I know this is likely an exercise in futility, but I have to at least try keeping my old units around as I dabble in DCC. I have 2 Bachmann EMD F9s (going by google search results) from the '80s, one in PRR brown paint and another in Amtrak colors. I've already converted a Bachmann (GP40? I'm clearly not a rivet-counter) of a similar age but it has a different frame and motor style. I believe even to fit the tiny DZ125 in, I'll have to mill the frame a little, but it shouldn't be too bad. The real difficulty is isolating the motor brushes from the motor frame. On the presumed Geep, there were posts the brushes connected to on the front, plastic part of the motor frame and contact was made via thin sheet metal. With Kapton and copper tape, I was able to isolate that one (wish I'd stopped along the way to take pics, but didn't really). On these F's, however, the brushes mount directly through the metal frame on the motor top and bottom. I'll try to attach a pic. I'm wondering if anyone has done this before and/or has wild-guesses on how to do this. The brush mounts look like hex bolts, but I'm a little nervous to just go unscrewing them and seeing if I can insulate between them and the frame, though that's probably what it'll come down to. The other option would be cutting the metal parts of the motor frame, top and bottom, but that's not very appealing at all. I know many would say I shouldn't bother with these old gals, but that's just not in my nature. They run well-enough on DC (I don't know any better) and they've spent enough time in boxes since my childhood that I have to at least try on one of them. Thoughts? Thanks.
23 views, 0 replies - I'm guessing y'all are just being polite. Just updating to mention that I've discovered "Spookshow" and confirmed the F9 and GP40 IDs - all seemingly older than I initially thought (first two major sets were 'won' by my dad in some church raffle in the early '80s, so very well could have been used/sitting around for a while). The GP40 is the first revision, which spookshow roundly pans (it IS noisy, but HARDLY 'ugly' and can pull like a horse (well, miniature pony)). The F9s are both the second revision. BTW, for any who may be feeling sorry for me stuck with these old relics, I'm planning to go to Trainfest in Milwaukee next weekend and hope to score a deal on a 'real' loco. Maybe then I'll be spoiled. I WILL make at least one attempt to convert one of the Fs, though. Like I said, it's just the way I am. I'll be sure to document it for the one other person out there who may care.
Looks like quite a challenge. Kapton tape to isolate the motor and some #30 wire soldered to those motor bolts. Kapton tape is quite tough and very thin. Not like electrical tape. I have used Kapton quite a lot for motor isolating. I used nylon screws instead of the metal screws to attach the motor to the frame. Might have to cut those two clips and solder #30 wire to them to connect the decoder. A question in the Bachmann N Scale forum might help. http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php Rich
Rich, thanks for the Bachmann board pointer. I'll check it out. I have the Kapton tape - but like I said, the brush bolts are in direct contact with the metal frame of the motor (maybe what you referred to as 'clips'). If I cut those, I'm pretty sure the motor falls apart. So I'd either need to fabricate a new motor frame somehow (likely beyond me) or try removing/isolating those bolts. We'll see.
Leave the bolts in place. Looks like the motor sort of floats in the frame with a contact on each side for the motor. No idea if #30 wire will fit into the bottom to be soldered to what would be left of the clips. I assume there is a clip I cannot see for the other side of the motor in the bottom of that hole. I see a complete frame so it is not the typical split frame that Bachmann uses for other models. I guess those clips are not electrically connected to the frame. Rich
There are a few 'over there' who have converted F9s, but no photos/howtos nor even indications if they were the same revision - they vary widely. Thanks for the brainstorming. I'll stare at it some more this weekend. Might just have to end up isolating the whole thing and making my own power pickup underneath which does NOT contact the bottom brush. We'll see.
Ok thtat changes my thoughts a little. The other brush is on the top half of the frame. Did not realize that. Not enough info. I had a HO diesel that was very similar. Would be nice to see how the other motor contact is mounted. Rich
I just downloaded the photo with the motor and I see there is a completer frame around three sides of the motor. That tells me one brush contact is not connected to the motor frame. I have a similar looking motor and both motor halves are not a complete frame around the motor. Would like to see the other half of the motor. Rich
If a picture is worth a thousand words, here are two videos. Overview of motor: http://youtu.be/U6ktA3RyYjk Brush removed - turns out, not a big deal: http://youtu.be/mmNF880e0RY I'm still kind of split on 2 options - isolating the brush mounts or isolating the whole shootin' match and making new pickup contacts. I've got two locos - maybe I'll try one each way, but I'm leaning towards isolating the brush mounts. Thanks again for your thoughts/interest.
Just a follow up to say "Mission accomplished." I now have one F9 DCC equipped and the other "DCC ready," fully isolated, just need another decoder. No frame milling required, and I must say that copper tape is a miracle. I took a bunch of photos and hope to put together a blog post or something tomorrow. Removing the brushes was no big deal, but I did nearly list one of the springs. Yikes!
I FINALLY done did the blog post - WITH PICTURES (though fewer than I would have liked). http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine...-DZ125-DCC-install-in-OLD-Bachmann-N-scale-F9
Ok, I hope this is the last time I bump my own thread - any additional comments will be made only on the blog post. I just wanted to follow up that I got my Digitrax Zephyr yesterday, and despite some reservations about putting decoders into such old gear, I'm REALLY impressed with how the one F9 and also the GP40 run - even slowly. There's some jerkiness when REALLY slow, but I still need to tweak the Back EMF settings a bit. It's amazing to see, via disabling it with F5, just how effective the Digitrax Speed Stabilization is at taming these old beasts. In my opinion, thus far, it was very much worth converting these old gals.
[FONT=HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif]Very nice. I have been watching. Nice to see someone take the challenge. Rich[/FONT]
So did you have to mill any of the frame? I'm thinking on doing a similar conversion but I don't have a milling machine. I guess I could spend time with a file.
