Let’s get a Burlington Zephyr running again

uhrwerk May 31, 2021

  1. uhrwerk

    uhrwerk TrainBoard Member

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    I collect o gauge clockwork… anyone else? This one seems to have some interesting wiring for the front light going on. I’ll fix that and see what it needs next.


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  2. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    A clockwork power car with a working headlight?

    I learned something new today.

    Is that a C battery holder I see in the back end?
     
  3. uhrwerk

    uhrwerk TrainBoard Member

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    Well you might think it’s a c battery holder but it’s not… I’m not sure what size it is. The holder is about 40mm in length, like a 42mm long battery would be perfect I think. A c cell is almost 50mm long. The diameter, 15/16ths is perfect for a c cell.

    This doesn’t seem to line up with any historical battery sizes https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/...ILES/ANSI Battery Standardization History.pdf

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    I have another old tinplate loco with a battery for the lamp where I’m similarly clueless about the size. This one though I can’t easily wedge an AA in like I did on the other one. Not sure what I’m going to do yet.


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  4. uhrwerk

    uhrwerk TrainBoard Member

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    The bulb is 18V … well that’s not going to work well with a 1.5v battery of any type. The woo woo woo deepens on this one.


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  5. uhrwerk

    uhrwerk TrainBoard Member

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    Lol. I am starting to understand why this was such a good deal when I bought it!


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  6. uhrwerk

    uhrwerk TrainBoard Member

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    I spent a lot of time learning about fractional C cells and other obsolete batteries. I can find no reference for a battery that will fit in this train!

    I ended up doing a minimal modification to Velcro in AA battery holders with on/off switches. I wired this in parallel with the original so if anyone ever figures it out, it’s easy to reverse.

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  7. uhrwerk

    uhrwerk TrainBoard Member

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    Calling it done.


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  8. Kurt Moose

    Kurt Moose TrainBoard Member

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    Excellent!!

    Great piece of history!(y)
     

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