Atlas 0-4-0 new tender for dcc?

[Trnsrus]

This loco has a rebuild motor and I want to install a dcc decoder. I considered installing Bachmann all-wheel pickup tender trucks onto the original tender. The tender is small and grafting on new trucks would be tricky so I considered substituting the entire Bachmann slopeback tender. The Bachmann tender looks mighty big compared to the original. Does this new loco-tender hookup look prototypically believable? Your opinions, please.

[Jimbo]

As a matter of fact, I’m planning to do a tender swap on my 0-4-0 as well.  I, too, have the Bachmann tender, and it looks about the same size to me.  I think the larger coal load gives the Bachmann tender a heftier appearance, making it seem larger.

My attitude is “performance first.”  I’d sacrifice appearance for performance, as long as it looks good enough.  If it can’t be made to perform well and still look reasonable, then I get rid of it.

Please post photos of how you approach the DCC conversion; I’ve found very little during my search for same.

(Is the motor in yours rebuilt by @mmagliaro too?)

Jim

[Lemosteam]

Not sure which railroad you are modeling. 

The later A class locomotives had a longer sloped tender, but the boiler is missing the signature Belpaire boiler and I would think the boiler diameter is a bit small for the A5, which would have a modern electric headlight like this little guy.

Here is a diagram showing the A5 class, having the same tender as the B6 class so the longer Bachmann or the Trix B6 tender shell would work, and would likely for a decoder..

[randgust]

I've done multiple conversions of bitty tenders to 8x8 pickup.

In each case, I got hold of a used Kato shorty cupola caboose, and modified the frame.   That gives you the trucks, and the pickup wiper spring system that equalizes force down.

By cutting and splicing the plastic frame to the right bolster-to-bolster length, then resolding the spring wipers to fit, you get solid 8x8 pickup.   You can put any body on it you want after that.   I usually put a piece of thicker brass sheet in the inside center sill and epoxy it in for integrity and weight.

I've done that mod on the following tenders:

Rapido 0-6-0 (2-6-0), dead tender made 8x8
Atlas 2-6-0 chassis (HVRR #5) - motor in tender
Custom PRR D16sb 4-4-0 - motor in tender
Trix 2-10-0 to PRR I1 - DCC version with decoder and sound all in tender
Trix 2-10-0 to PRR I1 - DC version

I also put those trucks under a flatcar to get decent pickup for an attached Railway Express Miniatures Burro crane drive.

This is one of the two I-1 tenders where I had to lengthen the frame, not shorten it, but you get the idea.
Link:  http://www.randgust.com/PRRI1005.JPG
It really is worth it to include the modified frame with the spring wipers.   Much better contact than just hot-wiring the tabs

I used to be able to pick up those cabooses used for around $20 each as they weren't really standard cabooses and in all the train sets, but you also got steps, end ladders, smokejack, etc. that were useful parts.   Little more difficult now.

On the Decapod, I put in a Tsunami 1100 with a speaker under the coal load (cut out and converted to black foam).  And a keep-alive.  That's a much bigger tender, and between the speaker, decoder, 6-pin plug, wires, and pickups, tight fit, it was even worse with a capacitor, the keep-alive was much smaller.   I know you could get a DZ126T in that tender, but a bigger one with sound and a speaker is beyond my skills.

This solution is so good that on the 4-4-0 I didnt even need pickup off the locomotive itself, just the tender.   On the two I put the motor in the tender, the low-speed performance with a 5.14:1 gearhead was worth relocating that drive to the tender.   Your pickup will be solid and under DCC you 'should' get good slow speed....

[Trnsrus]

Please post photos of how you approach the DCC conversion; I’ve found very little during my search for same.

(Is the motor in yours rebuilt by @mmagliaro too?)

Jim

Jim, Thanks for your comments. I'm planning a bare-bones installation and have not as yet started. I intend to use a Lokpilot 5 Micro decoder, connect the track leads to the tender pickup strips and the motor leads directly to the brush caps after removing the factory power connections. I'm afraid installing a headlight led is beyond my machining abilities. And yes, the motor was rebuilt by Max.

[u18b]

Here are my conversions.....

All three.  Atlas/Rivarossi 0-4-0




Stock locomotive.



Stock underside.

High friction.  Electricity comes mostly from 3 wheels.  Each rail mostly gets electricity from 1 tender truck (2 wheels) and one wheel in the loco.




Stock locomotive with mostly stock tender.  Bachmann Spectrum trucks adapted to the stock tender.
Uses the same stock drawbar.   Provides each rail electricity from 5 rails each- increase of almost 50% over stock.
Notice the lead axle on the tender had to have the plastic thinned a good bit for clearance.
Required metal grinding on the tender frame to make room for the electrical pickup arms.






Stock loco with stock Bachmann Spectrum tender.    The tender is just a little too big.  May or may not be displeasing to your eye.
No mods to the tender.   I did have to scratch build a drawbar adapter interface.   Easily added DCC.  All electricity is same as one above.   Each rail gets juice from 4 wheels in the tender and one in the loco.  Motor gets electricity from the orange and gray wires added.

[brokemoto]

Not sure which railroad you are modeling. 

The B&O had four 0-4-0Ts that it ordered to work Pratt St. and the Baltimore harbour.  They burned oil, as Baltimore had smoke abatement rules.  The power to which I refer is the so-called "Docksider" of modelling fame across the scales.  At some point, B&O decided that it needed only two of these, so it converted two of them to burn coal, removed the tanks and added a tender.  The AtlasRivatossi 0-4-0 reflects the result of that conversion.

For the era and what it was, it was not bad.  It did suffer from the usual affliction contained in Miranda's Maxim as explained by ke:  "The poor performance of many N scale steam locomotives is almost always directly attributable to poor electrical contact."  It also suffered from that horrid RR can motor.  For some reaason, never have I seen one that suffered fro Zirmac Rot.

  I have two, one with a burned out motor, one that does run.  In that era, manufacturers hung whatever road name on whatever power.  This is why you get ATSF steam power with Belpaire fireboxes and ATSF FA-2s.  You also get an ATSF caboose with a Keystone herald on it.

[Jimbo]

For some reason, never have I seen one that suffered from Zirmac Rot.

I’m guessing that the reason these never suffered from zinc pest is because the locomotive frame is plastic, and the boiler is probably cast in metal of a different formula than frames would be.  Also, they were released later than the original 3 Rivarossi steamers (0-8-0, 4-6-2, & 2-8-2) so maybe they improved the alloy they used by then?  But that’s just a guess.

I’m happy with mine, and even happier that, despite its deep flanges, it can still run on my code 40 track!!

Jim

[u18b]

Actually, I’ve seen many with zamac rot.
I had to go on a search to find some that did not have it.
That’s been my experience.

[delamaize]

I converted mine to use the Bachmann tender. I have not DCC'd mine yet, but doing the tender was the best thing I ever did to it, besides getting my hands on the last rebuilt Motor max ever made. Its one of my favorite locos now.