Looking for a loco...

[ianacole]

Did any manufacturer produce an HO scale D&RGW ALCO PA in the Aspen Leaf scheme? Like the Precision Craft version:

Or will I be painting my own?

Thanks!

Ian

 

[wheeler1963]

Ian, never saw one before. Easy enough paint job though

 

[galaxy]

I think you will be painting your own.

There are a few styles/models that are manufactured from G all the way down to Z, but not often.
I have the same box car in Lionel, HO and N scale, But cannot find it in either G or Z scale. Bummer.

 

[sd24b]

Did any manufacturer produce an HO scale D&RGW ALCO PA in the Aspen Leaf scheme? Like the Precision Craft version:

Or will I be painting my own?

Thanks!

Ian

none by Athearn, P2K, ConCor. Don't recall eer seeing one in brass, either. Yep, looks like you'll be doing your own. Beautiful engine. Phil

 

[ianacole]

Well, I just found that Precision Craft did these in HO scale ... prior to their change to/acquisition by BLI. Anyone know anything about Precision Craft models? Detail level, how they run, etc.?

Thanks!

 

[beiland]

I was looking back at some undecorated F3 locos I bought off of BLI long ago. They were referred to as Precision Craft models. They have that same tethering cable between the A & B units, and a similar speaker arrangement,...
https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/preci...5?highlight=precision craft f3&pid=1331407631

It made me wonder if BLI ever produced any PA locos as Precision Craft models. I then ran across this,..
https://modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/looking-for-a-loco.17490/




They did a LOT more,..
http://www.wig-wag-trains.com/PCM/ALCo-PA_Page.html

 

[beiland]

I just recent sent off this email,..

I realize you no longer sell nor service these products, but I have some general questions if you could please answer them.

I have 2 sets AB of F-3's that I purchased from BLI long ago. Interestingly they have a connecting cable between the 2 units such that it appears as though there is a single ESU decoder controlling the motors on both units, and all 3 speakers. Is that true??

I have another AB set of PA that appear to have that same arrangement. I want to put a decoder in these that will accomplish the same thing,...run both motors and the 3 speakers..

Here are some reference photos of my locos,
https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/pa-locomotives-in-ho-help-identify-12693497?pid=1335660676

https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/pa-locomotives-in-ho-help-identify-12693497?pid=1335654119

Can you tell me how this was possible,..OR lead me to any link that might help me understand it??

Thanks, regards, Brian in St Augustine

 

[beiland]

No one had an interest in this subject any longer?

I would really like to hear the sounds from these Precision Craft PA's I have, particularly with their multiple speakers,...just as an experiment before making any other decisions on what decoders to invest for them.

Of course I don't want to burn up any decoders trying this, so how about some advice?

1) I have some cheap MRC decoders (Universal GE U23) I bought long ago to play around with. they have an 8pin plug that would fit in that one receptacle on the PA boards?
a)Probably would not be asking too much of it to power the A-unit alone with its one speaker?
b) But how about if I hooked up a B-unit with its additional motor and 2 speakers??

2) I happened to find three 3 Soundtraxx 21 pin Tsunami in my inventory (TSU-21 PNEM8). Would I dare use one of these for such an experiment??

PA Locomotives in HO, help identify

Over the years I’ve collected a few different models to eventually make up a nice consist of ABA or ABB in the Santa Fe livery. Most of my collection appears to be mostly LifeLike Proto 2K engines. But upon a recent inspection I came upon these chassis units that I am having a hard time...

forum.mrhmag.com

 

[Smudge617]

No one had an interest in this subject any longer?

I would really like to hear the sounds from these Precision Craft PA's I have, particularly with their multiple speakers,...just as an experiment before making any other decisions on what decoders to invest for them.

Of course I don't want to burn up any decoders trying this, so how about some advice?

1) I have some cheap MRC decoders (Universal GE U23) I bought long ago to play around with. they have an 8pin plug that would fit in that one receptacle on the PA boards?
a)Probably would not be asking too much of it to power the A-unit alone with its one speaker?
b) But how about if I hooked up a B-unit with its additional motor and 2 speakers??

2) I happened to find three 3 Soundtraxx 21 pin Tsunami in my inventory (TSU-21 PNEM8). Would I dare use one of these for such an experiment??

PA Locomotives in HO, help identify

Over the years I’ve collected a few different models to eventually make up a nice consist of ABA or ABB in the Santa Fe livery. Most of my collection appears to be mostly LifeLike Proto 2K engines. But upon a recent inspection I came upon these chassis units that I am having a hard time...

forum.mrhmag.com

What's the range of the two speakers you intend to use, 8 Ohm ?

 

[beiland]

I don't actually know details about the speakers,...they are the ones that came 'stock' from Precision Craft/ BLI

If I try the decoder in the A-unit I am dealing with only one speaker,.
......hook up the B-unit and I add in 2 more speakers AND another motor?
That had me asking myself what sort of decoder would be able to power that 'group' of items ???

 

[Smudge617]

You can run two motors with one decoder, I've several dual motored DD40's with that setup, and I'm using cheap decoders to run them too, so a higher end sound decoder like a ESU or Soundtraxx should be fine, not 100% certain any decoder will run 3 speakers, suppose it depends on the total impedence, and I imagine they would need to be in series, you would have ask an expert I would think.

 

[ianacole]

No one had an interest in this subject any longer?

I would really like to hear the sounds from these Precision Craft PA's I have, particularly with their multiple speakers,...just as an experiment before making any other decisions on what decoders to invest for them.

Just took this video. I had turned down the volume via DCC programming, so it's a little quieter than out of the box:

Video is there, not sure why the thumbnail didn't show up. Hit play, it will

 

[Iron Horseman]

Don' t know how I missed this thread....

Did any manufacturer produce an HO scale D&RGW ALCO PA in the Aspen Leaf scheme? Like the Precision Craft version:

Short answer is, no Precision Craft is the only non-brass manufacturer to do that paint scheme. They did it to match the California Zephyr cars released at the same time. They also did the CB&Q F3s A-B-A in passenger scheme, and a WP set A-B-B. Basically the very first locos to pull the California Zephyr.

I was looking back at some undecorated F3 locos I bought off of BLI long ago. They were referred to as Precision Craft models. They have that same tethering cable between the A & B units, and a similar speaker arrangement,...
https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/precision-craft-f3s-imported-by-broadway-ltd-12219725?highlight=precision craft f3&pid=1331407631

It made me wonder if BLI ever produced any PA locos as Precision Craft models. I then ran across this,..
https://modelrailroadforums.com/forum/index.php?threads/looking-for-a-loco.17490/

General information: Precision Craft and Broadway Limited is the same company. The Precision Craft name came about because of the @ssinine law suit by Mikes Train House(MTH) concerning the back emf feature of the Broadway Limited QSI sound decoders of the time. The name was changed and different brand of decoders were used. All to naught though, because although eventually that ridiculous suite was dropped, other legal issues (mostly fantasies by MTH and the synchronized chuffing issue) forced Broadway Limited to give MTH the tooling for the Alco PA, GG1, the N&W J class, and several others (I cannot find the official list). Since Lionel got the PA one tooling from MTH, if Lionel ever makes an HO version it will probably be this engineering. I don't know how much of the PA from Walther's Main-Line is old Life-Like Proto-2000 and how much is new. I noticed the couplers are different. And I know the Rapido PAs are totally new engineering. Lots of choices for PAs out there.

 

[beiland]

Thank you Ian for that video.
Are all 3 units powered there? ...and or how connected together??

Did you ever suffer from this 'zinc pest' in the frames of your engines??

PA Locomotives in HO, help identify

Over the years I’ve collected a few different models to eventually make up a nice consist of ABA or ABB in the Santa Fe livery. Most of my collection appears to be mostly LifeLike Proto 2K engines. But upon a recent inspection I came upon these chassis units that I am having a hard time...

forum.mrhmag.com

 

[ianacole]

Thank you Ian for that video.
Are all 3 units powered there? ...and or how connected together??

Did you ever suffer from this 'zinc pest' in the frames of your engines??

PA Locomotives in HO, help identify

Over the years I’ve collected a few different models to eventually make up a nice consist of ABA or ABB in the Santa Fe livery. Most of my collection appears to be mostly LifeLike Proto 2K engines. But upon a recent inspection I came upon these chassis units that I am having a hard time...

forum.mrhmag.com

Yes, all three units are powered. There's a tether connection between the first A and B units, and the third has it's own decoder. This way it an be run as an A, AB, or ABA setup.

I have not seen zinc oxidation on any of my locos, but they've been packed away for a couple of years due to a move. Just getting back into it.

 

[Sirfoldalot]

VERY NICE models and a great thread -- just wish I understood what it is about.

 

[Iron Horseman]

I don't actually know details about the speakers,...they are the ones that came 'stock' from Precision Craft/ BLI

If I try the decoder in the A-unit I am dealing with only one speaker,.
......hook up the B-unit and I add in 2 more speakers AND another motor?
That had me asking myself what sort of decoder would be able to power that 'group' of items ???

Motors are easy as one can measure the current draw and make certain to get a decoder that can handle it.

Speakers are trickier. Hook two x ohm in parallel and one gets x/2 ohms. As I recall, at the time the ESU decoders that were used required 32 ohm speakers. So one has to assume BLI designed it so it could power all 3 safely, never presenting less than 32 ohms to the sound processor. I would have done that by putting a 64 ohm in the A, and the two in the B in series with each other so then parallel when plugged into the A.

EDIT: Just did a little bit of research. Looks like the ESU 58429 would drop right in. For motors I don't see a max current specification, but they talk about both HO and O scale so it should have enough umph for two HO can motors. Speaker specification says 4-32 ohms. So, if those are original 32 ohm speakers even if they are all parallel it will be well above the low limit.

And as a bonus it has RailCom!