New old train rebuild

[Hos]

I've decided to get myself a <$100 A-B-B-A head unit setup. Im fond of steam engines, but I decided to make this a ALCO PA-1 setup.

 

So I purchased 2 new in box A units, 1 new in box B unit, and a used B unit. All under $100 together. All are original with the old athern blue boxes.

Here's what I've done so far. 

 

1. Disassembled everything.

2. Deburred the frames, sand blasted, and cerakoted with Glacier Black.

3. Did the same to the trucks.

4. Filed down and drilled/tapped the frame post where the trucks sit.

5. Removed the hook on the top of each truck.

6. Assembled the trucks onto the posts. I added brass spacers which takes 75% of the play out of the trucks.

7. Cut down the old mounting points for the couplers and installed Kadee draft gear and metal knuckles.

8. Lathed warm white 5mm LEDs down to fit for the front lights on both A units.

9. Sand blasted the wheels, painted them, and polished the tread/posts.

 

Next up, I'm looking for new motors for all 4 units. I have to build flashing circuits for the upper head lights, and add some other goodies like 3300uf caps for the lights etc. I'm adding 0605 LEDs to the complete interior so all porthole windows and both cabs light up as they should. I'm also going to wire everything together with jumpers between engines so if at least one truck is on good track, everything stays powered up.

 

I also am going to paint the shells all seating black and add the gold PA stripes back on. Might go the windows out of lexan, we'll see how it goes though.

 

Any suggestions? 

[7j43k]

Hos

I'm also going to wire everything together with jumpers between engines so if at least one truck is on good track, everything stays powered up.

Any suggestions? 

 

 

Yup.  

Do this as two A-B sets.  It's easy to pick up two units.  It is NOT easy to pick up four.

I did this to an Athearn cow-and-calf set.  So it's got 16 wheel pickup.  It's NEVER stalled.  And I can pick it up.

 

 

Ed

[RR_Mel]

Sounds great!  Now if you can just find four Mabuchi FK-280SA 14200 motors you’re in business.



The FK-280 is 13,000 RPM and works great in the BlueBox frames.

Athearn SD-9 with the FK-280 motor.

I have a couple of motors on the way that look promising as a direct replacement for the FK-280.  I’ll post the info as soon as I get them, both are readily available on eBay.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324468278963

This one ↑ has locked rotor at 1.4 amps, very promising.  The Mabuchi FK-280SA 14200 also has 1.4 amps locked rotor.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/383836500396?var=652189815716

 

Mel



 
My Model Railroad   
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

[hornblower]

I'll second the recommendation of the Mabuchi FK-280SA 14200 can motor as I've remotored a couple of Athearn Blue Box F7 locos and these are now the best running Athearns I own.  Smooth and quiet and will pull long trains at very slow speeds, even up my 22" radius helix! Now if I can just find some more I can remotor the rest of my Blue Box fleet.  I have more of these motors on order from a somewhat questionable source but I'm still waiting for delivery.  Bought these through PayPal so I can get a refund if nothing ever arrives.

[SeeYou190]

Hos

So I purchased 2 new in box A units, 1 new in box B unit, and a used B unit. All under $100 together. All are original with the old athern blue boxes.

I have a A/B pair of Athearn PA blue box locomotives. Both powered. They have run relliably for a very long time.

Yours should give you good service.

I already bought the replacements for these, an A/A set of Proto-2000 E9s, but I don't know if the old Athearn PAs will ever fail.

-Kevin

[BigDaddy]

Hos

Deburred the frames, sand blasted, and cerakoted with Glacier Black.

AFAIK no one has done that it in the time I've been in the forum.  Given your tools and skill you might have a way to make lexan windows, but I would think it is too thick for most of us.

Walthers has or had a diesel dress up kit.  I think it was geared to the F3 F7 so I don't know if it's applicable to the PA.  I made a lot of grab irons for an F3 from phospho-bronze wire and a little styrene jig.

We are going to need pictures of the outcome.

[Hos]

I got a 12x24 sheet of 1/16 inch lexan. Kinda thick for windows, but isn't as snappable as 1/32inch. I mean, I'm going to use 1/16 regardless, but I'll probably have to bevel the edges to make sure they fit the other panes properly.

[Hos]

Both you and RRmel have a good idea with those motors. Ive had the white bell type motors crap out on me after a couple hundred hours before, so I kinda got turned off to them. If these can go the distance though, I think I'd give them a try.

 

I've mostly switched to ball bearing Maxon or Faulhaber coreless  motors. Except for this ABBA. Im trying to Chinese 280size cans. It looks like I can replace the bronze with bearings which will be promising. And the brushes/brush hoods etc are all pretty stout looking so that's a good sign too.

 

Here's the link.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/324468278963

 

Im waiting on a decent size Maxon to ram into my Berkshire that currently has a burnt out 180 size white Bell ended motor. 

[Hos]

I was thinking about that. I might make the B to B connections with screw terminals on the bottom side of the frame so I can just take off the wires for extended amounts of work. I also am going to add 10,000uf caps to each engine so I'll never lose power once my dcc is setup and installed. I might have a permenant 1st car with a 50,000uf and some sound equiptment that'll make it all really come alive. But that's down the road...