Best Of Arnold SW1 - what's inside (technical review)

[nkalanaga]

I see they replaced my biggest complaint about the U25C - the overly complicated current path from the wheels to the circuit board.  Instead of two extra metal strips and a sliding contact, just a wire.  That should improve things right there.

[peteski]

This is a very interesting an well-done review. For people like me who like to take things apart the second they get them, it is a nice change of pace from, "here is the model, I do not like it because..." Have you thought about doing more reviews like this? I doubt you would want to do one for every model (seeing as @spookshow does an excellent job already), but I think it would be interesting to see the fine details of the interiors of the models you own, as well as observe your unique thought process.

Yes, I have done something similar for the FVM Hiawatha (which eventually turned into a magazine article).
http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=64947
http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=65324

Like you, my favorite part of this hobby is to take apart some brand new model I just bought.  If I didn't have a full-time job and too many hobbies, I would lover to create more of these reviews.  But the lack of time is the main reason I don't do more of these reviews. I really shouldn't have done this one either, but I just couldn't resist. But this will most likely make me miss the deadline for entering the weathered hopper contest.

I agree that Mark (spookshow) is doing great job with his loco reviews (and all the other model RR related items on his website). I have also contributed to his efforts several times. I still owe him photos and a review of my Sakatsu Big Boy

BTW, did you figure out a way to revive Cody's dead Z scale 0-6-0?

[basementcalling]

Fantastic review. I hope it helps people understand your POV when you share input on other models as well. You certainly proved with pictures why you are often skeptical of the quality of new releases.  Perhaps Arnold could use a copy with an eye to improving their design even  more on future releases?  You reinforced my concerns that this model might be initially ii pressive, but see performance drop off or even tank completely after a few years of hard use o  the layout. The shel, is beautiful, but the mechanism, not so much.

I guess time will tell on the gears and the durability of those wired connections for electrical pick up. I wonder if the bent and crimped feeder wire was intentional as a way to take stress of the solder joint? On old Lfe Like engines like their plastic F7s, back when those were all I could afford in the 90s, had the same issue with the wired connections coming loose. The solution was to add a bend in the wire near the truck to let it pivot and turn off the connection, thus reducing stress on the solder joint.

I'm also puzzled about the lack of needle point axles. It looks like the pick up strip which rubs the back of the wheels has the cups to hold an axel end, but clearly Arnold isn't going that route.

[Chris333]

One thing about these. Wouldn't it be better to put the traction tire wheels to the inside so the locomotives electrical pick-up footprint will be larger?

[peteski]

Fantastic review. I hope it helps people understand your POV when you share input on other models as well. You certainly proved with pictures why you are often skeptical of the quality of new releases.  Perhaps Arnold could use a copy with an eye to improving their design even  more on future releases?  You reinforced my concerns that this model might be initially ii pressive, but see performance drop off or even tank completely after a few years of hard use o  the layout. The shel, is beautiful, but the mechanism, not so much.

Thanks!
The mechanism design follows the old-school design utilized by most Europe-based N scale manufacturers. It is a reliable design, but not up to the standard introduced by Kato and their low-fricton  and wire-free design.

I guess time will tell on the gears and the durability of those wired connections for electrical pick up. I wonder if the bent and crimped feeder wire was intentional as a way to take stress of the solder joint? On old Lfe Like engines like their plastic F7s, back when those were all I could afford in the 90s, had the same issue with the wired connections coming loose. The solution was to add a bend in the wire near the truck to let it pivot and turn off the connection, thus reducing stress on the solder joint.

The bent feeder wire was an error during assembly - it was pinched between the truck (which needs to twist and tilt) and the bottom of the chassis.  I think the feeder wires will be fairly reliable (they are just a pain to deal with when the loco needs to be disassembled for maintenance).  Actually in Arnold's defense, they don't rely on the solder connection for wire attachment point. They molded 2 posts in the truck's frame and they glued the wire to those posts. That provides a strain relief.  The wire is quite flexible so it should be reliable.  On the other end (on the top of the frame) the wire doesn't move much so again, that should not be a weak point.

I'm more worried about the pickup strips wearing out from rubbing the backs of the wheels. I have seen similarly designed models where the strips were worn down and needed to be replaced. And on this model, those aren't designed to be replaced. well, you can get a replacement truck. 

I'm also puzzled about the lack of needle point axles. It looks like the pick up strip which rubs the back of the wheels has the cups to hold an axel end, but clearly Arnold isn't going that route.

The "cups" are there to minimize the contact area of the pickup strip with the wheel back. I expect these will wear out fairly quickly, but then the rest of the pickup strip will still contact the wheel (but will create a bit more friction).  I put some grease around the circular area of the back of the wheel where the cup rubs against the wheels.

Again, Arnold chose to follow the old-school mechanical design (no low-friction trucks).  They follow the same design on their contemporary models of European locos.

Chris, your logic of installing the traction tire on the inside wheelsets makes sense to me. That is easily accomplished by taking the sideframes off and swapping the wheelsets.

[chicken45]

Nice article! I have to disagree about the pictures. I don't like the amount of digital manipulation and trickery you used in your images. 

[ChristianJDavis1]

BTW, did you figure out a way to revive Cody's dead Z scale 0-6-0?

Not yet. I have not had a chance to look at it yet, him being in the southern half of the state and I in the north. I will be looking at it at our train show this weekend, where I will also be pulling apart some HO brass models of Japanese prototypes for personal use. I have gotten most of them to work, so I hope that I can at least diagnose @VonRyan 's problem.

[peteski]

Nice article! I have to disagree about the pictures. I don't like the amount of digital manipulation and trickery you used in your images. 

Guilty as charged!  Every photos has been cropped from the original image and many had some other parameters adjusted.  If I posted unmodified photos, you wouldn't be impressed at all.

While I know you are just joshing me  I see that you are getting negative votes on your post.  I guess not everybody is in on the joke.

[Lemosteam]

Guilty as charged!  Every photos has been cropped from the original image and many had some other parameters adjusted.  If I posted unmodified photos, you wouldn't be impressed at all.

While I know you are just joshing me  I see that you are getting negative votes on your post.  I guess not everybody is in on the joke.

Peteski, I didn't even see the yay and nay buttons.. Muwahahahah....

Awesome writeup by the way!  I love when you do these.  I know it is a lot of work, so thank you.  Even if I never buy one.

[peteski]

Thanks John!

I made some updates to the 2nd post in the thread using red color text.  That way it won't get lost deep in the later posts.

[Doug G.]

Oh, so now Pete's not only making digital changes to photographs, he's making digital changes to text also. Oh, the humanity! And I don't want to hear any complaints about Atlas code 55 switches because these SW1s won't traverse them reliably. Pete showed us how narrow the gauge is on the locos.



Doug

[peteski]

Oh, so now Pete's not only making digital changes to photographs, he's making digital changes to text also. Oh, the humanity! And I don't want to hear any complaints about Atlas code 55 switches because these SW1s won't traverse them reliably. Pete showed us how narrow the gauge is on the locos.

You're funny Doug!    But don't be surprised if you get negative respect points if people read your post and miss the humor. After all, our post in this forum can be graded. 

[Doug G.]

Yeah, thanks a LOT, social media influence.

So, can respect go lower than 0 (zero)?



PS: (funny how we still do PSes with digital media), the gauge wouldn't be too hard to correct. A drift on the end of the uninsulated side with the wheel supported suitably and sliding(?) the insulated bushing a bit. .005" - .010" ? I guess you could use the drift on both sides.

Doug

[Kisatchie]

So, can respect go lower than 0 (zero)?

Hmm... yes, here on the
Railwire, respect can be
a negative number...

[u18b]

I waited for an N-scale SW1 for a long time.  I even saved an article published many years ago in the N-Scale Magazine on how to kitbash one of these but I never got a round-tuit.   IIRC, it was by our own Ron Bearden.

I am honored by your memory, but for the record, it was not me.

I could be wrong, but my fuzzy memory says Randy Gufstason wrote about making an SW1.

Great Review.
Thanks.