Post by CP_8530 on Oct 30, 2009 0:42:44 GMT -5
Anyone running DC and interested in a crash course tutorial on making them run faster? ("Athearn speed"). May of you are probably aware of the solution, and if you run DCC you eliminate most of the problems when you remove the board to plug in the decoder. I've done this fix on the Proto 2000 FA2 and GP7/9/18/30 so far. Units with compound gearing like the RDC and SD60 may or may not work, haven't tried yet. The one SW1200 I have seems to run faster though.
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Basically the diode package for the directional lighting slows the locomotive down. When you apply power, the loco won't move in that direction until the light is shining brightly, unlike say an Athearn or Atlas loco that will immediately start moving.
What you need to do is a little bit of rewiring. I've done this to a few locomotives. All you'll really need are new 12-16v bulbs for headlights as replacement parts.
First thing to do is gut most of the electricals, short of the leads from the motors and trucks. Warning: This will make converting to DCC harder in the future for units that are DCC ready, as you'll likely end up hardwiring the decoder. But for earlier units that are not DCC ready (BL2, GP18, FA2) it isn't an issue.
Now might be a good time for a mechanical tune-up, see Step 99 at end.
1) Now, connect the negative (black) motor wire back to the frame/weight screw (older units may require drilling and tapping).
2) Connect the two leads from the tops of the trucks to the positive (red) motor wire at the top. Test run, your loco should work and if it has been broken in it should run close to or as fast as your standard Athearn or Atlas.
3) Light wiring. Discard the stock 1.5 Volt bulbs, replacing them with 12-16V bulbs and splice a diode (with the silver band facing the bulb on the positive side) into the positive wires from each bulb (those diodes from the P2K circuit board work great). I like the Miniatronics bulbs, but have used Model Power in a pinch.
4) Connect your lighting wires to the frame (-) and the motor/truck leads (+). You might have to play with the wiring until the correct light is on for the correct direction. Use electrical tape to cover any exposed wiring.
5) Reassemble, your unit should now have directional lighting and run quicker than before, allowing it to play nicer with other units ;D If not, it may need some breaking-in or mechanical attention (see step 99).
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99) Don't forget the standard mechanical tune-up, which is important if a unit is new, old, still a little slow or noisy. Remove the large weight (2 fuel tank screws + a screw at either end by the couplers).
Clean, oil and run the motor a bit. Make sure the trucks run smoothly and don't bind. Older units may have lots of yellow grease gunking the trucks up, you might have to clean it out and regrease. Grease the worm gears and oil the bearings. And of course, check the axle gears for cracks and replace any questionable ones. I usually avoid oiling the axle bearings as this attracts gunk that can inhibit electrical conductivity.
Oh, don't forget to attach the weight before rewiring
I think I forgot once or twice early on...
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Basically the diode package for the directional lighting slows the locomotive down. When you apply power, the loco won't move in that direction until the light is shining brightly, unlike say an Athearn or Atlas loco that will immediately start moving.
What you need to do is a little bit of rewiring. I've done this to a few locomotives. All you'll really need are new 12-16v bulbs for headlights as replacement parts.
First thing to do is gut most of the electricals, short of the leads from the motors and trucks. Warning: This will make converting to DCC harder in the future for units that are DCC ready, as you'll likely end up hardwiring the decoder. But for earlier units that are not DCC ready (BL2, GP18, FA2) it isn't an issue.
Now might be a good time for a mechanical tune-up, see Step 99 at end.
1) Now, connect the negative (black) motor wire back to the frame/weight screw (older units may require drilling and tapping).
2) Connect the two leads from the tops of the trucks to the positive (red) motor wire at the top. Test run, your loco should work and if it has been broken in it should run close to or as fast as your standard Athearn or Atlas.
3) Light wiring. Discard the stock 1.5 Volt bulbs, replacing them with 12-16V bulbs and splice a diode (with the silver band facing the bulb on the positive side) into the positive wires from each bulb (those diodes from the P2K circuit board work great). I like the Miniatronics bulbs, but have used Model Power in a pinch.
4) Connect your lighting wires to the frame (-) and the motor/truck leads (+). You might have to play with the wiring until the correct light is on for the correct direction. Use electrical tape to cover any exposed wiring.
5) Reassemble, your unit should now have directional lighting and run quicker than before, allowing it to play nicer with other units ;D If not, it may need some breaking-in or mechanical attention (see step 99).
----------------
99) Don't forget the standard mechanical tune-up, which is important if a unit is new, old, still a little slow or noisy. Remove the large weight (2 fuel tank screws + a screw at either end by the couplers).
Clean, oil and run the motor a bit. Make sure the trucks run smoothly and don't bind. Older units may have lots of yellow grease gunking the trucks up, you might have to clean it out and regrease. Grease the worm gears and oil the bearings. And of course, check the axle gears for cracks and replace any questionable ones. I usually avoid oiling the axle bearings as this attracts gunk that can inhibit electrical conductivity.
Oh, don't forget to attach the weight before rewiring
I think I forgot once or twice early on...