LifeLike SW1200 - Suggestions for DCC/Sound “Tender”

[Dwight in Toronto]

A bit of progress over the last few days, such as adding compressed air cylinders on each side of the “fuel tank” to help disguise the speaker enclosure, and re-attachment of handrails on each end.

Also, the slug was recently in the engine shed where workers removed the fans, and welded on a long, narrow piece of steel plate to cover the openings.  A quick pass in the paint shop eliminated those radial spoke lighting effects that were emanating through the shell when the rotary beacon was illuminated.

Awaiting delivery of decals, after which the side handrails will be replaced.

[craigolio1]

A bit of progress over the last few days, such as adding compressed air cylinders on each side of the “fuel tank” to help disguise the speaker enclosure, and re-attachment of handrails on each end.

Also, the slug was recently in the engine shed where workers removed the fans, and welded on a long, narrow piece of steel plate to cover the openings.  A quick pass in the paint shop eliminated those radial spoke lighting effects that were emanating through the shell when the rotary beacon was illuminated.

Awaiting delivery of decals, after which the side handrails will be replaced.

It’s turned out really nice! I like it with the plates over fans. Looking forward to seeing it with decals.

Craig

[Dwight in Toronto]

Thanks Craig - nice to see that you’re checking in from time to time.
Hey, I did some asking around at the golf course pro shop (where I have a part time job fixing a fleet of 120 gasoline golf carts), and they told me to take as much of that lead ribbon as I need (they use it to alter the balance of golf clubs).  Thanks for planting the thought. 

[craigolio1]

Thanks Craig - nice to see that you’re checking in from time to time.
Hey, I did some asking around at the golf course pro shop (where I have a part time job fixing a fleet of 120 gasoline golf carts), and they told me to take as much of that lead ribbon as I need (they use it to alter the balance of golf clubs).  Thanks for planting the thought.

Oh nice!! Having a free resource is always a plus.

[jdcolombo]

Really nice job on this Dwight!

John C.

[peteski]

Yes, pretty nifty!

[Dwight in Toronto]

You guys could not have “weighed” in at a better time (you’ll note the pun shortly).

After all the surgery that has transpired on this build, and the generally positive and encouraging outcomes with each small step forward, I find myself at a bit of an impasse.  While test running the slug/switcher just now, I noticed an inconsistent and almost negligible bit of hesitation with the LifeLike switcher on a few brief occasions.  All this time, I thought that the wheels on the slug were freely rotating in their trucks.  Turns out they are not. 

Instead, the switcher is pushing the slug, and the wheels are pretty much just sliding over the rails. 
I have not yet tried to add any weight to the shell, and at this point it IS very light (I do not have any digital scale to quantify the weight).  If I press lightly on the slug, the wheels will roll, but I can’t even guess at how much downward force is required (all I can say is, “not much”!).

I’m not too sure about the best course of action.  I did try putting a tiny drop of LaBelle oil where the axles pass through their retaining holes in the delrin trucks (but no noticeable improvement). 
I suppose I can experiment by progressively adding weight to the shell, and note at which point the wheels start rotating.  But each gram added detracts from the number of boxcars etc that can be transported.  Recall that these old trucks DO have their original copper pickups rubbing on the inside edges of all 8 wheels (and I am utilizing that track power at the decoder so as to optimize performance).  Do those tiny copper contacts exert sufficient friction to impede wheel rotation in an appreciable amount, or is it negligible?  Might the wheels be much freer rolling if I removed those contacts (and lose the supplemental track power)?

There is nowhere at all to add weight to the SW1200.

In short, does it make more sense to:
a) add weight to the slug to try to get the wheels to roll, or
b) keep the slug as light as possible, but try to free up the wheels/axles some other way (eg - remove some, or all, of the copper pickups, or very lightly ream the axle-bearing holes in the delrin trucks) or
c) … some other option/suggestion?

I can try to take things apart and get a few pics of those old trucks, if that might help.
Looking forward to hearing back from you guys!

[peteski]

I thought that these LifeLike SW models have trucks similar in construction to Kato low-friction trucks with the pointy axle ends, and bearing cups in sideframes picking up power), and not the inside bearing and back-of-the-wheel  contacts.  I guess I'll have to revisit earlier posts to see what is going on.

EDIT: Ah, you are using the old Con-Cor frame with the old trucks. old Geep frame and trucks. You could try massaging the pickups to reduce their pressure against the wheels. but regardless, even with no pickups, these are "hi-friction" trucks.

In hindsight, it would have made more sense to use a loco which comes with low-friction trucks (but those also have metal split-frame design which would be mode difficult to chop/customize. 

[Dwight in Toronto]

Thanks Pete.  Yes, the slug was derived from an old GP shell that I serendipitously discovered (in a box that wasn’t even train stuff) shortly AFTER starting this topic.  I then found two old trucks in a different box of parts.  It turns out that all three items were at one time part of the same locomotive.  I vaguely remember, many years ago, my dad giving me a big box of O scale “stuff” from a garage sale, and that N scale GP shell + trucks was lying in the bottom.  I don’t even know what make it is.

Anyway, I started this project on a bit of a whim, in an attempt to see what I might be able to do with the materials at hand, with a low cost/no cost “nothing to lose” mindset.  Now that it has turned out better than I ever thought it would, I’d really like to fine-tune things by finding a way to overcome those “sticky” axles!

Fully open to suggestions from one & all!

[craigolio1]

I’m working on a project that’s sort of in the same wheelhouse.

I have three Briggs Models 8-40CW that for reasons I won’t get into…. I’m making dummies instead of powering them.

I wanted the most free rolling trucks, with power, that I could get. I found some Kato 6 axle passenger car trucks of the same axle spacing. I modified the locos to accept the trucks, filed down the side frames, and then will graft the resin Briggs side frames on.

These three locos now roll like Kato passenger cars.

Could you maybe find a Kato passenger car truck with the same wheel base as your GP?

Craig

[Dwight in Toronto]

Craig - great idea.  I know the Kato passenger car trucks very well (I made up my own flicker-free led lighting strips for all 12 of my SP MorningDaylight coaches, with voltage regulator/rectifier/capacitor circuits in each coach).  I will pursue this (if and when the Kato parts page ever re-opens on their website). 

FWIW, here’s a breakdown photo of the crappy old trucks I’ve been referring to.  Perhaps someone might know of some “rollability” improvements?  In the meantime I will remove the copper wipers from one set of trucks and see if it helps at all. 

[peteski]

Wipers are like brakes, so yes, removing them will improve rollability. But other than that, there is not much you can do with the inside-bearing truck design. Removing all the lubricants would also reduce drag (yes, it is counter intuitive). That might be enough to make this setup work, but you sacrifice power pickup (I thought maximizing power pickup was one of the top goals).

If you are considering replacing those trucks with low-friction Kato design, why bother with cobbling up something from Kato passenger trucks?  Just get one of several available 2-axle low-friction locomotive trucks (from either Kato or Atlas), and remove the internal gears.   The only thing you will have to make is a pivot point on top the gear case.  That should not be difficult.  Just snip off the unwanted top part of the gear case and (maybe even using the snipped off pieces) make a plate with a hole or a post in the center.  Gear case is slippery plastic so welding the parts together using a soldering iron will likely be the best option.  That way you will have the correct looking trucks, which roll very well, and pick up power, all with minimum modeling effort.

[Dwight in Toronto]

And THAT’S why I post overly, perhaps oftentimes needlessly lengthy questions and descriptions - so that the good people on this board can offer up a multitude of options and opinions.  I’ve got some stuff to work with, so thanks to all.

I took the wipers off that one truck - WORLD of difference.   As free-rolling as can be (but no more track power unfortunately).   Good for now, while I continue to look into better trucks.

[jdcolombo]

I'd go with Peteski's suggestion.  Actually, any modern Atlas 4-wheel diesel truck would be excellent, too.  All these are the "pointed axle/cone" design and are very free-wheeling while providing superb electrical pickup.  Hard wire the trucks to your decoder and you're golden.   I've also used 4-axle Bachmann tender trucks (latest design, also the pointy-axle/cone design; I think they came from a 2-8-0 tender) to replace old-style trucks in Model Power tenders and they work exceptionally well, too. 

John C.

[Dwight in Toronto]

Thanks John - good to know about those Bachmann units, since I’ve got an old Model Power 4-6-2 that I really like (I put an ESU 58731 sound decoder in it some time ago), but the tender trucks do indeed leave a lot to be desired.

I’ll be keeping those “pointy axle/cone design” trucks top-of-mind as well, and will be looking to score some for sure.