Lionel USRA 2-6-6-2 LEGACY Upgrade (9/03/20)

Update:

So, after some grinding and some hole drilling, I got the smoke unit installed. Whistle steam elbow made. The shell is all wired up. The lights work as they should. The smoke output is amazing.

I need help!

I ran into a problem of course. During my testing, I was running the loco. Then it stopped. I lost all command. I thought maybe my legacy base got disconnected. Nope. I hit the reset button for the engine, nothing, it just sat there. The headlight wasn’t flickering.

I cycled the power, got the loco to move again, ran about 2 inches then stopped. No control again. I swapped the RCMC out with another and I still have the same issue. I thought maybe my handrails were grounding out so I used my meter, nothing. It was running fine with the shell off. Makes me think its a radio signal issue due to a grounding problem. I dunno. 

Usually I’m the one with the fix 😂

@Bruk posted:

Update:

So, after some grinding and some hole drilling, I got the smoke unit installed. Whistle steam elbow made. The shell is all wired up. The lights work as they should. The smoke output is amazing.

 

 

Now you're just showing off!  LOL! 

That smoke is extremely impressive! Hopefully I can get my engines to do that when I get to that project. 

Can't be dirty track Bruk, or something like that? Dirty rollers, or something like that as well? If it were electronic, I'm sure you'd know from minute one. I've no earthly idea what could be killing it out like that other than dirty something being the culprit.

Is there any other suggestions to my problems  I’m having that I said above, its been so long since I ran into something like this. I almost forget. 

If it runs fine with the shell off there is more than likely a grounding problem somewhere between the antenna and frame/shell. Are you sure that the antenna (handrails) isn't hitting some part of the shell/chassis when it's lowered into place? 

Issue Solved????

So after about 3 hours...I cleaned my track (again) checked/my serial data wire from my command base. Solder the radio board to the actual board (Lionel does that now). Replaced the Prog/Run switch. This improved but didn’t solve the issue. 

I’d want to believe even a “faint short” is gonna show up with a meter......believe me, I’m glad you found the issue....just curious how you did the initial test of the handrails and found them to be ok the first go-around?....I’m on a quest to learn...

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

I’d want to believe even a “faint short” is gonna show up with a meter......believe me, I’m glad you found the issue....just curious how you did the initial test of the handrails and found them to be ok the first go-around?....I’m on a quest to learn...

Pat

The meter I have is a Fluke 87.

I originally was measuring with the “beeping” circuit feature which quickly finds “shorts”. When I turned that feature off this time around, I can measure down to Milli-ohms. I was getting readings which I should not have. This pointed me to finding the corrosion issue.

I also tested every pin in all my connectors to all the frames of the loco, thats where I found a weird reading with the program/run switch and swapped it out. 

Priceless info!!!!

Interesting Bruk, always one new wrinkle to sort out.

Here is the handrail patch

Bruk, now that can only be described as a glorified PITA. I didn't really believe it could be a track being dirty issue, but given some of the responses I've seen from the regular folk like myself, that is usually where they're directed to start.

I do remember some years back before I joined up here on the forum that I was told about insulation on the handrails being essential for operation. Who would have ever thought corrosion would be the factor here? Certainly not me.

Reminds me of a story my uncle told me once, about how they had a racecar on the track, and it would sputter something bad on the straightaways, but no issues on the turns(1950's). All the big heads couldn't figure it out for naught. My uncle said they called over one of the local kids who worked at the track to take a look. Didn't take him long. He replaced the fuel line with a wider size line and the car ran without issue. The big heads never even considered the gas line was to narrow to allow the fuel to flow smoothly.

I think of all of you guys working on these engines in that regard. You get in there and slowly work it down to what the real issue is giving you grief. Lord knows I would bring it into the LTS and tell them all I could and they'd probably figure it out. Me, I'd put my finger in the outlet, lol.

So, one last question - are the stanchions that hold the hand rails to the hull insulated from the hull or are they plastic or made of something else?

They're plastic.

Final Product Video! 

Everything is working as it should. Another one crossed off my list of conversions.

That's a beautiful conversion. I hope I can learn all this stuff and be able to do work like this.

@BillYo414 posted:

That's a beautiful conversion. I hope I can learn all this stuff and be able to do work like this.

You and me both! 

Mark in Oregon 

That's great Bruk, time for a new project.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

That's great Bruk, time for a new project.

Id say so John, lots to do. 🙄