Do they require metal wheelsets? It doesn't say anywhere, but if I use plastic wheelsets, it seems to me the axel clips won't get any juice.
YES On one truck the un-insulated wheels should be on the left and on the other truck on the right.
Thanks Ned ... are these types of wheelsets common buys online?
Atlas, Life-Like, Jay-Bee, NWSL, anything with a metal axle. Kadee will not work.
All wheel pickups are much better.
http://members.optusnet.com.au/nswmn1/ExtraPickUps.htm
Below is what I use. Save this as a HTML, File/Save Page As, to your PC because his site eventually goes away and he comes up with something new. When the site goes away, go into the File Manager and double click the HTML file and the page opens up as if the site is still on line.
http://www.55n3.org/cars/tender_wipers/
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
You will need metal wheel sets, but you can get by without metal axles using the Kadee coupler spring method mentioned above.
If you have metal wheel sets with metal axles, an alternative that I use, wound brass wire pickups on the axles will work.
There are photos of both the Kadee coupler spring and the wound wire pickup methods on my website. Just 'click' on the What's New button and go down to the thumbnails of the jade green NYC cabooses (cabeese?).
Lighting a caboose really does make a difference in appearance. Particularly when running trains in the dark.
Good luck.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/
Allan,
Your techniques don't seem to require wheelsets that have one set of insluated wheels and one set of conductive wheels -- is this the case?
No.
On the caboose with the Kadee spring, the wheels are Proto2000 which have plastic axles and are thus insulated.
The caboose with the wound brass wire pickups have metal axles and an insulated wheel. I forget who made the wheel sets, but one wheel is insulated from the axle.
I have some all wheel pickups that have one insulated wheel. I just install the Kadee spring version with the spring just above the plastic insulation on the metal wheel portion.
hey ther Allan; nice web page,lots of good info....J.W.
Thanks for the compliment on the Website, Big Jerr. I just updated it yesterday (Thursday).
Come back anytime.
I think the Miniatronics caboose lighting is way too expensive. I picked up several plastic AA battery holders at Radio Shack, for a little more than a dollar each. I then picked up a dozen rechargable AAs online at a good price. Then I took a Dremel and ground off the locking tabs on the caboose body. My cabeese have Tomar 1 1/2 volt marker lights and a single 1 1/2 volt bulb inside. For night running, I just slip off the caboose body, and insert a fresh charged battery, and put the body back on. No switch involved. When I'm done running,I just leave the battery in and let it run down overnight. Next time, I just replace the dead battery, with a freshly charged one. Steady lights, with no flicker!