LGB/Aster K28 disassembly and DCC/sound installation

[beavercreek]

I will soon be receiving a LGB Aster K28 that I managed to get hold of for a very, very very, low price (it was the only way that I could ever afford one!).
It will arrive in the condition that it was produced, no DCC and no sound.
Has anyone had any experience with the dismantling of this fine loco and even installing DCC.

I found the Kiss K36 (also a very cheap one) really a breeze to take a part which was a relief as I had to do a bit of jiggery pokery but I am not so sure about the LGB/Aster jobbie.

 

[KeithT]

I didn't even know that there was such a beast.

 

[Neil Robinson]

Sorry, can't help much with that one.
Model-Land Aster http://www.modell-land-service.de/dampflok-denver-analog-20831-aster-p-9147.html usually have downloadable service diagrams, but not for the K28.
Judging by my NGG13 Garratt it will be held together with a fair number of very small machine screws. It's not difficult to dismantle but it is time consuming (especially the first time).
No help but I've just finished stripping all wiring from a Bachmann K27 and converting to MTH DCS operation complete with MTH pulsed smoke. Judging by that your K28 will be a very impressive machine.

 

[beavercreek]

Cheers Keith, Kim and Neil, I have had an eye out for one of these for a long time but always thought that they were way out of my league price-wise but I just made a really silly low offer for it...... and it was accepted!
It is complete with wooden box, instructions etc. and apparently in as new condition.......won't really know 'till it arrives.

The brass Kiss K36, that I got a good while back, was badly damaged and needed a bit of work on it externally and internally. By time the seller had refunded me for the necessary effort, it was practically the same price as a retail Bachmann K27. I was very worried tackling a complex detailed brass loco but took a deep breath...... and I learned a lot working on it. It is now spot on with no visible clues to the torrid events of its journey across the Atlantic.

The LGB/Aster K28 looks a lot more convoluted than the Kiss K36 (which turned out to be a relative breeze to delve into).
I have tried Googling it to see if anyone else in the world has taken a K28 apart, but have only come up with a fellow who added an analogue Phoenix card into the tender but no wiring inside the boiler.

Oh well........
Pictures wil come ..once she arrives..... picture a man biting nails down to the knuckles....... :-[ :-[ :-[ :-[

 

[supagav]

Sorry I can't be of any use on this one Mike, but it sounds like a lovely beast! Best of luck

Looking forward to see how you get on with this monster!

Ps: for what it's worth, my only suggestions is just to keep a wee note pad beside, as you can write down what went where for when you come to put it all back together! That and a whole load of wee Tupperware for all the screws!

 

[beavercreek]

Hi Gav
Yes that was the way I went when dismantling my Kiss K36 (notepad and little containers), although it turned out that Kiss had designed the chassis to be separated from the boiler/cab with only 6 screws including the pilot and pony trucks. Well thought out, that one was!

Here are two photos of the girls (not my ones)

K36


K28

 

[Neil Robinson]

I would appear someone not far from you just has succeeded. Coincidence?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P28Be0W-IV8

 

[beavercreek]

Cheers Neil, thanks for posting the vid .........but......
It seems that I may have to plough my own furrow on this one....... such is life.

I received the loco this morning and she is in great condition, as new, as they say.

I have flipped her over in a cradle and seen the site for the electronics under the cab/firebox. Looks like the removal of the rear pony truck gives access to the firebox plate covering the main board. So that is the probably the way to go.
I think that I will go to town on this little lady and use a Phoenix PB8 or even PB11 sound card (both are DCC compliant) in the tender with the tender-bottom carefully drilled out for the speaker (someone on the 'net has doen this very thing already with photos show (excellent!!). The Phoenix sounds are spot on for this lady and also have plenty of grunt.
A Massoth or ESU xl (or even smaller sized decoder, from another manufacturer, if space is at a premium in the firebox) will be used in the loco for all of the motor/light/smoke stuff. It doesn't need any more than 2-3 amps so decoder muscle ain't the issue here.............

With bated breath he plunged in.....

 

[maxi-model]

Meanwhile in a galaxy far, far, away............ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lEflo0k3lQ
Max.

 

[beavercreek]

Hi Kim
I will definitely have a camera to hand (at the very least I can then see how it all goes back together!)

Hi Max
What a great show they have over there. It was nice to see another couple of my old girls there as well, the Accucraft K27 and the Goose No6.
The 1:22.5 scale K28 didn't look too small next to the 1:20.3 K27. The way the K28 negotiates narrow curves is quite sensational (everything is either articulated, simply sprung or the axles have a lot of sprung 'play' side to side.

 

[Richie]

Who's a lucky boy then first a k-36 now a K-28 they both look like very nice models Mike will look forward to see these running . Just a 37 to get now .

 

[beavercreek]

Hi Richie...well a K 37 mmmmmmmm, I think that that one may have to wait a while.
I only got the K36 and the K28 because of the really really low (and I mean really low!) prices that they finally ended up at. I have also `compromised` my 1:20.3 stable somewhat with these two 1:22.5 scale girls but as I also run other locos in this scale I can live with that for now.

I think that my next wish would be for an Accucraft T12.
Accucraft`s T12


I am mucking about with a bash on  Bachmann `Annies` to `simulate` a T12 and a RGS narrow gauge T19
I was thinking of actually using a Bachmann Spectrum 2-6-0 instead of the Annie for the T12 bash as the driver wheel spacing is more like the T12 prototype. It needs a 2 axle pilot bogie to replace the single one alongside quite a bit of modification.

A Bachmann Spectrum 2-6-0




The bash for the T19, would be loosely along the lines of Woderwick`s great little transformation of the same loco. (http://www.gscalecentral.net/kit-building-bashing-scratch-build/bachmann-anniversary-to-dgrs-t-19/).

Of course a Berlyn 1:20.3 scale T19 would be nice to have as instead but they are very much like rocking horse poo!

Berlyn`s 1:20.3 T19


A real `standard gauge D&RGW T19

 

[maxi-model]

I was thinking of actually using a Bachmann Spectrum 2-6-0 instead of the Annie for the T12 bash as the driver wheel spacing is more like the T12 prototype. It needs a 2 axle pilot bogie to replace the single one alongside quite a bit of modification.

Ah, so that's why you were after those Annie pilots a short while back. Woderwick's bash of the Annie is quite remarkable. So, how much did you get the K-28 for ?
Max.

 

[beavercreek]

Now that would be telling, but suffice it to say that I am a very very happy bunny.

The Kiss K36 became so cheap in the end (okay....under £900) due to a good price achieved in the States and then the subsequent hefty refund due to the damage incurred during its journey across the pond, which has now all been fixed at very little expense material-wise but with a fair bit of time spent by me which I did not begrudge at all as I learnt a lot during the process.
So she now looks and works better than new (a few upgrade modifications were done during the fixing).

The K28 was cheap only because it was at a reasonable price and I was more than a little bit cheeky with the offer.
It was part of a big sell off of locos by the owner to help change direction in his hobbies, and all the locos were only used as shelf queens, so that was probably the reason the offer was accepted.

...oh, and yes they were definitely totally legit!!

 

[Richie]

WOW that's an amazing price for your K-36 Mike that's the price you would now pay for a Bachmann K-27 or C-19 . Would really love a K-28 there's just something about them do like the air pump on the front smoke box door . The bash with the T-12 looks very promising do like the green boiler , my dad has now given me his Bachmann white pass connie so I now have plans for this to build it into a C-21 maybe with the green boiler .

 

[beavercreek]

Hi Richie
Yeah the price was very good in the end and as I had sold a few of my items I had the funds to reinvest.

Your possible Connie bash sounds like a very nice project to embark on.
I know what you mean about the K28. It has a 'busy' feel to it and the airpump on the front of the smoke box is a little like a mini version of the big 2-8-8-2 class L131.

A live steam (or even an electric) Accucraft K28 would sit just right next to your K27 and C16.
I haven't seen one of them come up for sale anywhere for some time. This was another reason for me even considering getting the LGB/Aster version even if it was a smaller scale.

 

[JRinTawa]

Lucky man!

 

[supagav]

Hi Mike,

I know you mentioned it before, but did you decide on what you are going to put in it electronics wise? I'm sure, like me, you'll want a Phoenix in there, but what chip were you thinking?

I was just having a look at the pictures and thinking about it all as it looks a lovely machine. What's the smoke unit, is it stock LGB? Maybe in something this nice it might be worth a sensor on the wheel face (Cam sensor is it called? Not sure exactly as I'm a diesel man!) but something like that to get a really sweet sync between the smoke, chuff and the drivers? I mean a pulsed smoke unit linked in there might give a really nice effect at slower speeds?

Just some thoughts, sorry to hijack your thread! Looking forward to seeing more

 

[beavercreek]

Hi Gav
Back in reply No 9 I had mentioned the Phoenix sound system that I will probably go for.
I was going along the idea of a Phoenix sound system in the tender (the bottom of the tender will have to be drilled as there is no provision for a speaker (!). It will be linked to a magnets/sensor on one of the loco driver sets.
A DCC card in the loco which is linked to the Phoenix card and also possibly to a pulsed smoke unit (also synced to the sensor output, was my thoughts too but it depends on how difficult the loco is to dismantle. I already have a Massoth pulsed smoker unit that I got about three years ago but have never used it.

Another tack is that ESU or Massoth are apparently bringing out a K28 specific sound set so this might be as good as the phoenix and would mean only one PCB unit that would only need a link back to the tender for the speaker output.

 

[Neil Robinson]

Another tack is that ESU or Massoth are apparently bringing out a K28 specific sound set so this might be as good as the phoenix and would mean only one PCB unit that would only need a link back to the tender for the speaker output.

I respectfully suggest taking the time scale into account when considering the ESU or Massoth option and the ease of reprogramming the sounds if it'll take longer obtain the new sounds than you'd like to install the units.

I find both Phoenix and MTH easy to reprogram but I have no experience of any other brand sound reprogramming.