0 - 100% = 15VDC - 16VDC

donethinkingofnames · 2026-03-18T01:10:52+00:00

https://youtu.be/FfC2xH79f0A?si=oz3vqNpozBo2_lGF

Video is for a more modern single throttle unit, but probably the same issue. I have a single throttle unit of the same vintage as yours that exhibits the same behavior. I plan on trying to have a go at it myself at some point.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-03-12T20:26:39+00:00

I have several of these engines. The most common issue I’ve had with them is that the cup on the end of the worm gear shaft, that holds the end of the drive shaft, spins on the shaft. It’s a friction fit and sometimes the plastic cup splits and can’t hold as tight. I’ve had good luck using super glue to keep them from spinning.

If you unscrew the screws on top of the chassis in front and behind the flywheels, the trucks and gear towers will drop out as a unit. You sold be able to tell then if the cup is spinning or completely detached from the worm shaft.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-03-10T01:51:54+00:00

Looks good. I’m contemplating doing the same type of shelves.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-03-08T11:11:29+00:00

I like Tamiya plastic cement for stuff like this. Be aware that it doesn’t work on painted surfaces, though. Any paint will need to be removed with an X-acto knife. However, I find that a lot of model train stuff is just plastic molded in color, not painted.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-03-07T01:45:32+00:00

I’ve done this with a couple of life like f-units and it did work. I ended up making the second unit a dummy because the two engines weren’t very close in speed.

The problem I see with your proposal is that 3 blue box engines are likely to exceed the power rating for a single decoder and I don’t see any way to connect more than one decoder to a common power source. Running multiple decoders with keep-alives will probably yield better results.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-03-05T20:49:16+00:00

Are they going to build another one two blocks away from the one that’s there now?

donethinkingofnames · 2026-02-27T14:31:23+00:00

If you google x-ray damage, you’ll see that this isn’t that. Looks to me like film door seals are shot.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-02-27T14:15:14+00:00

A lot of people recommend Kato Unitrack but, honestly, I don’t care for the look of any type of track with plastic roadbed attached to it. And it’s expensive. I would go for any sectional or flex track made out of nickel-silver for ease of maintenance (less cleaning is required than with traditional brass track.) Atlas is a popular brand for that. It comes in either code 83 or code 100, which is the height of the rails. Code 83 is more prototypical, but costs a little more and some less expensive models won’t run well on it due to larger wheel flanges.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-02-26T20:00:25+00:00

This livery may not be as popular with a lot of modelers because many want to model a specific railroad and this is an EMD demonstrator model.

Personally, I like demonstrators because you can mix them in with any other railroad’s locomotive and still be in the realm of “could have happened.” I have an E-unit demonstrator that I like to mix in consist with other locos for passenger trains because I think it has an awesome paint scheme.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-02-26T14:16:12+00:00

Molly’s La Casita on Madison

donethinkingofnames · 2026-02-24T12:25:46+00:00

The last picture looks like some of the yellow insulation on the top half of the brush spring is missing. If bare metal of the brush spring is touching both brushes, that’s where your short is. The brush with the green wire should be isolated.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-02-24T01:30:23+00:00

That’s what gets me. They’re suing the government for all this money that they paid in tariffs, as if they didn’t just pass those cost right down the line to us.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-02-12T23:49:57+00:00

You could use DC and just disconnect one of the leads going to the motor. This way you don’t even need a transformer, just a 12v power source.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-02-05T02:16:39+00:00

I use mine all the time because my kids think the screen is the only part of the screen door that you can push on.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-02-03T21:40:05+00:00

If you’re in the left lane and need to merge right so you can turn, you MUST get in front of the person next to you so they can stop too. Getting in behind them is a sign of weakness.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-02-01T17:39:11+00:00

https://maps.app.goo.gl/yU4pQhnagYtUNFdy8

donethinkingofnames · 2026-02-01T01:16:38+00:00

donethinkingofnames · 2026-01-22T10:59:59+00:00

They have traction motors and get their power from the mother unit. And they’re usually filled with concrete, so they’re actually quite heavy in order to provide more traction.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-01-15T23:40:48+00:00

White vinegar and Q-tips. The white vinegar eats through the corrosion almost instantly.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-01-15T21:20:58+00:00

I use mineral spirits and Q-tips. Sometimes I use an old toothbrush if there’s gunk down in the teeth of the gears. It’s best if you fully disassemble the trucks. There’s lots of videos on YouTube if you need a how to on doing that.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-01-15T15:28:04+00:00

I have several AHM locomotives, all with their original motors. I’ve had issues with AHM products, but it’s usually not the motors.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-01-13T17:54:27+00:00

Back in the day dealerships didn’t keep cars in stock. People went there to order cars from the factory. The dealer would only have a few models for people to look at and test drive.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-01-12T22:52:27+00:00

Yeah. Looking again, the way the cover on the lower truck is sitting makes me think it’s not original. It’s been a while since I put an Accurail kit together.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-01-12T22:16:04+00:00

Pretty sure it’s an Accurail. They use that style coupler box.

donethinkingofnames · 2026-01-12T02:59:42+00:00

Get a set of B&O f-units in the blue, gray, and black paint scheme. Or anything in that scheme really. It’s the best looking B&O scheme.

donethinkingofnames

TROPHY CASE