Arnold-Rapido FA2 Resurrection

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I wonder if tape around the motor and a bearing brace along the long direct attached to the PC board would keep things in alignment and reduce noise and vibration though the shell.

[nkalanaga]

"NWSL plastic bushings"

These need both new wheelsets and a separate bushing between the wheels and the axle?  I assume the Arnold axle is smaller than the standard HOn3 axles?

And, yes, these are noisy, and mine always smelled of ozone, but on the good side, there's very little to go wrong with one of them. 

[nickelplate759]

"NWSL plastic bushings"

These need both new wheelsets and a separate bushing between the wheels and the axle?  I assume the Arnold axle is smaller than the standard HOn3 axles?

And, yes, these are noisy, and mine always smelled of ozone, but on the good side, there's very little to go wrong with one of them.

The Arnold axle is 1.5mm.   It's solid steel, so insulated bushings are needed on at least one side to avoid shorts.  The original wheels all had insulated bushings as well, so I just copied that and used insulating bushings on all the new wheels.

[Lenny53]

there's very little to go wrong with one of them.

They can run hot after awhile.

[nickelplate759]

They can run hot after awhile.

At least the big honking metal shell makes a nice heatsink.  I'm impressed that the motor worked just fine after decades in the box - all I needed to do was oil the bearings.  After I replaced all 8 wheels it took right off on DC on code 55 track with no drama at all and no other cleaning.

[peteski]

  I'm impressed that the motor worked just fine after decades in the box - all I needed to do was oil the bearings.

I'm not surprised at all.  Motor is just a bunch of ceramic, metal, and durable plastic parts.  Nothing much in there to deteriorate.  If it  was kept away from water (so the armature didn't rust and seized) and the lubricant didn't dry and harden, the motor should have no problem starting right up.  There might be a thin film of oxide or lubricant on the commutator, but that would wear/burn off after few seconds of running. 

[nkalanaga]

George:  Don't the wheels have insulation already?  Or are they not 1.5 mm, and the factory installed bushings need to be replaced?

The two I have now will run on ME code 55 flextrak with the current flanges.  They bounce on  the spikes, or maybe the ties, but manage to make contact often enough to keep going.  In fact, when I got my first "New Arnold" U25Cs, I was rather disappointed, because the FAs actually ran better.  Fixing the pickup on the U25Cs solved that problem

Peteski:  The biggest problem with these motors is that, if they get TOO hot, the magnet can be damaged. I think that's what finally killed my original one.  Magnet materials have come a long ways from the 1960s.

[peteski]

Peteski:  The biggest problem with these motors is that, if they get TOO hot, the magnet can be damaged. I think that's what finally killed my original one.  Magnet materials have come a long ways from the 1960s.

I don't doubt that. But George wrote "I'm impressed that the motor worked just fine after decades in the box". I doubt that the motor would overheat from sitting in a box for decades.
Going back to the magnet, do you know if they used the soft rubbery (vinyl?) magnet strip which was used in the N scale Rivarossi "can" motors?

[nickelplate759]

George:  Don't the wheels have insulation already?  Or are they not 1.5 mm, and the factory installed bushings need to be replaced?

The two I have now will run on ME code 55 flextrak with the current flanges.  They bounce on  the spikes, or maybe the ties, but manage to make contact often enough to keep going.  In fact, when I got my first "New Arnold" U25Cs, I was rather disappointed, because the FAs actually ran better.  Fixing the pickup on the U25Cs solved that problem

Peteski:  The biggest problem with these motors is that, if they get TOO hot, the magnet can be damaged. I think that's what finally killed my original one.  Magnet materials have come a long ways from the 1960s.

The original wheels were insulated, on a 1.5mm axle.   The wheel face and insulating bushing are a single plastic casting, so you can't re-use those for the NWSL wheels.    The NWSL wheels don't come insulated - you have to add a nylon bushing if that's what you want.  I used a bushing with a 3/32" OD and 1.5mm ID.   If you don't need insulation, NWSL also sells the wheels for 1.5mm axles (other sizes too).

[scaro]

The original wheels were insulated, on a 1.5mm axle.   The wheel face and insulating bushing are a single plastic casting, so you can't re-use those for the NWSL wheels.    The NWSL wheels don't come insulated - you have to add a nylon bushing if that's what you want.  I used a bushing with a 3/32" OD and 1.5mm ID.   If you don't need insulation, NWSL also sells the wheels for 1.5mm axles (other sizes too).

George, what's the wheelbase of the actual truck, between axle centres?

Ben

[nickelplate759]

George, what's the wheelbase of the actual truck, between axle centres?

Ben

8.75 scale feet, near as I can measure

[nkalanaga]

George:  "The NWSL wheels don't come insulated - you have to add a nylon bushing if that's what you want."  Interesting.  The only NWSL wheels I've bought were for N scale cars, and they were all insulated.  I didn't know they made uninsulated ones.  Thank you!

Peteski:  No, you're right, sitting in the box they shouldn't overheat!  I was thinking of the combination of Lenny53's comment about them running hot, and your line about there not being much to deteriorate.  About the only thing that will kill one of those early motors is overheating it, and the really tough ones can damage the magnet before the windings fail.

[Doug G.]

Of course, the Rivarossi N scale 'can" motor was indestructible.



Doug

[nickelplate759]

George:  "The NWSL wheels don't come insulated - you have to add a nylon bushing if that's what you want."  Interesting.  The only NWSL wheels I've bought were for N scale cars, and they were all insulated.  I didn't know they made uninsulated ones.  Thank you!

...

Ah - I think you are referring to NWSL's wheelsets (two wheels already on an axle).  Yes, those do come insulated on one side.  I bought individual unmounted wheels.

[scaro]

8.75 scale feet, near as I can measure

Thanks George. Wondered, because I believe the GP7 and GP30 were about 8'6".