GN W-1 electric assembly.
Base assembly:
Just the reverse of disassembly.
Head lights:
I wired up 4 12 volt bulbs for the 4 head lights.
Access to the headlight area is difficult so I used some 1/8" diameter shrink tubing to pull the bulbs through the front head light casings.
After the bulbs were pulled through the casings, I put some short pieces of heat shrink tubing on each bulb, a little carpenters glue and pushed them into the casings, letting the curved bulb stick out for a lens cover.
The lead weight was added and the the wires taped to the roof of the engine so they don't get snagged by the motors. Some EMS RC radio connectors were used to make the base removable from the top structure.
Testing:
Six screws hold the base to the top.
I had trouble with the engine binding on curves.
1) I had the lead/trailing trucks backwards as the brake cylinders were hitting the steps.
2) Even with 48" minimum curves, I had to bend the steps out a little for clearance. Fortunately, the steps are screwed on so they can be removed for smaller radii. These would best be truck mounted.
It's difficult to get the perfect narrow lines as found on factory painted engines. As you can see in the picture, I applied a little too much green paint so it was thicker than needed and the tape rippled the green paint a little. Pictures always expose glaring errors whereas, when the engine is sitting on track, even at close range, it's difficult to see those errors.
Interesting, when I paint multi-colored steam engines, those ripples never show up: must be my disdain for diesels!: and that's only in HO, whereas I have a bunch in O gauge (figure that one out!).
sam
