maxi-model
UK/US/ROW steam narrow gauge railways 1:1
Here we go again. Next into the West Well Railroad workshop (ok, onto the bench) is an Accucraft RGS Galloping Goose #2. To recap - I have converted a Goose #7 previously but that was to swap out a 25 year old installation with old rc kit, a tired set of Ni-Cad batteries, iffy switchgear/charge socket/fuse and to add sound. Below that finished installation on the Goose # 7. All that was retained from the original is that big fat speaker.
The #2 was bought "pre-loved" and has never been run other than track power and looks little used. It's a bit shorter than the #7, still with a big load box but not articulated like the #7. It just has a front bogie and then just a similar chain driven rear truck that here is on a similar swivel mount. Quite problematic in some ways in a more confined and central location. Quite a big rear overhang behind it too. So I will have to watch out on the weight distribution.
Ok, body off both rear freight load box and cab, that started life as a Pierce Arrow automobile. Seats, exhaust and front bogie removed. Bits to be installed, I just replicated the Goose #7 order - RC Trains Rx65c Rx/ESC, wired for 3 sounds (and directional lighting, which I now realise I don't need). Standard size MLS Railcar card, 12 cell AA NiMH Strikalite battery pack, 60 mm speaker, charge socket/centre off switch/polyfuse pre wired with JST's to connect battery and Rx65c. So, rough layout below. What I didn't notice, absent on the Goose #7, is there are 7mm wide support rails either side of the lower edges ofthe freight box sides. Layout stays pretty much the same but things need carefull placement to clear this restriction on width.
It's driller killer time with a pillar driller. Bit of Swiss cheesing to do on this 1.6 mm thick brass plate load deck. Nearly all done here - 4 x 3mm for the speaker, 1 x 8 mm for charge socket, 2 × 6 mm for main switch & MLS remote sensor and 2 x 1.6 mm for voltage reg' board mount & ariel exit. Note there is a stepped cutter drill in a little 4v Ryobi ERGO screwdriver lurking. I did not remove the deck from the railcar chassis. That swivel mount, motor & its gearbox gets in the way, it's a bit complicated to tear down. I just supported the deck on wooden blocks so the wheels were off the ground so no shock loads could go through it when I marked up and drilled.
Final hole to drill, for the MLS remote sensor. Yes that Ryobi screwdriver is nice and slow revving with enough torque to keep that cutter spinning down through that 1.6 mm brass plate. It's better suited than my regular 100 watt drill, used in the vertical pillar stand to do the pilot holes for the cutter with regular HHS bits. The Ryobi's slow speed made it ideal to use on my plastic LGB Zillertal loco that also needed drilling for a charge socket. Like knife through butter, without melting the plastic, just a little removal of flash. One little glitch while drilling though, I snagged a single link on one of the chain drives, I was not paying proper attention drilling the pilot for the switch. I nearly had a breakdown when I saw the 25 year old Delrin chain on the floor. What to do ? I had some Delrin chain bought off Ebay. with sprockets, upstairs bought 4 years ago for a couple of other projects. Would it fit ? Guess what ? Identical to the ones on the Accucraft Geese, what an amazing stroke of luck. Panic over.
All machine screws cut flat to their bolts. I need to pay a little more attention to clearing brass dust and swarf from drilling and filing things. Final positioning and fixing down of the RCT and MLS cards and battery pack with thick Gorrila brand double sided tape to do. After I have replaced the exhaust and seats and added a driver. Then the soldering, wiring up, the big switch on, binding the Tx22 and testing all the functions work. Finally there's the tidying and closing up to do. And a proper run. The voltage regulator board for the incandecent lamps needed a little modification so that it would clear the swiveling motor/bogie mount. Leaving it on the swivel mount was not an option as there are a lot of wire going there.
Thanks for getting this far. See you later for the conclusion hopefully. I'm slowly filling up the 9 slots on my RC Trains Tx22 transmitter. 5 slated so far. I can probably find another 2. Max
P.S. Every time I say gorilla to myself I keep on hearing Pamela Stephenson's "Let's speak Ripponese" sketch on "Not the 9 O'clock News. It sent up Angela Rippon's laboured enunciations when reporting on world events. Gorrila was pronounced Gor-reeya. Lyse Doucet's vowel mangling antics though take the biscuit today to my ears
The #2 was bought "pre-loved" and has never been run other than track power and looks little used. It's a bit shorter than the #7, still with a big load box but not articulated like the #7. It just has a front bogie and then just a similar chain driven rear truck that here is on a similar swivel mount. Quite problematic in some ways in a more confined and central location. Quite a big rear overhang behind it too. So I will have to watch out on the weight distribution.
Ok, body off both rear freight load box and cab, that started life as a Pierce Arrow automobile. Seats, exhaust and front bogie removed. Bits to be installed, I just replicated the Goose #7 order - RC Trains Rx65c Rx/ESC, wired for 3 sounds (and directional lighting, which I now realise I don't need). Standard size MLS Railcar card, 12 cell AA NiMH Strikalite battery pack, 60 mm speaker, charge socket/centre off switch/polyfuse pre wired with JST's to connect battery and Rx65c. So, rough layout below. What I didn't notice, absent on the Goose #7, is there are 7mm wide support rails either side of the lower edges ofthe freight box sides. Layout stays pretty much the same but things need carefull placement to clear this restriction on width.
It's driller killer time with a pillar driller. Bit of Swiss cheesing to do on this 1.6 mm thick brass plate load deck. Nearly all done here - 4 x 3mm for the speaker, 1 x 8 mm for charge socket, 2 × 6 mm for main switch & MLS remote sensor and 2 x 1.6 mm for voltage reg' board mount & ariel exit. Note there is a stepped cutter drill in a little 4v Ryobi ERGO screwdriver lurking. I did not remove the deck from the railcar chassis. That swivel mount, motor & its gearbox gets in the way, it's a bit complicated to tear down. I just supported the deck on wooden blocks so the wheels were off the ground so no shock loads could go through it when I marked up and drilled.
Final hole to drill, for the MLS remote sensor. Yes that Ryobi screwdriver is nice and slow revving with enough torque to keep that cutter spinning down through that 1.6 mm brass plate. It's better suited than my regular 100 watt drill, used in the vertical pillar stand to do the pilot holes for the cutter with regular HHS bits. The Ryobi's slow speed made it ideal to use on my plastic LGB Zillertal loco that also needed drilling for a charge socket. Like knife through butter, without melting the plastic, just a little removal of flash. One little glitch while drilling though, I snagged a single link on one of the chain drives, I was not paying proper attention drilling the pilot for the switch. I nearly had a breakdown when I saw the 25 year old Delrin chain on the floor. What to do ? I had some Delrin chain bought off Ebay. with sprockets, upstairs bought 4 years ago for a couple of other projects. Would it fit ? Guess what ? Identical to the ones on the Accucraft Geese, what an amazing stroke of luck. Panic over.
All machine screws cut flat to their bolts. I need to pay a little more attention to clearing brass dust and swarf from drilling and filing things. Final positioning and fixing down of the RCT and MLS cards and battery pack with thick Gorrila brand double sided tape to do. After I have replaced the exhaust and seats and added a driver. Then the soldering, wiring up, the big switch on, binding the Tx22 and testing all the functions work. Finally there's the tidying and closing up to do. And a proper run. The voltage regulator board for the incandecent lamps needed a little modification so that it would clear the swiveling motor/bogie mount. Leaving it on the swivel mount was not an option as there are a lot of wire going there.
Thanks for getting this far. See you later for the conclusion hopefully. I'm slowly filling up the 9 slots on my RC Trains Tx22 transmitter. 5 slated so far. I can probably find another 2. Max
P.S. Every time I say gorilla to myself I keep on hearing Pamela Stephenson's "Let's speak Ripponese" sketch on "Not the 9 O'clock News. It sent up Angela Rippon's laboured enunciations when reporting on world events. Gorrila was pronounced Gor-reeya. Lyse Doucet's vowel mangling antics though take the biscuit today to my ears
