Large Scale Central

Updates and upgrades to the Bachman C-19

Modeling Rolling stock
#1

This first section is on the instalation of Accucraft couplers Well it is a pain. Probally will be more so for Kadee users (Edit-note that a std replacement is avalible). Bachman has reinvented the coupler box once again. Shown below is my solution. I started out with a piece of K&S rectangular tubing that fits ofer the Bachman shank as well as the accucraft with a little filling. this progressed to cutting away the tubing where the accucraft mounts and adding two .062 thick of brass sheet, followed by a 1-72 tapped hole.

Yes it is bent up ever so slightly, this was needed to get the coupler level with my gage. note that i bent up a new lift pin assembly. This was much easyer than dealing with the Bachman one and is made from K&S .062 rod. this is just larger than the stock one and has the added benift of staying in place so i can lift the pin and shove cars to a stop in unaccessable locations.

And one little weak spot was found in the cow catcher. broke as soon as i stared handling, so back to the K&S box for some angle.

Next i will mount an accucraft coupler to the tender

#2

Finnaly got a few minutes this evening to finish the tender up. I first put together my defactor std adaptor

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/C19061.jpg)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/C19062.jpg)

but i found that i had the same 1/8" height discrepancy. given that the tender frame is plastic, i eyeballed an accucraft coupler pocket for the job. with some quick work of a Dremel sanding drum i got the following,

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/C19052.jpg)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/C19053.jpg)

after some cleanup with a flat file, and installing some brass backing plates to drill and tap into, and making a new cut lever

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/C19056.jpg)

I did manage to find some other weak links, these are the water lines from the tender.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/C19060.jpg)

I have not decided whether or not to try and reinstall. Bachman provides a length of what appears to be heat shrink tubing that looks like it was meant to connect these to the locomotive, but alas there are no directions.

#3

More modifications being made to match prototype. I found after removing the running board with the air tank attached that it fit very well between the others. Removing the tank is fun because it is glued well , but the ends slide off. I filed and sanded this to the running board thickness.Next I salvaged the mounting plates to the boiler, and fitted them in the proper place to line up with the screw holes. Some scrap styrene was fitted into the rounded ends after the paint was removed as well into the former screw hole securing the tank. .020 scrap styrene was fitted from below to help line things up and strengthen the joints. Some delicate detail removal after the glue set up and a little green putty. I sanded this with 150 grit to retain some of the roughness molded into the boards.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/_forumfiles/C19064.jpg)

a new sander line was made with 1/16 brass rod

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/_forumfiles/C19066.jpg)

The smoke box front needed a new door and more clamps, so I carefully removed the existing detail and filled in the divots with squadron green putty.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/_forumfiles/C19071.jpg)

the new door was made up of three pieces of .03 styrene. one 1-3/4 dia to fit the opening, one 1-15/16 and one 1-7/8. I scored the styrene with a compass with a sharp point. the point hole was drilled out to 1/8 and used for glue alignment. I should point out that I have no intention to acess the switches anymore. Before gluing in place I enlarged the 1/8 hole to a rectangular opening 1/8 high x 1/4 wide.the door dogs are made up of three layers of .03 x .100 styrene. I modifyed the existing door hinges by cutting the door up and then fitting to my new door. I drew up a quick template for spacing in my cad program for the first layer, and aligned the others directly on top. lenghts used were 1/8, 5/32, and 1/4. hartford products smal n.b.w’s finished it up. markers and number plate in place temporarily

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/_forumfiles/C19072.jpg)

And a new painted face, testors gun metal was a good match, Floquil engine black and bright silver were used also.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/_forumfiles/C19074.jpg)

and a view of the running boards painted

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/_forumfiles/C19075.jpg)

Hey Jeff do you have some pictures showing the under side of the running boards for air line placement?

#4

Looking good. I always like to see what folks do to improve the appearance and accuracy of their equipment.

How do you like those Accucraft couplers?

#5

Ray,

Since i am 100% accucraft couplers I probbally am biased but I really like them. I do a little filing in the right places and they open like the prototype when I lift the pin. as i previously explaned all my locomotives are equiped with lift bars that stay lifted, which allows me to shove cars to an out of the way place and have uncoupling when the engine pulls away. The only chalenge has been fitting to the Bachman cars (and Loco’s), as it seams each new one requires a slightly different aproach.

#6

Al - I’ll trade you my secret for mounting Accucraft couplers on Bachman Fn3 freight cars for your secret on where to file them :slight_smile: I’ve used the same method on their flat, box car, 2 bay and 3 bay hoppers. The result lines up well with my AMS cars (well except the gondolas, they are an oddball from the factory).

#7

AS long as I can steal both secrets… :wink:

#8

Jon,

there is a fix for the Accucraft gondolas. basically you saw off the bottom part that the coupler mounts to and remount the coupler up higher. will try to get a picture for you. as to getting the couplers so you only need to open one, i start by filing away the parting line flash from the front of the knuckle. then work around the back side and remove the cast in fillet in the knuckle. also remove the flash in the same area on the body. the idea is to get this very smooth. the last step is to file what i will call the closer part of the knuckle.I try to concentrate on the end and work on a trial basis
with another coupler until it works good. you do not want to remove too much as the coupler will not close and lock (guess you know how i found out) This may be a good thing to do in front of the TV. and start with a spare pair of couplers. will try to post some instructional photos by the end of the w/e.

#9

Thanks Al - I think I have picks of my technique to mount Accu couplers on Bachman FN3 stock. I’ll probably stat a fresh thread and post a link here.

#10

What’s a C-19?

#11

http://youtu.be/-uvG6caPtrU

#12

I finally got around to writing up my coupler technique. Find it here: http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?pid=191806#p191806

#13

Time for an update. My C19 has been running around my railroad for a couple of weeks, although outdoor operations are now suspended for the season. but i am getting ahead of myself. in order to facilitate using the water hatch for power and on/off switch, I sanded off the flange, and cut out the area below (actual top of tender) and installed a Micro-mark small hinge.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/c19037.jpg)

to secure the rear of the tank I glued in some large styrene blocks. Note that the post used to mount the rear of the tender was removed completly. Screws holes were drilled in the tender frame to accept a couple of leftover screws.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/c19038.jpg)

The completed Airwire instalation with Phonix p8 sound and speaker with 5vdc power supply (note that I used the extension posts provided , but cut off about 1/8" or so to get more thread engagement for the screws provided)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/c19029.jpg)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/c19031.jpg)

I did reuse the boards located inside the locomotive as a convinence, you can see that most of the wires have been cliped off at the connectors.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/c19033.jpg)

View @ the motor showing the clip i used to hold the wires away from the flywheel.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/rgsnh/c19035.jpg)

In the end I used only eight wires accross the connectors, so I consoladated into one plug. the eight wires are (2) motor, (2) Headlight power, (2) 5vdc to power chuff sensors and lights that are on when power is on, and (2) chuff sensor output. the chuff sensor outputs are to the rear of the board, the 5vdc connects to the front of the board. hope to post a video soon.

#14

How do you have the chuff sensors wired direct to the P8? I’m using the Revolution in mine, and jumpered power on the socket board to supply power to the locomotive electronics. Unfortunately I think I may have inadvertently zapped something in the chuff sensor circuit while poking and prodding around. I wouldn’t mind experimenting and bypassing as much as possible to see if it’s truly zapped or if I can salvage it. For now, I’ve got 3 magnets on the tender axle, which is so close to exact relative to the drivers it’s almost not worth worrying about, except I normally “tune” the chuff of the Phoenix by putting the loco on rollers–doesn’t work so well when the triggers are on the tender. With only 15’ of test track in the workshop, it’s a little more difficult to get up to speed and coast to a stop.

Later,

K

#15

Kevin,

In the photo showing the main board in the loco, the grey and purple wires are soldered together and are the ground side, the brown wire is 5v positive. these supply power to the sensors and the leds for marker, cab and firebox. the two wires to the rear being chuff output the one closest is the chuff ground (large connector). I spent a lot of time ohming out these boards (and experimenting)to find these connections and to bypass the boiler front switches which are no longer accesable due to the new smokebox front I made to more closly match the prototype. I found insuficent room in the tender thus the removed electronics.

Hope this helps

#16

Hi

Thank you for all the details you have shown and the superb photos as well.

I am thinking about one of the locos (which will be #346) and wonder how the running boards are fitted to the boiler please - the reason is I would backdate it to the ‘as delivered’ condition, which has lower ones, - they are the same level as the bottom of the cab which also needs a new and longer one.

From your photo of the smokebox front it seems to be fitted into the smokebox tube, so is removeable? Yes the smokebox will need to be reduced in its depth, and then a new stack and like you a new door and a big oil headlamp.

Thanks again for the interesting post - very helpful.

Yours Peter

#17

Peter,

The running boards are screwed to the bottom of the top half of the boiler. to remove/change you will have to remove the piping which is a mix of plastic and steel. See my Nov 4th posting for the best photo. I suspect for what you propose that you will need to make new mounts into the lower half of the boiler. The smoke box fromt is secured with two screws from the top, under the headlight, and two from the bottom under the lead truck,

#18

Hi

Thanks for the reply Al, I have picked up your earlier posts - very helpful.

You are correct re the lowered running boards - I thought that new mounts would be required - its likely that new running boards will also be made as well.

Yours Peter.