If you couldn't tell, I was coming down with the Flu when I recorded this video. Thanks for watching. Tell me about your experience with Walthers N EMD SW1200s.
Ron's Trains N Things I just picked up the same Rio Grande unit, haven't got to test mine yet. But I was thinking, why don't you put the MP shell on the DRGW chassis? Don't remember if you stated if you could or couldn't in the video. If you do, and have no need for that drgw shell...I'd buy it off of you
Actually I bought this model specifically for the Denver and Rio Grande shell. The Prototype industry, a grain elevator, where it serves has this exact locomotive numbered 134. I've been waiting for someone to produce and SW 1200 in a Denver and Rio grand scheme for years.
I watched one TH-cam that didn't take or loosen the screws and I tried and could never get the decoder to work. I will have to try your way. I hope I haven't hurt the decoder, wish there was a way to test the decoder. I have tested other Digitrax decoders but nothing shows how to check or test this decoder
Walther's didn't change the tooling at all when the acquired Life Like, so it is the same locomotive. I have done two of these, and honestly they don't run quite as well on DCC as on DC, but they are workable. Good luck to you. 👍🏼
Funny to pick this Video, today is April 3, 2024! You mentioned that as being your Anniversary Date for starting your Channel. Happy Anniversary Ron! I enjoy your hard work!
Thank you for the video, I have an old Life Like similar to yours and I've been looking for a good remedy for those pickups as well. Your solution has been the best I've seen so far. 😁
I could really use your hep getting dcc decoders for a few of my engines. Currently they have SD-40 decoders in them and I do believe they have speakers in the fuel tanks. I need four of them but let us begin withe just one. Thank for all you do Bob
I liked the video Ron. I hope you got through your flu okay. The video convinced me to stay with my HO scale. You handled it a lot better than I would have.
Lol. Sometimes N scale teaches us patience. As for Flu, it was a long road and I'm still fighting a cough and hoarseness, but I think I'm going to survive. Thanks.
Quite a PITA with the pickup tabs!!! 😖 Good repair, should be better than new! That little sucker ran SMOOTHLY when done. The poor attachment of those pickups shouldn't turn people off, as long as they don't mind doing a little work. I think it's great that you were able to find almost the same Locomotive in N Scale!! 👍👍 Did you finish doing the full length Handrails, like the picture? I also hope you do another weathering contest... That's something I'm good at, and would love to throw my hat in the ring! Carmine ✈🚂🚙
As an alternative to using toothpicks between the body shell and chassis, strips of a business card can also work on some locomotives. Business cardstock is strong and thick, yet is a fraction of the thickness of a toothpick and can slide in place to cover mounting tabs and ease friction. Just another route that may be helpful. Great videos Ron!
Glad I wasn't the only person knocking wipers off and suffering through the install twice over, on my two IHB units. I think it's inevitable. Really tough to remove the frame, just as you found. I ended up needing to cover the front of the frame, underneath the board with kapton tape as well because the frame was contacting the board. I reattached the wipers with superglue. BTW the toothpick trick actually ended up cracking the side walkway on one of my units. I used thin knife blades as shims instead.
I used Kapton tape too, but forgot to mention it in the video. I couldn't get super glue to hold on my old one. This melted styrene trick worked great.
Yep , on one of mine I lost three of the wipers on the other one I broke the side walkways, now one is running okay I guess , the other one not running at all . It feels like 270 dollars thrown down the drain , why didn't Walthers do these with DCC installed , or sell them with the hood off.
Wondering if the non-runner you have is a short - I didn't notice until I reassembled my second unit and found it non-responsive. That's the worst part of the design, having to have the shell on to check the chip install.
I think you're right about the short, so I'll have to disassemble it again , I was so frustrated last evening that I thought it was better to leave it alone for a while . I have the Digitrax decoders , had to scrape off a bit of the tin other wise it wouldn't even fit into the slots. I would have been quite content paying 30 dollars more for factory fitted decoders .
glad i this with my medical condition I couldent work with n scale too bad as I was wanting to build an n scale 1st for experience. your videos are great I also like toms trains n things as well as mega points controller guy dave
Thanks for the review. I had a SW1200 in my shopping cart while watching this, ready for purchase. I'm going to remove it and either wait for something better, or design a SW1200 to fit a Kato NW2 chassis.
You were very fortunate that it was a fairly easy to swap the boards over. I have one of the older Life Like SW locos and it was a nightmare swapping the boards over as the motor had metal tags that touched the sides of the chassis so i had to solder wires to the motor and mill grooves into the chassis to allow the motor wire on the bottom to be able to be routed up top so i could then solder them to the dcc board.😤
THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP ON THIS ENGINE, that should have redone the whole thing, to bad they look good though, they look to be good puller though, thanks for sharing....
Wow. I love these life-like, now micro trains and walthers locomotives. You missed one big step. My uncle used to work for life like when they where headquartered in Baltimore MD. He told me the trick not to pop them brass tabs off. He said remove the cab and cab weight. The fit was made tight to keep the tabs in contact with the frame. So the cad actually is the last installed part with its weight at the factory. I have as many of these as I can get my hands on. When it comes to the older life like ones you can use the same decoder. Just get some 22 gauge wire. Pop the caps off the motor. Solder the wire to the cap and use it to plug into the decoder. It’s still the best switcher made over the almost 30 years now of production.
@@RonsTrainsNThings more then likely the decoders. One thing ive done that improves them is adding a tin of solder to the pickup tabs and placing masking tape under the decoder. As the clearing underneath is a bit close in my book. Also. Instead of unscrewing the body. The PC board is only a friction fit and can be pulled straight out forward
These are good little locos, but they are a bear to get the shell off and not ruin the pickup tabs. I had to do about 10 of these and the TCS decoder is a much better fit. I hear you, I got ,what I think) was food poisoning last night and I am REALLY moving slow today. Thanks , Mike
Insightful video Ron. I find that the motor noise is perpetuated by the Digitrax decoder. I model HO but have used Digitrax in the past and found their decoders amplify motor noises and the model just doesn't run as smooth as it does with other brands of decoders.
That is interesting. I'm curious how/why the decoder would amplify motor noise? Can you shed any more light on that for me? I know there are better decoders on the market not, but getting them into N scale locomotives is still a work in progress in many cases.
@@RonsTrainsNThings I'm not quite sure if it's the way the decoder supplies the voltage to the motor and I'm sure things can be adjusted through CV's. This is based off my experiences and few friends who have dealt with the same issues in the past. I completely understand working with N scale, my brother used to be into N scale for years before he got out of the hobby.
Ron, Thank you for your videos...just made the change to N scale...from O scale. Look forward to future video from you. Do you do installs for a fee ? Randy Salem, NH
Hi Ron, great video! I wish I had found it earlier! I somehow missed it even though I’ve been following your channel for a year or so. I’m currently breaking in an SW1200 on DC with a view to using the drivetrain for a Victorian Railways Y class diesel. I’m very new to N scale so I’ve spent a lot of time trying to understand how it is put together, how it runs and how it can be improved. A couple of things I’ve found; - to disassemble use a small screwdriver to lever off the trucks before attempting to remove the body so you can see the tabs that need to be released for the shell to come off. I’ve not yet had any trouble with the contact strips when removing the shell in this way. - I tested the free rolling of each truck when removed and ended up disassembling then and cleaning with Shelite or Methylated Spirits and a toothbrush, then reassembled them and lubricated with Labelle 102 gear oil and the worm with Labelle grease. - I applied Peco power lube with a very fine glue applicator (they’re a friction fit over the end of those cheap CA tube nozzles and I’ve fitted one in the same manner to the power lube nozzle) to the bronze bearing cups and to the pickup tabs where the contact with the truck pickups. - I too had gear noise at higher speeds and after much checking over of the trucks, rotating them, rotating sudefeames, cleaning and relubricating and being satisfied that the trucks weren’t the problem, I found some reference in an article online tonystrains.com/news/new-conversion-of-n-gauge-life-like-sw9-1200-december-5-2006/ That covered remotoring and also the correlation between motor height and noise from the drive train. Whilst not having made any of the modifications in this article it did lead me to check the motor in isolation for noise. I removed it from the frame and applied power and there was the noise I detected. It also displayed the same slightly wavering running characteristics. I could feel that there was some kind of toughness or vibration at one end of the motor. Not knowing what it was I wiggled the motor shaft around a bit and also applied power lube to the bearings. When I reassembled it the noise had definitely lessened but I really don’t know what i did to influence this. I’m not sure if I losened some gunk or flash in a bearing or inadvertently straightened a bent motor shaft or perhaps the power lube worked its way in and did the trick. In any case I think the Achilles heel of these locos is the quality of the motor. While I can’t say definitively how to cure an afflicted unit, I suggest that if anyone has noise from one of these locos, remove the motor from the frame and test it to see if it really is a pickup or geartrain issue. - while the power lube on the pickups seems to be doing its thing, I’m not a fan of needing wet lubricants to aid pickup and I’m not sure if graphite might be a better choice. I may try this. - I now have the loco running fairly smoothly and quietly, staring voltage is a little over 2v and will crawl along down to about 1.7v, and at 30mph it runs along nicely, but it’s not consistent in its running characteristics. Sometimes starts smooth as silk, other times a little abrubtly. Performance seems to alter a little between when it’s running cold or has been running for a while. I think this is pointing to poor motor quality. It’s not rough, it just wavers a little in its speed and I can hear the load on the motor changing when it shouldn’t be. I must stay I’m predominantly a HO scale modeller and pretty fussy so I’m unsure if I’m asking too much of a small N scale loco? We have a Bachmann S4 also and it’s a great runner but I think it’s very low gearing means that it’s using twice the voltage to achieve the same speeds and I think that’s an advantage for that unit. Crawling at 1.5v might be a bit much to expect from the SW. The Bachmann S4 would be using 3.5v to crawl at the same speed. I’ve sent you a message to RTNT on FB with a link to a page that some friends, my girlfriend (she’s to blame for this N scale shenanigans haha!) and I post our work on. Anyone else wanting to check it out, Facebook search “Modelling Victorian Trains” Thanks mate and hope to catch up some time.
I use Decoder Pro JMRI to keep track of decoders. My concern is that a DCC equipped engine might get sold as DC. Kind of morbid but like with the house we know one day we will die...FACT: So I try and make it easy for the person liquidating everything. I would hate to see, well I would not be around. Stuff tossed in the can or sold for less value than it is worth. If you get it back to the matching box . It will have valuable information needed for resale.
Ron ,as you know Micro Trains came out with an SW1500.From what I read on Spookshow, these things are pretty much the Walthers/Lifelike internals.So I guess the same problems would arise installing a decoder as you had with your Walthers.The Micro Train offering is pretty expensive ,espsecially up here in Canada ,while I notice the Walthers 1200s are selling for cheap (pretty much half the price or more) You have any input or have you heard anything about the MT 1200 ?I know I would go with a TCS decoder if I do decide to buy one (local shop has one in CP rail...very very nice) Cheers
I wish mine ran half as good as it looks. It arrived yesterday. I wanted a little switch engine for the small inglenook DC shelf layout I’m building. A great looking locomotive with nice detailing, but so far I’m pretty disappointed with its running even after a good break-in session and adjustments to the pick-up wipers. It’s noisy and jerky. I can’t get it to run consistently at low speeds. I’m fairly new to N scale as a convert from HO scale. All of my other locos are Atlas geeps, wonderful locomotives that are smooth, quiet, and have no trouble creeping along at a walking pace. I didn't expect the SW1200 to be as smooth or quiet being a lot smaller, lighter, and having only a single flywheel, but I expected a bit better. Has anyone had experience with the NW2s from Kato and Bachmann? People generally have good things to say about both of them. I could always try and swap the SW1200 shell to a more competent chassis.
Hay Ron, anther good video.But how do you work on N scale with those big hands? HAHAHA. I would like to get a SW-2 for my layout .They used one up here at Potlatch lumber mill back in the day on the W.I.M. R.&.R. But will be HO with a digitrax sound decoder, when i have the cash. Also I don,t think Walthers want,s people to do their won work ,they want you to by it all ready done. And pay that extra money. just a thought. Hope your better. And have fun running trains.
Still mending, but nuch better than last week. If they didn't want us to do our own work than they should produce one with a decoder already installed. Not that I want that, but they don't even give people the option.
Ron, this video was very helpful as I just received the two SW1200's with D&RGW paint. The first one will definitely give me the experience, but when I install my DCC decoder, I will re-watching this video. One question I had, and I think I know the answer, but do you think a sound decoder would fit in this loco? Thanks again and very good.
There might be a sound decoder out there that would fit, but I don't know where you would put the speaker without removing the cab weight which would SERIOUSLY reduce its pulling ability.
I was thinking of coupling the two together. One would have a sound decoder and the other just a DCC decoder. Any thoughts on a sound decoder which would fit? I imagine to just start looking to see what ESU and SoundTraxx have available. Thanks for your response.
Seeing this makes me wonder who made them. I just got two of the Micro trains SW/1500's and they are exactly the same under the shell. They have the shell mounted wipers and internal motor. They require the same decoder. Are they Walthers or Micro trains? Sub note, when putting the wires into the decoder if they go in to far they inter fear with the motor winding.
Hey brother. Hoping your'e still around and can help. I'm hanging from the ceiling my old 80s Lionel James Gang steam engine set. I started wondering if it could be retrofitted with any DCC brand/type to allow for remote control and add steam, lights and sound. I know it would probably entail adding other components as well but you seem like you might be the guy to ask if your doing this and milling e fine frames, etc. I know nothing at this point but could use your thoughts, insight, and help. Jim
thx for sharing...I run DC right now gong to DCC soon i hope...I have 2 Life Like SWs...SW 9 and SW 8...both run very smooth and quiet...I see wipers will be a concern
I hope the conversion of those switchers goes well for you. I had one that ran like a dream on DC but I could never get to run reliably on DCC. Don't ask me why. If I knew I would fix it. LOL.
WHAT DO U THINK OF TCS DECORDER. ALSO I WATCH UR VIDEO ON THE TANK CLEANING CAR, I HAVE ONE. IM RUNNING NCE AND IT SEEMS THAT IM GOING TO HAVE TO PUT 2 ENGINES TO RUN FOR THE TANK CAR .
The TCS decoders that I have worked fine. I don't know that I have enouogh experience to make a difiniteve judgment. As for the CMX car, mine works great. I use one locomotive with it, but I pus it, not pull it. That way it cleans the rails ahead of the locomotive and helps electrical contact.
That totally turns me off of this Walthers product ,so I would not purchase it (do these things come with a decoder installed ?) When the time comes for me to get another SW1200 for my collection ,this will not be on my list(unless I get one from Fifer Hobbies and get Mike to put one in for me.........sorry Mike LOL) Good job though Ron....you patient bugger you...AND the FLU !!!!!
I would suggest you find a small, inexpensive project and try your hand at it. Build a structure kit, for example, and put some details inside to see how it goes.
That string I pulled in the video was 6 cars and on the flat in the yard I have easily pulled a dozen cars with no slippage. I have some issues with the locomotive, but pulling ability on flat, level track is not one of them.
I think it is the quality of the cars. I have a SW and it pulls 6 to 8 cars on flat track. inclines and curves are less. But this is a yard engine not a road engine.
If you couldn't tell, I was coming down with the Flu when I recorded this video. Thanks for watching. Tell me about your experience with Walthers N EMD SW1200s.
Ron's Trains N Things I just picked up the same Rio Grande unit, haven't got to test mine yet. But I was thinking, why don't you put the MP shell on the DRGW chassis? Don't remember if you stated if you could or couldn't in the video. If you do, and have no need for that drgw shell...I'd buy it off of you
Actually I bought this model specifically for the Denver and Rio Grande shell. The Prototype industry, a grain elevator, where it serves has this exact locomotive numbered 134. I've been waiting for someone to produce and SW 1200 in a Denver and Rio grand scheme for years.
I watched one TH-cam that didn't take or loosen the screws and I tried and could never get the decoder to work. I will have to try your way. I hope I haven't hurt the decoder, wish there was a way to test the decoder. I have tested other Digitrax decoders but nothing shows how to check or test this decoder
Thank you Ron! I’ve got two Life-Like versions of that locomotive that I plan on installing Digitrax decoders in very soon.
Walther's didn't change the tooling at all when the acquired Life Like, so it is the same locomotive. I have done two of these, and honestly they don't run quite as well on DCC as on DC, but they are workable. Good luck to you. 👍🏼
Funny to pick this Video, today is April 3, 2024! You mentioned that as being your Anniversary Date for starting your Channel.
Happy Anniversary Ron! I enjoy your hard work!
Thank you for the video, I have an old Life Like similar to yours and I've been looking for a good remedy for those pickups as well. Your solution has been the best I've seen so far. 😁
Hi again. I just found your channel about a week ago and I really enjoy it. Well done, keep up the good work.
I could really use your hep getting dcc decoders for a few of my engines. Currently they have SD-40 decoders in them and I do believe they have speakers in the fuel tanks. I need four of them but let us begin withe just one. Thank for all you do
Bob
Great idea about writing down the Locomotive and number on the sheet. Thank you.
👍
I wish I would have seen this video sooner. I also had wipers come lose. Thanks for the info.
Yes, that is a royal pain. I hopw you were successful in getting them reattached.
I liked the video Ron. I hope you got through your flu okay. The video convinced me to stay with my HO scale. You handled it a lot better than I would have.
Lol. Sometimes N scale teaches us patience. As for Flu, it was a long road and I'm still fighting a cough and hoarseness, but I think I'm going to survive. Thanks.
Quite a PITA with the pickup tabs!!! 😖 Good repair, should be better than new! That little sucker ran SMOOTHLY when done.
The poor attachment of those pickups shouldn't turn people off, as long as they don't mind doing a little work.
I think it's great that you were able to find almost the same Locomotive in N Scale!! 👍👍 Did you finish doing the full length Handrails, like the picture?
I also hope you do another weathering contest... That's something I'm good at, and would love to throw my hat in the ring!
Carmine ✈🚂🚙
Looks awesome dude. So glad to have subscribed.
Brian G., glad to have you aboard.
As an alternative to using toothpicks between the body shell and chassis, strips of a business card can also work on some locomotives. Business cardstock is strong and thick, yet is a fraction of the thickness of a toothpick and can slide in place to cover mounting tabs and ease friction. Just another route that may be helpful. Great videos Ron!
Interesting idea. Thanks for suggesting it.
Glad I wasn't the only person knocking wipers off and suffering through the install twice over, on my two IHB units. I think it's inevitable. Really tough to remove the frame, just as you found. I ended up needing to cover the front of the frame, underneath the board with kapton tape as well because the frame was contacting the board. I reattached the wipers with superglue. BTW the toothpick trick actually ended up cracking the side walkway on one of my units. I used thin knife blades as shims instead.
I used Kapton tape too, but forgot to mention it in the video. I couldn't get super glue to hold on my old one. This melted styrene trick worked great.
Yep , on one of mine I lost three of the wipers on the other one I broke the side walkways, now one is running okay I guess , the other one not running at all . It feels like 270 dollars thrown down the drain , why didn't Walthers do these with DCC installed , or sell them with the hood off.
Wondering if the non-runner you have is a short - I didn't notice until I reassembled my second unit and found it non-responsive. That's the worst part of the design, having to have the shell on to check the chip install.
I think you're right about the short, so I'll have to disassemble it again , I was so frustrated last evening that I thought it was better to leave it alone for a while .
I have the Digitrax decoders , had to scrape off a bit of the tin other wise it wouldn't even fit into the slots.
I would have been quite content paying 30 dollars more for factory fitted decoders .
It's got an incredible amount of detail for such a tiny thing.
glad i this with my medical condition I couldent work with n scale too bad as I was wanting to build an n scale 1st for experience. your videos are great I also like toms trains n things as well as mega points controller guy dave
Hi Michael. Thanks for tuning in.
Thanks for the review. I had a SW1200 in my shopping cart while watching this, ready for purchase. I'm going to remove it and either wait for something better, or design a SW1200 to fit a Kato NW2 chassis.
I get it.
Tab repair...ingenious!
Well, it worked anyway.
THANK YOU...for sharing.
YW 👍
Great video...you have the patience of Job. Just reaffirms my choice of HO but I think your N scale work is great. Thanks again...Harold
Thanks, Harold.
You were very fortunate that it was a fairly easy to swap the boards over. I have one of the older Life Like SW locos and it was a nightmare swapping the boards over as the motor had metal tags that touched the sides of the chassis so i had to solder wires to the motor and mill grooves into the chassis to allow the motor wire on the bottom to be able to be routed up top so i could then solder them to the dcc board.😤
Yes, that is what I had to to with the older one I showed here when I installed the DZ123 decoder. A royal pain.
Nice install.. thanks for sharing and keep up the great work.. thinking about going N gauge.. Lance
THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP ON THIS ENGINE, that should have redone the whole thing, to bad they look good though, they look to be good puller though, thanks for sharing....
Wow. I love these life-like, now micro trains and walthers locomotives. You missed one big step. My uncle used to work for life like when they where headquartered in Baltimore MD. He told me the trick not to pop them brass tabs off. He said remove the cab and cab weight. The fit was made tight to keep the tabs in contact with the frame. So the cad actually is the last installed part with its weight at the factory. I have as many of these as I can get my hands on. When it comes to the older life like ones you can use the same decoder. Just get some 22 gauge wire. Pop the caps off the motor. Solder the wire to the cap and use it to plug into the decoder. It’s still the best switcher made over the almost 30 years now of production.
Interesting. I will have to try that. These work fantastically on DC, not quite so smooth on DCC, but that may be the decoders.
@@RonsTrainsNThings more then likely the decoders. One thing ive done that improves them is adding a tin of solder to the pickup tabs and placing masking tape under the decoder. As the clearing underneath is a bit close in my book. Also. Instead of unscrewing the body. The PC board is only a friction fit and can be pulled straight out forward
These are good little locos, but they are a bear to get the shell off and not ruin the pickup tabs. I had to do about 10 of these and the TCS decoder is a much better fit.
I hear you, I got ,what I think) was food poisoning last night and I am REALLY moving slow today.
Thanks , Mike
Oh no. I had food poisoning once. Bad news. Hope you feel better soon.
😦
Thanks , Ron , Mike
I know how to repair them now--better than original on the wiper mounts.
Do not want food poisoning, do not eat a Taco Bell. Seems the time I got food poisoning was a Burrito supreme from Taco Bell.
Insightful video Ron. I find that the motor noise is perpetuated by the Digitrax decoder. I model HO but have used Digitrax in the past and found their decoders amplify motor noises and the model just doesn't run as smooth as it does with other brands of decoders.
That is interesting. I'm curious how/why the decoder would amplify motor noise? Can you shed any more light on that for me? I know there are better decoders on the market not, but getting them into N scale locomotives is still a work in progress in many cases.
@@RonsTrainsNThings I'm not quite sure if it's the way the decoder supplies the voltage to the motor and I'm sure things can be adjusted through CV's. This is based off my experiences and few friends who have dealt with the same issues in the past. I completely understand working with N scale, my brother used to be into N scale for years before he got out of the hobby.
Ron,
Thank you for your videos...just made the change to N scale...from O scale. Look forward to future video from you. Do you do installs for a fee ?
Randy
Salem, NH
From O to N--you must be suffering from culture shock. Lol. Welcome to the N sacle family.
I admire everyone that models in N scale. Thats is some small items you have to work with.
You have to love the challenge.
Hi Ron, great video! I wish I had found it earlier! I somehow missed it even though I’ve been following your channel for a year or so.
I’m currently breaking in an SW1200 on DC with a view to using the drivetrain for a Victorian Railways Y class diesel.
I’m very new to N scale so I’ve spent a lot of time trying to understand how it is put together, how it runs and how it can be improved.
A couple of things I’ve found;
- to disassemble use a small screwdriver to lever off the trucks before attempting to remove the body so you can see the tabs that need to be released for the shell to come off. I’ve not yet had any trouble with the contact strips when removing the shell in this way.
- I tested the free rolling of each truck when removed and ended up disassembling then and cleaning with Shelite or Methylated Spirits and a toothbrush, then reassembled them and lubricated with Labelle 102 gear oil and the worm with Labelle grease.
- I applied Peco power lube with a very fine glue applicator (they’re a friction fit over the end of those cheap CA tube nozzles and I’ve fitted one in the same manner to the power lube nozzle) to the bronze bearing cups and to the pickup tabs where the contact with the truck pickups.
- I too had gear noise at higher speeds and after much checking over of the trucks, rotating them, rotating sudefeames, cleaning and relubricating and being satisfied that the trucks weren’t the problem, I found some reference in an article online
tonystrains.com/news/new-conversion-of-n-gauge-life-like-sw9-1200-december-5-2006/
That covered remotoring and also the correlation between motor height and noise from the drive train.
Whilst not having made any of the modifications in this article it did lead me to check the motor in isolation for noise.
I removed it from the frame and applied power and there was the noise I detected. It also displayed the same slightly wavering running characteristics. I could feel that there was some kind of toughness or vibration at one end of the motor. Not knowing what it was I wiggled the motor shaft around a bit and also applied power lube to the bearings.
When I reassembled it the noise had definitely lessened but I really don’t know what i did to influence this. I’m not sure if I losened some gunk or flash in a bearing or inadvertently straightened a bent motor shaft or perhaps the power lube worked its way in and did the trick.
In any case I think the Achilles heel of these locos is the quality of the motor.
While I can’t say definitively how to cure an afflicted unit, I suggest that if anyone has noise from one of these locos, remove the motor from the frame and test it to see if it really is a pickup or geartrain issue.
- while the power lube on the pickups seems to be doing its thing, I’m not a fan of needing wet lubricants to aid pickup and I’m not sure if graphite might be a better choice. I may try this.
- I now have the loco running fairly smoothly and quietly, staring voltage is a little over 2v and will crawl along down to about 1.7v, and at 30mph it runs along nicely, but it’s not consistent in its running characteristics. Sometimes starts smooth as silk, other times a little abrubtly. Performance seems to alter a little between when it’s running cold or has been running for a while. I think this is pointing to poor motor quality. It’s not rough, it just wavers a little in its speed and I can hear the load on the motor changing when it shouldn’t be.
I must stay I’m predominantly a HO scale modeller and pretty fussy so I’m unsure if I’m asking too much of a small N scale loco? We have a Bachmann S4 also and it’s a great runner but I think it’s very low gearing means that it’s using twice the voltage to achieve the same speeds and I think that’s an advantage for that unit. Crawling at 1.5v might be a bit much to expect from the SW. The Bachmann S4 would be using 3.5v to crawl at the same speed.
I’ve sent you a message to RTNT on FB with a link to a page that some friends, my girlfriend (she’s to blame for this N scale shenanigans haha!) and I post our work on.
Anyone else wanting to check it out, Facebook search “Modelling Victorian Trains”
Thanks mate and hope to catch up some time.
I have wiper problems too, I just cut out the Decoder name and stick it back in the box on the side so it can be seen.
That works too...but it is easier for me to dig out a folder of manuals than find the right box among all of my boxes.
I use Decoder Pro JMRI to keep track of decoders. My concern is that a DCC equipped engine might get sold as DC. Kind of morbid but like with the house we know one day we will die...FACT: So I try and make it easy for the person liquidating everything. I would hate to see, well I would not be around. Stuff tossed in the can or sold for less value than it is worth. If you get it back to the matching box . It will have valuable information needed for resale.
Good point.
Hi Ron is nice in the States to have easy acesso to that material. Not so easy, here in Portugal . But Nice vídeo and nice 1500
Ron ,as you know Micro Trains came out with an SW1500.From what I read on Spookshow, these things are pretty much the Walthers/Lifelike internals.So I guess the same problems would arise installing a decoder as you had with your Walthers.The Micro Train offering is pretty expensive ,espsecially up here in Canada ,while I notice the Walthers 1200s are selling for cheap (pretty much half the price or more)
You have any input or have you heard anything about the MT 1200 ?I know I would go with a TCS decoder if I do decide to buy one (local shop has one in CP rail...very very nice)
Cheers
I haven't had one open, but I know someone who has access to one. Let me ask them and get back to you.
this is why i do HO and O scale
With the poor design, the issue would have been the same in any any scale.
I wish mine ran half as good as it looks.
It arrived yesterday. I wanted a little switch engine for the small inglenook DC shelf layout I’m building. A great looking locomotive with nice detailing, but so far I’m pretty disappointed with its running even after a good break-in session and adjustments to the pick-up wipers. It’s noisy and jerky. I can’t get it to run consistently at low speeds.
I’m fairly new to N scale as a convert from HO scale. All of my other locos are Atlas geeps, wonderful locomotives that are smooth, quiet, and have no trouble creeping along at a walking pace. I didn't expect the SW1200 to be as smooth or quiet being a lot smaller, lighter, and having only a single flywheel, but I expected a bit better.
Has anyone had experience with the NW2s from Kato and Bachmann? People generally have good things to say about both of them. I could always try and swap the SW1200 shell to a more competent chassis.
I'm sorry for your negative experience. I can totally understand. If I was trying to do any more that I am with mine I would be pretty frustrated too.
Hay Ron, anther good video.But how do you work on N scale with those big hands? HAHAHA. I would like to get a SW-2 for my layout .They used one up here at Potlatch lumber mill back in the day on the W.I.M. R.&.R. But will be HO with a digitrax sound decoder, when i have the cash. Also I don,t think Walthers want,s people to do their won work ,they want you to by it all ready done. And pay that extra money. just a thought. Hope your better. And have fun running trains.
Still mending, but nuch better than last week. If they didn't want us to do our own work than they should produce one with a decoder already installed. Not that I want that, but they don't even give people the option.
Ron, this video was very helpful as I just received the two SW1200's with D&RGW paint. The first one will definitely give me the experience, but when I install my DCC decoder, I will re-watching this video. One question I had, and I think I know the answer, but do you think a sound decoder would fit in this loco? Thanks again and very good.
There might be a sound decoder out there that would fit, but I don't know where you would put the speaker without removing the cab weight which would SERIOUSLY reduce its pulling ability.
I was thinking of coupling the two together. One would have a sound decoder and the other just a DCC decoder. Any thoughts on a sound decoder which would fit? I imagine to just start looking to see what ESU and SoundTraxx have available. Thanks for your response.
I don't know offhand, I would have to do a little research. ESU LokSound is where I would start. That is probably going to be your best bet.
Seeing this makes me wonder who made them. I just got two of the Micro trains SW/1500's and they are exactly the same under the shell. They have the shell mounted wipers and internal motor. They require the same decoder. Are they Walthers or Micro trains? Sub note, when putting the wires into the decoder if they go in to far they inter fear with the motor winding.
These are Walthers, former LifeLike and soon to be acquired about by Atlas.
I’m Switching to HO LOL
This was like watching a scary movie!
Do you know if dcc is available for 0gauge locomotives
Hey brother. Hoping your'e still around and can help. I'm hanging from the ceiling my old 80s Lionel James Gang steam engine set. I started wondering if it could be retrofitted with any DCC brand/type to allow for remote control and add steam, lights and sound. I know it would probably entail adding other components as well but you seem like you might be the guy to ask if your doing this and milling e fine frames, etc. I know nothing at this point but could use your thoughts, insight, and help. Jim
I'm no expert on Lionel or O scale in general, but Lionel has its own version of DCC that you should look into. It is probably your best bet.
You know. Alot of Modelers would choose NCE or Digitrax. While I prefer Bachmann E-Z Command.
Don't you just love Walthers quality!!??
Uhh, yeah. 😕
thx for sharing...I run DC right now gong to DCC soon i hope...I have 2 Life Like SWs...SW 9 and SW 8...both run very smooth and quiet...I see wipers will be a concern
I hope the conversion of those switchers goes well for you. I had one that ran like a dream on DC but I could never get to run reliably on DCC. Don't ask me why. If I knew I would fix it. LOL.
actually i researched...walthers and life like are the same units...and my wipers did not come off...
WHAT DO U THINK OF TCS DECORDER. ALSO I WATCH UR VIDEO ON THE TANK CLEANING CAR, I HAVE ONE. IM RUNNING NCE AND IT SEEMS THAT IM GOING TO HAVE TO PUT 2 ENGINES TO RUN FOR THE TANK CAR .
The TCS decoders that I have worked fine. I don't know that I have enouogh experience to make a difiniteve judgment. As for the CMX car, mine works great. I use one locomotive with it, but I pus it, not pull it. That way it cleans the rails ahead of the locomotive and helps electrical contact.
That totally turns me off of this Walthers product ,so I would not purchase it (do these things come with a decoder installed ?)
When the time comes for me to get another SW1200 for my collection ,this will not be on my list(unless I get one from Fifer Hobbies and get Mike to put one in for me.........sorry Mike LOL)
Good job though Ron....you patient bugger you...AND the FLU !!!!!
I totally understand. I would probably not have gone for it if I had not needed this specific model/paint scheme.
Hey, Ron It probably is NOS from the era of your first one! Ron it is time for you to move up to larger trains! HA, HA, Steven
That's a big problem with this Switcher is getting the body off without destroying the wipers.
I want to try N Scale but I’m afraid it’s to small compared to HO.
I would suggest you find a small, inexpensive project and try your hand at it. Build a structure kit, for example, and put some details inside to see how it goes.
i dont know if any one pointed it out but they are just like the lifelike one they are all the same loco and use the same board
Where are the toothpicks?
I thought about converting mine, but did not …
Looks like its complicated
too light..can't pull more then two cars otherwise wheels just spin ..not happy at all
That string I pulled in the video was 6 cars and on the flat in the yard I have easily pulled a dozen cars with no slippage. I have some issues with the locomotive, but pulling ability on flat, level track is not one of them.
I think it is the quality of the cars. I have a SW and it pulls 6 to 8 cars on flat track. inclines and curves are less. But this is a yard engine not a road engine.
ALL the cars are "Walthers"..even my "track-mobile" can pull 6 to 12 of these cars.
Metal wheelsets make a difference too.
So tiny!!
This does not look like an easy and direct replacement lol