Weaver SD40 with RailPro Upgrade - Documented Process (5th Post Done for now)

Hi Ron, I have been using and installing RailPro for the past three years in O and G scale engines. It is the coolest system on the market. If you have any questions please contact me at donsweet@rcsofne.com.

Enjoy, Don

Nice work so far, Ron.  I've run on an HO layout with track-powered RailPro and liked the system.  Most interesting was the way that multiple units speed match to each other automatically!

I've found that in lots of my LED headlight conversions, the lights are too bright with a 1K ohm resistor.  For dual tower LEDs like you are using, my personal preference is a 3.3K ohm resistor.  For what it's worth...

Hi Guys, on the larger module , LM-3SG, you have a +5V output. I use 100 ohm resistors for raw LEDs. Or use Evans warm white or bright white 5-13 v LEDs come wired with the resistor.  As Bob mention use a higher value if you prefer.

Don

@Don Sweet posted:

Hi Ron, I have been using and installing RailPro for the past three years in O and G scale engines. It is the coolest system on the market. If you have any questions please contact me at donsweet@rcsofne.com.

Enjoy, Don

Any recommendations on speakers Don?

I'm trying to ID a speaker that meets the RP specs and will still fit.

Ron, go to Parts Express and look at the Visaton line of speakers. They have ovals and round that should fit. Also TB 1925s is an enclosed rectangle. Choose the 4 ohm versions.

Don

Great topic.  Was not aware of railpro products.  What components did you purchase for this conversion?

I looked at the Ring Engineering RailPro webpage, but what's lacking is a comprehensive overview of the product line.  I see very little detail, so I look forward to what Ron ends up with.

@necrails posted:

Great topic.  Was not aware of railpro products.  What components did you purchase for this conversion?

I purchased 3 items, but I think in reality after reading the manual, I only needed 2.   I'm not sure I needed the Computer Interface, but we'll see.  I am expecting these items Tuesday from Timber River Railway and Sales who had the best price by far.   But the owner does not do online sales.  You have to call or email and inform him what you want and he will reply with a quote.  It's not Amazon and won't happen overnight.  But the price was well worth the wait.  This picture is not to scale.

A Big Shout out to Bob Buck over at G Scale Installations

I drove over to Bob's shop in York.  Bob helped me with my other battery projects and today was no different.  I know Don Sweet recommended him from several threads here on OGR.  Don, he knew exactly what speakers you were talking about and hooked me up with those and recommended other accessories too.

So today we fitted the loco with a battery, a speaker and switch and charging accessories.   I will be upgrading an  GP38 after this project which is why you see two of everything.

I'm also going to do review for Bob on these Coin Type Exciters that you see.  If these are attached inside the shell of the loco, the shell is supposed to become the speaker.  That sounds exciting and I can't wait to see how they work.

Bob let me get some hands on experience with a G Scale diesel he just upgraded with Railpro.  The controller felt great and the dial control for movement was really smooth and could control extra slow speeds.  It was really impressive.

The LM-3S-G provides everything... Control, Lights and Sound.  Specific engine sound sets are downloadable from Ring.  That is why I thought I needed the computer Interface.  But I saw last night you can hardwire the controller to the computer too.  AND... You can also browse a library of other users custom sounds or make your own custom sound files to add as a single play or a loop.  Like track squeal for instance.

I'll try to get the loco switch and charge port installed this weekend so I can focus on just dropping in the LM-3S-G when it arrives Tuesday.

Having Fun!

Ron

As a point of continuing education, there are no dashes in EMD diesel model numbers. The locomotive  under discussion here is an SD40, not an SD-40. The only place where EMD used dashes was in the “Dash 2” series. In that case, this is an SD40-2.

@Rich Melvin posted:

As a point of continuing education, there are no dashes in EMD diesel model numbers. The locomotive  under discussion here is an SD40, not an SD-40. The only place where EMD used dashes was in the “Dash 2” series. In that case, this is an SD40-2.

Thanks Rich.  That's my aviation background slipping me up again.

Ron

I made some progress yesterday installing the charge port and the switch.  Bob Buck at GScaleinstalations recommended using these Futaba RC wires for charging.  Being an RC guy, I have plenty of these lying around.  I made a little cutout in the fuel tank and the charge port fit nicely.  It should be concealed well.  Especially  after I paint it blue.

Next was the switch.  Bob also sold me this nice push button switch.  In my last battery projects I was using toggle switches.  These button switches are easy and conceal very well.  Once might even think it really is part of the engine.  I was going to try and put in the the end of the fuel tank, but these Weaver tanks are two pieces and the shoulder and screw were in the way.  So I decided to find an area of the frame that would work best and not interfere with the trucks or the shell.  This was the spot.

You'll see in the test fit below they conceal fairly well.  I did not screw it together because I still have to install the speaker.  That is why you see a gap on the left side.  I should have easy access from the track without having to lift up the engine or remove it from the layout for charging.

Now for a funny story.  I decided to use epoxy to glue in these components.  I have a "Glue Box".  It's a cardboard box which holds all of my various types of glues.  It's a mess with no organization.  Glues I use the most like CA are on the top, glues I use the least migrate to the bottom.

So I'm rooting through this box looking for two tubes of epoxy.  Ah, there they are, Black cap and White cap.  Off to work I go mixing, stirring and applying glue.  I even read the back of the one tube... 8-10 minute dry time.  Perfect.

15 minutes later... Still wet, 30 minutes, 1 hour, still wet.  all afternoon and last evening... still wet.  Completely frustrated I grabbed the glue to read again.  Now I noticed my mistake.  I grabbed a tube of Epoxy and a Tube of JB weld.

Last evening I used the proper 2 tubes of epoxy, and this morning all is well.

Bonus... Praise where Praise is due.  The USPS delivered my RailPro 3 days early and I received it Saturday.  I immediately started playing with it.  I wired up a mock and fired it up.  Wow that little TB 1925 speaker puts out some sound.  I also quickly realized that the Computer Interface USB device greatly helps the install process of sounds vice using the handheld controller.  I could do everything on the computer.  Well worth the $30 cost.

More to Come...

Ron

Prelim install with sound test.  The Exciter vs the Speaker.  I'm pretty sure the speaker won.   Maybe if the entire shell was empty the exciter would sound better.

Here are some pics of my install...

I wanted to mount the battery on the frame and the board up on the roof, but I could not get the shell on right.  I had to end up putting both in the shell side by side.  It's a tight fit with minimum clearance for the air to get through.

Here I removed two of the eight screw posts to accommodate the battery and board.

1st Try... Did not fit well

2nd Try... Better fit, but less room for air flow cooling if needed.  I butter run 'em medium to slow and see.

I used an RC (Futaba style connector for the motors and JST plugs for power and speaker.  I just reversed the plug ends so I could not make a connection mistake.

Well the RailPro part is done.  I think I will enjoy it like this for a while and try to learn the system some more.  I was able to change the sounds and horn.  I added some stock sounds and will play with customization.

When the cold weather arrives I might get into detailing this engine a little more.

I did see RP monitors voltage and temperature on the handheld controller.  The engine never got warm and even after an hour of running, the battery was still well over 15v.

Don't the orange handrails look so much better?

Thanks to those who provided advice and comments.

Have Fun.

Ron

I don't mean to be critical, but your last video seems to show an unusually fast start for the engine under RailPro.  I guess I expected a crawling start (like an engine under load) with a gradual increase to speed.  Is this the best start RailPro can do, or is this just a function of the RailPro / Weaver drive system combination?  Or, were you just in a hurry to get the train running to keep video length down?

Chuck

@PRR1950 posted:

I don't mean to be critical, but your last video seems to show an unusually fast start for the engine under RailPro.  I guess I expected a crawling start (like an engine under load) with a gradual increase to speed.  Is this the best start RailPro can do, or is this just a function of the RailPro / Weaver drive system combination?  Or, were you just in a hurry to get the train running to keep video length down?

Chuck

Hi Chuck,

I believe I had several factors at play, mostly being my inexperience with the throttle.

1.  I was at the beginning of an incline.

2.  I had setting at 65% load.  So as I rotate the dial nothing moves until I reach 18%.  The engine revs but does not move.

3. As I reach 18% and continue going up the loaded throttle starts to ramp up and catch up to my percentage.

4. So with my inexperience,  holding a cell phone in one hand and trying to manipulate the throttle and hold the controller with the other hand and then me being impatient and not taking into account the grade, it did start off a little fast.

My other video above at the 1:08 mark has a better start.  It's probably something I just need to work on getting the "feel".  The speed steps are adjustable too.  I imagine I could mess with those as well.

Thanks for asking and watching.

Ron

Hi Ron, in time you will be a pro on the hand controller. The loading feature is awesome. Just set it then turn up the throttle a little and wait as the engine will slowly build up speed and the sounds are more realistic. In G scale we set it at 20%. This provides very smooth realistic starts and slow downs.

I never need to tweak the speed tables if you get the proper start speed and acceleration rate. Try the low speed enhance  enable and disabled. The china drives might need the enhanced speed.  The tower drives were always smooth.  Bob Buck can provide more insight to weaver drives.

Don

I've been playing around this afternoon with various things that factor into a nice slow start.

First my engine.  While it is new to me the engine is over 20 years old.  I greased it but I did not put oil on the gears.  So I did that today.  I also noticed that the traction tires were more like slick plastic than soft rubber.  So I changed those out to.  Sorry 2 rail guys... If I have the grooves, I'm gonna use them.

I also took some cars off the train and it went from 27 to 17,  It is my intention to double head eventually, so I can run long trains.  But I figured for this test 17 was good.

Lastly, I just played around with starting on my level section vs starting on a grade.  It makes a difference what percentage of throttle you use to get rolling nice and slow.

For instance on level track with 65% load the engine will start nice and slow at 27%.   In the middle of my grade from a dead start I must start at 34%.  And I have to go right to 34%.  If I go to 27% and see the engine won't run, I can't raise it to 34%.  I have to go higher and then I get a lurching start.  I assume it had something to do with a smooth application of the throttle from zero.

Here is the level start.

Here is the grade start at 34%