Future home of the Northern Pacific and Black Hills Ry.

badlandnp Mar 17, 2013

  1. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    It's actually an early DC version I worked over. As is my other Mike. Can't say enough good about them. Won't ever see a BLI on my layout after the fiasco with the T! that I have to replace the fried decoder in, already.

    On another note, got the machine work done on the engine frame of the 844 for the wiring, and got it loosened up in the tender, too. Much better, though it is a finicky thing yet. More little tweaks, I am sure. The foam holding the speaker in was causing binding also, so I relocated the speaker aft and put the decoder forward.
    PIC_0343.JPG PIC_0345.JPG PIC_0344.JPG
     
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  2. gcav17

    gcav17 TrainBoard Member

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    You think that was impressive? This was just outta the box.



    I ran out of cars. That's a 2% slope by the way.

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  3. mtntrainman

    mtntrainman TrainBoard Supporter

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    NIiiiiiccceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:unsure:
     
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  4. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    Wooooooowwww!!!
    I obviously missed the major improvement to the Model Power/MRC lokies.
    Was that an 'out of the box' model with DCC/sound pre-installed?
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  5. gcav17

    gcav17 TrainBoard Member

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    Yes it was. I was super impressed with the pulling power after they put traction tires on it. It was the later run. I have an older one that does not pull as well. But it had no traction tires and it weighed the same.
    I remember all these guys knocking it real bad but Model power really improved this Loco alot.

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  6. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    I was one of those Model Power 'knockers'. To my defense, the couple of models I got from the first run were nothing but trouble. The advertising was misleading too. 'All wheel' electrical pick-up was only the 'drivers'. The Pacific class was particularly bad as a result. The assembly of the pick-up wipers was also very shoddy... to a point that they hung too low and would pick a turn-out point in reverse causing damage that could not be fixed (by me at least). These quickly were relegated to RIP track decoration, or 'shelf queens'. By 2004 standards... $150 discounted price was not cheap... for a paperweight.

    To see that BadlandNP was able to both DCC and sound equip his version(s) is actually very impressive... since 15 years ago no one was venturing into that abbyss.

    Looks like MRC rescued the Model Power wrecks to make them worthy to own.

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  7. gcav17

    gcav17 TrainBoard Member

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    If I remember correctly. We have used Bachman tenders on some of those older locomotives. Your right. The pick ups were not ideal. And it varied from one Loco to another. Whats worse was opening up the drivers so one could solder on dcc wires. Good heavens. That's a real challenge! They still have the same wiper system on the new ones so I imagine that horror show is still there.
    But dang can it pull and it looks good..

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  8. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    I have a Pacific in process that sat on my workbench for a year plus. So I sat it aside until I am ready to puzzle out where I was at in the build and wiring. There may be a few pics further back in this thread. I do replace the original one sided pickup tenders with Bman Spectrums, as it is absolutely needed. The Mikes both have Bullfrog Snot on their 4th wheel for traction. Great stuff when applied properly!

    In similar news, the 844 is almost trouble free. The wires betwixt the engine and tender were catching on the drawbar on corners. So, a bit of bending and forming and we are getting them relaxed above the drawbar. This is always an issue when putting sound and lighting effects in steam. The balance between too much play vs. too tight.
     
  9. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    So, I have been fussing with the 844. This is probably the most finicky loco I have so far. The Cab swings so far on my corners, 15" minimum, it forces the front drivers off. There was early issues with binding of the wires between, but not anymore. I found that the decoder was binding them some in the tender also, so corrected that. Apparently ANY little thing can pop the front driver off. Am not sure what this things problem is. It is a beauty, but highly frustrating. Hmmm.......
     
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  10. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    And here's two videos. In the first, it derails in the middle straight section of this S curve, and in the second, it sails through the same curve. It left the last two cars behind. I had backed up several times to try again, and it left them behind on the only time it didn't derail! I ran it twice around the entire layout with only one derailment before I tried to do a video. Was feeling cocky like I had maybe conquered this things issues, huh! Anyway, here we go,



     
  11. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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  12. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    Sad thing is, this loco is the only problem child in too many places. I will keep after it and see what shows up, eventually.
     
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  13. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    That bites that it isn't playing nice. Do you think it has anything to do with the decoder wiring or something causing it to bind? It's not an apples to apples comparison but my DC only Kato 844 has been negotiating the approximately 13 inch radius curves on the current layout with no issues.
     
  14. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    One of your 'short' videos on the UP 844 showed the lead truck being nudged of the track by the side rod as it passed the valve gear. This was on a relatively straight part of your track. It would stand to reason that if there is a misalignment near the valve gear by the drive rod that the leading truck could be derailed anywhere along the track... but moreso on curves.

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  15. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    Hadn't even considered looking at the valve gear and rods. I checked them on initial inspection, but not to see if they are affecting this. Hmmm....out to the railroad after supper!
     
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  16. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    It is a 1:19 video you uploaded about two weeks ago on Vimeo. At 10 seconds all rods push forward and at 11 seconds as the rods pull back they appear to pinch the leading truck causing the rear axle to derail.
    I don't see any reason on track itself to have caused that to happen. Specially that both wheels popped up together and only the front axle landed back on the rail while the rear axle did not. You probably did not notice since it was so quick and the rear axle of the leading truck was not significantly off the rail. You ran the video for a full minute after the mishap.

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    Last edited: Mar 6, 2021
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  17. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    Just played that over n over for a few watches. The #1 driver dropped off the rail first, causing the pilot truck to do it's little jump. It is a quick succession thing. After the incidents the other night, I ran it back and forth in that spot slow and quicker. Watching closely each time, at the pilot, drivers and cab swing. The cab swing seems to hang up at the quicker speeds, which seems to be the cause. If I just touch the cab a bit sideways when approaching a curve at quicker speeds, it stays on the rails. Things do happen quickly though, so I am really glad for the video! And the input. I watched the valve gear and such super close last night, and the rods and gear never interfere with any movement. Kato did well there.

    I am looking close, and I think the wires are catching on the top of the drawbar, it has the two PB wires on it and is a rough surface. A thin bit of styrene applied may fix that.

    Here's a couple of videos of it successfully pulling without derailing!



     
  18. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    So, since the brain is at a mild frustration level with 844, it is going to run at restricted speeds until I feel like fussing with them wires and drawbar again. I did program the firebox flicker today, which was nice!

    To help me think it through , I did some track repairs this morning, ran some trains, and worked on the C-C Great Northern S-2. It is a Rail Baron model, which should be easy enough to put Sound in. It needs some cleaning also. I did notice while cleaning that the driver bottom plate was loose, so I tightened it up, and that locked the drivers! After some inspecting, it turned out the driver tabs on the plate needed a concavity carved into them. Much better!

    PIC_0347.JPG PIC_0348.JPG PIC_0349.JPG PIC_0351.JPG PIC_0352.JPG After that I did get some soldering done, PIC_0356.JPG
    And then I had to run a train...Heavy Henry and his Mighty Mogul 7!!

     
  19. Calzephyr

    Calzephyr TrainBoard Supporter

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    So... Mighty Mogul 7 looks real good. Which manufacturer and what modifications did you make to get it to run so reliably well.

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  20. badlandnp

    badlandnp TrainBoard Member

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    That's an original issue Model Power. All I did was install a NCE decoder, be sure the motor and shaft were lined up nice, added weight where I could and here we are. I do need to tweak on it's low speed CV's, sometimes it gets finicky. But it is a reliable locomotive and fairly trouble free. I have several more to apply DCC to. And detail for either the NP or NPBH!
     
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