You think I'd know better - Trix 2-10-0 rebuild

[wm3798]

I'm leaving mine straight DC.  I may live to regret that, but I'll also be able to run it on Todd Treaster's layout!

The main thing I'm worried about is the DC loop on the TTrak set up at Altoona.  They always stick us with an inside loop with the really tight turnbacks.  Hard to get a long frame steamer with a big tender to take those curves.

Lee

[peteski]

I'm leaving mine straight DC.  I may live to regret that, but I'll also be able to run it on Todd Treaster's layout!

You should be able to run any DCC locomotive on DC, unless the DC throttle produces a type of pulses which "confuse" the decoder.

[djconway]

That's a blast from the past!  A well-endowed locomotive. 

But the knuckle is in the clear, its the big tanks!

[peteski]

But the knuckle is in the clear, its the big tanks!

Well, looks like the fact that English is my second language shows again. I guess that phrase is for male genitalia only?  Ok then, what I should have said that "it has bodacious ta-tas".  Or "nice gazongas" maybe?    Or one of many other names covered in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVPrJ5mzZ30  (posted a text link because in today's world, this video is no longer considered juvenile fun. Someone somewhere might get offended).

[randgust]

You should be able to run any DCC locomotive on DC, unless the DC throttle produces a type of pulses which "confuse" the decoder.

My 'big' layout is unapologetically DC, with transistor throttles that have proven to hate every decoder known to man; damage them, refuse to reverse, just take off at high speed, etc.  My shakedown runs on this to check tracking and curves and tractive effort will remain DC for now, after I'm happy I will 'probably' put in a decoder.   I've got so much power now that it's a little absurd, I can afford to play.

I have all my portable logging modules set to pure DC, double reduction MRC rheostats, but the power on those is so tiny and the grades so steep that DCC need not apply there either.   One locomotive at a time, no point in it.  With 8" radius curves the Decapod won't be going there.

But, I now have six T-trak modules that make the pilgrimage to Altoona, and I've been pretty locked in to the 'inner loops' on my collection that were running DC, which is OK, but it would be nice to have a DCC steamer for the outer loop too.  I do all my decoder testing on those modules and have a test DCC Kato diesel already as a 'control' group.

As far as for the curves (Lee), I'm running this now with trains on 11" radius, and even after I put the washers in the lead and trailing drivers, and after I turned the flanges, it tracks just fine.  There's so much lateral slop in that whole gear train it's amazing what Trix did.   I rolled the chassis without a motor on it through my one 9 3/4 industrial curve and it didn't hang there either.  So if anything can handle those inner-loop curves, this is it.

[MK]

T-Trak inner loops are 11" radius and outers are 12-3/8" radius so you should be good inner or outer at Altoona. 

[wm3798]

The locomotive wheelbase isn't always the problem.  I had issues with the tender drawbar being a touch too short, creating a bind on the smaller radius inner curve. 

[Lemosteam]

This can be corrected.....

[mmagliaro]

You should be able to run any DCC locomotive on DC, unless the DC throttle produces a type of pulses which "confuse" the decoder.

unless the DC throttle produces a type of pulses which "confuse" the decoder.
Yeah, well, they don't all do that... ( )

[randgust]

Update:   John "Lemosteam" and I spent about an hour on zoom together going over this project.   I think we're on the same page, and this is one of the more amazing uses of this forum and technoogy to get us together.

He's right about one 'oh,...CRAP', detail.  The smokebox distance from the stack center to the smokebox front is really too long on the Trix boiler  If you put the air tanks where they actually belong on the pilot...they are either too far in front or won't fit under the boiler.  Throws everything off visually.

So, it's just a plastic boiler, I'm glad I didn't put the headlight LED in there, time to saw out about a foot and put it back together.  Reminds me of the project of cutting a foot out of the CENTER of the Bachmann greyhound bus - lengthwise.  You put tape around it to do guidlines

But this definitely averted a case of 'it doesn't look quite right' about as bad as the off-center cylinder pipes did to begin with. 

John's been scaling from Max's side photos but I actually had side and cross-section drawings to scan, so again, collaboration here is remarkable.

[Lemosteam]

I’ll need mor pics, straight on side view and a new front view, once you revise the boiler.

[Lemosteam]

Been a delay due to a computer crash, but now that I am up and running again, below is the current status of the Minitrix Decapod I1 pilot:

[Lemosteam]

@randgust ,

Pilot design is complete and the kit is ready for testing fitment.

Pilot includes two snap in (well proven- 905's will not clear pilot truck) M1 dummy couplers, dual air tanks with holes for piping, boiler support rod steps, pockets to glue on brass strip fabrication of PRR freight pilot steps (strap and angle), holes for various grab wire, support rod, stanchions for uncoupling levers, etc.  The rear is designed to slip into the current valve gear rods and supports.





The CAD overlay with your model:



The kit:



I will model the brass bits in cad for show later.

[Lemosteam]

Here is the pilot kit with supplied support rod steps, dummy coupler, and self-supplied (orange bits) wire for rods, etc., strip and angle for steps.



Fit up and testing to follow.

[towl1996]

Keystone Details for the win!