Japanese D51 Mikado

Garth-H Jan 18, 2010

  1. zscaler

    zscaler TrainBoard Member

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    During the WGH show yesterday, I pulled out my discombobulated (yes it is a real word) D51 and went at installing a Z-2 in it. I did not want to modify the tender like Robert did and the only place left was the engine itself. I had already marked the lead weight for the notch. so I cut the notch and the chip slipped right in. It does not protrude past the back of the cab. I ran the track wires straight down and soldered them to the bottom where the track feed comes from the tender. Then I ran the two motor wires down and to the back of the tender and soldered them to the motor.
    I took Robert's idea and left the headlight alone. It is on all the time which is actually better.
    I just cut the other three wires shorter and tucked them back up on top of the chip. I put the engine on a side track, nabbed a controller and fired up #3. It worked!
    Took it back and put the tender shell back on, put the number boards (#50) on the engine and tender (four spots in all) and back on the track. Set the decoder to 50 which is a short address. Changed CV29 to "1" so that forward was forward and took it out for a spin! At speed step 1 of 28 it runs about a scale 5 mph. At speed step 1 of 128 it just crawls. At speed step 10 of 28 it flies!
    Connected up eight MTL short tank cars (with FVM axles) and it pulled them okay. I shot video of it yesterday and it looks good - especially at speed step 2. Hope to make a short video of it today to show.
    I was planning on putting the rear backup light in, but probably won't. But I will put in a red led in the firebox and activate the fire box flicker.
     
  2. zscaler

    zscaler TrainBoard Member

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    I will slow the engine down even more with CV changes later. It definitely needs lower speed control. Hate to see what it would of done at speed step 28!
     
  3. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Jeff called while it was on it's maiden voyage, and said it balked the first trip around the modules, like it was pulling too heavy a load, but that the drivers were still spinning.

    I did not think it could pull very many cars, being as small as it is, but that's great that you got it DCC'd and out there. After it went around a few times, did it smooth out and run fine? How many cars can it realistically pull on a bendy ZBT modular layout?

    Can't wait to see your video. ;)
     
  4. zscaler

    zscaler TrainBoard Member

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    It was kind of "finicky" at first. Got the video made and it is pulling eight MTL tank cars with FVM wheels. Very smooth looking in the first two shots at slow speed (2 out of 28) and 6 out of 28 in the last shot.
    I think it will pull 10 cars (if equipped with FVM wheels) on the Z Bend modules. I will bring it to the Medford Convention. Enjoy!
    http://vimeo.com/groups/14792/videos/9472815
     
  5. rray

    rray Staff Member

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  6. SJ Z-man

    SJ Z-man TrainBoard Member

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    David Duino ran it around dozens of times but we also had quite a few DCC shorts, shutting down the 5 Amp system. So maybe the jerkies are related. Most of the stalls were turnouts and the Marklin expansion tracks.

    I am sure we'll get these running well.
    .
     
  7. Joe D'Amato

    Joe D'Amato TrainBoard Member

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    I have been looking at this mec for some time now. Has anyone listed all the possible US steam types that would fit on the chassis with those wheels?

    Personally I've figured out what British Z Steam I can use on this. I can finally do some medium steam on my Grinding Hault once I get time to work on it :eek:)

    Joe
     
  8. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I think the Nn3 guys have done the most work looking up uses for the D51. I't worthit to take a look at their yahoo list every couple weeks to see what they have discovered. As far as Z Scale locos, I have only looked at the D51 for NP steamers, and it's just the 0-8-0 that fits for NP.
     
  9. kevsmith

    kevsmith TrainBoard Member

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    Are you thinking the same as me? The W.D Austerity 2-8-0 was a fairly common sight in the fifties and sixties

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    You could hear the siderods clanking on these long before you saw them!!

    KEV
     
  10. Joe D'Amato

    Joe D'Amato TrainBoard Member

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  11. DPSTRIPE

    DPSTRIPE TrainBoard Supporter

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    It will require a bit of modification to the universals and drive shaft, but I'm thinking of a Pennsy H6s(a or b) consolidation (2-8-0). These only had 56" drivers and the Pennsy kept several of these around into the fifties to operate on branch lines with light rail. I'm sure that there were other roads with similar locs. The later H8s, etc all had 62" drivers.

    http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=H6sb-E85286_2.gif&sel=ste&sz=sm&fr=

    Dan S.
     
  12. Chris333

    Chris333 TrainBoard Supporter

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    Dan, not that it matters, but I wonder if that 56" on the drawing is the wheel without the tire? I have a bunch of Erie plans that show 56" on the wheel and 62" on the tire (not the flange)
    Just wondering.
     
  13. Chris333

    Chris333 TrainBoard Supporter

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    This is what I'm talking about:
    [​IMG]
    Either way I think I'll try a 2-8-0 with mine as well. I can live with it.
     
  14. DPSTRIPE

    DPSTRIPE TrainBoard Supporter

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    The Pennsy tracings all seem to show the diameter including the tire and the photos that I have of the H6 do seem to have smaller drivers (but, 6" is hard to tell in a photo with nothing to reference it against). The links below just show the dimensioning of a few different locs.
    Thanks for the heads up, though.

    Dan S.
    http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=H6-.gif&sel=ste&sz=sm&fr=

    http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=H8-62046.gif&sel=ste&sz=sm&fr=

    http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=K4s_110P70-E80467.gif&sel=ste&sz=sm&fr=

    http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?diag=L1s-.gif&sel=ste&sz=sm&fr=
     
  15. Garth-H

    Garth-H TrainBoard Supporter

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    Hobby Search has been resupplied with more D51's there are now 6 versions
    available. Restock of the first 3 and 3 new versions added. Standard D51
    with white line on running board edge and D51 with Nagano smoke deflector on
    the chimney in 2 versions with and without a white line on the running board
    edge. Nagano types are 9310 JPY while all others are 9025 JPY
     
  16. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I got the HS1999 email this morning, and seen the Nagano deflector equipt versions, boy are they beauties. I need a couple of those too! :D
     
  17. Chris333

    Chris333 TrainBoard Supporter

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    Anyone playing with theirs yet? Mine came today, here is how it stacks up with a 2-8-0.
    [​IMG]
    It not only small, but small for Z scale.
     
  18. DPSTRIPE

    DPSTRIPE TrainBoard Supporter

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    A Pennsy H8-10 would stack up about the same. But the H6 series (built 1899-1913) is a bit different. Not perfect, but I think a fairly believable representation can be done.
    Dan S.
     

    Attached Files:

  19. DPSTRIPE

    DPSTRIPE TrainBoard Supporter

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    Here's a Pennsy C1 0-8-0. Ignore the length of the tender in the drawing as it has been shortened to fit on the tracing.

    Dan S.
     

    Attached Files:

  20. Chris333

    Chris333 TrainBoard Supporter

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