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 Posted - February 22 2014 : 6:39:13 PM
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Unburied from another thread I posted....
I received a surprise boxcar load of HO from a fellow modeler, filled with all kinds of HO goodies and projects just screaming to be done. My first one out of the gate is taking this near mint TYCO C630 shell and mounting it on an Athearn mechanism that came off of a damaged SD45. I had to extend the wheelbase about a half inch, and did this by cutting the frame in half and JB Welding it back together with a block of styrene, made by stacking 12 layers together. It now waits for the JB Weld to set so that I can shape and form the extension to match the fuel tank. The best clamps I have found for this are wire zip ties and a tie gun to tighten them up.
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Posted - February 22 2014 : 9:40:59 PM
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| Gotta love that JB Weld.
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Posted - February 22 2014 : 10:57:57 PM
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quote:Gotta love that JB Weld.
Originally posted by Barry - February 22 2014 : 9:40:59 PM
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Glue of champions... 
No She-Wolf in London tonight (figure skating :ohwell: ) but progress was made nonetheless...
No fancy machines were involved...I used an Xacto miter box and a regular hacksaw for the cut, everything else is just careful filing and sanding. Keeping everything square and straight was relatively painless. The remaining mechanism looks to have enough give in it to stretch out the new distance with a little creative fiddling.
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Posted - February 23 2014 : 5:16:21 PM
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I wanted to use the original Athearn coupler pads as all of my Bicentennial rolling stock uses horn/hooks. Using the original pads takes away the fuss of getting any new couplers mounted at the correct height. By filing the one end like you see at the top, it now fits thru the pilot so that the whole length of the frame can slip into the shell. It also required the removal of the headlight mount...no big deal as I prefer LEDs anyway...
The amount removed lines up with the indents on either side of the pilot....
I then had to join the two halves electrically. This I did by drilling small holes that I could then drive small brass screws I had on hand. No tapping was done, I just made the holes big enough that the screws could thread themselves in with no great amount of work...1/16" in this case...
The brass gave me an easy to solder point of connection in the frame casting, connecting both halves with a bit of copper wire. As with all my Athearns, I hard wire everything, hence the bottom motor clip in the picture...
Edited by - shaygetz on February 23 2014 5:17:16 PM
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Posted - February 23 2014 : 5:40:42 PM
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Interesting project shaygetz...thanks for sharing. Gives me plenty of inspiration/ideas.
http://tycodepot.com/
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Posted - February 25 2014 : 1:05:23 PM
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Nice. I have an fp45 frame that I was thinking of using for a similar project. It is longer that an f45, sd frame so it might be a good fit. Definetly got me interested
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
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Posted - February 25 2014 : 9:25:55 PM
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so Shay, are you gonna use the same truck sideframes?
just me Ray... and just because I have Tyco doesn't mean I am not a model railroader
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Posted - February 25 2014 : 10:14:53 PM
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Thanks guys...happy to inspire. I just like the"What if TYCO tried a little harder on the drive." approach...they might still be around today...
quote:so Shay, are you gonna use the same truck sideframes?
Originally posted by rgcw5Â -Â February 25 2014Â :Â 9:25:55 PM
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Yes...since I found that the N&W had a C630 with them on it......otherwise, a swap out with a BB U28C's trucks will work...
Edited by - shaygetz on February 25 2014 10:16:56 PM
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Posted - February 25 2014 : 10:47:13 PM
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I wonder if a SD50 or SD60 would work better?
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - February 25 2014 : 11:04:04 PM
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I had the same shell, SO76 and put it directly on an Athearn U30C motor and frame... fit just fine without cutting.
Are you gonna paint over the RWB of this shell?
John
I don't have a one track mind. It depends on the turn-out.
"I love your catenary!"
Is that a power-trip or just another pick-up line?
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Posted - March 01 2014 : 7:27:04 PM
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Had to run with what I have...I have the U30C but it is a dummy. My modus operandi has always been budget minded...when the parts are free, all the better.
Extended the drive to fit by simply cutting the shaft and stretching it with a bit of styrene rod...
I then hard wired it together like I always do with my Athearns...
Once I saw that the drive can handle the stretch...
http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/3shaygetz/media/videos/MVI_2632_zps335592d4.mp4.html
...it was road test time...
http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/3shaygetz/media/videos/MVI_2651_zps9e346ff6.mp4.html
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Posted - March 01 2014 : 8:52:13 PM
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Really nice work Shay. I like the spline extensions.
Not to be the one to pick nits, but... I'm really wondering about that frame extension. A styrene stack with a little bit of JB Weld putty doesn't seem like it would have much shear strength. I've never had good luck with JB Weld putty, unless there's a stronger variety than their 5 minute type. The small amount of surface area vs. the length of the frame makes it seem like it would be easy to flex it and snap the joint without any metal reinforcements.
The best epoxy putty I've ever used was the green stuff made by Duro, but now it's hard to find and quite pricey.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - March 01 2014 : 10:33:26 PM
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| Good concerns...yes, it's broken in three places, but they were easy fixes and due more to my glue job than any fault in the styrene. It has held up quite well since the repairs and has taken all the rigors that go with re-installing an Athearn motor in those motor mounts--you can imagine the stress that could create. Like many of my mods, they are done with budget constraints and limited tools in mind...whether they work or how well remains to be seen and gets reported in my blog if there are significant problems.
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Posted - March 01 2014 : 10:56:10 PM
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Yeah, solvent glues aren't necessarily strong enough for an application like this; laminations won't be as strong as a solid piece. Unfortunately there isn't much room for reinforcing bar stock to clear the motor here. Perhaps cutting the pins off the motor mounts, drilling them out and putting screws through them into the 4 holes in the bottom of the motor (with some padding between the motor & frame for vibration isolation) would leave enough room for some brass stock to be screwed down across the splice like the bus wire you installed. Just brainstorming here.
I do all my projects on a budget too, so I know where you're coming from. I'll stay tuned for updates.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - March 10 2014 : 7:30:34 PM
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The frame could be strengthened by screwing or even epoxying (spelling?) some brass strips to the top and bottom of the frame, running from front to back. That'll keep them pretty much out of sight, and they shouldn't get in the way of anything. You might just have to raise the motor a tiny bit, but I think there's room for that.
I've tried coming up with my own PT drop-in replacement for my own C630, but it's hard getting everything meshed and fitting just right. I may end up modifying a Mehano C628 chassis instead. Of course, that Athearn drive will hold up forever!
Darth Santa Fe, doing weird and challenging projects for the fun of it!
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Posted - March 10 2014 : 9:53:29 PM
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quote:I had the same shell, SO76 and put it directly on an Athearn U30C motor and frame... fit just fine without cutting.
Are you gonna paint over the RWB of this shell?
John
Originally posted by zebrails - February 25 2014 : 11:04:04 PM
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Sorry I missed this...not for now anyway, I might be up for an N&W repaint and detail in the future though...
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Posted - March 12 2014 : 05:42:02 AM
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Shaygetz,
A really cool project and well engineered too.
Alco Fan
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 Posted - April 26 2014 : 4:02:32 PM
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makes me wonder if this could be applied to an athearn trainmaster, since the NW 630's had TN trucks under them...
just me Ray... and just because I have Tyco doesn't mean I am not a model railroader
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Posted - April 26 2014 : 5:26:33 PM
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Can't believe I never posted a finished pic....
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Posted - April 26 2014 : 7:13:41 PM
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Oh yeah, now that's pretty
Impressive project.
http://tycodepot.com/
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Posted - April 26 2014 : 8:04:57 PM
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Thanks...I used Old Silver for the trucks, a near match for TYCO sideframes...
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Posted - April 27 2014 : 12:43:43 AM
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Least it has the correct trucks instead of the vampire types 
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Posted - April 27 2014 : 11:57:36 AM
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quote:Can't believe I never posted a finished pic....
Originally posted by shaygetz - April 26 2014 : 5:26:33 PM
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Now that's how Tyco should've made the Bicentennial Alco.
-Steve
"A lot of modellers out there who go to these train shows see broken HO stuff and go, 'This is useless' when, in reality, they can still be used for modeling whether it's as a prop on your layout or a cool project to make something old new again."
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Posted - April 29 2014 : 03:40:12 AM
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| All the SD45 drive parts direct swap to the U30C including gears and axles. So long as both are the same type sideframes.
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babuff
Little Six
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Posted - April 29 2014 : 11:42:35 AM
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I have used Athearns SD40 frames on my c428's following METALSMITHS post here on the forum quite successfully with little or no modifying
Leo
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