Roundhouse battery loco, pre-purchase questionnaire

It's not to hard to convert a loco to RC, the easiest was is to start with a battery wagon, and then when you feel confident try on onboard installation.

I've using battery power this year, using lipo battery packs, and it's suits my occasional use, it's simply a case of turn on and away the loco goes.

And feel free to ask for advice on here, as quite a few people have dabbled with battery power

Dan
 
What loco I should buy to convert to RC battery? Will it help if the loco has multipurpose socket at back?
Can I simply send battery power thorough that socket without dismantling the loco.

I have seen some conversion threads which involve dismantling the loco to remove components which makes me somewhat nervous.
 
Mobi,
Look at the Glendale Second Hand, there is a Locoworks Second Hand Danny due in. Could already be there but just no price as yet. Certainly much cheeper than a Roundhouse and would appear to meet all your needs.

http://www.glendalejunction.co.uk/SecondHand.html

Look out for their Closure Dates for Holidays posted on their site before you go. Suggest a phone call, they would happily reserve it for you.

JonD
 
Mobi, what sort of loco appeals to you.
Click to expand...

I am not that fussed :) It should not cost an arm and leg - that's it.

Most LGB locos look nice so I am happy with a similar one.

The loco must be an easy one to work on. I guess diesel might be be easier than steam (no piston rods, no steam domes, chimney etc. and a boxy body to fit stuff easily)?

I use LGB hook & loop coupler - so that means USA style won't be suitable, isn't it?

The only loco which I don't like is similar to Roundhouse Little John. It looks like a toy with no decoration.
 
Will any of these be a good donor body for RC?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LGB-G-GAUGE-20590-KOF-6003-BLACK-0-6-0-DIESEL-SHUNTER-LOCOMOTIVE-/131517055903

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LGB-G-GAUGE-20590-KOF-6003-BLACK-0-6-0-DIESEL-SHUNTER-LOCOMOTIVE-/131517055903

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131516997729
 
I have the last of those three links running with RCS kit from Tony W. It was running all afternoon yesterday in fact. I managed to fit everything in the loco. Of course to do this it had to come apart...
 
and how hard was coming apart part?

Are all locos equally difficult to work with or some are easier than others?

If I do nothing and simply connect the battery thru multi-purpose socket, what is going to happen? Are the wheels going to rotate or the loco will just blow up?
 
If you simply connect the loco to a battery via the multi-p socket, then provided it's a simple analogue loco with no fancy electronics on board, it will (or should) run; however as the track pickups will still be connected, you will be powering up your whole track layout from the battery as well.... not that this would necessarily be a problem if there are no other locos or power-consuming items on the track at the same time. I would think the biggest risk would be from shorting, if anything metal got across the rails you would short the battery out!
To avoid any problems in that area, the minimum you'd need to do is to remove or isolate the track pickups on the loco - this means either physically removing the skates AND the carbon "bullet" pickups that rub on the wheel backs, or alternatively disconnecting the track power wires inside the loco. You are right in assuming that most diesel locos will generally be easier to open up than the steam ones - in most diesels (and overhead electrics) it is usually just a matter of a few screws to remove - though some can be hidden in tricky places - and the body will lift off; steam locos often (but not always) require part of the motion (the side rods) to be dismantled or disconnected before removing the body.

Jon.
 
Mobi said:
Will any of these be a good donor body for RC?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LGB-G-GAUGE-20590-KOF-6003-BLACK-0-6-0-DIESEL-SHUNTER-LOCOMOTIVE-/131517055903

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LGB-G-GAUGE-20590-KOF-6003-BLACK-0-6-0-DIESEL-SHUNTER-LOCOMOTIVE-/131517055903

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131516997729
Click to expand...

Just be aware that all three of those examples are DCC-equipped (they have MTS decoders in them) - you'd want to remove the decoders for battery running, though you could probably recoup a few quid of the cost by re-selling the decoder board....
For your purposes, better to look for an older analogue DC only version of one of these or similar, then you're not wasting money on electronics that you won't need. The last one of the three you listed is available in several old DC versions in different liveries, and they can be had quite reasonably - certainly for £150 or less. They are also quite a roomy loco, with their long hood and spacious cab - unlike several other types, the ballast weights on these are behind the bufferbeams rather than taking up space inside the hood. I'd say that a cheap analogue one of those would be an excellent starting point for your first home-converted battery loco!

Jon.
 
What about Schoema diesels? Are they any good for RC? One problem I see cab is at middle rather than at the end.
 
Zerogee : I'd say that a cheap analogue one of those would be an excellent starting point for your first home-converted battery loco!

Exactly!!

They come apart pretty easy and will pull all you could need too.
 
OK, so the summary so far

For a donor loco, I need to look one which satisfies following

1. Boxy diesel with a long hood and cab at the end.
2. a multi-purpose socket at the back
3. Analog only and not fitted with DCC/MTS

Is there any analog loco with multi-purpose socket at back, or that is only for DCC locos?

Are 6-wheel locos better puller than 4-wheel ones?

Do all the Buhler motors same which are fitted inside LGB locos?
 
Mobi said:
OK, so the summary so far

For a donor loco, I need to look one which satisfies following

1. Boxy diesel with a long hood and cab at the end.
2. a multi-purpose socket at the back
3. Analog only and not fitted with DCC/MTS

Is there any analog loco with multi-purpose socket at back, or that is only for DCC locos?

Are 6-wheel locos better puller than 4-wheel ones?

Do all the Buhler motors same which are fitted inside LGB locos?
Click to expand...

Yes, yes and yes (to Q.1,2,3). The multi-purpose socket is present in some form on almost all LGB locos, not just on DCC ones. You'll only need that anyway if you're using a trailing battery car, if you're going to use onboard batteries in the loco then you don't need to worry about the socket.

As both I and Cogges mentioned above, this type (the design in your third ebay link) is particularly good because of the amount of space inside - you pretty much have the whole hood and cab to play with, as the weights are below footplate level in this design. The ones in your first and second eBay links have MUCH less room, they are smaller locos anyway and the ballast weight fills a lot of the hood space.

A 6-coupled loco might have a marginally better pulling capacity due to more wheels in contact with the rail, but I wouldn't think there would be an awful lot in it.

Yes, all the LGB Buhler motors are basically the same, some particular designs may have different shaft lengths but they are all the same basic motor in most cases.

Jon.
 
These little Toytrain diesels would form the basis for a battery bash. http://www.grsuk.com/L92090_LGB_Toy_Train_Red_Diesel_0-4-0-M6232

You can get them cheaper than this on eBay. There's not much space inside though for batteries as the spaces are mostly filled with weights. You could modify the cab to make somewhere to install batteries.

This doesn't come with a socket but as has already suggested, it would be a good idea to remove the skates and pickups. Dead easy job. Just a couple of screws underneath the motor block.

Rik
 
The toy train doesn't excite me that much unfortunately and I have Playmobil RC loco for that matter.

I searched on web for an analog version of Ko diesel (as mentioned in my previous Ebay link) but so far couldn't find it for sale anywhere! :(
 
Mobi said:
I searched on web for an analog version of Ko diesel (as mentioned in my previous Ebay link) but so far couldn't find it for sale anywhere! :(
Click to expand...

You will only find it second hand as it isn't in the current LGB range....
 
Have you considered the Bachmann/Lillput V3 Davenport diesel loco....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xbachmann+davenport.TRS0&_nkw=bachmann+davenport&_sacat=0
 
Another possibility perhaps....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Piko-G-37524-Diesel-Locomotive-BR-363159-5-Cottbus-DB-AG-New-Sealed/381066481033?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140122125356%26meid%3Da98cfc658818447c85cc0155f06e0ee4%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D181766924414&rt=nc
 
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