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My layout has grown to the point where consists of 20+ units are practical.

 

With 14 of the 8-3/4" boxcars and a caboose, I'm catching a whiff of "motor" smell from both my dual-motor Williams F3, and the Williams NW2. I think I'm starting to push things a bit, and I know I will be when I add more cars.

 

Trying to run the two Williams units together is like herding cats, and it looks stupid.

 

I'm specifically looking at diesels. Any good ideas for units that can run together, and can negotiate O-27 curves?

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Matt,

 

How often do you lubricate your engines? How clean is your track?

You might be smelling burnt dirt from the track or roller wheels rather then a motor smell, most Williams will run for a long time and not need too much work done.

 

I have run several of my Williams engines for hours and not have any motor smell like you would have on the post war Lionel engines.

 

As for running two Williams engines together the best thing is if they are two GP-7's or two SD-45's rather then an SD-45 and a GP-7 as they don't have the same pulling power. Another thing that I have found with my work on Williams engines and upgrade kits, don't mix and match for an older engine, try to use two of the same year engines together, motor voltage outputs can be different with different circuit boards from as little as two years apart.

 

Lee Fritz 

Everything is pretty much brand new with very little run time. I haven't run anything enough to need lubrication again.

 

I'm not having issues per se, especially with short trains. I just don't like that warm motor smell coming from the Williams locomotives during a hard pull. The pulls are only going to get harder as time goes on and my layout grows.

 

Also look at this as a lame excuse to go out and buy something.

 

One thing I did think of after posting, was upgrading the F3 dummy unit to powered... I'm having trouble finding a store with the upgrade kit in stock, though.

Originally Posted by Matt Kirsch:

Everything is pretty much brand new with very little run time. I haven't run anything enough to need lubrication again.

 

I'm not having issues per se, especially with short trains. I just don't like that warm motor smell coming from the Williams locomotives during a hard pull. The pulls are only going to get harder as time goes on and my layout grows.

 

Also look at this as a lame excuse to go out and buy something.

 

One thing I did think of after posting, was upgrading the F3 dummy unit to powered... I'm having trouble finding a store with the upgrade kit in stock, though.

Since you have a powered F-3 maybe you can buy another powered F-3 and sell the dummy to get back some money, or keep the dummy and have fun running a triple headed train.

It might cost you just as much to buy the upgrade kit as buying an engine at a super sale price, but you will have a whole engine and not just a set of motors and a circuit board. WBB has really upped the price on motor upgrade kits, but Western Depot may have an upgrade kit for sale at a decent price.

 

Lee Fritz

Originally Posted by Matt Kirsch:

They have 6 upgrades in stock according to their website.

 

ARGH! I just paid off my credit card this morning. I think it's the first time in 3 years that it's had a 0 balance...

Be sure that you get the correct upgrade kit for your Williams engine, it must list that it is for use with the F-3 or otherwise it may not fit into the frame for your engine, also you must swap couplers from your current engine to the upgrade kit. There is a plate for the brake assembly that goes over the motor at each end and it will need to have its holes drilled out to the next size(go up a 64th of an inch) or the plate won't fit onto the new motor.

I did an F-7 upgrade kit about two years ago.

The other piece of caution is to watch how well the new motor kit matches your older Williams engine in speed. Put the two engines together on one track but leave uncoupled from each other and run them for five minutes and see if either one tries to out run the other, start with the upgraded engine in front.

 

Lee Fritz

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