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Atlas YB RS1 Assistance

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  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
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Atlas YB RS1 Assistance
Posted by FRRYKid on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 4:53 PM

Need some help from my Forum friends again. I purchased a used Atlas YB RS1 and the light appears to be burned out. How do you go about removing the shell as I am planning to patch out the old information to make it into a new scheme? Also would this bulb be the right bulb to replace the malfunctioning one? I don't run DCC and am no good at soldering so my plan is to use a pigtail of the existing wire, join the new lamp and use some liquid electrical tape on the connection.

As usual, thank you for any assistance that can be provided.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
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Posted by crossthedog on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 5:02 PM

Hi Frrykid, the shell should just lift off with a light squeeze of your finger and thumb around the cab, and then maybe toward the front of the long hood. There are no screws, it's just a friction mount with several tabs. Make sure you pull out the handrails from the holes in the cab before you pull the shell too far away because they stay with the deck. If the original wires are in place you won't be able to run very far with the shell, but it's enough to get at the wiring.

-Matt

Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.

  • Member since
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  • From: Michigan, USA
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Posted by allegedlynerdy on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 5:02 PM

If you have an incandescent bulb currently, that would seem to be correct - if you have the instruction manual that came with the unit I would confirm the specifications with that first.

  • Member since
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  • From: Miles City, Montana
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Posted by FRRYKid on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 5:45 PM

allegedlynerdy

If you have an incandescent bulb currently, that would seem to be correct - if you have the instruction manual that came with the unit I would confirm the specifications with that first. 

Unfortunately it didn't come with any sort of instructions or parts breakdown sheet.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
    February 2021
  • 1,110 posts
Posted by crossthedog on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 6:02 PM

FRRYKid
Unfortunately it didn't come with any sort of instructions or parts breakdown sheet.

I just lost out on a bid for a really nice SP&S RS-1. It's an Atlas Classic, not a Yellow Box, but the seller included this photo of the parts sheet. I don't know whether the bulb would have changed from the Japanese made (YB) Kato locos to the Chinese made (Classic) locos, but here's the photo of the sheet. You can barely make out what looks like a part number of "LAMP 810006" on both bulbs. Don't know if anyone knows how to look that up with Atlas, but there you go. To see this full size, click it open, then close that new tab where it opens, then click the image again [I don't know why].

Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.

  • Member since
    January 2022
  • From: Michigan, USA
  • 120 posts
Posted by allegedlynerdy on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 6:03 PM

FRRYKid

 

 
allegedlynerdy

If you have an incandescent bulb currently, that would seem to be correct - if you have the instruction manual that came with the unit I would confirm the specifications with that first. 

 

 

Unfortunately it didn't come with any sort of instructions or parts breakdown sheet.

 

 

When you pop it open, see if you can compare it with any of them available online - I suspect it is this one, but not sure. If it is, it is either very easy or a bit difficult to swap out headlights as they seem to either be soldered directly onto the printed circuit board, or have a retention clip that they slip into. The shell assembly should be fairly similar to what is demonstrated here either way.

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Posted by crossthedog on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 6:05 PM

Ha! Nerdy, I should have let you go ahead. Yours clearly shows the lamp number. I was only off by one digit, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand-grenades.

 

Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.

  • Member since
    February 2021
  • 1,110 posts
Posted by crossthedog on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 6:08 PM

FRRYKid
I don't run DCC and am no good at soldering...

I don't often run DCC and I also am no good at soldering, but I've been practicing and I've gotten better, and I've relamped more than one locomotive. I encourage you to give it a go -- although, if you've got the room, I guess tape would work too.

-Matt

Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,283 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 7:01 PM

I got into the innards of the engine and found the problem why the light wasn't working. Somehow one of the light wires had come disconnected. I fixed the issue and the light now works. Thank you for all the assistance.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
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  • From: 10,430’ (3,179 m)
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Posted by jjdamnit on Tuesday, October 10, 2023 7:56 PM

Hello All,

FRRYKid
I got into the innards of the engine and found the problem why the light wasn't working. Somehow one of the light wires had come disconnected. I fixed the issue and the light now works.

If you can get that deep into the loco, I recommend upgrading to an LED.

You can purchase LEDs with resistors included from More LEDs.

They also include printed instructions on how to wire LEDs.

Congratulations on finding the solution.

Hope this helps.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

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Posted by BEAUSABRE on Wednesday, October 11, 2023 12:30 AM
  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,283 posts
Posted by FRRYKid on Wednesday, October 11, 2023 3:03 AM

BEAUSABRE

As always, Hoseeker is your friend

 Assembly Explosion Atlas RS1 version 1.jpg (740×901) (hoseeker.net)                     

Version 1 appears to be what I needed.

 

What the problem was is that one wire of the bulb came loose from the contact wire. With a little careful finagling, I was able to put the bulb wire back in contact.

Thank you again for all the assistance. Now comes the fun part - designing and implementing the new scheme for the engine that mostly keeps the existing paint intact.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.

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