Pickup for MTL Pullman heavyweights?

[Zack L-J]

Hi, after installing diy lighting in my Kat Superliners, I am now obsessed with with adding lighting to my passenger cars.

I want to add some to my lovely little NYC train, but the Pullman heavyweights don’t have any pickup by default, Microtrains doesn’t make trucks with pickup, and Kato 6-wheeler trucks don’t have the offset pin holes that Microtrains uses. Has anyone else come up with a solution to getting lighting in these cars? Besides using a battery, that is. I hate batteries because my forgetful behind will always forget to turn them off.

Thanks!

[bbussey]

https://store.sbs4dcc.com/sbs4dccnscalea-p6w-mt-osbflatkpmountaxlewiper.aspx

[Zack L-J]

https://store.sbs4dcc.com/sbs4dccnscalea-p6w-mt-osbflatkpmountaxlewiper.aspx

Thanks! Axle wipers are a bit yucky but if it’s what’s available then it’s what’s available. I usually equip my light systems with about 800mfd of keep alive, so one rail per truck is adequate.

[bbussey]

Axle wipers work just fine.  They have a wheel wiper version also, but axle wipers are better.

[Zack L-J]

Axle wipers work just fine.  They have a wheel wiper version also, but axle wipers are better.

Thanks Brian! I’ll go ahead and order a set. It’s being pulled by a Roundhouse Consolidation so even with a lot of drag it shouldn’t even notice. That lil bugger pulls like an elephant.

[peteski]

Zack, I guess that we are to assume that you have replaced the MTL plastic wheels with aftermarket metal wheels with single insulated wheel.

The wheel wipers work well (and have been used by some manufacturers for many decades).  While only having half the wheels picking up power is not optimal, with modern electronic circuits (using bridge rectifier, capacitors, and LEDs) that is not much of a problem.

But unlike the low-friction Kato truck design, axle wipers do create some drag.  But if your train is not too long, and you have a strong locomotive, the extra drag is not a problem.

[Zack L-J]

Zack, I guess that we are to assume that you have replaced the MTL plastic wheels with aftermarket metal wheels with single insulated wheel.

The wheel wipers work well (and have been used by some manufacturers for many decades).  While only having half the wheels picking up power is not optimal, with modern electronic circuits (using bridge rectifier, capacitors, and LEDs) that is not much of a problem.

But unlike the low-friction Kato truck design, axle wipers do create some drag.  But if your train is not too long, and you have a strong locomotive, the extra drag is not a problem.

Thanks Pete,

I haven't replaced any wheels yet. I was hoping there was an easily adaptable way to use dimple cup(KATO/Bachmann style) pickups. I suppose I could just take some generic dimple cup contacts that I have lying around, cut them up, glue them in place and use that, but that's a lot of work. The drag is why I said axle wipers are kinda yucky, but this train *is* only 4 cars and the consolidation *does* pull like an elephant.

[bbussey]

Just swap in 36" diameter metal wheelsets with .540" length axle, there's no need to complicate things.  A number of brands are available, and most if not all of them roll better than the stock plastic wheels.  Any of them will do the job.  Make sure the insulated wheel in each set is arranged accordingly.  You won't notice any degradation in performance even with the Streamlined Backshop wipers.

[peteski]

Thanks Pete,

I haven't replaced any wheels yet. I was hoping there was an easily adaptable way to use dimple cup(KATO/Bachmann style) pickups. I suppose I could just take some generic dimple cup contacts that I have lying around, cut them up, glue them in place and use that, but that's a lot of work.

It would be more work than that.  You woudl likely have file the insides of the sideframes and deepen the dimples (by the thickness of the pickup plates you would be installing).  That is if you coudl find pickup plates with the correct spacing of the dimples.  Even then the pickup plates, sideframes, or both would have to be modified.  Just adding metal cups into dimples would not ideal be ideal.

[/quote]
The drag is why I said axle wipers are kinda yucky, but this train *is* only 4 cars and the consolidation *does* pull like an elephant.
[/quote]

Like Bryan mentioned, in nyour case the extra drag will not be problematic. It's just that I had  bad experience with a rake of axle-wiper-equipped Minitrix Rheingold coaches  being pulled by a tender-driven Fleischmann loco. It was struggling pulling those cars.

[Zack L-J]

Thanks y’all! I’ve ordered the back shop axle wipers and I’ll find some suitable wheels and order those.

My bad experience with axle wipers is actually from my stupid Mode Power 4-4-0. The drag on that thing was incredible. Also I’m prejudiced against them because of Spookshow constantly speaking ill of them.

I’ll be sure to post my lit up cars whenever I get around to making them.

[peteski]

Thanks y’all! I’ve ordered the back shop axle wipers and I’ll find some suitable wheels and order those.

My bad experience with axle wipers is actually from my stupid Mode Power 4-4-0. The drag on that thing was incredible. Also I’m prejudiced against them because of Spookshow constantly speaking ill of them.

Those were in fact terrible.  They were wide and short.  Not very springy and making poor contact with the axles.  They did add lots of drag on the already-anemic-pulling 4-4-0 (without traction tire).  Plus only having half the tender wheels picking up power (and no keep-alive circuit) is never a good thing.