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 Posted - July 28 2010 : 1:28:07 PM
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Hey All,
I bit the bullet last night and decided to install a CD motor in my Alco C-430. I love that train and want to see it going again. The PT has bit the dust.
I bored out the block and enlarged the pinion so it would fit on the CD motor. It was getting too late last night to keep working on it but the problem I was having was that when I put the motor in the block it would stop running. I'm thinking there was too much friction and I need to ever so slightly increase the size of the hole that goes though the block to the gear side. I'm going to work on it tonight and I'll let everyone know how it works out. If all goes smoothly I'll be able to connect the wires and it will be running. I'm attaching one wire to the block and I know the other one attaches to the black wire from the back truck. How does the light figure in. How have people wired that up?
~CamdenLine
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Posted - July 28 2010 : 4:44:28 PM
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| to wire the light - one wire to block and one to pick up wire
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Posted - July 28 2010 : 8:01:06 PM
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Great, we'll see how things go (or don't go) after dinner.
~CamdenLine
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Posted - July 28 2010 : 11:35:03 PM
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Happy to report the Alco Century 430 has been returned to service. The track maintenance crew needs to get out and do some work but there was enough working track to verify success. I think it could still use some tweaking. I think there may be too much friction still but I am nervous to make the hole the CD-motor spindle goes though too large. The engine pulled a mixed batch of six cars up a 4% grade but it was having a little trouble. It didn't sound like the motor was struggling so much as the wheels were slipping. I have new traction tires on. Would extra weight in the engine help it get more traction? So great to see that thing running. Now I just need to get to work on the layout so I can really run the thing.
~CamdenLine
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Posted - July 28 2010 : 11:40:16 PM
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 never mind the bulb Use a LED soft white instead 
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Posted - July 28 2010 : 11:50:14 PM
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Extra weight over the power truck can't hurt, so long as everything is turning freely and the gears are properly meshed. A CD tray motor can handle the extra load that the original might not.
Is it any quieter?
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - July 29 2010 : 01:11:07 AM
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I agree that extra weight couldn't hurt, but I also think that making the hole the spindle goes through a little wider wouldn't be a bad idea. It needs to turn very freely. I've only done two of these, and they both turned out a little different. One is a GP20 that runs like a rocket, and silent. It's amazing. Very little voltage to make it pull a good load at a decent speed. The other is a Sharknose that runs well, but is a little noisier. Sounds like you've got a great start, keep up the good work!
Funny you should post this now...I just spent the last half hour dissecting an old VCP (That's a VCR that doesn't record--only plays) to get some motors. Not sure what they'll fit in, but I've learned to hang on to any I find.
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Posted - September 05 2010 : 10:23:58 AM
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| Do you have pics? I'm trying to rewire my Spirit of '76 Alco 430, and I don 't think I did it right
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