I clean the wheels by spinning them on alcohol soaked paper towels. They just draw a lot of current which causes the wheel treads to blacken from micro-arcing after relatively short periods of use even on squeaky clean track. I assume from the previous responses that I will indeed need to buy shaft adaptor bushings or new flywheels to convert to the Kato motor. Greenway has 40" NS wheels in stock but they do not specify whether they fit the outside or inside style frames. NWSL has only 42" NS wheels left in stock. I can buy 40" NS wheelsets with gear tubes direct from Athearn for the locos with plastic sideframes but they no longer have wheels for the older metal sideframe units. 460" which according to NWSL is in fact a 40" wheel (the 42" wheel is. One loco is new enough to have NS wheels from Athearn. My Blue Box locos are of various vintage so some have the metal outside frames (bronze bearings outside the wheels) while others have the plastic sideframes (bronze bearings between the wheels and the gear tube).
#Athearn blue box decoder direct to trucks or frame install#
Should I try one of these budget sound decoders or just install another fleet decoder? No, I'm NOT going to spend $100 for a decoder so don't bother trying to sell me one. I also know that I'm never going to hear what I would define as audiophile quality sound coming from 1" speakers and 1-2 watt (max?) amplifiers (I normally listen to 300 watts RMS driving 15" three-way speakers). Would any of the current "budget" offerings provide motor control and sound quality at least as good as these old MRC decoders? I know that MRC decoders have a reputation for major reliability problems but these 1627 decoders are OLD and I've had no problems with them after several years. I currently have MRC 1627 steam sound decoders installed in my MDC steamers and I'm okay with their (admittedly basic) sound qualities. I haven't heard too many positive things about either brand although I haven't seen what I would call any objective reviews - mostly just rants and bashing. I can purchase Digitrax or MRC motor control and sound decoders for around $40 right now. However, I can't justify spending $100 for a sound decoder to put in a $20 loco. All of my diesel locos are currently equipped with inexpensive fleet decoders but I was considering buying a sound decoder for this loco. I need to purchase a DCC decoder before I can add this loco to my fleet. Has anyone made such a conversion and what problems will I likely encounter? Will I need shaft adapter bushings, new flywheels and/or new universal couplings? How should I mount the Kato motor in the Athearn frame?įinally, I recently purchased another Blue Box GP9 new in the box for $20. I am also considering remotoring these locos using the Kato HM5 can motor. Does anyone have any experience using the 42" wheels in trucks originally fitted with 40" wheels? Did you run into any problems? According to the NWSL website, installing the 42" wheels would raise the locos about. 110" wheels in stock for both the older outside frame and newer inside frame trucks. 110") in stock or even a scheduled availability date. I would like to replace all of the old sintered iron wheels but nobody seems to have the correct replacement wheels (40" by. Only one is new enough to have nickel silver wheels installed. All of the diesel locos on my current layout are Athearn Blue Box 4-axle units (F7, GP9 and S12) of various vintages.
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