Con-Cor Aerotrain

[DKS]

Another of many mysteries: why they used real rubber for the diaphragms. They don't need to flex! They could have been molded in plastic. And then they could also have been made the right color (silver, not black).

The rubber parts peel right off the magnet panels, so I think I may make a replacement part and cast it in resin.

[CodyO]

Maybe NZT can make a whole aero-train upgrade set! 

Though I don't own one Ive read reviews and also wondered why they made it in rubber, doesn't make sense for the same points David just brought up

[Roger Holmes]

I've tried three different Digitrax decoders (all the decoders run other units with no issues) and NO JOY.  The reversing lights work but zero from the motor.  An electrically savvy buddy put his meter on all the wires from front to rear and found conductivity.  Engine runs on DC with dummy plug but have only tried it on straight test track and not on layout.

Very cool looking shelf queen.

[wcfn100]

I've tried three different Digitrax decoders (all the decoders run other units with no issues) and NO JOY.  The reversing lights work but zero from the motor.  An electrically savvy buddy put his meter on all the wires from front to rear and found conductivity.  Engine runs on DC with dummy plug but have only tried it on straight test track and not on layout.

Very cool looking shelf queen.

I'll look at mine if I can and see what if anything I had to do to get it to work.  IIRC, I went with three decoders, one motor and two function to control the cars in three sets.  I know it ran and that I got all the lights to work, but like everyone else, it's been on a back shelf.  My project stalled when I got to making new diaphrams for closer spacing drawbars.

I think Shapeways may have a flexible material I can try now.

Jason

[DKS]

I'm just happy to have found replacement wheels that work. I have ideas about the wiring to do away with all but two conductors.

[towl1996]

                                    It just so happens that the wheels from the Kato GS-4 tender are drop-in replacements. (You can buy a replacement truck set from Kato for $15, which gets you six wheelsets).

Well, that's good news and bad. Good, there is another option. Bad, a complete train will require 18 wheelsets for a grand total of $45.   However, I'm interested in what other improvements you have in mind.

[Nato]

                Just to add more fuel to the fire, my 10 car Onions Pathetic set is far from perfect. The wheels can be re gauged, but is not easy to do. My track is far from perfect, I think the stiff wires contribute a lot to problems. My train runs just great on straight track but coming off a curve onto straight track at least one or more cars will be off the rails, but the train continues to run as one car end is only a small bit off and out of line. Sometimes the offending car or cars re rails at crossings. .I do not use DCC on my home layout so have never bothered to explore what decoders or decoders and sound decoders will work.                                 This is too bad as it is a very nice unique model. Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[VonRyan]

I just popped the box open on my set to refresh my memory. Now I remember that I was going to exploit the magnet pairs of the coupling diaphragms as the conductors for power and eliminate the wires altogether.

As for the wheels, two steps: one, replace the pivot pins with screws, and fix the trucks in place (they do not need to swivel, and indeed things may work better if they don't), and two, replace the wheels. It just so happens that the wheels from the Kato GS-4 tender are drop-in replacements. (You can buy a replacement truck set from Kato for $15, which gets you six wheelsets).

There are other things to do, like add more weight, but I think this is a good start to improve things.

Now that sounds like a reasonable project seeing as how I feared worse. If replacement diaphragms do make it into the realm of possibility production, You can count me in.


-Cody F.

[nickelplate759]

I just popped the box open on my set to refresh my memory. Now I remember that I was going to exploit the magnet pairs of the coupling diaphragms as the conductors for power and eliminate the wires altogether.

As for the wheels, two steps: one, replace the pivot pins with screws, and fix the trucks in place (they do not need to swivel, and indeed things may work better if they don't), and two, replace the wheels. It just so happens that the wheels from the Kato GS-4 tender are drop-in replacements. (You can buy a replacement truck set from Kato for $15, which gets you six wheelsets).

There are other things to do, like add more weight, but I think this is a good start to improve things.

I have an Aerotrain that I'm trying to fix the wheelset gauge on - I saw this and got hopeful.  I tried it - the gauge and axle length is good, but the wheel diameter is off and wheels rub on the underframe. After investigating, I found that the problem is that the wheelsets on the GS4 tender are have 36" wheels, and the Aerotrain has 33".

I'm still looking for 33" wheels with the right half-axle length, or that can be slide on their half-axles. The Aerotrain wheels  are turned in one piece with the half axles, which prevents me from widening their gauge.

[peteski]

In the old no-longer-existing thread in the Atlas forum I showed that I turned down the axle ends on my lathe, so I could widen the gauge.

Would standard Kato passenger wheelsets work?  Too big? How about Kato caboose truck wheels? Those are 33"

[nickelplate759]

In the old no-longer-existing thread in the Atlas forum I showed that I turned down the axle ends on my lathe, so I could widen the gauge.

Would standard Kato passenger wheelsets work?  Too big? How about Kato caboose truck wheels? Those are 33"

Funny - I just measured the Kato caboose wheelsets.  The wheels are OK, the axle is too long (about 0.56")  Anyone know if the wheels can be moved on the half-axles (unlike the Con-Cor wheels)?   I don't have any spares to screw up just now.

[peteski]

Yes, the wheels are press-fit onto the half-axles.  But IRC, they also have fairly deep flanges.

[nickelplate759]

Yes, the wheels are press-fit onto the half-axles.  But IRC, they also have fairly deep flanges.

Yes, that's true.  Definitely deeper than those on the Aerotrain.  I guess the question is, given that I don't have a lathe, is it easier to fix the Kato wheels or the original Aerotrain wheels?  I'd have to chuck the wheel in a drill either way.

[peteski]

Yes, that's true.  Definitely deeper than those on the Aerotrain.  I guess the question is, given that I don't have a lathe, is it easier to fix the Kato wheels or the original Aerotrain wheels?  I'd have to chuck the wheel in a drill either way.

Good question.  I had the advantage of my lathe when turning down the pointy axle end.

Turning flanges would be easier and more forgiving, but if you are careful you could probably chuck the Con-Cor wheel by the thick part of the axle, and using a file carefully file down the conical axle end, while keeping it conical.  Just keep checking your progress so you don't shorten it too much.

[peteski]

I dug up some photos from my original writeup.









As you can see I installed washers on the half-axles to prevent the wheels from ever going tight in gauge.  Made those washers myself.  IIRC, I used a 0.010"on one side and 0.015" or 0.020" on the other side (whatever was needed to have the wheelset properly gauged). 

I also pushed the truck pivot in tight to stop the truck from pivoting. It  really isn't needed for such a short car.