Large Scale Central

Major K27 overhaul

Electronics Power and Sound
#61

Terry, that’s great to hear, cuz it is loud.

Earlier this evening I took the shell back off the loco in preparation tp try to install your spring fix over the gear box. Went to the local big orange box store and found a package of springs of assorted sizes. Half an hour of separating and sorting yielded a spring with a bit more tension than I wanted, but went with it any way. Definitely solved the no 3 axle issue, although it is now a bit stiffer than I think it should be. For now I am calling the loco DONE!

Tomorrow evening is a bit of reprogramming the sound card to use the optical chuff and I can button it all up.

#62

Bob
Are there any Ace Hardware stores near you?
If they have all those boxes for hardware there should be one for springs.

#63

Boomer, I got the super secret “final” circuit diagram from Bob, I hope he is not mad, so I’m posting it here: (could not find the microwave, but I did find the blender)!

(ha ha, hope everyone has a laugh)

#64

LMAO^^^^^^^^^^^^

I’m gonna print that out and use it in the shop for the guys that think they can fix their cars but their wives make them bring it to me.

#65

That circuit would work better if you tightened the tolerances .

Mike

#66

Greg, I looked for Otto Chuff in your diagram, but didn’t find him. Please explain, using words of three syllables or more. :wink:

#67

@Sean - I was able to locate a ‘spring assortment’ package at Homeless Desperate that had one spring that I think is a bit heavy, but I installed it anyway. That combined with the additional weight in the smoke box and it almost looks nose heavy now. Looks good for a nice sunny mid 80s Saturday for test run on the layout.

@Greg - My EE here at work has that on his wall right next to his monitor, references it all the time (tongue in cheek). No hard feelings Greg, it is almost appropriate when you look at the real thing a page or so back. All in good fun!! :slight_smile:

#68

Bob Cope said: Homeless Desperate

LOL ! I haven’t heard that one yet, I refer to them as Home Crapo!

#69

Well, the loco performed flawlessly! Rodney’s gearbox IS noisy, even outdoors, but the performance and slow speed running are outrageous.

Here goes an attempt to link to a video I shot today. Not long, but …

Apparently I don’t have the hang of it. I will keep trying to fix it, just not tonight.

#70

Just post the link, and we’ll figure it out… it is an AVI file, which you cannot embed.

Greg

#71

Here is the link, but it doesn’t work either…

http://www.gscalejunkie.com/GeneralPics/K27Mods/K27_Maiden_Run.AVI

#72

Joe:

The link you supplied downloaded and played successfully for me. I use Chrome as my browser if that’s worth anything.

#73

@joe - Thanks for putting up the link. Now, can you rell me what formats can be directly imbedded? I don’t have a Youtube account and for one or two videos, I don’t particularly wish to start one.

Thxm Bob

#74

Looked great Bob

Got dizzy watching that last tanker! LOL

I just downloaded the like to my computer and played it threw window’s 7.

#75

Sean, I need to do the final programming to get the chuff sequencing correct. Currently it is on voltage, which ramps it up way to quickly, but it was great to see her run for about 4 hours.

Yeah, the last tank car was de=railed, and it did it just before the curve. I was having some difficulty with my camera (not sure it wasn’t I/O error) so went with what came out clear. Once I get the chuff programming done (borrowed the software from a fellow club member) I will post again. Maybe by the I will figure out which format I can embed.

#76

Bob,

Last night I tried the link I posted using Firefox and it did not work, but today I tried it using IE and it worked. Go figure!

Great looking train!

:slight_smile:

#77

Bob, I wonder if you could put some soundproofing around that gear drive. It is certainly loud, but turn up the sound card!

Greg

#78

Greg,

That is a known issue with Rodney’s drive. Terry Burr and others that have installed it have assured me with some running time it will quiet down. After about 6 weeks on the breakfast nook table I think the SWMBO would like to be able to eat there for a while before I clutter it up again. I could turn up the card, but it hit the spot for loud enough to hear, but not loud enough to be obnoxious. As for sound proofing, I am not sure how that would be done. There isn’t much room left in there now, plus the location would require the sound material to be in a location that might impede the function of the suspension.

The tank car that was derailed at the end of the train is one I have been having issues with, so I spent a bunch of time walking with my train (many laps around the layout in 4 hours). I changed the springs in the Accucraft trucks to lighter ones, which has helped a bunch, but I still had derailing problems occasionally and usually in the same spot. A second check of wheel gauge will be done, and the spot has been identified to the track crew at the club. (I am two hours away and don’t get there often between meetings and events.)

Thanks all for the help, support and comments during this build. It is greatly appreciated.

Bob C.

#79

Do we get to see more video??

#80

Bob, I would get some grease on the gears that also will “work into” the gear surfaces. A good “moly” grease is what you need. That should have the best chance of quieting the drive.

The moly is the only ingredient I have seen that will really work into the surface of the gears. Graphited greases are slippery, but won’t “plate” the gears.

Most moly greases are lithium based.

I use hob-e-lube for this application.

By the way, it is reasonable to assume that some “breaking in” will occur, i.e. the wearing down of high points and increasing the gear tooth contact. If it was not a pain to do, I’d make a few runs with toothpaste on the gears, then clean all of it off and lube.

Regards, Greg