Unstoppable: Overhauling Weaver SD40-2’s (5/10 Update: All 3 Complete w/ Video)

Go to ERR web site to find out about their products - like ditch lights; don't know.

But:

The ERR kits use the remote for volume control.

If you want one kit, but lighting and electrocoupler control on both ends, you will need a multi-wire tether; this is the way that the boards in the "mother" unit talk to the dummy unit.

The tether can also be used to route DC motor driver power to the second unit, so you can leave in the motors and have both powered - no dummy unit (I have some, but I dislike them - and have done what I just described)

(You seemed to indicate one would be a dummy, then you contradicted yourself, from what I read.)

OR - moving on - never mind a tether - upgrade both to command/sound/lights and run them as a lash-up; each controls all its functions separately/in concert, that way. Including ditch lights, if any.

I have done many ERR upgrades, but never inquired about ditch lights availability. Again, go to the source.

No ditch lights for any of the ERR TMCC driver stuff EXCEPT the Cruise Commander M modular TMCC motor driver.  It has LED ditch light outputs.  One way to get ditch lights is the new ERR Sound Commander for $25.  It has, besides the outputs for the conventional horn, some LED outputs.  One pair of them are programmed as ditch lights, the remaining one is a variable intensity one activated using the smoke keys on the remote.

D500,

What I meant was 2 of the 3 single engines would remain powered and have to be Command equipped, and both single engines would need ElectroCouplers front and rear. The dummy unit doesn't need anything really. The lash up idea does sound interesting, but not within my budget to do all 3 engines to Command.

John,

Thanks for the tip. I don't necessarily need the ditch lights to be controlled by remote, but it was something I was curious about. I would figure to make things easier to just hook them up to track power.

So what's the missing small part on top? Got any pics to go with it?

So what's the missing small part on top? Got any pics to go with it?

The Burlington Northern one is missing two of the molded in lift rings, and the blue and yellow Santa Fe is missing the plug on top of the long hood end.

Mikado 4501 posted:

Since both engines in question have dual DC can motors and are strictly conventional, I do know I need the DC motor Commander, Cruise Commander, and a RailSounds board for each. However, the one that does not have the PS1 board has no volume control knob. Do I need one to work?

I think you need either the DC Commander OR the Cruise Commander, NOT both.  I could be incorrect, but my understanding was the DC Commander was for DC motored locomotives, but gives no cruise.  The Cruise Commander on the other hand is a DC Commander with cruise.  If you thought you needed all three, then that is why PS-3 looked cheaper to upgrade when I was pretty sure an ERR set cost less than PS-3 did.

You understand very well, you use one or the other.  Personally, I don't use many DC Commanders.

The price ends up very similar for PS/3 or TMCC upgrades. 

You can just cut simulated eyebolts from styrene in order to match the other ones. The Santa Fe is missing the sand filler hatch.  Might check with Lionel or Atlas, being that it's a universal part. http://shop.atlasrr.com/p-9458-sd-40-small-cover.aspx

You can hook up ditch lights to the can motor using these LEDs - http://www.ebay.com/itm/20pcs-...1:g:xjQAAOxyrUZRz6NK

You can also get a brass sand filler hatch from psc. For that SF sd40-2.

Also note if you want a more scale fuel tank, the mth sd40-2 / sd45 scale fuel tanks will fit the Weaver model ones!

He could also check here http://www.precisionscaleco.com/ for the lift rings and sand fill cap.

It sounds like you're about to sink a lot of $ into this project from the custom paint job to the electronics installation. I want to see a scene reenacted from the movie once these locomotives are complete. 

I have one of these that I bought new in the early 90's from a little hobby shop in Columbia MD.  Believe the name was Mike's Train House. It is an excellent runner. and has never given any problems,  I installed DCS back around 2003, but couldn't figure a decent way to physically install ditch lights.

I have an electric drill that I use to install Ditch lights on many diesels.

Okay, I get it now. The regular Cruise Commander offers both Cruise AND Command Control, while the DC Commander does more the latter than the former.

I would probably order the fuel tank parts...if ordering directly from MTH on their replacement part searching wasn't so annoying.

Thanks for the tips SPSF and Catnap - are those LED's good for 18V AC?

Gee, GRJ, I have an electric drill too; fancy that.  I didn't find a place on that loco that I thought would bbe feasible.

I only put them on locomotives that have a spot molded for them.  If they didn't have them, I don't add them as a rule.

Makes sense.

I think I saw ditch lights in a catalog somewhere, maybe the PSC diesel catalog?  Those might work for stuff that had them, but they were external.

Mikado 4501 posted:

Okay, I get it now. The regular Cruise Commander offers both Cruise AND Command Control, while the DC Commander does more the latter than the former.

I would probably order the fuel tank parts...if ordering directly from MTH on their replacement part searching wasn't so annoying.

Thanks for the tips SPSF and Catnap - are those LED's good for 18V AC?

I doubt that they can handle 18V, but since I wire directly to the motors I get directional lighting and the motors never see 18 volts.

Here's an adjustable AC DC converter that can be used on a dummy, not sure if it will fit on a powered unit: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-AC...e:g:Sz0AAMXQKLdR0Qka

Update on 4/19:

I've begun taking these engines apart in preparation for new parts inside and out. But I've run into a snag.

One: In the dummy unit, to get lighting in it, all I have to do is remove the white connector pins that used to go into the QSI board, and connect them appropriately to the hot and ground leads in the trucks? And will I have to do the same in the powered units when I upgrade them, or leave the white connector pins as is?

Two: The bigger issue of the two is removing the strobe lights on the rooves. The engines I had in mind didn't have them. Removing the circuit board was easy, but removing the light itself looks touchy. It's covered by some melted material (not hot glue like for the wire leads to the headlight and backlight. Any idea how to remove that?

Any help is of course appreciated.

I'd probably start by seeing if it's soft enough to cut with cutters or an X-acto knife.  A little heat may soften it as well.  It sure looks like some sort of hot glue...

I suggest leaving it, which is what I did.  Flashes whenever track power is on, which is handy.

I'd leave them...if they weren't in the way of the decoration that is going on the cab roofs. Heat from the soldering iron hasn't really helped remove them.

If you're doing some reconstruction there, just hack them out.  I guess I don't understand exactly what you're planning.

Try using a blow dryer on low heat setting.

If the stuff has an orange tint it's probably good and all you need is goo gone found in many hardware and dollar stores.

I tried Goof Off. It doesn't seem to work, which is pretty weird, since it should come off. It's some sort of bizarre coating to likely protect the small light. It's the same adhesive to hold the headlight and rear light.

It's epoxied in.  If you are putting an A/C on the cab top it will cover it.

catnap posted:

It sounds like you're about to sink a lot of $ into this project from the custom paint job to the electronics installation. I want to see a scene reenacted from the movie once these locomotives are complete. 

When all the dust settles, it does indeed sound like it's going to end up being a very expensive engine set, with a whole lot of time spent getting it made. Yup, be curious to see the final results.

At York last October, I picked up two MTH GP38's that I converted to ERR (no smoke or sound). I also wanted to add ditch lights (to the front only) and purchased the fixtures from Shapeways http://www.shapeways.com/produ...ditchlights-set-of-4. I also purchased nano LED chips from Evans to place inside the fixtures (fixtures are hollowed out to accept them and the wires). As of now, they do not oscillate but they will after I install the circuit boards that I just purchased from a forum member.

You will also see that I removed the strobe light from the roof and filled in the hole. Just need to touch up the paint.

Unfortunately, I am not putting an AC cover over where the strobe is sitting on these engines. The roofs should be mostly flat, as shown here.

 The good news: I found by using a rubber hammer removes the light without destroying it.

Interesting picture to illustrate the roof configuration.  Are you planning on having yours do that a lot?

For some reason, there are very little overhead shots of these engines...

And maybe...once, John.

Update on 4/20:

Now that I've safely removed the strobe lights and the horns, next up is to reposition the hornss from the top of the cab to the rear of the dynamic brake unit.

The only issue - the horns need a SQUARE hole. If anyone can recommend square drill bits, or if I can modify for a round hole, that would be great.

I just drill a hole that at or slightly less than the diameter of the square pin and then use jeweler's files to square it up.  It's plastic, it files really fast.

Just send me $100; I'll send you a set of my special Square Hole Bits. Really. Trust me. Shipping is free, but may be real slow.

===

Anyway, sorry, but that was too easy to pass up.

Just drill a "regular hole" and make it the shape you need with a miniature file. The horns will be glued in anyway, I presume, so the general hole size is more important than its precise shape. If you do not have a set of miniature files (see Micro-Mark, and others), stop doing what you are doing and go get a set.

Unless you are "distressing" a piece as part of an aging/weathering effect, never use a hot soldering iron on a plastic loco shell, again. The Modeling Police will be called. 

Even the files from your local Harbor Freight will be sufficient for most tasks.

Precision Needle File Set 12 Pc

These will do for most light work, and they're cheap enough to simply replace when they get a bit dull.

Watch out for the Modeling Police, they're pretty vicious!

File the horn post round or cut it off and pin it on.

" recommend square  drill bits".... did somebody hack your account?