Garden Railroad:
Modification, Repair, Maintenance, Parts & Tips
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Contents for this page: (Click the link to view topic)
Locomotives
Accucraft Daylight (GS-4)
Aristocraft Dash-9
3 Axle motor block noise / running choppy / rough - (Applicable to Dash-9, SD-45, E-8 and all Aristocraft 3 axle motor block engines)
Aristocraft E-8
3 Axle motor block noise / running choppy / rough - (Applicable to Dash-9, SD-45, E-8 and all Aristocraft 3 axle motor block engines)
Aristocraft 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)
Aristocraft Mallet
Rod pins impacting main rod as engine runs (unexplained 'clinking' sound)
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
Recurring plastic 'creeking' noise while running - (Twice per revolution of the wheels)
Bachmann Big Hauler (& 10th Anniversary edition)
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
Adding fuses between front and rear engine power pickup wires to protect from short damage
Sliders getting caught in switch frogs. (Particularly #6 switches)
Driveline binding / not running smooth (Drivers out of quarter)
MTH Challenger
MTH GS-4 (Daylight / Freedom)
MTH Hudson
Front Coupler replaced with functioning #1 Scale Kadee (#822)
Sliders getting caught in switch frogs. (Particularly #6 switches)
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
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)
Hard to separate tender from engine (Tender Drawbar pin loose)
Sliders getting caught in switch frogs. (Particularly #6 switches)
Rolling Stock
Aristocraft Heavyweight Passenger Cars
Install TIU in Aristocraft Heavyweight for running DCS engines on battery power
Light base shorts - Prevent your heavyweight from going up in smoke by adding resettable polyfuses
Bachmann Coal Hopper Car
Bachmann Passenger Cars (Jackson Sharp type)
LGB Steel Caboose (40790 CE-5) - Santa Fe
MTH Passenger Cars
Track / Roadbed / Layout wiring
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 your MTH Passenger car into a track cleaner car (same info as in "Rolling Stock" section)
Aristocraft 19.5 Degree Crossover
Switch/Turnout Signaling
Power/Wiring
Securing track to ground or boards
Roadbed: Build solid roadbed with Hardiplank concrete fiber boards & Rolled shingle
Bridge/Basement Ramp: Two different methods I used to build my ramp into the basement
Wiring: Wire type and method of connection to track
Feeder wire information and configuration (Focus on Stainless Steel track and voltage drop issue)
Power / Digital Control
MTH TIU
Tips for better DCS signal and help with other DCS operations related problems - *** MUST READ FOR DCS USERS ***
Install TIU in Aristocraft Heavyweight for running DCS engines on battery power
MTH AIU
Battery power install (for MTH DCS)
Bridgewerks Magnum S 15amp Power supply/Controller
Cherokee Switching Power supply - (Fixed 24v DC - 40amp)
Volt & Amp meters (aftermarket) for Power supplies
Parts & Part Numbers
MTH (Engines, Cars, Accessories)
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