Alan, thanx so much for your quick response to my previous e-mail. I have been able to obtain a "tech bulletin" from Tony's train exchange web site that further explains the pick-up problem on the rivarossi hudson. Apparently the sprung push rod assembly experiences premature failure readily in the evnt of a short circuit. Tony is also suggesting that the rather heavy voltage that is constant in DCC is causing the rather light spring assembly used to keep the push rod against the wheel for power pick-up heats up rapidly and the heat fatigue causes the spring to fail (no longer provides sufficient pressure through compression to keep the rod against the wheel). It is my intent to add wipers to all 6 drive wheels as well as providing additional power wipers for power and ground on the tender. Do you forsee any problem here. Also if anyone can provide directions for removing the body as well as any special precautions i would be greatful. The instructions included with my loco are in Italian and the drawing shows very little detail. Thanx again for your help.

-- Rich Hennessey (rhenness@nycap.rr.com), March 10, 2003

Answers

Rich,

Will you please forward me the URL from Tony's? Based on the info you have provided, I need to suggest a change to him. Thanks.

I can see shorts causing a "heavy" current doing damage to all sorts of things. It is still not voltage related (directly) nor related to your desire to use a Soundtraxx decoder. So you can relax about using Soundtraxx.

You are on the right track to adding more wipers. The more the merrier! Tomar is at least one manufacturer of add-on pick-ups. Besides more reliable power pick up you will also realize a benefit if you are using block detection.

Steam locomotives in general, typically do not have all-wheel power pick up. Frequently it is a few on side near the front and a few on the other side in the back. Many steam locomotives would be half-way across a turnout before a short is seen by the system or the locomotive is detected by a block detection device.

Wipers on the pilot truck would ideal. This is perhaps the hardest to accomplish, but given how far back the first driver typically is, it would be very nice to have pick-up on the pilot truck. We can dream, can't we? (Note: If block detection was an interest of you or anyone reading this posting, you can also put a block detection resistor across the pilot truck. This is a bit more practical.)

Go ahead and add all the power pick-ups you want. They can only help. It is just a matter of how much time, money, and inclination you have.

-- Allan Gartner (bigboy@WiringForDCC.com), March 10, 2003.