Advice Needed With Rapido Wide-Vision Caboose RESOLVED


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Ok, as you know I'm having a real problem with this Rapido Caboose, and I believe I've found the problem, if you look at the photo's you can see there is a small tab that sits on top of the truck, this is the electrical wire for the lighting, both trucks have them on either side.
RapCab.jpg


It appears that there is insufficient play in the wire's to allow the trucks to traverse properly, as well as having quite bulky connectors,
admittedly, I could simply disconnect the wires, which I'd rather not do, (there would have been no point in purchasing it).

So I need to open up the bodyshell and see if there is any wire I can free up from inside, or replace the wiring if necessary, but how do I get in, I can find no screws or clips to release the shell from the floor.
 
You know it seems to me that the more I pay for rolling stock or locos the more I seem have problems with them.
 
Rico said:
You know it seems to me that the more I pay for rolling stock or locos the more I seem have problems with them.
Click to expand...
It does seem like that doesn't it, but we want better and more accurate prototypical models, so the more accurate the model, the more problems we'll encounter.
 
OK, so totally ignoring my own advice, I've persisted in trying to get the Caboose body shell off, and have succeeded, without causing any damage at all, now it's off I can see why it wont track on my layout.
RapCabint.jpg


Got the innards PCB board out and found that although the insulated tab was on the truck, the wire had broken, so I removed the insulation on the other side to see what the problem was.

RapCabpins5.jpg


You'll notice that both electrical pickup pins butt up against the floor, so that is as far as the truck can travel.
I've thought of four ways to solve this.

1) Flatten the pins down onto the truck.
2) File/cut away the offending plastic to allow more travel.
3) Cut the pins off altogether and mount a DCC wiper to the bottom of the truck.
4) Cut the pins off and solder a wire directly to the pickup.

Your thought's or any other suggestions are welcome.
 
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Smudge617 said:
OK, so totally ignoring my own advice, I've persisted in trying to get the Caboose body shell off, and have succeeded, without causing any damage at all, now it's off I can see why it wont track on my layout.
View attachment 173612

Got the innards PCB board out and found that although the insulated tab was on the truck, the wire had broken, so I removed the insulation on the other side to see what the problem was.

View attachment 173613

You'll notice that both electrical pickup pins butt up against the floor, so that is as far as the truck can travel.
I've thought of four ways to solve this.

1) Flatten the pins down onto the truck.
2) File/cut away the offending plastic to allow more travel.
3) Cut the pins off altogether and mount a DCC wiper to the bottom of the truck.
4) Cut the pins off and solder a wire directly to the pickup.

Your thought's or any other suggestions are welcome.
Click to expand...
Remove the truck and elongate the holes.
 
bnsf971 said:
Remove the truck and elongate the holes.
Click to expand...
Yeah. I think that would be the safest way, I had thought about snipping the pins off and soldering a wire directly onto the contact strip, but I'm not sure the trucks will come apart.
 
santafewillie said:
Another thought. Add a Kadee red washer to the bolster, (KD #208), and then add a Kadee overset coupler (# 142) to bring it to standard height. That may just give the extra clearance needed without trimming.
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This was going to be my suggestion raise the boby up slightly and lower the cupling the same hight.


Or find a set of shorter trucks.


Just remember a spray bottle with water works on cat on the layout and rivet counter.
 
zzr1200guy said:
This was going to be my suggestion raise the boby up slightly and lower the cupling the same hight.


Or find a set of shorter trucks.


Just remember a spray bottle with water works on cat on the layout and rivet counter.
Click to expand...
I don't have any KD washer's as @santafewillie and yourself have suggested, just some small metal ones, but for a trial they should work, if not I'll have to follow @bnsf971 suggestion and perform some surgery.:(
 
From the looks of that wire "tab" sticking up, you will need a stack of washers to achieve your goal.
I would give this some more thought.
Sad Rapido sells their stuff for high dollar and they do offer some nice detail, but this problem should never have made it through QC.
Do they recommend a minimum radius?
I have faith you will succeed one way or another

John
 
westtexjohn said:
From the looks of that wire "tab" sticking up, you will need a stack of washers to achieve your goal.
I would give this some more thought.
Sad Rapido sells their stuff for high dollar and they do offer some nice detail, but this problem should never have made it through QC.
Do they recommend a minimum radius?
I have faith you will succeed one way or another

John
Click to expand...
I'm not confident the washers will work, I've got to source some wider ones than those I have as the caboose tilts over on any curve with narrow washers fitted
 
Make hole bigger if possible. Next look at the floor casting, is the floor casting restricting the movement of the wires or tabs? If may not be the movement in frame it may be the wires or tabs being constricted through the floor or under the floor. Try running the caboose with the wires detached or with the floor removed. Does it make it around the layout with the floor removed, in that case it's not the tabs or the holes for the tabs in the underframe, its the wiring above the tabs and the floor.
 
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