Reply to "What did you do on your layout today?"

HCSader73 posted:

brwebster 

Mike,

There are still many facets of the hobby that I'm not comfortable with.  On the complexity scale, this re-motor wasn't all that difficult.  Plus, had the end result of the conversion been a total flop, the entire process could be easily reversed with little remaining evidence.  Had a longer screw been available to me at the time, that messy grinding performed at the mount could have been avoided too.  Just another learned lesson for when another similar conversion comes a!ong, which in fact is the plan for my equally anemic Commodor Vanderbilt.

Congrats on getting to finally run a train.  Even if only for a few feet, it actually allows you to trouble shoot problem areas as track laying progresses, rather than faced with an entire layout full of issues.   Test runs after each switch or crossover is laid helps prevent track work with rough operation, poor electrical continuity and signal interference. 

Most importantly, running trains is fulfilling in profound ways. I believe it harkens back to feelings the early manufacturers understood well....that we become masters of a world we created.  Powerful stuff!

Bruce

 

 

 

 

Great observations, Bruce! I feel like I can fix anything mechanical but get spooked by electricals. I suppose, as a History major, I shouldn't expect to be an electrical engineering whizz kid, but there lays the frustration. 

Pete,

Before anyone gets the idea that I truly know what I'm doing, let me stop you right there!  There's no electrical whiz or mechanical engineer here.  When the urge strikes, I foray into uncharted territory a bit at a time.  Example, find out how LED's are adaptable to your trains and tackle a basic job like adding an LED headlite.  Next you're doing flicker free passenger cars and so on and so on.   Soon you're upgrading locos with ERR or PS3 kits, maybe not because they needed to be upgraded, but just to prove to yourself that you can do it!

I was to understand conversion kits, modified parts or vast amounts of machining were the only routes to DC motor conversions, unless of course you sent it out to be done.  I wanted a way around that.  The loco itself gave me loads of room to work with so I avoided a lot aggravation trying to wedge a new motor into the less spacious shell of some smaller loco.  I got lucky I suppose, but time will tell.  It wasn't my first conversion but was definitely the easiest.  Simplicity being the key.

Bruce