Hi folks,
I currently have a junk Rivarossi C420 I got for next to nothing at a train show. Unfortunately, its long list repairs includes new gears and rewiring, therefore its not worth my time/energy. What I wanted to do was turn it into a dummy to be coupled to my C425. Besides removing the gears and disconnecting the pickups, what else do you recommend to decommission this loco? Should I take out the motor and just add some lead weight, or can the motor remain for extra weight? Thanks for your help!
Being a dummy it still needs to comform to the NMRA weight standards for best preformance. Make sure that the trucks will turn freely with the weight off them as well. I cant off the top of my head remember the weight standards (I have it written down where I cannot get to it right now), but you can look it on on the NMRA website. After you get the loco to the standards then check the movment of the trucks and wheels, if everything is good to go then you have your dummy. Remember that even tho the dummy is a loco when it is not powered it is just another car in your train.
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SMassey wrote: I cant off the top of my head remember the weight standards (I have it written down where I cannot get to it right now), but you can look it on on the NMRA website.
I cant off the top of my head remember the weight standards (I have it written down where I cannot get to it right now), but you can look it on on the NMRA website.
For HO, it is 1 ounce plus 1/2 ounce per inch of length.
Extra weight will do you no good. It should be weighted like a freight car, not like a locomotive, because it doesn't need the weight to maintain drive wheel traction. It is probably heavy enough without the motor, so you'd might as well remove it.
Make sure the couplers are electrically isolated from the wheels, so you don't get shorts if the engine is connected up to another engine (or car) which is not itself properly isolated.
If you're going to run this in a consist, and might ever run that consist in reverse, consider a headlight, either wired through to the other engine, or on its own decoder. Probably overkill, but it's something to think about. And if you want to get really carried away, you could put a train-cam in the front of it.
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Those Rivarossi C420's relied solely on their diecast chassis for weight which in themselves were quite hefty. For making a dummy out of one, I'd be trying to lighten it up as much as you can - remove the motor and flywheels for sure and don't add any additional weight.
Mark.
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maxman wrote: SMassey wrote: I cant off the top of my head remember the weight standards (I have it written down where I cannot get to it right now), but you can look it on on the NMRA website. For HO, it is 1 ounce plus 1/2 ounce per inch of length.
Thank you I am going to put that were I can get to it now. I hate my stuff being in storage!!
I have an old F3 that I'm going to make into a dummy. Since it will just be another piece of rolling stock:
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Medina1128 wrote: I have an old F3 that I'm going to make into a dummy. Since it will just be another piece of rolling stock:Make sure it conforms to NHRA weight standards,
I didn't know that the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) had weighting standards that applied to HO scale trains (LOL)!
That matter dispensed with, I'd like to throw out for your consideration that you not bother with the filing and drilling you mentioned to bring the weight of the dummy loco down. While you are correct that the dummy sort of becomes just another piece of rolling stock, it is not a piece of rolling stock that will get mixed in with a bunch of other cars. Generally those of us that are concerned with some sort of uniform weighting scheme are worried that the oddly weighted car will cause some operational issues, specifically on curves.
Since the dummy will always be right there behind the powered unit, my personal opinion is that there won't be any operational problem. So, unless you have a concern about the extra dummy weight having a detrimental effect on the pulling power of the powered locomotive, you might want to reconsider any work to the dummy chassis beyond stripping out the loose removeable parts.
Regards
maxman wrote: Medina1128 wrote: I have an old F3 that I'm going to make into a dummy. Since it will just be another piece of rolling stock:Make sure it conforms to NHRA weight standards, I didn't know that the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) had weighting standards that applied to HO scale trains (LOL)!That matter dispensed with, I'd like to throw out for your consideration that you not bother with the filing and drilling you mentioned to bring the weight of the dummy loco down. While you are correct that the dummy sort of becomes just another piece of rolling stock, it is not a piece of rolling stock that will get mixed in with a bunch of other cars. Generally those of us that are concerned with some sort of uniform weighting scheme are worried that the oddly weighted car will cause some operational issues, specifically on curves.Since the dummy will always be right there behind the powered unit, my personal opinion is that there won't be any operational problem. So, unless you have a concern about the extra dummy weight having a detrimental effect on the pulling power of the powered locomotive, you might want to reconsider any work to the dummy chassis beyond stripping out the loose removeable parts.Regards
LOL!! That's what I get for watching drag racing while reading posts on the forum, huh? Actually, it only took a couple of hours to remove the weight with my Dremel.