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Chutem
Switcher
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 Posted - May 29 2024 : 1:38:10 PM
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Hi. I'm new to this forum but am building a layout in my garage. I have recently aquired a Tyco Alco 430 "VIRGINIAN" diesel (I always liked the paint scheme from the Lionel O27 version). It looks to be in mint condition & barely run. I run a Digitrax DCC DCS240+ system & would like to convert it to DCC ( or possibly swap the shell to another brand of chassis ). Is this doable? I read several posts on this site & you guys really seem to know your stuff. Let me know & thanks.
Chutem
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Posted - May 30 2024 : 3:44:13 PM
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I am not a DCC expert, but the process should be fairly simple: you isolate the motor from its ground
and its positive poles and splice in the decoder of your choice. MY concern is that if your unit has
a PT motor, pancake motor, called a "Ringfield" in the UK, that this particular motor that was
introduced as a cost cutting measure somewhere in the early '80's is pure junk and known to
fry up after a few hours, or less, of use. I've witnessed the phenomenon, myself.
The general trend is to find the older MU-2 motor, which is an open frame three pole affair. The
truck frame is somewhat interchangeable, but the issue is that the plastic tabs that grasp the
motor mount are old and fragile and will often snap off. The remedy for that is to glue them on.
Finally, when all is said and done, are you sure you want to apply a state of the art device to
a toy? For one thing, slow speed operations are going to be quite limited by either motor you
use because both the PT and the MU2 are toy motors, not designed for much else than cruising
speed.
The problem with the MU2 is that it will have different tabs attaching to the shell, and so you will
have some gouging and filing to make the truck frame fit the shell.
I would simply run the Virginian on analog mode. But I'm lazy.
A chassis swap can be done, but it helps to own an expensive machine shop lathe. I've done this, and
the chassis out to a fellow who actually owned a lathe who did it for me for the cost of postage.
Whatever chassis you select will be too long and too wide for the Tyco shell and require some
considerable amount of shaving to make it fit.
For that purpose, I would go with a rugged Athearn Blue Box chassis of similar design to the
Tyco 430. Push comes to shove, you can split the chassis and either sacrifice the rear power
by removing the drive train, or if you are Inspector Gadget you can create a new drive train,
perhaps out of flexible rubber hosing (for RC cars/planes) to span the gap.
It will take repeated attempts to get the width and length to match the shell and is an
arduous task. I'd just run it analog.
This the MU2 motor.
This is an article about faddling with PT motors
https://www.modeltrainforum.com/threads/how-to-fix-tyco-engine.1882/
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Posted - May 30 2024 : 3:49:40 PM
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I am unable to copy and paste an image of the MU2 motor, but if you Google:
https://www.bing.com/images/search?
view=detailV2&ccid=YANTLzKi&id=8F7C2DBCD1400C8AEEF14CD8A944FAA9E32C5E82&thid=OIP.YANTLzKi1pxJzoFbdfXexwHaFj&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR.6003532f32a2d69c49ce815b75f5dec7%3frik%3dgl4s46n6RKnYTA%26riu%3dhttp%253a%252f%252fwww.tycoforums.com%252ftyco%252fforum%252fuploaded%252fChops124%252f20180225142514_mu2%2bmotor.jpg%26ehk%3dzu2VIQQCIAMYFR4fMh8T3GlK1e8dVw63ac3QFC9yfWc%253d%26risl%3d%26pid%3dImgRaw%26r%3d0&exph=480&expw=640&q=image+of+tyco+mu2+motor&simid=608003516854910628&FORM=IRPRST&ck=A0FF90BB8DF3320D267B7E9401362E96&selectedIndex=0&itb=0&idpp=overlayview&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0
It is a simple matter of the decling reframperator digital hazbooter not intermingling with the coaxial frammer statter.
Edited by - Chops124 on May 30 2024 3:50:11 PM
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Posted - May 30 2024 : 11:46:54 PM
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quote:Hi. I'm new to this forum but am building a layout in my garage. I have recently aquired a Tyco Alco 430 "VIRGINIAN" diesel (I always liked the paint scheme from the Lionel O27 version). It looks to be in mint condition & barely run. I run a Digitrax DCC DCS240+ system & would like to convert it to DCC ( or possibly swap the shell to another brand of chassis ). Is this doable? I read several posts on this site & you guys really seem to know your stuff. Let me know & thanks.
Originally posted by Chutem - May 29 2024 : 1:38:10 PM
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DCC can be done on these units. In fact TCS has an article on its website on just how to do this.
https://drupal.tcsdcc.com/index.php/installation/ho-scale/1502
That said, Conversion to DCC will not compensate for its shortcomings. The motor performance can be improved by substituting slot car magnets for the original ones, but the locomotive will still only have electrical pickup on 4 of its 8 wheels. On DCC, electrical contact is everything. I had looked into trying to Convert Tyco locomotives into all wheel pickup but could no find a good source for metal wheels to replace the plastic ones.
I am in the process of converting a C630 to DCC using a Hobbytown universal drive kit. It can be done without major modifications to the body shell, and will replace the troublesome PowerTorque drive with a rock solid geared one with all wheel drive and a DCC friendly can motor.
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Posted - May 31 2024 : 6:35:37 PM
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Slot car magnets...I knew there was something funny going on in there!
Wow, sounds like your conversion will be top shelf! Please post some
video when you get it going!
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Chutem
Switcher
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Posted - July 15 2024 : 2:31:13 PM
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Hi. I was wondering if the Tyco shell will fit the chassis of another brand? I thought this might be an easier way to proceed as I would convert that chassis to DCC. I saw tha Mehano (pretty old) made a 430 - but maybe another model of locomotive (SD-45, GP-7?? - maybe Athearn?) would accomodate this shell - with a little modification of course. any thoughts?
Chutem
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Posted - July 15 2024 : 6:24:00 PM
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quote:Hi. I was wondering if the Tyco shell will fit the chassis of another brand? I thought this might be an easier way to proceed as I would convert that chassis to DCC. I saw tha Mehano (pretty old) made a 430 - but maybe another model of locomotive (SD-45, GP-7?? - maybe Athearn?) would accomodate this shell - with a little modification of course. any thoughts?
Originally posted by Chutem - July 15 2024 : 2:31:13 PM
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The Mehano/ Model Power C430 is the old Pemco shell. You can tell because the cab windows sit way too low. I've used one of these, because they just didn't look right. The drive might be OK to use.
I'm currently finishing up a Tyco C630 with a Hobbytown drive. These kits are pretty reasonable in price, and they make a universal drive that should work on a C430. That will be one of my next projects after the C630.
I paid $75 for the 6 axle kit, and the 4 axle is listed as $65. They take some care to build, but are certainly easier to build than tearing apart a Tyco drive and adding new magnets as well as converting it to all wheel pickup.
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