2009 August 5

 2009 August 5

Feeling better! Had a visitor this weekend, and he pulled me out of my sorry state and we sat down and started some kit building. Got the Z Van cut out and ready for a interior paint so I can glue it together after glazing it.
 

 

But we did get 7 GY's together with 13 to go. Intend to get all 20 ready for a warm "paint" day. Now waiting for the additional brake kits from SEM, as the Melbourne shops we visited did not have them in stock. The tarps are a new product produced by Rob Carpenter of N scale fame. Very nice indeed!
Hopefully the track stuff I ordered from the States (You guessed it nil stock in Australia) will arrive this week as well. Then I can get some track down in the Train shed.
Well at least something got done
Rod


2009 August 7

Found this in storage. Actually forgot that I owned one.
Scaleways made a very limited run of these many years ago. I also found 13 Lima Aurora coaches and 13 under bodies and 13 sets of bogies. So it looks like I have another project to add to a very long list.

 

  

Cheers
Rod

2009 August 17

sih!!

More distractions ....

Sorry I darkened the room without a flash to capture the lighting. Did not really work did it?

Some may not have seen my warnings about how to open the A.
So I repeat it here

WARNING!!!!
First thing READ INSTRUCTIONS!!!!
A lot of you are going to break these as they are fragile...

Instructions say remove the couplers...but...
The screws holding the couplers on my two A Class appear to have been glued in
(I will post a picture) Use the right size screw driver and careful you don't
crush the body as you struggle to remove these long screws!!

you MUST NOT lay it on its roof because the fans whistles aerials are going to
break.
You must not lay it on its side, because you will break off the mirrors and underbody detail.
and the tank is prototypically gapped It will SNAP OFF.

Instructions say the body will slip off easily IT DOES NOT !!

almost 90 minutes later and both bodies are still firmly attached.

I have no loose parts yet ;) .. just!! BUT PLEASE BE CAREFUL !!!


Part 2

First Apologies for those who use other Forums (cross posted)

removed screws were certainly tight. Is that glue on the threads?

 stuffed around for about 90 minutes
Directions forget to tell you that their are 4 heavy lugs holding the body and
chassis together.

 

 Auscision are to be congratulated for the addition of an exploded diagram and
directions.

The heavy lugs are shown on body look above the white plugs.
You can just see the slots they fit into on the chassis, picture bottom.

NMRA 8 pin connection, Pin 1 clearly marked after removing the DC convertor
plug.

 NMRA Convertor plug and the nifty Digitrax DH165IP full function DCC chip.
Carefully find the tiny square circuit board solder tab on the opposite side to
the pins.
the solder tabs are all round except for PIN 1 (it is the bottom RH pin in the
picture)
line it up with pin 1 on the locomotive light board, carefully push it in
ensuring all pins enter holes provided.

The square pin can be seen here I think
This is a truly DCC plug and go!!
It works that easily :>)))

 Very carefully push the body on to the chassis making sure it is pushed down
firmly and level
check that wires are clear and that the locking lugs clip into chassis.

And that all their is to it!!


First model took about 2 hours.
And armed with the knowledge above, I converted three more in 40 minutes.
Ha!! and no damage!!
I am feeling pretty happy.....

Now where's those B Class

Sound will be the next thing to tackle. As I thought Auscision are going to have
to brought before the headmaster and given a caneing!!
The only way to fit sound is to cut great holes in the chassis and I think I
will let somebody else be the first to try that one.
Possibly by tearing out the light board and replacing it with hard wiring, or a
tsunami at card?
But this time round, I have no idea where a speaker could be mounted.
Perhaps a small one in the tank?

Cheers
Rod

2009 August 18 

Hmmm, looks like I'll be getting either an FA/FV one or a VLP one at AMRA... Those just look SWEET! And thanks for the tips Rod, will certainly be handy when the couplers swap, and the DCC decoder goes in :)
Zec
Yes I near shat myself when first the couplers would not come out, and then the body was stuck down good. I thought it had been glued on!
Their is very little room to jam a knife down, and anyway they don't show where the lugs are.
I felt the body move when I eased it out with a jewellers driver, worked out where the lugs were, grit my teeth and pulled it apart  :cry:

Once I could see what was happening, all was well And glad to help Zec!
However after my post a couple mates showed up with another 4 models to convert  :lol:
Did them all in a few minutes and sold three decoders to boot.
The Digitrax DH165IP is the one to use. It also can run a bug sound chip in the future.
Cheers
Rod