Author Topic: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)  (Read 684 times)

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simsuper80

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Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« on: February 10, 2025, 11:25:45 AM »
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I'm looking to see if it's possible to put capacitors, or some kind of keep alive into the cars of rapidos canadian. I've been looking around but I'm not sure exactly what to get. Then I'll have to figure out how to install them.

Edit: I could have swarn I put this in the "n and z" section, but apparently this goes here?
« Last Edit: February 10, 2025, 12:02:32 PM by simsuper80 »

Altoona

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2025, 05:07:50 PM »
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It is the exactly the same project I'm working on.
With 4 LEDs a 220 uf caps will them lit for 2-3 seconds.

Judd Barton
PRRTHS #9210

simsuper80

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2025, 05:35:20 PM »
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It is the exactly the same project I'm working on.
With 4 LEDs a 220 uf caps will them lit for 2-3 seconds.

Judd Barton
PRRTHS #9210

Are you using the original light boards?

Altoona

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2025, 05:35:46 PM »
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To continue, use doll house strip wiring for the 1206 LEDS,  Position the LEDS way you like the in car. I'm using 5.1K resistors for brightness Use doublesided tape to keep on the roof interior.
Photo of test bed

Altoona

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2025, 06:11:21 PM »
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No,  got board material off of Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088GSJM7G?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title). With between the strips is the same distance for the Bridge Rectifier and the SMD resister has plenty space, the foil is easy to cut for insulate areas, downside is cutting out the boards

OldEastRR

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2025, 10:45:34 PM »
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No,  got board material off of Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088GSJM7G?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title). With between the strips is the same distance for the Bridge Rectifier and the SMD resister has plenty space, the foil is easy to cut for insulate areas, downside is cutting out the boards

Seems like the best option would be using those long CB strips Clover House (?) sold for cutting into ties for hand-laid track. There were thin ones for ties, thick ones for turnout throws.

Dwight in Toronto

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #6 on: February 11, 2025, 08:21:12 AM »
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I'm looking to see if it's possible to put capacitors, or some kind of keep alive into the cars of rapidos canadian. I've been looking around but I'm not sure exactly what to get. Then I'll have to figure out how to install them.

Edit: I could have swarn I put this in the "n and z" section, but apparently this goes here?

I briefly contemplated the same thing, but decided to leave things alone (for now, anyways).

It’s something that I just shake my head at … here’s a company that prides itself on top-tier fit, finish and level of underbody detail, prices their products accordingly, yet scrimps a few pennies at the production level by not including capacitors which would prevent coach lighting flicker. 

Most annoying are the tiny red markers on each side of the Park car, supposedly controllable with a wave of the magnetic wand … they never stay illuminated for very long.  I examined the possibility of bypassing the magnetic reed switch/latching circuit, but couldn’t figure it out.

Admittedly, I DO find that the coach flicker diminishes appreciably, the longer the train operates.  But still. 

Interested to see how this pans out.




simsuper80

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #7 on: February 11, 2025, 12:03:55 PM »
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I briefly contemplated the same thing, but decided to leave things alone (for now, anyways).

It’s something that I just shake my head at … here’s a company that prides itself on top-tier fit, finish and level of underbody detail, prices their products accordingly, yet scrimps a few pennies at the production level by not including capacitors which would prevent coach lighting flicker. 

Most annoying are the tiny red markers on each side of the Park car, supposedly controllable with a wave of the magnetic wand … they never stay illuminated for very long.  I examined the possibility of bypassing the magnetic reed switch/latching circuit, but couldn’t figure it out.

Admittedly, I DO find that the coach flicker diminishes appreciably, the longer the train operates.  But still. 

Interested to see how this pans out.

I modified my set to accept kato wheels instead of the rapido ones. The wider axles of the katos means that I had to take one wheel pickup out in order for the wheel to fit. Did that on opposite sides for each truck. so a capacitor would help in my case. Unless I try to wire a connection from the side of the truck with no brass wheel pickup.

Dwight in Toronto

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2025, 08:41:36 AM »
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I modified my set to accept kato wheels instead of the rapido ones. The wider axles of the katos means that I had to take one wheel pickup out in order for the wheel to fit. Did that on opposite sides for each truck. so a capacitor would help in my case. Unless I try to wire a connection from the side of the truck with no brass wheel pickup.

Interesting.  Just curious … did you think there was something wrong with the Rapido wheels? 
Did you suspect that they were the source of the flickering?

simsuper80

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2025, 12:00:48 PM »
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Interesting.  Just curious … did you think there was something wrong with the Rapido wheels? 
Did you suspect that they were the source of the flickering?

No, this was because the original set did not roll as well as most other cars. Their horizon cars roll very well, but not their Canadian. Replacing the wheels with kato's improved the rolling resistance by a lot. One of my rapido f40s can pull 20 cars, where as 2 locos would occasionally struggle with the same length train before the wheel replacement. They also de-rail a lot less frequently than with the original wheels.

The only negative is that due to the longer axle length of the kato wheels, I had to remove a wheel pickup from one side of the truck in order for them to fit.

peteski

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2025, 12:14:27 PM »
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No, this was because the original set did not roll as well as most other cars. Their horizon cars roll very well, but not their Canadian. Replacing the wheels with kato's improved the rolling resistance by a lot. One of my rapido f40s can pull 20 cars, where as 2 locos would occasionally struggle with the same length train before the wheel replacement. They also de-rail a lot less frequently than with the original wheels.

The only negative is that due to the longer axle length of the kato wheels, I had to remove a wheel pickup from one side of the truck in order for them to fit.

If you have means to press Kato wheelset's axle halves inward then you could adjust them to the length needed to work with the Rapido cars.  I do this whenever I need to adapt Kato wheelsets (passenger and locomotive).  I have small arbor press but there are alternatives.

For some ideas check out this post and the ones which follow it.
. . . 42 . . .

simsuper80

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2025, 01:51:10 PM »
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If you have means to press Kato wheelset's axle halves inward then you could adjust them to the length needed to work with the Rapido cars.  I do this whenever I need to adapt Kato wheelsets (passenger and locomotive).  I have small arbor press but there are alternatives.

For some ideas check out this post and the ones which follow it.

Ah ya. I currently don't have the means to do that unfortunately.

Dwight in Toronto

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2025, 08:23:36 AM »
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No, this was because the original set did not roll as well as most other cars. Their horizon cars roll very well, but not their Canadian. Replacing the wheels with kato's improved the rolling resistance by a lot. One of my rapido f40s can pull 20 cars, where as 2 locos would occasionally struggle with the same length train before the wheel replacement. They also de-rail a lot less frequently than with the original wheels.

Rapido posted a “fix” for the dismal rollability of The Canadian coaches (wheels were rubbing on the frame floor and/or underbody details; minor, careful Dremel work was prescribed). 

But yeah, I know what you mean about locos struggling.  A single Rapido F unit could not pull the 10 car set, and barely managed even after the rollability fix was implemented.  Luckily, I acquired 2 FP9A’s, and shortly thereafter, stumbled on a really nice Intermountain B unit, so oodles of pulling power.

simsuper80

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Re: Which capacitor for n scale passenger cars? (Rapido cars)
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2025, 05:00:46 PM »
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Rapido posted a “fix” for the dismal rollability of The Canadian coaches (wheels were rubbing on the frame floor and/or underbody details; minor, careful Dremel work was prescribed). 

But yeah, I know what you mean about locos struggling.  A single Rapido F unit could not pull the 10 car set, and barely managed even after the rollability fix was implemented.  Luckily, I acquired 2 FP9A’s, and shortly thereafter, stumbled on a really nice Intermountain B unit, so oodles of pulling power.

Oh I'm aware of the fixes😁. The kato wheels are still way better than even the fixes that rapido posted.

Now about the capacitor. which one should I get if I'm intending on using the original light boards