> There is no need to go to such extremes of swinging diesel pilots > and dual motors for compensation of very sharp turns. I am sure >many SHS > locos spend their time running just fine on A F track with fixed pilots etc. > Bill Lane
It might be educational to read Don Thompson's report about the swinging pilots on Lionel's U33C scale diesel. I think Don explains the situation very well and it, apparently, has no easy solution. The 4-wheel trucks on the SHS F-units are a much different situation than the 6-wheel trucks on the Lionel U33C. Lionel's trucks, like on the prototypes, are squeezed in between the steps and cannot rotate/swivel very much because they hit the insides of the steps. Thus, the swinging pilot to resolve that issue. Don's nice article and photo show it very clearly. Click here for the details: http://sscale.org/621/volume-1-no-6-addendum/ Lionel is working on the so-called swinging pilot issue for future products and has some very creative concepts in mind. Let's be patient with them as they gradually adapt to the scale mentality and slowly move away from the AF traditions. If anyone has a good fix to the swinging pilot issue, I am sure Lionel would be most happy to listen to your solution. Merely saying "change it" is not a solution. Something definite with dimensions to show Lionel how it can be done would be helpful. You also will need to show them how to arrange the handrails to come down lower on the steps instead of stopping at the frame level just above the swiveling pilot. Maybe rubber handrails that stretch out on the curves? Ha..... Suggesting a totally different pilot for the scale models has already been explained and shown to Lionel. So saying "do it like SHS" is repetition of what they already know. New good ideas and design concepts regarding this matter will be very welcome at Lionel. Cheers....Ed L. www.sscale.org ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
