Bachmann 46 to P4 using Ultrascale conversion

[Horsetan]

There was quite a lot of vibration in that video. Was the cameraman standing on a diesel engine at the time

[jim s-w]

Nope it's a bit awkward to video with a phone, drive the train and manually throw the slip without a third hand. Shows a rewheeled peak works though which was the point. You can hear the cat trying to help in the background but that was the best we could both do!

Cheers

Jim

[John Donnelly]

Thanks for the video Jim

I stripped the 46 down to a BO-BO last night but had a bit of a disaster as one of the drive shafts keeps disconnecting from the motor which took a lot of prying and swearing to get back in to place. Having run over the turnout very slowly watching very closely, the loco made the curved road every time albeit I did notice that the wheels are lifting slightly so I assume this is the cause of the derailments of the non powered wheels.

So ,it looks like the curved switch blade is ever so slightly narrow to gauge - question is, how do I solve it now that the turnout is built...

John

[grovenor-2685]

If its ply and rivet you remove any cosmetic chairs in the tight area and ease things with the soldering iron. If its using functional plastic chairs you need to cut them from the timbers with a sharp scalpel then restick in the right place.
Before you do that double check the back to backs on the wheelsets.
Regards
Keith

[steamraiser]

Here is a picture of my Bachman Peak.
Conversion has been carried out using the Ultrasclae wheel set.
In this condition she wont quite negotiate 3ft radius curves.

Peak 1.jpg

I had problems with the leading pony truck.
My approach has been to turn the truck upside down and add the spring shown in the second picture.

Peak 2.jpg

I mounted a short length of micro brass tube under the axle of the pony truck, then anchored a length of 10thou guitar string on the underside of the bogie, threading the free end through the micro tube.
This has the effect of applying a downward pressure on the pony truck, and give an element of guidance.
Another problem I found was in a couple of points I had built where I had not flared the end of a couple of check rails which caused occasional derailments.

Gordon A
Bristol

[Terry Bendall]

So ,it looks like the curved switch blade is ever so slightly narrow to gauge - question is, how do I solve it now that the turnout is built...

And that of course is why you need to check the track gauge through the blades using the Roger Sanders gauge. When building Exactoscale turnouts, I have found that there is a tendency for them to be tight across the blades so I put the gauge in place when the chairs are glued down and leave it there until the glue sets. If the rails are the correct distance apart the gauge should slide through the blades easily all the way with no tight spots.

To add to Keith's suggestion, another method, if plastic functional chairs are used, is to grip the offending piece of rail in a pair of pliers held vertically and bend the rail in the appropriate direction, Brutal and crude but it works.

Terry Bendall

[jim s-w]

But of those ex-RTR diesels I have got and friends have I can tell you that about a quarter or maybe more NEED springing, major surgery or ingenious tricks just to stay on straight flat track. .

Hiya

You might want to show your friends this thread - viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1435

All of them all wheel drive diesels, all of them straight wheel swaps.

HTH

Jim

[John Donnelly]

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Having fettled my turnout as per this thread: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2174 I'm pleased to say that the 46 (as well as a 40 I've just converted) now negotiates the turnout.

Having said that, it's the only turnout I have so there is no guarantee that all is well but it's certainly progress

John

[Paul Willis]

Thanks again for all the suggestions. Having fettled my turnout as per this thread: http://scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2174 I'm pleased to say that the 46 (as well as a 40 I've just converted) now negotiates the turnout.

Having said that, it's the only turnout I have so there is no guarantee that all is well but it's certainly progress

Hey, that's a 100% success rate! Don't knock it!

Flymo

[John Donnelly]

Hey, that's a 100% success rate! Don't knock it!