enginear joe Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 I see in Chuck's post that these are on sale: http://www.charlesro.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CRSC&Category_Code=GRSLDK I thought there was a post here about them? I can't find it. How do these small steamers run? Anyone been inside of one? Any room in there for command? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted July 7, 2015 Author Share Posted July 7, 2015 I can't edit the topic so I'll add this. It looks like there's room looking at the parts diagram. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted July 7, 2015 Share Posted July 7, 2015 Joe, I DCS'd one several years ago and it even had barely enough room to fit a smoke unit! Only real downfall is not any room for a decent speaker. That engine ended up being sold to the late Ray Shoop They run really well but the short wheelbase...they will stall on big switches with dead frogs I really wish Ro would have made them as a 0-6-0 with a tender...like the AML version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Ahhh sugar. My computer keeps getting hacked and I struggle to get online. I missed your post Chuck. I was afraid I'd miss the sale so I ordered one this morning. Looks like I'll have to add some type of tender car to get her thru the dead switch frogs on my layout? Maybe a dedicated power attached car??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 They are smooth little runners! Heavy being all die-cast metal they'll pull over a house! I have a video of mine somewhere...on some hard drive...I'll see if I can find it and get it up on You Tube. You probably just need to run something like MalewareBytes to rid the computer of those pesky little programs running in the background. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted July 12, 2015 Author Share Posted July 12, 2015 Well here she is..... heavy little bugger! I have to see what she does out back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 Ok, so I opened the little engine up to see how she's made. Some cool ideas inside. The first thing that occurs to me in a MTH PS command upgrade, would be if the heater element could be replaced with a MTH O gauge one? The body of it measures about 5/8" . So I'm thinking there must be some short element used in some RK small engine? That would mean I'm leaning towards keeping the stock smoke unit inside and utilizing the piston puffer unit! I bet I could swap the whole thing out for an electric model. I just had a thought that it would be easier to keep stuff intact? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 Ooops. A stock MTH O scale element is 5/8" long. Maybe I could cram two in there? I forgot to try the stock smoke unit first to see how well it works. I'm interested in the piston action that is. I'll go look at utube for some videos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted July 31, 2015 Author Share Posted July 31, 2015 Maybe I should scratch that idea! https://youtu.be/eMKt9VRVbCc?t=4m21s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted August 1, 2015 Author Share Posted August 1, 2015 Mine seems to smoke better than that video above. I had to bend the connecting rod ever so slightly as it was hitting the bottom side wall and I notice a bind at very slow speed. If anyone does that be sure not to bend too much as the tolerances appear tight on the piston travel. https://youtu.be/7n-rIXX7nbI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 What I did was scrap that smoke system and installed a old TA Studios smoke unit...but I think a USA Trains smoke unit would work just fine. I filed the sides of the smoke unit down as thin as I dared. I then ground the inside of the boiler out to make room enough for the smoke unit to fit. It was tough going but die-cast metal is soft. I could have used a o gauge MTH smoke unit but I wanted the largest capacity version I could fit. I made a shelf out of plastic that used the same studs as the USA board. Then mounted the PS2 board to that. Used a o gauge board and just let the heat sink dangle/ free air cooling. Speaker was a small little guy that fit in the coal bunker. Above that I used another piece of plastic for a switch panel for polarity, smoke etc. I mounted a super cap under the PS2 boards...under the shelf. The end product came out much better than I anticipated Sorry about the crappy video quality but it's the only one I could find Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted August 2, 2015 Author Share Posted August 2, 2015 Wow. That looks and sounds great to me. Nice smoke volume! Maybe I should dump the piston drive then. Looks better idling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted August 2, 2015 Author Share Posted August 2, 2015 This video popped up after yours. If I had more ambition, I'd make the Dockside into this Balwin 0-6-0 #202 https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=98&v=BtUVrtH9_lE This little dock engine is growing on me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 Here's one of my favorites! Ex Soo Line 0-6-0 #353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 Well I had my dremel out for another job, so I grinded the livin' heck out of nd now she has a MTH smoke unit inside! I pics when my blood goes back to normal. I am Italian! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 I should have waited until it's done to post pics. I spent the day repairing brand new stuff instead of doing this engine. The first pic shows the shell laying on the frame to check the fit. The second, shows why I checked. She's shoved in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted August 11, 2015 Author Share Posted August 11, 2015 I need to find a very small tender to help with power pickup. I think I'll switch out the coal load on the back of the engine, for some kind of shelf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted August 21, 2015 Author Share Posted August 21, 2015 https://youtu.be/g3_OgtQq1HAa quick video of her for now!I can't get the videos to link up anymore???https://youtu.be/g3_OgtQq1HA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 I have so many projects going, I forgot where I left off on this engine. I slapped it together after changing the LEDs to warm white ones. I never speed matched the engine and of course it's off a bit, too slow. I'll have to go back in and remove some stripes. It's always rewarding to see them run! https://youtu.be/TeeC9QXO02s​ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted June 26, 2017 Author Share Posted June 26, 2017 I need to go back to this engine someday and finish her. I left a polarity switch just laying there and the stock speaker is lame. I need to search and find a speaker that will fit in the small space. for some reason the video above didn't link up? this is the stock speaker: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Posted June 27, 2017 Share Posted June 27, 2017 I've forgotten all about those little loco's....that's coming along very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Joe what engine sound are you running ..do they have a docksider in there files? You got the smoke working great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 Oh boy! It was awhile ago and I forget now. I do remember looking up 0-6-0 switchers and just picking the first sound file that matched the board's memory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enginear joe Posted August 5, 2017 Author Share Posted August 5, 2017 Here's a pic showing the modern KD center set front coupler. I need to cut off the screw ends and paint them black. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benshell Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 This is looking and sounding great Joe! And the center set Kadee looks really perfect on it. It's such a nice improvement. (You really have me tempted to get one... and they are even on sale again at Charles Ro right now. Can't get everything though and I'm gonna have to continue to past on them for now!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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