added later.  It also arrived without mail hooks, but I have a set of those to apply after I am through with all the rough handling work.

Adding details to an older TMCC Lionel PA1. So far lift rings, wipers, air hoses, grab irons and a firecracker antenna have been added. Just waiting for the two single chime air horns to arrive and the everything will receive an appropriate coating of paint.

My MTH Erie PA stand nearby as I just added a firecracker antenna to that engine too…

Tom

On the workbench my current 19 degree crossover track. 2 rail O scale, code 100.

nine frogs later it ain’t as bad as the last attempt ! next is gaping and wiring.

stained ties are waiting.

@Leroof posted:

On the workbench my current 19 degree crossover track. 2 rail O scale, code 100.

nine frogs later it ain’t as bad as the last attempt ! next is gaping and wiring.

stained ties are waiting.

Nice work, sir! That will look really nice when completed!

George

Just finished installing new tires on the Acela !

Alex,

That looks like a major pain in the tush! But at least the screws are accessible. How do you get the C-clips off the pins and back on them? It does not appear to be much room to work.

Chris

LVHR

@lehighline posted:

Alex,

That looks like a major pain in the tush! But at least the screws are accessible. How do you get the C-clips off the pins and back on them? It does not appear to be much room to work.

Chris

LVHR

Hi Chris,

It's a very tedious job to perform . Also these Acela's have the zinc rot issue , have to be extremely careful when handling the journals. As for the e clips have to do all work under a magnifier, and it's still a slow go trying to get the e clips back on. I use mini long nose pliers and mini screwdrivers.

Alex

THAT is one complex truck!

I would have lost at least one of those clips for sure

Zinc pest in those??? Good grief! Talk about an expensive paperweight. Are replacement parts available? If not, is there a way to make either a 3D printed replacement or resin cast the replacement? Might be worthwhile looking into, as I'll bet you are not the only one with the problem.

Chris

LVHR

If I could find some worthy flared spark arrestors and a realistic housing for a yellow beacon light then 580 would be finished. This is a Lionel Legacy GP7 formerly painted Pennsy.  This is the 4th Legacy GP7 I have repainted for SL-SF, and I think I’m done.

@lehighline posted:

Zinc pest in those??? Good grief! Talk about an expensive paperweight. Are replacement parts available? If not, is there a way to make either a 3D printed replacement or resin cast the replacement? Might be worthwhile looking into, as I'll bet you are not the only one with the problem.

Chris

LVHR

Wait til the "true collector" who bought one of these Acelas unseals it from the shipping carton for the first time in 10 years from now. Sad such an expensive item can have this zinc rot but I am not surprised. Can you imagine the look on someone's face when He finds side frames in pieces?

@jini5 posted:

Wait til the "true collector" who bought one of these Acelas unseals it from the shipping carton for the first time in 10 years from now. Sad such an expensive item can have this zinc rot but I am not surprised. Can you imagine the look on someone's face when He finds side frames in pieces?

One more reason I'm glad I passed on this troublesome set.

Whatever happened to the KISS concept? Can't charge enough for it as we add all our bells and whistles?

Watching Alex do that reminds me of a time when GM stuffed a large engine in a small body car and you had to pull the engine to change the plugs. Back when you had to change plugs. No consideration given to maintenance.

Gerry

Well I did an unnecessary repair today. My Premier PS3 SP Cab Forward came from the factory with a black painted knockoff Pittman. I had a spare ball bearing 9234 Pittman so I swapped it in. Was it necessary? No. But all my other steam locomotives have Pittmans (even if they didn't come with a Pittman from the factory), so I made it match the rest of the fleet 😉.

@Rob Leese posted:

The Frisco railroad passenger car roster included a lot of round roofed cars, especially headend cars.  I do not expect to find this style of car in Frisco livery, so I patiently search for bargains.  I do not know which manufacturer made this RPO pictured above.  It has a wood roof and stamped metal sides.  Actually quite realistic as compared to several other manufacturers.
It was made as 2-rail...

"...wood roof and stamped metal sides..." I'm gonna guess Walthers...nice. 🙂

Mark in Oregon

I finally replaced a proto coupler that's been broken since I bought the engine. Of course it was the rear one and wouldn't close, so it's like having a new engine since I can finally pull with it.

@gmorlitz posted:

Whatever happened to the KISS concept? Can't charge enough for it as we add all our bells and whistles?

Watching Alex do that reminds me of a time when GM stuffed a large engine in a small body car and you had to pull the engine to change the plugs. Back when you had to change plugs. No consideration given to maintenance.

Gerry

Amen!!!!

@Rob Leese posted:

If I could find some worthy flared spark arrestors and a realistic housing for a yellow beacon light then 580 would be finished. This is a Lionel Legacy GP7 formerly painted Pennsy.  This is the 4th Legacy GP7 I have repainted for SL-SF, and I think I’m done.

Nice work

Right now my custom 3D printed set of Rock Island TAs (with frames and trucks salvaged from postwar Lionel Alcos) are still sitting on my workbench. I just finished building them but I want to do more. Right now they're just as simple as possible-- a Lionel Pullmor motor and LED headlights-- but I'm considering adding command control and sound to them as well. While I'm at it I could put in a flasher circuit for the Mars lights as well. Big decisions!

On my virtual workbench in Fusion 360, I'm designing some parts for a much-requested 3d-printed kit, the McKeen motor car. I'm trying to figure out how to graft some new sideframes onto some of the power trucks that I have on hand. The unequal wheel sizes of the McKeen add complexity to the design process!

edited to correct grammar

@Trainguy Ken posted:

Right now my custom 3D printed set of Rock Island TAs (with frames and trucks salvaged from postwar Lionel Alcos) are still sitting on my workbench. I just finished building them but I want to do more. Right now they're just as simple as possible-- a Lionel Pullmor motor and LED headlights-- but I'm considering adding command control and sound to them as well. While I'm at it I could put in a flasher circuit for the Mars lights as well. Big decisions!

On my virtual workbench in Fusion 360, I'm designing some parts for a much-requested 3d-printed kit, the McKeen motor car. I'm trying to figure out how to graft some new sideframes onto some of the power trucks that I have on hand. The unequal wheel sizes of the McKeen add complexity to the design process!

edited to correct grammar

This is really something Ken.   

It's hard for me to fathom how you can do 3d-printing like this.         Really nice work on those TAs.

I recently fixed a K-line MP-15 that wasn't working. I bought it used and it has been a shelf queen. The demo paint is a winner so I kept it. I decided to see what was wrong recently and it turned out to be a simple fix. After stripping out the parallel/ series switch (all of my K-line's are series wired), and sound board, I found a bad solder joint on one of the triacs. After a quick hit with the soldering iron, I have another working loco.

This Lionel observation car once lettered for the Empire State Express will be transformed into FW&D Rwy’s Silver Tray finishing its career on the Texas Zephyr.

Bunch of prewar Walthers tank cars. Three early #3560 Crestline and the Texaco is another that will get rebuilt. It is the next version #3806 from about 1942. It’s fun to rebuild these old doorstop cars and I don’t have to be concerned with ultimate scale detail.

Getting around to finishing the front stairs on my Inspection Engine.

Found some brass ladders from Precision Scale O on ebay and sectioned them.

Adding a brass plate to the pilot and will probably bolt the upper and lower ladders to it with

#0 brass screws. Then shorten the upper steel walks to match and add a brass wrap around handrail.

The 262T tender I bought for the project was missing the sheet metal coal pile. The reproduction piece I saw on ebay

( a piece of black sheet metal with some wrinkles on top ) looked nothing like the original ones I saw in photos.  So I cut and

formed some .020 in. sheet copper to fit the general coal pile area and then made an embossing tool from a large ball bearing and

a piece of pipe and an anvil area in a soft pine board to make a random pattern.

Then I bent and finish shaped the copper to fit.  Looks too nice to paint black, so I'll probably leave it raw and let it age more.

A few days ago, I returned a Marx 1666 locomotive to a friend. It needed axles, and axle bushings. A rather simple repair, with parts still available. When I returned the locomotive, he handed me a much older Marx Commodore Vanderbilt locomotive that stopped running. This is even simpler then the 1666, with the drive/reverse mechanism, and a light. When removed the drive unit, I noticed after applying power, that it wanted to run. I inspected the motor, and found the hole in the frame for the armature was rounded, causing the armature to not sit centered in the frame. The only other repair needed is one side rod, a light bulb, and a new feed wire for the bulb.

Right O Way switch being worked on.

JET

Been playing Tic Tat Toe on the work bench??

Well before I start changing the lettering on the Rio Grande JLC Challenger I picked up to UP I wanted to get the mechanicals squared up. Basically the issue was the smoke unit and number of chuffs. From the factory these had 2 chuffs a revolution and a continuously running smoke fan. I changed the chuff cam from the factory 2 lobe to a 4 lobe cam. I installed another cherry switch next to the one that generated the chuff sound to control the smoke unit fan. @Norton was able to give me instructions on how to wire the smoke fan to the cherry switch so it would short the fan motor, making distinct puffs. I also removed the sock Lionel put around the resistor in the smoke unit from the factory, repacked the batting, and enlarged the smoke fan air intake hole to 1/4". Pretty simple 4 chuffs a revolution (double chuffs at low speed because it's an articulated) and puffing fan smoke. Much better than stock.

@Lou1985 posted:

Well before I start changing the lettering on the Rio Grande JLC Challenger I picked up to UP I wanted to get the mechanicals squared up. Basically the issue was the smoke unit and number of chuffs. From the factory these had 2 chuffs a revolution and a continuously running smoke fan. I changed the chuff cam from the factory 2 lobe to a 4 lobe cam. I installed another cherry switch next to the one that generated the chuff sound to control the smoke unit fan. @Norton was able to give me instructions on how to wire the smoke fan to the cherry switch so it would short the fan motor, making distinct puffs. I also removed the sock Lionel put around the resistor in the smoke unit from the factory, repacked the batting, and enlarged the smoke fan air intake hole to 1/4". Pretty simple 4 chuffs a revolution (double chuffs at low speed because it's an articulated) and puffing fan smoke. Much better than stock.

very impressive!

doesn't that locomotive come with loco specific crew talk?

and wasn't that unit made in Korea?

@Berkshire President posted:

very impressive!

doesn't that locomotive come with loco specific crew talk?

and wasn't that unit made in Korea?

Yes it does have road specific crew talk. I never use it so changing the lettering to UP won't bother me.

It is a early 2000s piece made in Korea with a Pittman 9434 motor and a bullet proof driveline with large worm gears. IMO a much better unit mechanically than any of the later Legacy/Vision line Challengers.

I added 6 Warm White 5 mm LED'S inside my Menards 2 Bay Engine House to look more like old fashioned light bulbs. Working on making Bay doors out of Basswood for the building. Ordered some miniature hinges for mounting the doors. I am going to use Tubular Track inside the building, mating it up to Fastrack outside, wiring the sidings to the building to on/off switches. Also work in progress stacking 4 Basswood strips that somewhat look like track ties to use for end of track stops with holes drilled to have track pins fit into it and have a couple red Blinking 3mm LED's as warning lights on them.

Super 381 getting motors, PS3  board & speaker

And done.  What a pain to work on. 

I have a friend's Marx Commodore Vanderbilt that I posted about several days ago. I had a little more time to examine it again after closing the elongated armature shaft hole with a dab of epoxy. Now the armature stays centered in the hole. I applied power, and the motor still wouldn't turn. Looking at the brushes, they are a little more then halfway worn, and were quite dirty. I cleaned the brushes and the points on the armature that the brushes contact, and the motor runs fine. I need to order a side rod, and a bulb, and I'll also see if brushes are available. If not, I can make those from some brushes I saved from old drills, or from a carbon arc pencil rod. My friend was willing to pay for a used replacement motor, but the cost with shipping would be more then the value of the locomotive.

Silver Tray was built in 1940 by the Budd Company for the streamlined Texas Zephyr running between Denver, CO and Dallas, TX.  It was always lettered BURLINGTON on the letter band and sublettered FW&D at the car end.  In 1956 when the CB&Q Denver Zephyr was modernized with unarticulated equipment the articulated trainsets were sent to the Colorado & Southern and the Fort Worth & Denver subsidiaries to run as Texas Zephyrs.  These trainsets were relettered TEXAS ZEPHYR in the letter band and had their own round end observation cars, so Silver Tray and its C&S mate Silver Bowl were temporarily replaced. However, the last Texas Zephyrs were again served by Silver Tray before the train was discontinued.  It is likely I saw this car in revenue service on the Zephyr going past my grandmother's house outside Chillicothe, TX.    Upon retirement from service in the US, Silver Tray was sold to Chihuahua Al-Pacifico and brought up the rear of the Vista Train which operated between Chihuahua and Los Mochis Mexico. I had an evening meal in Silver Tray in 1974 on the Vista Train.   It is a very special car to me.

The closest match I could find is this Lionel obs lettered for the Empire State Express. To improve similarities, I will need to blank out 1/3 of the forward windows on the left side to simulate the galley area. Silver Tray also had wide low-profile round roof vents over this area. The artwork included in this post includes tail sign work for this project as well as for another obs on the Frisco Meteor. The Texas Zephyr tail sign was simply red neon lettering permanently affixed to the end. I will be printing decals to place over the lighted tail sign molded onto the Lionel car. Red neon was simulated on MS Publisher as a text box using 8 point font enhanced with "text effects" creating an orange glow around the text.  Decal Venetian blinds have been ordered to apply to the middle windows.  Have not found decals to simulate curtains for the end windows.

This stock photo of Silver Tray is circa 1967.

I don't know why I have neglected responding to this topic for so long.  Maybe it is because I don't have room for a regular workbench.  I pull up whatever layout space or shelf space I can find empty to use as a workbench.  Well, since the wiring is basically done on my layout, and I put a lot of tools, screws, lugs, wire away, I am using the roll around cart as a workbench.  So, this Altoona Model Works Branch Line station kit is there right now.  It is a little farther along than in this photograph with the windows and doors installed, but you get the drift.  Drift.  Yes, it is snowing again outside. 

@rail posted:

I have a friend's Marx Commodore Vanderbilt that I posted about several days ago. I had a little more time to examine it again after closing the elongated armature shaft hole with a dab of epoxy. Now the armature stays centered in the hole. I applied power, and the motor still wouldn't turn.....

Can you describe the technique you used to close the elongated armature hole? Did you fill the hole with epoxy and then drill it? And have you done this before and can describe how long one could expect such a fix to last? Thanks!

George

Somewhere GRJ ,GGG or Stan mentioned something about extra connectors possibly in steamers boilers or tenders.........so ......I opened the tender on this Railking 4-6-2 that had zero lighting .   Always bothered me.

I found two open connectors.

I found a pair of red LED marker bulbs and then a couple of light stands in my ju-- , ah inventory box.    I also found a clear lens .    I drilled the appropriate size holes for the markers and reverse light.

The final test before screwing everything back together.

Thank you ogrforum.......again.

Wow!  That looks great, Dallas!

Backup and markers look great, Dallas! I wonder how many other tenders have open connectors!

@GeoPeg posted:

Can you describe the technique you used to close the elongated armature hole? Did you fill the hole with epoxy and then drill it? And have you done this before and can describe how long one could expect such a fix to last? Thanks!

George

George,

First, I used a small knife blade to scrape the plastic mount for the armature shaftto clean it and provide a bonding surface. I used a tooth pick to wedge the armature shaft to the top of the hole. I then mixed a small amount of JB Weld epoxy, and used a tooth pick to apply it into the elongated gap below the shaft. I don't remember what the set time was on the epoxy, but after a few hours, I turned the shaft to make sure it didn't adhere to the epoxy. I waited until the next day, and turned the motor again to check for free movement. I applied power to the motor after cleaning the armature and brushes as mentioned in the OP, and it runs fine. I'm waiting to hear back from the parts guy for brushes, side rod and light bulb.

For the first time in years, NOTHING on my workbench but a fresh coat of paint!

No mess, no woodworking projects, no household repairs, no train repair projects, no scenery projects, no test station, no engine cradle, no tools, etc.

I'm sure this will last about 10 minutes after the paint dries!

@Mark Boyce posted:

Wow!  That looks great, Dallas!

Thanks Mark.    Every once in awhile I get some extra time on my hands when Judy is snowblowing the sidewalks and driveway.

@Artie-DL&W posted:

Backup and markers look great, Dallas! I wonder how many other tenders have open connectors!

And thank you Artie.     I had no idea what as available in this tender except for a little piece that I remember the wizards of tech riting about.     

This tender was pretty plain so I didn't think anything was going to work.......but since it was a Ps 3  engine and all my other Ps3s have reverse lights on the tenders  , well ....I thought ............. hmmmmm?

@Alex M posted:

Here’s what I’m currently working on

        .........my condolences Alex.

@Mark Boyce posted:

I don't know why I have neglected responding to this topic for so long.  Maybe it is because I don't have room for a regular workbench.  I pull up whatever layout space or shelf space I can find empty to use as a workbench.  Well, since the wiring is basically done on my layout, and I put a lot of tools, screws, lugs, wire away, I am using the roll around cart as a workbench.  So, this Altoona Model Works Branch Line station kit is there right now.  It is a little farther along than in this photograph with the windows and doors installed, but you get the drift.  Drift.  Yes, it is snowing again outside. 

I like the idea of a role around cart for a workbench Mark.    It beats going back and forth between the work area and inventory bins.

Snowing here again too but I bought one of those battery operated snow blowers.      Judy loves it .

@Dallas Joseph posted:

I like the idea of a role around cart for a workbench Mark.    It beats going back and forth between the work area and inventory bins.

Snowing here again too but I bought one of those battery operated snow blowers.      Judy loves it .

Thank you, Dallas.  I can roll the cart between two shelves under the layout too.

it’s snowing here too.  I got a snowblower this year too

I really need to get at it.  My workbench is a mess.  I have a Legacy PRR F3A and two TankTrain cars in a pile after the cats knocked them off the layout.  There’s also two older Atlas SD35s that I upgraded to cruise and then the LED marker lights burnt out on one (wired series) and the other one is getting all the steps and hand rails replaced since the previous owner must have been picking the thing up with oven mitts.  

What else…  Oh, a MTH C&O Greenbrier that needs a BCR and a new speaker as the current one has the typical flaking magnet.  Then there’s an MTH R50b that needs a hanger step glued back on.

I dare not take a picture of the mess.  You all will shame me for it!

AND… I heard a “bump in the night” a few days ago.  Went down this afternoon to put away some tools.  Found a shelf I had installed on the floor along with bench scope and 5 disc CD changer that it held.

I didn’t have the heart to look closer.  I just turned the light out, about face, and out the door.

For the first time in years nothing.  No schedule mods, only minor maintenance.

On the workbench at the moment is…

K-Line AA NYC E-8s getting a full ERR upgrade.

Also Lionel VL Big Boy getting smoke units rebuilt.

Lastly VL Big Boy Tender depleting coal load repair.

Thanks, Alex

@Alex M posted:

On the workbench at the moment is…

K-Line AA NYC E-8s getting a full ERR upgrade.

Also Lionel VL Big Boy getting smoke units rebuilt.

Lastly VL Big Boy Tender depleting coal load repair.

Thanks, Alex

I'd like to see some detail for the smoke unit rebuild as I suspect I'll have to do mine in the near future.

Dallas the tender likes look great.  I'll have to keep this in mind.  I've got 3 MTH steamers I haven't run in a while so I don't even remember if the tenders are lighted so I may be looking at this in the future.

Alex are the smoke and coal load repairs on the same Big Boy?

@Alex M posted:

Lastly VL Big Boy Tender depleting coal load repair.

You're getting a lot of practice on those repairs!

@coach joe posted:

Dallas the tender likes look great.  I'll have to keep this in mind.  I've got 3 MTH steamers I haven't run in a while so I don't even remember if the tenders are lighted so I may be looking at this in the future.

Alex are the smoke and coal load repairs on the same Big Boy?

This was a first for me Joe.   I don't  know if they all have to be Ps3 s or not.   

Sure was fun to do instead of trying to rattle my brain to find out why a non functioning unit has died.

Not on the work bench, but on the test track. This 627 was given
to me with stripped gears and full of dirt. After cleaning and replacing
gears it ran good so conversion to TMCC was begun. Electrocouplers were
installed and an old LCRU was installed. This model did not com with  
lights so LED's were installed. The locomotive ran good and the
electrocouplers worked but the headlights did no work to well. The LCRU
headlight circuits change polarity at random times. This does not bother
incandescent lights but LED's don't work on reverse polarity. A bridge
rectifier and filter capacitors were added and the LED's then worked.
Now back to the work bench to make a clean version of the added
electronics.

@David Nissen posted:

The LCRU headlight circuits change polarity at random times. This does not bother incandescent lights but LED's don't work on reverse polarity.

I learned this lesson a number of years ago.   I tried to use the LCRX to add command to the Hot Box Reefer, I had one in the parts box.  I worked occasionally, and then it wouldn't work, drove me crazy!  I finally put a meter on it and found out about the polarity reversals!  I never ran across this with the LCRU as I always had incandescent bulbs back then, so it never came up.

I admire the kind of work you do on this kind of project Dave

@David Nissen posted:

Not on the work bench, but on the test track. This 627 was given
to me with stripped gears and full of dirt. After cleaning and replacing
gears it ran good so conversion to TMCC was begun. Electrocouplers were
installed and an old LCRU was installed. This model did not com with  
lights so LED's were installed. The locomotive ran good and the
electrocouplers worked but the headlights did no work to well. The LCRU
headlight circuits change polarity at random times. This does not bother
incandescent lights but LED's don't work on reverse polarity. A bridge
rectifier and filter capacitors were added and the LED's then worked.
Now back to the work bench to make a clean version of the added
electronics.

.

Hi Guys,

Marty, I already rebuilt all the smoke units on this BB, if you look up my past threads i have a few pictures and videos of some i did in the past.

Coach Joe, the tender is different from the Big boy.

GRJ, yes i've been getting quite a few lately! LOL

Thanks, Alex

Well the work on the JLC Challenger is done. Started out as a coal fired Rio Grande version.

Relettered to Union Pacific 3977 and changed to oil fired. Installed a 4 lobe chuff cam, extra switch to control the smoke unit fan, and rebuilt the smoke unit.

@rail, thanks for the info!!

George

Well I finished up the COLA E6 AB set that needed boards. I picked up the trailing A unit and B unit from the MTH Premier COLA set that came out in the early 2000s. Both pieces were mint but the A unit lacked any boards but had wiring for the slave board. I have a bunch of PS2 5V harness connectors from other projects in my parts bin so I combined them with the harness in the locomotive along with a tach sensor. With a little repining and some soldering I was able to cobble together a harness. I added a PS32 board with 5V connectors and a speaker. I modified a Premier PS3 E unit sound set with COLA PFA announcements and ta da it was done.

@Lou1985 posted:

Well I finished up the COLA E6 AB set that needed boards. I picked up the trailing A unit and B unit from the MTH Premier COLA set that came out in the early 2000s. Both pieces were mint but the A unit lacked any boards but had wiring for the slave board. I have a bunch of PS2 5V harness connectors from other projects in my parts bin so I combined them with the harness in the locomotive along with a tach sensor. With a little repining and some soldering I was able to cobble together a harness. I added a PS32 board with 5V connectors and a speaker. I modified a Premier PS3 E unit sound set with COLA PFA announcements and ta da it was done.

Boy , I wish I  could " cobble "  together something like this !

REALLY Nice Job Lou .

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Boy , I wish I  could " cobble "  together something like this !

REALLY Nice Job Lou .

It's not so bad when you have a bin full of scraps from prior projects 😄.

I have 30 locomotives, all of which have PS2, PS3, TMCC, or Legacy. Only 12 of them were fully functional when I got them. The other 18 either needed boards, wiring, or complete rebuilds. I've become proficient at buying stuff cheap and building it.

I've got 3 more locomotives (so I really have a total of 33) that need boards, wiring, or both and paint work. So I'm not done yet.

@Lou1985 posted:

It's not so bad when you have a bin full of scraps from prior projects 😄.

I have 30 locomotives, all of which have PS2, PS3, TMCC, or Legacy. Only 12 of them were fully functional when I got them. The other 18 either needed boards, wiring, or complete rebuilds. I've become proficient at buying stuff cheap and building it.

I've got 3 more locomotives (so I really have a total of 33) that need boards, wiring, or both and paint work. So I'm not done yet.

W O W    You sure know how to have fun with your " bin "  and knowledge.

Thanks for sharing.

I’d second that Dallas, ….Lou is talented,…nice job Lou!…

Pat

Excellent job, Lou!!

As i work to build the new work bench in the new house, i was able to get the first a car weathered. First car for our B&M wreck train project.

Assembling a locomotive service rack kit I received last week from TW TRAINWORX. It's a really neat kit and easy to assemble. Their shipping was fast and honestly priced, the packaging perfect. It's great in this day and age to deal with a first class company. Thank you Dorcie.

@Lou1985 posted:

Well the work on the JLC Challenger is done. Started out as a coal fired Rio Grande version.

Relettered to Union Pacific 3977 and changed to oil fired. Installed a 4 lobe chuff cam, extra switch to control the smoke unit fan, and rebuilt the smoke unit.

Fantastic work Lou,

Were those only O72 curves in the video?

@Lionelski posted:

Fantastic work Lou,

Were those only O72 curves in the video?

Thanks.

Yes those are K-Line 027 profile 072 curves.

@harmonyards posted:

I’d second that Dallas, ….Lou is talented,…nice job Lou!…

Pat

It only wiring and some paint at times. Nothing crazy like chassis swaps, motor swaps, or machining stuff. That's where the real talent is 😉.

@Lou1985 posted:

Thanks.

Yes those are K-Line 027 profile 072 curves.

I always loved the look of O27 track.  The profile is much more realistic.  I never understood why Lionel didn't make that their standard in the postwar era and beyond as it seems like it would be cheaper to make since there is less metal.

If they had offered it in more radii and turnout options I would have considered using it.

@Lou1985 posted:

It only wiring and some paint at times. Nothing crazy like chassis swaps, motor swaps, or machining stuff. That's where the real talent is 😉.

SURE ...LOU ...SURE .

Following the FORUM  for some time now has made it pretty clear to me that there is  " REAL  TALENT  "   in so many forms on these WORKBENCHES  and LAYOUTS and  REPLIES.     

@rplst8 posted:

I always loved the look of O27 track.  The profile is much more realistic.  I never understood why Lionel didn't make that their standard in the postwar era and beyond as it seems like it would be cheaper to make since there is less metal.

If they had offered it in more radii and turnout options I would have considered using it.

I believe they made O Gauge track intentionally taller so that it was easier to set up on carpet.

Pure speculation on my part, though.

Back in the late 1980s, I thought I was the cat's meow with 54" diameter 0-27 track and non-derailing switches.

@rplst8 posted:

I always loved the look of O27 track.  The profile is much more realistic.  I never understood why Lionel didn't make that their standard in the postwar era and beyond as it seems like it would be cheaper to make since there is less metal.

If they had offered it in more radii and turnout options I would have considered using it.

I ended up using 027 profile 072 and 054 curves on my layout with Ross switches. Here's the funny part. The 027 rails are actually shorter than Ross or Gargraves rails. I'm not talking about overall height with ties, just the rail itself. I added extra ties and it doesn't look half bad. One day when I rebuild this layout or build another I'm going to go with 084 and 072 curves, so I can run articulateds on the inner main as well.

Funny reason why I have a Challenger. So a UP Challenger is big. I have 3 other articulateds besides the Challenger: SP AC6 4-8-8-2 Cab Forward, SP AC9 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone, and a DM&IR M3 2-8-8-4 Yellowstone. They other 3 locomotives are about the same length (locomotive only, not counting the tender) and the Challenger is only about 1/4" or so shorter than them. So if you look at the video you'll notice the Challenger is running next to a wall on my layout that supports an overhead "downtown" and passenger train parking below. That wall is 1X6 pine and can't be moved. Inside the tunnel the trains run through on the main line is an 072 curve. All the articulateds I have clear that wall by at least 1/4"coming off that 072 curve, so plenty of room. I originally wanted a Big Boy instead of a Challenger (who doesn't?) so I borrowed a friend's to check clearances. It cleared everything on my layout except that wall. The Big Boy is so much longer than my Yellowstones that it's smokebox door smacks right into that wall. So that showed me if I want a Big Boy I'd either have to rebuild my layout or get a Challenger. I went the easy way and bought a Challenger 😉.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

SURE ...LOU ...SURE .

Following the FORUM  for some time now has made it pretty clear to me that there is  " REAL  TALENT  "   in so many forms on these WORKBENCHES  and LAYOUTS and  REPLIES.     

There are plenty of people with more talent then me, and better machine tools, that can do things I can't 😉.

Lou:  I totally agree.  The size difference between my recent VL Challenger and my JLC Legacy Big Boy is shocking.  The difference in overhang is even more shocking.

I hate to say it....but I don't run my Big Boy that much b/c the overhang is so massive.  And I have to move "things" out of its way.

Fortunately, I've got a Big Boy Running Base.......

@Leroof posted:

Nice work there!!  Diamonds can be more difficult than turnouts to fabricate.  Looks like you nailed it!   Er, rather, soldered it.  Practice makes perfect.

Frog Juicer or toggle?

@Lou1985 posted:

Thanks.

Yes those are K-Line 027 profile 072 curves.

I used them too, along with O42 and O54.

K-line is the only company that made O27 height O72 curves, and then for only about 2 years. I buy 'em up whenever I see them (as long as the price is not nuts!). Trouble is I rarely see them. I have a small inventory of them for future possible use

I commented because the Challenger looked so good on them - would have thought it required a wider curve tol ook so good.

@Lionelski posted:

For the first time in years, NOTHING on my workbench but a fresh coat of paint!

No mess, no woodworking projects, no household repairs, no train repair projects, no scenery projects, no test station, no engine cradle, no tools, etc.

I'm sure this will last about 10 minutes after the paint dries!

I knew this would not last long. Here is my workbench with my Plasticville treasure box emptied on it - I know that there is at least on more project in there. As a matter of fact, I already have something in mind.

@Lionelski posted:

I knew this would not last long. Here is my workbench with my Plasticville treasure box emptied on it - I know that there is at least on more project in there. As a matter of fact, I already have something in mind.

"   SOMETHING  IN  MIND  "   John  ?

A model TORNADO  ? 

@Dallas Joseph posted:

"   SOMETHING  IN  MIND  "   John  ?

A model TORNADO  ? 

Just add Dorothy and Toto!

These are new MTH engines that await further decals, assembly, and weathering. MTH did a nice job on the engines.

Bob and Dallas - LOL

I've begun working on a WVRR maintenance building with some of these parts, a O27 switchtrack machine cover and part of a caboose body. Looks do-able in my mind at this point.

@Lionelski posted:

I commented because the Challenger looked so good on them - would have thought it required a wider curve tol ook so good.

Part of that is the level of the shot. It's basically as if you were standing near a real one moving. It looks worse from overhead, trust me. That's also because watching trains from above is unnatural, but we all do it with our models. 😉

It’s all in the details, a continuation of the MEC #11 project.

In order of their appearance from left to right first photo

The emergency fuel cutoff sheath/door, the GE builders plate, the fuel glass

second photo the prototype detail.

the (funky) safety pilot stripes last model photo.

all on board.

Wiring up a Fastrack Uncoupling Track and Fastrack 0-36 Remote Switch both for Aux Power. Since reading the thread about Factory Wiring Errors on some Fastrack Switches I opened it up and checked to make sure the factory wiring was correct before hooking up power wire to Aux Input. Still doing some changes to my Menards 2 Bay Engine House.

Lou you're too modest.  I have to concur with Dallas and Pat that COLA is a great job with spare parts.

LeRoof, two very nice projects going at the same time.  The diamond looks like it's coming out great and the details on MEC #11 are spot on.

I've got a lot of projects in the works but no real work bench to work on.  Here are a few that have been dragging on.  Hopefully I'll get them done this year.

First up is an LIRR BEEP that I want to convert to USAF.  I picked up two of these LIRR BEEPs when they were being cleared out.  The idea was to repaint one of them and dress it up in USAF decals.  Never had the heart to do the repaint so I started looking for donor shells.  I bought a NOS Conrail one, thinking I could remove the lettering and decal it.  Then along came this Kusan/Williams BEEP shell with PRR keystone stickers  under the windows and white Pennsylvania above the fuel fill.  Stickers peeled off and Mr. Clean Magic Eraser made short work of the lettering.  The only issue is the handrails.  I would love to use the metal RMT handrails instead of the plastic K/W handrails but Kusan/Williams has round holes and the RMT handrails have rectangular tabs.  I need to figure that out before adding the decals.

Now I'm the rare bird that actually likes the GN Big Sky Blue paint scheme.  I've got a MPC U36B and could never find any of the MTH engines that wear the BSB.  I could never ring myself to splurge on any of the Lionel U33Cs.  I found one of the U36B shells and fitted it on a Williams GP9.  I had to alter the handrails but that's another story.  I came across this GP7 shell.  Found pictures of a prototype so I'm going to add the rooftop air tanks and the winterization hatch.  I've got the decals and three possible donors for the chassis.  Once I figure out which chassis I have to make a placard to attach to the hand rails for the road name.

Another BSB project.  GN did have electrical operations.  While they never had anything remotely close to the E60 I intend to dress this guy in a Fantasy Great Northern Big Sky Blue paint scheme.  I've already peeled the red, white and blue stripe off.  The repaint will be ambitious for me but I'm going to give it a shot.  The Williams pantographs are a little sad but not in as bad shape as I remembered them to be.  I would like to change them but finding these guys is impossible.  I have one Atlas AEM 7 pantograph and would love to find another for this project.

@David Nissen posted:

The LCRU headlight circuits change polarity at random times. This does not bother incandescent lights but LED's don't work on reverse polarity. A bridge rectifier and filter capacitors were added and the LED's then worked.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I learned this lesson a number of years ago.   I tried to use the LCRX to add command to the Hot Box Reefer, I had one in the parts box.  I worked occasionally, and then it wouldn't work, drove me crazy!  I finally put a meter on it and found out about the polarity reversals!  I never ran across this with the LCRU as I always had incandescent bulbs back then, so it never came up.

Wat?

That sounds infuriating!  How would one even design a circuit to do that on purpose?!  Another reason this forum is invaluable!

@rplst8 posted:

Wat?

That sounds infuriating!  How would one even design a circuit to do that on purpose?!  Another reason this forum is invaluable!

Well, it's really the way that triac's work, depending on how it's triggered.  You can either pass the positive or negative half-cycle input waveform or the full-wave input waveform.  Obviously, they didn't think it would matter since in the 90's when it was developed, LED's for lighting were not generally used.

Finished a Japanese Kumiko wood panel project from my other hobby and made room on my workbench for a simple project of gluing figures in my B&O baby madisons.

                                                           SCL 168

                                             MTH wont make it so I have to.

@SIRT posted:

                                                           SCL 168

                                             MTH wont make it so I have to.

Looks great Steve. Personally I would have kept the Iron City Beer and found a different donor, but that's just me.

Looked for many weeks. Gave up. Just nothing out there, even shells. Market is dried up.

Had to move on. The sound file needs to be changed to Bush Gardens - Budweiser, LOL!

I am a home brewer!

@SIRT posted:

Looked for many weeks. Gave up. Just nothing out there, even shells. Market is dried up.

Had to move on. The sound file needs to be changed to Bush Gardens - Budweiser, LOL!

LOL....

I was interested in one (not actively looking), to pull my Yuengling coaches with. I know K-line did a MP-15 engine as part of the collectors series but they are a rare as hens teeth.

I've gone back in time. My workbench is filled with Marx H0 that was put away years ago.

Steve

@SIRT posted:

Looked for many weeks. Gave up. Just nothing out there, even shells. Market is dried up.

Had to move on. The sound file needs to be changed to Bush Gardens - Budweiser, LOL!

Steve, Many in these parts would say removing Iron City Beer logo is a sacrilege.  Personally, I don't give a hoot.  I know you will make it look far better than anything any of the manufacturers produced. 

I had my work bench all cleaned up, for about a minute. Then I noticed cans of naphtha, alcohol, spray adhesive, contact cleaner, urethane stains and mineral spirts on a shelf 10 inches away from the furnace.  So I’m mounting a steel case on a wall into concrete and away from the always running furnace for those hazmat goodies. Work bench was really cleaned up, not now. Oh well.

Haven’t posted in a while , currently have a JLC Big Boy on the workbench in need of power pickups  rewired.

Last week I decided to up grade by putting backup lights in my 2671w tenders and also a 2046w tender.

@train steve posted:

I had my work bench all cleaned up, for about a minute. Then I noticed cans of naphtha, alcohol, spray adhesive, contact cleaner, urethane stains and mineral spirts on a shelf 10 inches away from the furnace.  So I’m mounting a steel case on a wall into concrete and away from the always running furnace for those hazmat goodies. Work bench was really cleaned up, not now. Oh well.

🔥🔥🚒🔥🚒🚒🚒🚔🚒🚑🚒..................Don't need any of this Steve............good catch.

Just finished up my first try at an interior upgrade. I purchased a set of Lionel Santa Fe 18” aluminum passenger cars that needed to have the truck side frames replaced as well as most of the roof vents. The photos are of the baggage/lounge car. Removed the interior and put in floor covering, cut out one of the walls that blocked the interior view from the side windows, added head rest towels to the lounge chairs, put in floor mounted ashtrays, table lamp on the bar, window shades and rearranged the seating. Also painted some of the walls, bar and furnishings and added luggage to the baggage car shelves. Made most of the luggage myself and the rest is Woodland Scenics. Put new vents on the roof from Scale City Designs and finally got it back together.

@coach joe posted:

I've got a lot of projects in the works but no real work bench to work on. 

Another BSB project.  GN did have electrical operations.  While they never had anything remotely close to the E60 I intend to dress this guy in a Fantasy Great Northern Big Sky Blue paint scheme.  I've already peeled the red, white and blue stripe off.  The repaint will be ambitious for me but I'm going to give it a shot.  The Williams pantographs are a little sad but not in as bad shape as I remembered them to be.  I would like to change them but finding these guys is impossible.  I have one Atlas AEM 7 pantograph and would love to find another for this project.

Did you ever consider getting the Acela Pantographs from Lionel parts dept? They were recently rerun.