Garden Railroad:

Modification, Repair, Maintenance, Parts & Tips

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Locomotives    (Accucraft, Aristocraft, Bachmann, LGB, MTH, USA Trains)

    ACCUCRAFT:

• Accucraft Daylight (GS-4)

  • Kadee #820 (#1 Scale) coupler to front and tender

    ARISTOCRAFT:

• Aristocraft  -  Dash-9  /  E-8  /  SD-45

  • 3 Axle motor block noise / running choppy / rough - (Applicable to Dash-9, SD-45, E-8 and all Aristocraft 3 axle motor block engines)

  • Drive-train (Gearbox) failure - Added 03/13/2011

  • Inexpensive custom weights - ($2.00 each)

  • Sealing the Aristocraft smoke unit fluid reservoir tank to prevent leaks

  • Install front and rear handrails - (applies to Dash-9)

  • Lowering the engine and raising the fuel tank project - (applies to Dash-9)

• Aristocraft  -  Mallet

  • (*CHECK THIS ON ALL NEW ENGINES BEFORE RUNNING FOR THE FIRST TIME!*) ---> Drivers out of quarter fix - rework connecting rod holes

  • Drivers turning on the axle and getting out of quarter

  • Rod pins impacting main rod as engine runs (unexplained 'clinking' sound)

  • Connecting Rod Pins screwed in crooked

  • Painting the drivers

  • Motor defective (Engine sets running at noticeably different speeds)  

  • Power pickup problems from some drivers: power transfer strips missing 

  • Power pickup problems from some drivers: power pickup ball missing on axle to ball power pickup

  • Install a Kadee #835 on the front pilot

  • Vanderbuilt tender custom drawbar replacement / improvement

  • Recurring plastic 'creaking' noise while running  - (Twice per revolution of the wheels)

  • Drive-train (Gearbox) failure - Added 03/13/2011

  • Lead truck on engine derailing / Increase downward pressure on lead truck

  • Increase downward pressure on the trailing truck

  • Adding a real coal load to the coal tender

  • Sealing the Aristocraft smoke unit fluid reservoir tank to prevent leaks

  • Install magnets to keep smoke box door closed

   

• Aristocraft  -  Mikado

  • (*CHECK THIS ON ALL NEW ENGINES BEFORE RUNNING FOR THE FIRST TIME!*) ---> Drivers out of quarter fix - rework connecting rod holes

  • Drivers turning on the axle and getting out of quarter

  • Rod pins impacting main rod as engine runs (unexplained 'clinking' sound)

  • Connecting Rod Pins screwed in crooked

  • Painting the drivers

  • Power pickup problems from some drivers: power transfer strips missing 

  • Power pickup problems from some drivers: power pickup ball missing on axle to ball power pickup

  • Drive-train (Gearbox) failure - Added 03/13/2011

  • Adding a real coal load to the coal tender

  • Sealing the Aristocraft smoke unit fluid reservoir tank to prevent leaks

   

    BACHMANN:

• Bachmann Big Hauler (& 10th Anniversary edition)

  • Traction Tire added on Center Driver

    LGB:

• LGB Mikado

  • Engine Running Slow / Motor overheating

    MTH:

• MTH  -  Big Boy

  • Front Pilot Spring replacement to get the front engine to sit more evenly

  • Adding 1 lb 5oz weight to front of boiler to get rear engine to sit more evenly

  • Engine shutting down intermittently / Power pickup problems / loss of track power pickup from front engine set or sliders - (Shorting on Aristocraft 19.5 Degree cross-overs & switches) also Slider & Slider screw modifications + Shimming the axles

  • Adding fuses between front and rear engine power pickup wires to protect from short damage

  • Wheel power pickups - (possible short potential)

  • Firebox light frame - (possible short potential?)

  • Electrically isolating the motor diode from the frame

  • Removing the green front pilot flags

  • Sliders getting caught in switch frogs. (Particularly #6 switches)

  • Driveline binding / not running smooth (Drivers out of quarter)

  • Boiler cracks - from the marker light screw hole

  • Brake shoes facing the wrong way

  • Kadee #789 (G Scale) coupler on front pilot

  • Drawbar upgrade and modification

  • Removing the power from a #6 Switch with powered metal frog

  • Charging the engine's PS2 on-board battery

  • Sound file update:  Corrects S01 softkey short whistle sound

  • Polarity switch location - added 07/21/11

   

• MTH  -  Challenger   

  • MTH Challenger - Smoke unit not puffing

  • MTH Challenger - Tender Plug Problems

  • Adding weight to the engine

  • Added weight to the front drivers

  • MTH Challenger - Front Drivers Binding Fix / Driveline binds

  • MTH Challenger - Steam Delivery Tube Cracks

  • Kadee #830 (G Scale) coupler to tender

  • Kadee #789 (G Scale) coupler on front pilot

  • Drawbar upgrade and modification

  • New weight transfer spring assembly between boiler and front engine

  • Sliders getting caught in switch frogs. (Particularly #6 switches)

  • Charging the engine's PS2 on-board battery

   

• MTH  -  Diesels (Dash-8s, etc)

  • Control issues when engines with slave board are running - Adding inductors to engines with a slave board

   

• MTH  -  GS-4 (Daylight / Freedom)

  • Motor cooling modifications - added 07/21/11

  • Adding power pickups to the tender

  • Sliders getting caught in switch frogs. (Particularly #6 switches)

  • Charging the engine's PS2 on-board battery

  • Polarity switch location - added 07/21/11

• MTH  -  Hudson

  • Front Coupler replaced with functioning #1 Scale Kadee (#822)

  • Sliders getting caught in switch frogs. (Particularly #6 switches)

  • Charging the engine's PS2 on-board battery

  • Polarity switch location - added 07/21/11

   

• MTH  -  Triplex

  • Front Coupler replaced with functioning G scale Kadee (#830) coupler

  • Adding a wire pair to allow power pickup sharing between the engine and the tender

  • Improving sound volume and base levels via modifications in the tender

  • Improve the chuff and whistle volume by loading the updated MTH Protosound 2 sound file (New and Original files) provided

  • Adding nylon washers to reduce frame on axle side to side play

  • Adding fuses between the front and rear driver sets on the engine

  • No smoke output from smoking whistle (no air velocity from fan)

  • Smoke unit smoke coming from inside the boiler

  • No smoke coming from the tender smoke stack

  • Marker lights on tender won't come on

  • Hard to separate tender from engine (Tender Drawbar pin loose)

  • Control issues with Triplex - adding inductors to engines with a slave board

  • Sliders getting caught in switch frogs. (Particularly #6 switches)

  • Removing the power from a #6 Switch with powered metal frog

  • Charging the engine's PS2 on-board battery

  • Polarity switch location - added 07/21/11

  • Removing the boiler sub-frame (For Reference)

    USA TRAINS:

• USA Trains  -  Hudson

  • Engine shorting out / running loud - (Motor failure)

  • Drawbar modification (Tender comes uncoupled when backing)

  • Back-end of Engine Sagging (Factory trailing truck spring too weak)

  • Power Pickup Problems: Wheel power pickups not making contact

  • Connecting rods making contact with brake shoes

  • Adding a working drop Kadee coupler #822 to the front pilot

  • Driver axle suspension doesn't have proper range of motion/sticking in frame

  • Installed MTH Proto-coupler on Tender

  • Improving the coal load

   

• USA Trains  -  SD40-2  /  SD70  /  PA-1 & PB-1

  • Broken coupler post

  • Wheel not turning/grinding sound:  Damaged/stripped idler gear

  • Wheel not turning/grinding sound (Pivoting end-axle):  Spun universal end-joint / loose worm gear

  • Wheel not turning (Pivoting end axle):  Stripped plastic universal

  • Broken pivot axle support tab

  • Worn side bearings (important lubrication point)

  • Installing Kadee coupler (both fixed and swivel options) - Updated 08/31/2011

  • Traction tires:  Should you use or eliminate them?

   

• USA Trains  -  F-3  /  GP7  /  GP9  /  GP30  /  GP38-2  /  NW-2

  • Wheel not turning/grinding sound:  Damaged/stripped axle gear

  • Wheel not turning/grinding sound:  Damaged/stripped axle gear (Caused by failed motor bearing) - Updated 06/08/2011

  • Wheel not turning/spins when under load:  Cracked axle gear assembly

  • Engine wobbles when running: Cracked axle gear assembly

  • Worn side bearings (important lubrication point) 

  • Power pickup problems:  Worn/severed wheel power pickup rods

  • Smoke unit not working:  Power transfer between frame and body shell broken

  • Traction tires:  Should you use or eliminate them?

   

Rolling Stock

• Freight Cars:

  • Bachmann:

     

    • Coal Hopper cars:

      • Turn truck into a track cleaner

      • Body mount Kadee #787

  • LGB:

     

    • Steel Caboose: (40790 CE-5) - Santa Fe

      • Kadee #831 truck-mounted coupler & problem of coupler lowering out of position when under load

• Passenger Cars:

  • Aristocraft:

     

    • Heavyweight Passenger Cars:

      • Install TIU in Aristocraft Heavyweight for running DCS engines on battery power

      • Kadee #789 Body-mounted coupler

      • Tool to easily replace light bulbs

      • Voltage regulation of lights

      • Aristocraft Heavyweight Passenger Car - Track Cleaner

      • Light base/Derailment shorts - Prevent your heavyweight from going up in smoke by adding resettable polyfuses

      • Adding inductors to get better MTH DCS track signal

       

  • Bachmann:

     

    • Jackson Sharp Passenger Cars

      • Turn truck into a track cleaner

  • MTH:

     

    • Passenger Cars

      • Turn your MTH Passenger car into a track cleaner car

      • Add a light switch to turn lights on and off (on first run cars made without switches)

      • Adding inductors to improve track signal

      • Adding polyfuses to protect against shorts

• Couplers:

   

  • Body-mount vs Truck-mount

  • Kadee vs factory provide coupler

Layout Construction / Roadbed / Wiring / Tools

• Roadbed:

  • Build solid roadbed foundation with Hardiplank concrete fiber boards & Rolled shingle

   

• Wiring: 

  • Wire type

  • Connection to the track

  • Feeder/jumper wire information and configuration

  • Power jumper/feeders for the Aristocraft #6 switch

   

• Bridges:

  • Original Bridge (Built 2004)

  • New Bridge (Built 2006)

   

• Tools:

  • Cutting track (angle grinder)

   

Track

• Track type

  • Stainless Steel

  • Brass

  • Aluminum

  • Nickel Silver

  • Steel

  • Plastic

   

• Track Connections

  • Slider Joiners

  • Direct-to-Rail clamps

  • Over-the-Joiner clamps

   

• Track Cleaners

  • Turn Bachmann Passenger car truck into a track cleaner (same info as in "Rolling Stock" section)

  • Turn Bachmann Coal Hopper car truck into a track cleaner (same info as in "Rolling Stock" section)

  • Turn Aristocraft Heavyweight Passenger Car into a track cleaner (same info as in "Rolling Stock" section)

  • Turn your MTH Passenger car into a track cleaner car (same info as in "Rolling Stock" section)

  • Pole Sander for cleaning track by hand

   

• Crossovers: (Aristocraft 19.5 Degree Crossover)

  • 19.5 Degree crossover modification to eliminate the risk of electrical shorts from engine power pickup sliders

   

• Switches/Turnouts

  • Removing the power from a #6 Switch with powered metal frog

• Power control

  • Remote control for Power supply power cut-off - (great for emergencies)

Power (Track/Battery)

       Track power:

• Power Supplies

  • Bridgewerks Magnum SR-10 (10amp)

  • Bridgewerks Magnum SR-15 (15amp)

  • Bridgewerks Power Mag (25amp @ 24volts)

  • Bridgewerks TDR-25 (25amp @ 24volts)

  • Bachmann Power supply (17volts / 11voltamps)

• Volt & Amp meters (aftermarket) for Power supplies

  • How to install and where to purchase

   

• Fuses *VERY IMPORTANT*

  • Fuse holders and using two in parallel to allow hot-swapping of fuses

   

• Power emergency cut-off (power outlet wireless remote control)

  • Remote control for Power supply power cut-off - (great for emergencies)

 

 

 

Battery power:

• Battery power install (for MTH DCS)

  • Install TIU in Aristocraft Heavyweight for running DCS engines on battery power - Updated 06/08/2011

 

 

 

 

Digital Control:

MTH DCS:

• MTH: TIU

  • Tips for better DCS signal and help with other DCS operations related issues - *** SUGGESTED READ FOR DCS USERS ***

  • MTH TIU Antenna Add-on to Extend Wireless Remotes Operating Range

  • Install TIU in Aristocraft Heavyweight for running DCS engines on battery power

   

• MTH: AIU

  • How to control powered switch machines with AIU and DCS Remote (Aristocraft, LGB, USA Trains, etc)

Parts & Part Numbers

• MTH (Engines, Cars, Accessories)

  • Part Numbers page

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