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Caps and chokes - nothing new

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  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Caps and chokes - nothing new
Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 10:58 AM

I may have mentioned a coworker gave me a few locos, a Tyco F unit, a Life Like F unit (train set, not Proto), and an AHM/Rivarossi FM (in Conrail can opener!). Today I notices how far the powered truck of the AHM could swivel, so I popped off the shell - oh yeah, RR pancake type motor mounted vertically, shaft is the center pivot point of the truck so it can go almost all the way around. 

 But the real noticeable bit - a small capaciator across the motor terminals, and a pair of shrink wrapped inductors in series with each of the truck pickup leads. 

 Actually this may be Pemco, not RR, marked made in Yugoslavia. Still early 80's at best, but it has the same sort of EMI protection seen on newer locos. 

 Interestingly, the Tyco one says made in the USA on the fuel tank/weight - seems newer than the ones I had in the early 70's, which were Hong Kong.

 No big revelation, just mentioning that it appears the Euro requirement for this EMI filtering is much older than may may thing. Not that I'd even consider putting DCC in this thing as is - only picks up on one truck, power truck has traction tires that are worn off, although at least all the wheels are metal, and of course that motor is not exactly quality. Plus best I could POSSIBLY do it repaint this PRR and stage it at an interchange, as Reading had none of these. To make a runner, I'd have to build a new drive.

                                       --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 12:52 PM

About the only salvageable part of that model Rivarossi diesel is the shell.  I bought a pair of Krauss Maffei ML-4000 and modified a couple of Athearn PA frames and now they run very nicely with good drawbar.
 
 
 
Sure beats this.
 
 
 
 
 
Mel
 
 
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
 
 
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Wednesday, February 12, 2020 1:06 PM

 Slightly different motor in my FM, and botht he center weight and the one stuck in the back are solid castings, not a screwed together set of plates. I do remember taking apart some older GG1s that had that style of weight.

Only good thing I can say about this is that despite the crudity of the details, the paint is at least properly applied (even if the white lettering and logo aren't exactly opaque). Unlike the LL and Tyco, LL in particular, which looks like it has a scale foot of paint coated on it. Also Conrail can opener but the blue is too dark and glossy. Lettering is very opaque, but there is even decal film showing on the nose lettering. Guess they couldn;t pad print the curved nose back then. Sides are printed, not decals. The Tyco one isn;t too bad, glossy, but not as thick as the LL. ANd the Tyco shell has some very nice fan castings even though it is all one piece and not added on parts. I just noticed someone carved the center off one of the fans for some reason. Odd.

                                      --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

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