Neil Robinson

Thanks Ray, Sadly that's a later example with pumps on the smokebox "front". AFAIK the AC4 and AC5 series were SP's only simple expansion cab forwards without pumps on the smokebox. My mate's model has the air pumps and feedwater heater on the boiler sides and it would involve a lot of work to change this. The easiest option would be to change his flat sided tender to a Vanderbilt version unless I can find any evidence of an AC4 or AC5 running with a flat sided example. On an allied topic does anyone know of a supplier of suitable model marker lights and number boards for this model?

A mate of mine is working on an Aristo Mallet to produce a Southern Pacific 4-8-8-2 cab forward. It seems it'll have to be an AC4 or AC5 as the smokebox door needs to be clear of pumps. As far as I can discover all examples of these two types had Vanderbilt tenders. Does anyone know of an example of these early cab forwards having a straight sided tender? Would it have been possible for a tender from a later series to be swapped with an earlier one?

I've been asked to fit a new Dallee "Hi Line" sound unit In an Aristo RS 3 and, as a Brit, I have little knowledge of U.S. locos' details. I'd appreciate help choosing the most appropriate sound options. The loco is a Rio Grande example, road number 5205, which I understand existed in real life. There is a choice of two Alco prime mover sounds, a road loco or a switcher. I believe the RSs are Road Switchers so I'm confused! There is a choice of ten horn sounds. Five Leslies, A-200, S-3, S-3K, S-5, and S-5T. Also three Nathans, K-3, K-5L and P-5 together with a Webco E-2 and a Hancock Air Whistle. Which of these is closest to what the Rio Grande would have specified? Regarding the bell there is only one Alco bell a "CNW". I can't see a bell on the Rio Grand model, would it have had one?

This may help. Directonal lights.pdf

Hmm, I wonder how accurate that article is. Does she really need new wheels or just axles, bearings and maybe tyres? BTW the last word of the previous sentence isn't a typo, I'm from England, not New England!

A tip from my engineering days, Phosphoric acid is a good flux to use when soldering aluminium. Some thirty odd years ago here in the U.K. there was a Phosphoric acid based anti rust treatment sold under the trade name of Jenolite. I used it as flux when successfully soldering to aluminium rail. Maybe there is something similar in the USA.

As usual Rayman gives sound advice. However I would like to put an alternative view for consideration. I have heard reports of examples of the LGB 0-6-0 TT (tank+tender) locos running at a different speed to their tenders when uncoupled. If this is the case fitting the loco and tender with individual decoders permits the speed curves to be separately adjusted in order to better match the motors.

Just a thought. I think an old version of the consumer loader allowed the transfer of a sound file from a loco. Is this still available and, if so, could a sound file from an acceptable loco be transferred to a problem one?

My lack of familiarity with these models means I'm incapable of performing what should be a very simple fix. An internet search didn't find a useful circuit diagram. The loco in question is a Burlington Northern example catalogue number 8-850003. One minute it was running fine, the next it came to a dead stand with nothing functioning. Removing the body revealed a detached wire, A in the photo. I can't find any clue to where it should be attached. The other end of it is soldered to a pad, marked B on the photo on the underside of the board. On the wire side it is marked + on the board, this reinforces my suspicion that it's important and may be the only problem. The adjacent four wires are marked T, C, and two SW. All four of these connect via twist on connectors to the rest of the wiring. I was expecting to find the remains of a bit of surplus wire in one of the other twist on connectors, but no luck. As it's not my loco I'm particularly keen on not finding out the hard way of where not to connect it!

In addition to Ray's sound advice I'd like point out that a resistor could get rather warm, especially with a relatively high current bulb. If you go for an LED and use a 1k Ohm 1Watt resistor in series with it the LED and resistor should run cooler. However you'd need to add a diode such as an 1N4004 and connect the right way round to avoid blowing the LED. This would only light one way. If you want the LED to light in both directions of travel you'd need a diode bridge such as a W02M rather than a diode.

Which lights should be lit on these locos? I've just reassembled a friend's LGB Genesis loco after doing a small amount of work on it. On test I noticed that the white lights were directional but the four red ones (two at each end) were lit at all times. I haven't messed with the wiring so it must have been that way before I started work. To me it seems odd to display both red and white lights on the front of a train but I'm not familiar with American practice. I'm confident that I could rewire the lighting but I don't want to do this if the present arrangement is true to prototype.

I'd like to give Raymond a big thank you and endorse his service. Whilst I don't personally run MTH several of my friends do. With my electrical background I'm sometimes called upon to attend to their stuff of various brands. I have found Ray's website and email messages invaluable. I would doubtless use Ray's Protosound install on non-MTH engines if we were in the USA but the risks and expense of shipping say a Bachmann K27 both ways across the Atlantic are considerable. Solution, he shipped the Protosound kit to me and helped with all my questions resulting in a successful installation. Thanks again Ray

As before I'm speaking from limited experience but I'm pretty sure the Bachmann loco won't need any modification to operate the smoke unit when running via a trackside unit. However Bachmann smoke units don't have an wonderful reputation for smoke. I think that they need about 12V on the rails to smoke but the loco needs a fair bit less than this to move at a reasonable speed. Confusion may occur as I think Crest suggest using a smoke unit adapter if fitting an on board receiver.

I am unfamiliar with this system but I'd expect the speaker for the trackside receiver to be trackside, not in the loco. I realise that this receiver may be fitted in a large loco or trailing car but the current draw of a Bachmann loco wouldn't justify such a powerful unit, an on board version would be better.

My understanding of the CRE57004SD is that it is a relatively high power set up with a receiver that powers the track. There is no need to fit any receivers to individual locos. Should you wish to run several locos at the same time with independent control of each loco you'd need the CRE 57000 SS or SD for starters. You'll then need additional CRE57002SS or SD receivers, one in each additional loco. I doubt that the CRE57004 receiver has sound so the SS and SD parts of the code are irrelevant.

Take a look at this web page. http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/references.php# Somewhat confusingly the Large Scale items are in two sections, one around the middle of the page and another near the end. I suggest examining the "LS ANNIVERSARY EDITION 4-6-0 STEAM LOCOMOTIVE " file from the list in the middle and the "LS 4-6-0 METAL GEARS.frame & wheels " from the list near the end. I think the "metal gears" in the latter link may refer to metal valve gear rather than a metal replacement for the plastic gear in yours that is probably split or stripped. I hope I'm wrong though and a metal replacement is on offer.

The big question with track power is DCC or analogue. The former may be better for sound. Do any of your locos have DCC and/or sound chips? At least one version of a Bachmann Shay was produced with DCC and Sound as a factory fitted option.

Many LGB locos have a three or four position switch. Position 0 All Off Position 1 Smoke and lights On Position 2 As 1 plus motor On Position 3 As 2 plus sound On if fitted. The smoke units are claimed to be O.K. to run dry, you can see from the above that they can't be switched off independently. However I often choose to add a switch in the wiring to the smoke unit. To me it makes sense to switch it off if not in use, I have one that is 40 years old and usually switched off but still works when required. I seriously doubt that would be the case if it were always switched on!

Has anyone yet had any experience of this? It is on their website with the suggestion that it would be ready for Christmas but they didn't state clearly what year!

He probably braked because the official speed limit for approved steam here in the U.K. is 75MPH. It isn't unknown for it to be raised on very special occasions.

Interesting. Any idea of timescale?

Ray, I'm reasonably sure that gears are metal. I'm absolutely sure that the truck body is metal and doesn't crack up and fall apart. Also the gears are made of a material that doesn't crack and cause the gears fall off their axles. In the case of the loco that caused the enquiry at the start of this topic the owner decided to sell it as a non-runner. I have fitted these trucks as an upgrade a while ago and, in my opinion, is a worthwhile, indeed essential upgrade for a loco that won't just sit on a shelf.

Hi Lawman, This is a rough guide. Epoch 1 Covering the years from the building of the first railways in the nineteenth century up to approximately 1920. Note the term ‘about’ as the Epoch system is intended to cover not just German railways but also other European systems. Epoch 2 The years between the two world wars. It also lasted throughout the Second World War and came to an end during the years 1945-1948 depending on the country under consideration. Epoch 3 1945 to about 1965-68. This era covers the last of the steam age and takes in the continental computerisation of stock numbering. Epoch 4 The start of the modernisation periods from 1968 to around 1990. Epoch 5 From about 1990 to the present day