Few Questions about Sunset M

[NW Modeling List]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I have a rear coupler installed. looks
like the front coupler is going to take some more work. I took off the
boiler, and had a look at the motor. I'm a little bit confused. Attached to
my email is a picture. The red arrow points to the wire for the headlight.
The yellow arrow points to what I assume is the pickup for the
front/engine. The teal arrow points to the screw that goes to the
drawbar/tender. How to install the decoder? More directly, solder what to
what? Is the screw at the yellow arrow removable? Having a tough time
getting it to move at all. Also, still confused about that is picking up
what current and how power is transferred. I can take more pictures if
people need to see it to help me out. Thanks for the help!

-Brad Custer
Columbus, OH


On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 10:32 PM, NW Modeling List <
nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org> wrote:


> Brett,

>

> You've gotten some great advice in this thread which I can't add to other

> than to say my first DCC conversion project was on a Sunset M2.  Not the

> same model as yours, but similar enough that I can tell you there weren't

> any surprises.  I didn't add additional pickups, but I suspect I will at

> some later date.

>

> In the meantime, this document has some good example photographs that

> might allow you to approach the project with a little more confidence.

>

> http://markschutzer.com/Brass_Clinics/InstallingDecoders2008.pdf

>

> Matt Goodman

> Columbus, Ohio

>

>

>   On Tuesday, November 12, 2013 4:27 PM, NW Modeling List <

> nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

>

>   The M is a pain to DCC.

>

>  The tender picks up fine.

> I swapped to the 9K gal tender with 2 axle trucks, and I had to add

> brushes to the inside of the trucks for better pick-up.  I also made

> plastic drawbars.

>

> You will need to make a connection to the engine frame for the decoder

> harness.

> Check with a VOM to make sure both poles of the can motor are isolated

> from the frame.

>

>  You will want to pop off the boiler front and prepare your headlight

> for a Grain of Dust bulb and make note of the resistor value required to

> run the bulb without frying it. Use a 1/2 watt or even 1 watt resistor with

> the Grain of Dust bulb.

>

>  I suggest using some very tough paint, perhaps some water base clear

> gloss on the bottom and inside of the cylinders to prevent the front engine

> truck from shorting.

>

>  For the front coupler, take a Kaydee #5 and cut off the end.  Drill a

> pinhole through the shank, and also through the back end of the coupler

> pocket.  I used some water based clear paint to insulate the contact points

> on the knuckle.  I cut down a Kaydee #5 pocket so it fits the back end of

> the tender.  I put the decoder in the tender too.

>

>  I suggest paint it first so it will be apart when you start this

> project.  I've done 2 M's and a W2(NWSL).

>

>

>

>  Mark Lindsey

> Stuck in the 1930's

>

>   From: NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>

> Reply-To: NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>

> Date: Tuesday, November 12, 2013 12:52 PM

> To: NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>

> Subject: Re: Few Questions about Sunset M

>

>   Generally, the tender trucks pick up one side and the engine picks up

> the other (check the insulated wheels). For DCC you will want to isolate

> the motor brushes from the engine frame. You can probably do this by

> breaking the connection you will see between one brush and the motor frame,

> since the motor frame is generally connected metal to metal to the

> locomotive frame (which is picking up current on the one side. Some people

> I know try to insulate the motor from the engine frame, but I don't think

> this is necessary (as long as the brushes are isolated.)

>

> Jim Nichols

>

>    *From:* NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>

> *To:* nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org

> *Sent:* Tuesday, November 12, 2013 8:56 AM

> *Subject:* Re: Few Questions about Sunset M

>

>  Thanks for the replies everyone.

>

> Jim- I have been there and took the locomotive with me. They were a little

> bit baffled about DCC installation. Great place!

>

> Rick- What screws should I use? What about installing a working coupler on

> the front?

>

> Lynn- Are the tender trucks doing all the pickup? I see the locomotive

> won't run without the tender. What needs isolated to install the decoder?

> Again, I've never done a brass DCC installation before so any details you

> can provide would be helpful. I have very little DCC installation

> experience besides plug and go. So brass is daunting.

>

> Thanks all!

>

> Brad Custer

> Columbus, OH

>

>

> On Sat, Nov 9, 2013 at 10:04 PM, Custer, Bradley D <

> bradleydcuster at cedarville.edu> wrote:

>

> Hi all,

> Proud new owner of a like new, late run Sunset M #422. Several pressing

> questions...

>

> 1. I purchased Kadee #5 couplers. This seems like it wont't work on the

> tender as the coupler box will hang below the height of the rear trucks.

> This doesn't allow for full motion swing. What should I use instead? How

> about for the front?

>

>  2. DCC? How to install? I've never done a brass DCC installation before?

> Please give me as many details as you can?

>

>  3. Paperwork? Did it come with some and could someone scan a copy of it

> for me if it did?

>

>  Thanks for your time!

>

>  Happy railroading,

>

>  Brad Custer

> Columbus, OH

>

>

>

> ________________________________________

> NW-Modeling-List at nwhs.org

> To change your subscription go to

> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-modeling-list

> Browse the NW-Modeling-List archives at

> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-modeling-list/

>

>

> ________________________________________

> NW-Modeling-List at nwhs.org

> To change your subscription go to

> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-modeling-list

> Browse the NW-Modeling-List archives at

> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-modeling-list/

>

>

>

> ________________________________________

> NW-Modeling-List at nwhs.org

> To change your subscription go to

> http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-modeling-list

> Browse the NW-Modeling-List archives at

> http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-modeling-list/

>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/nw-modeling-list/attachments/20131117/b9ef5f54/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Sunset M DCC Picture.png
Type: image/png
Size: 913517 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : <http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/nw-modeling-list/attachments/20131117/b9ef5f54/attachment-0001.png>