Improving the Arnold S2

[wm3798]

Now for the DCC conversion. 😖

I used a TCS Z-3 for mine.  With the cast metal shell, it's not practical to put a headlight on it in any conventional way, although some experimentation with SMDs might yield results.

I simply popped a yellow LED through the roof and set it on flash to represent a strobe.  It's helpful to just give an indication that the engine is getting power, especially when switching through insulated frogs...

Lee

[diezmon]

Diezmon
I’m not at home to look at my LL E8s. I’ve replaced LL SW9/1200 wheelsets using the stock axle tubes and Atlas wheels removed from their axle tubes because the gear isn’t in the same location along the tube.
The Atlas wheels have a slightly longer flange to axle point distance than the stock LL making the window between free rolling and in gauge rather small. They work wellhowever. That’s where the spare Atlas axle tubes I cut up came from.
Turning down the flanges isn’t too hard to do either. I remove one wheel from the axle and chuck the axle in my pin vise the chuck the pin vise in my cordless drill since the drill chuck won’t go small enough. Then turning the wheel SLOWLY drag it across a file lying flat on the edge of the table. Turning slow keeps the flange from going out of round.
You only need to take .010-.015 off then spin them up and clean off any flash with some 400 grip sandpaper.

I seem to remember having trouble getting the axles out.. it's possible, obviously    I'll check it out tonight.  Thanks!
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[CRL]

I used a TCS Z-3 for mine.  With the cast metal shell, it's not practical to put a headlight on it in any conventional way, although some experimentation with SMDs might yield results.

I simply popped a yellow LED through the roof and set it on flash to represent a strobe.  It's helpful to just give an indication that the engine is getting power, especially when switching through insulated frogs...

Thanks for the suggestion. BTW, your S2 seems much louder than mine. Have you filed the metal rings on the walkway assembly which surround the gear towers? If not, some of the noise may be coming from the idler gears hitting the gear tower surrounds.

Lee

[CRL]

I used a TCS Z-3 for mine.  With the cast metal shell, it's not practical to put a headlight on it in any conventional way, although some experimentation with SMDs might yield results.

I simply popped a yellow LED through the roof and set it on flash to represent a strobe.  It's helpful to just give an indication that the engine is getting power, especially when switching through insulated frogs...

Lee -

Thanks for the info. I checked the TCS website and found a Z2 decoder listed, but no Z3 was listed. Do you think it’s the same decoder as you used?

[peteski]

Thanks for the info. I checked the TCS website and found a Z2 decoder listed, but no Z3 was listed. Do you think it’s the same decoder as you used?

I never heard of TCS Z3 decoder.  Z2 is the small (Z scale) decoder made by TCS.

[wm3798]

It's been a few years since I did it....  likely some rust on the old wheel...

[central.vermont]

Well I've been plinking along on my S2's and this is what I have been doing to upgrade my trucks. I have found that the Bachmann S4 wheels and axles replace the Arnold wheels and axles perfectly. The only thing is you need to change out the Bachmann gears. I recently ordered from this company in Poland this M0.3 15 teeth gear.
https://shop.kkpmo.com/product_info.php?products_id=377&XTCsid=8d97gjev8n7d7upjjj8jn38ok1
It is a snug press on fit with the Bachmann axle.

The Bachmann truck costs $7.70 and one gear costs $3.33 so this option is cheaper than going with the NWSL Axles.
I did try what Jim Starbuck mentioned earlier in this topic about cutting a gear free of the Atlas axle tubes but just couldn't get a tight enough grip on the Bachmann axle.

So for me this will do for me because I went ahead and ordered enough parts to get me through 8 refits!!
Below is some photos of the conversion.




This shot shows left to right Bachmann axle with Bachmann gear, Bachman axle with new gear, Original Arnold axle and NWSL axle.

[johnb]

Well I've been plinking along on my S2's and this is what I have been doing to upgrade my trucks. I have found that the Bachmann S4 wheels and axles replace the Arnold wheels and axles perfectly. The only thing is you need to change out the Bachmann gears. I recently ordered from this company in Poland this M0.3 15 teeth gear.
https://shop.kkpmo.com/product_info.php?products_id=377&XTCsid=8d97gjev8n7d7upjjj8jn38ok1
It is a snug press on fit with the Bachmann axle.

The Bachmann truck costs $7.70 and one gear costs $3.33 so this option is cheaper than going with the NWSL Axles.
I did try what Jim Starbuck mentioned earlier in this topic about cutting a gear free of the Atlas axle tubes but just couldn't get a tight enough grip on the Bachmann axle.

So for me this will do for me because I went ahead and ordered enough parts to get me through 8 refits!!
Below is some photos of the conversion.




This shot shows left to right Bachmann axle with Bachmann gear, Bachman axle with new gear, Original Arnold axle and NWSL axle.

you have my attention

[peteski]

That looks good Jon!  Hopefully those new white plastic gears won't split like those infamous Bachmann white gears.  After all, they are Polish-made! 

Were those particular gears also offered in brass (for small additional charge)?  That might be an option for long lasting gears.

[central.vermont]

Were those particular gears also offered in brass (for small additional charge)?  That might be an option for long lasting gears.

Yes they also come in brass. They cost an additional .55 approximately.

[central.vermont]

Here's a link to the trucks I ordered from Bachmann.
https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70_607&products_id=6196&zenid=k5sbgmq03lfd0d96vfefomu3t4



Jon

[CRL]

That looks good Jon!  Hopefully those new white plastic gears won't split like those infamous Bachmann white gears.  After all, they are Polish-made! 

Those gears won’t split...

They’ll just get drunk and won’t show up for work.   

[central.vermont]

I make these washers from Evergreen styrene sheets. As shown, I used 0.010, 0.015, and 0.020" sheets. I first draw a grid with enough spacing to be able to punch out the washers, then I drill the appropriate size hole in each intersection of the grid. For 1mm axles I use #57 drill bit.  Once the holes are drilled, I use a hobby punch set (from Micro-Mark) to punch out 2mm diameter washers.  I line up the drilled hole in the center of the 2mm punch hole, then punch out the washer and move on to the next hole. It is a bit tedious but in no time I have bunch of washers. They are not all perfect, but they will do the job.


AxleSpacers.jpg

Pete, I see several sets of punches on Micro Mark, can you tell me which one you are using so I can purchase one.
I'm not sure but is this the set your using?

[peteski]

Pete, I see several sets of punches on Micro Mark, can you tell me which one you are using so I can purchase one.
I'm not sure but is this the set your using?

Yes, that is the one. https://www.micromark.com/Micro-Punch-Set  But I don't think that when I bought it (several years ago), it cost me $60!!

[Jim Starbuck]

I spent some time remotoring my previously deadlined S2s now that the the axle gears are replaced and the wheel flanges are turned down.
The first one (CNW) got the same motor as in the Atlas MP15 and Tomix brass worms.

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The worms are connected to the motor shaft with the leftover axle tubes after cutting the gears out. It works very well for motor shaft coupling. A small amount was ground out of the shell passage to make room for the new coupling but not much.
Strips of styrene were glued to the circuit board to gain proper worm to gear mesh and the motor is held down with double sided tape. This is actually a very straightforward remoter project.
I drilled holes in the back of the shell just under the windshield to route wires back to a small Lenz decoder in the cab. No lights were installed in this one but I may revisit it later and install them.
The pilots were converted with 3D printed versions from @narrowminded. They fit beautifully! I installed MT 905 Z scale couplers and Precision Scale trainline hoses. The cab numbers were changed with decals to the correct yellow instead of black. The trucks were painted black and then the whole thing was lightly weathered using Aim powders.

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The second one (Milwaukee) was more involved. It got a coreless motor from a Bachmann S4 and also Tomix brass worms. The Bachman motor is longer because of the flywheels so I had to do some milling inside the shell. The motor is set in a holder from the Bachmann S4 which is in turn glued to shims also glued down to the circuit board.

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This one got an 0402 LED in the headlight cavity after the stock lens was plucked out. Galery Glass made the new headlight lens. Headlight installation is a bit tedious because I had to drill a hole for the magnet wire to pass to the back. That portion of the shell is almost 7/8” long but slow drilling in the press and frequent cleaning of the bit got it through.

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This shell also got holes drilled at the rear for the decoder wires to enter the cab space. A small amount of the cab shell was cut away but isn’t seen behind the hood.

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This one also got the 3D pilot conversions with 905 couplers and trainline hoses. The 905 box is longer but I just cut the back of it off to make room after the truck mount boxes were cut off.
There’s an ESU Lokpilot Nano decoder in the cab and an 0603 LED in the cab for the rear light.
I painted the end railings white. If Atlas S2 railings become available as spares I will change them out as the Atlas are very fine and they could be made to fit with a little work to the sills. This one is also weathered with Aim powders.

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It runs extremely well too.

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Thanks for looking

Jim