Converting a Piko drovers brick.......

[kim]

...........into a drovers caboose.

Had my recently purchased Piko C&S drovers caboose and coach out today behind an lgb 2-4-0 and after watching a bit of wheel slip here and there I decided to convert the caboose pick up system. The current pick up is via brass strips onto all four axles and the drag, well, hence the brick. I kept the brass pick up strips to use as a soldering medium, bent back to the caboose underside, and soon had lgb ball bearing pick ups connected in, one to each bogie and found that the marker lights were only picking up off one axle. On closer inspection I found that the bogies are not interconnected, the back bogie feeds the marker lights and the front bogie feeds a socket in the main cabin, light extra!! Using solid drawn cable I soon soldered 2 jumper cables to the brass strips and shaped them to stay out of sight. I now have a drovers caboose that runs just great.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Yep, some axle pickups can be a PITA. My Accy caboose squealed like hell, as well as being a drag.

I've converted the lighting to battery power, as ball bearing axles for Accucraft are slightly more than expensive

 

[kim]

Yep, some axle pickups can be a PITA. My Accy caboose squealed like hell, as well as being a drag.

I've converted the lighting to battery power, as ball bearing axles for Accucraft are slightly more than expensive

PITA says it all! At quite a few pounds over the hundred mark I am a little pi**ed off that I had to put jumper cables in. With the wiring for the main cabin light already in it just needs another six inches of cable x 2 to connect to the marker light cables in the back corners. Still, must have saved about tuppence to be fair!

 

[Riograndad]

I had a problem with drag on Sierra passenger cars (4)so changed to battery power on all four but left track pick up on the observation car for the rear marker lights only so no more slip really behind Big Haulers,and of course when train stops at the depot the lights stay on !