Last weekend I re-converted my AM FA2 to S-CAB. I had removed the
components before so that NWSLcould replace the stock AM motor with one
of theirs. The S-CAB components I passed around at my clinic at the NASG
convention were the ones removedfrom my FA2. Now they are back in their
place.
http://pmrr.org/Equipment/FA2/index_LVL2_7.htm
The NWSL motor replacement was a slight improvement, but in retrospect
not worth the cost. Of course, I didn't know that ahead of time. I
think, ultimately, at fault is the gearing in the AM gear tower (it has
the "low" gear). At this point in time that is beyond my capabilities (I
am not a mechanical engineer/machinist), so I will leave that issue for
my "future self" to tackle. I do plan to pursue super-detailing the
engines in the future (already have the B.T.S. parts).
I found the S-CAB powered engine derailing on my tracklast night. I
discovered that the headlight wiring touches the front truck gear tower,
and prevents it from smoothly swiveling, so that, I presume, is the
cause of the derailments.
My second, now un-powered, A unit would derail as well, but for a
different reason. Upon close inspection I found that the wheels toward
the center ofthe engine floated just above the rail (i.e. the truck was
not parallel withthe rail). Looking for the cause, I found that the
mounting lug (towhich the truck is attached to the frame) wasn't
perfectlystraight, so when the mounting nut is tightened, it pulled the
whole truck out of alignment with respect to the track. Loosening that
nut solved the alignment issue (i.e. all four wheels of the truck
touched the rail), but re-introduced the wobbling of the frame/shell. My
solution was to glue a piece of styrene to the underside of the frame
where the truck gear tower just barely touches the frame when tightened,
which forces the truck to sit at a slight (opposite) angle. It was just
enough to cause the four wheels to once again touch the rails. And that
solved the derailment problems with that engine.
It was kind of fun testing that unpowered engine by having it be pulled
by my NW2. In the prototype, the FA2 engines would break down often, so
my guess is that there were times when they were indeed pulled by other
engines.
Today I plan on fixing the headlight wire issue mentioned above, and
then doing a full charge on the engine's batteries. Then this weekend I
hope to do my endurance test (running the engine, light, on my layout
until the battery is drained).
As Bob Werre mentioned earlier, next weekend we will be at the Galveston
show, where I hope to run the AM FA2 (A-B-A set) with a full train and
see how long its battery lasts on a powered layout (Digitrax DCC on our
club layout).
That's what I've been up to, as far as modeling is concerned.
- Peter.
On 09/27/2013 9:43 am, Bill Lane wrote:
Posting about the list being it being quiet? (:->)
Who is doing real S Scale modeling? Let's hear about THAT!
I am repairing an Overland USRA pacific now.
Thank You,
Bill Lane
--
Peter Vanvliet (pe...@fourthray.com)
Houston, Texas
My Model Railroad Site <http://pmrr.org/> (RSS feed
<http://pmrr.org/rss.xml>)
Fourth Ray Software <http://fourthray.com/>
Houston S Gaugers <http://houstonsgaugers.org/>
N.A.S.G. <http://nasg.org/>
--
