STEAM ENGINE

[jmc8922]

SMOKE ROLLED OUT FROM THE BOILER.  HEAD LIGHT AND SMOKE UNIT STOPPED WORKING.  FIRST TROUBLE I HAVE EVER HAD WITH A WILLIAMS PIECE

[phillyreading]

If this is a new locomotive; contact Bachmann or the place you bought it from, sounds like a warrenty repair. Even if this engine was still in the box from pre-Bachmann time, see if Bachmann will honor the warrenty. I think that Williams engines have a lifetime warrenty, if you are the orignal owner.

If it is a used engine and bought at a train show or hobby shop, from a few years back, chances are you will have to fix it yourself at your own cost.

Lee F.

[jmc8922]

BOUGHT THE ENGINE WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT.  THAT WAS WHAT TEN YEARS AGO,IF NOT LONGER?  I DONT 'T THEY WILL HONOR ANY KIND OF WARRENTY.  I DID NOT LIKE THE BELL, PUT A 700e UNIT ON IT.  SAW THE BRACKET FOR THE SEED WATER PUMP, PUT A 700e UNIT ON IT, WITH THE LINES.  ADDED THE POWER REVERSE AND THE "OTHER" PLUMBING.  FINELY I ADDED THE LINKAGE.  BOUGHT THE REPLACEMENT VALVE GUIDES FROM OLSEN'S.  I HAVE ALSO DONE THIS TO ANOTHER UNIT AND RENUMBERED.    I WAS IN HEAVEN WITH I FOUND IN BASKET CASES FROM WARRENS TRAINS WHEN MADISON CLOSED UP..TOM MUST HAVE MADE $2,000 IN ME FIXING UP AND RESTOREING JUNK.  MAY FAVEORITE PART OF THE HOBBIE.  MOST HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO THE KIDS.

[jmc8922]

AS FAR AS FIXING IT, WHERE DO I BUY THE STUFF.  I CAN GET A SEUTH SMOKE UNIT.  WHAT ABOUT THE BOARD?  I STILL DO HAVE TO TAKE IT APART AND SEE WHAT IS WHAT.

[phillyreading]

If you changed things on the original engine, then you have no warrenty!!

Williams sells repair parts for the steam engines and others. Check out the parts section on here, or go to accessories under Williams for universal replacement circuit boards. All Williams engines have DC motors in them so you must use a circuit board or just a bridge rectifier(you lose direction control) and not straight from track power to the motors.
I have not seen the suethe smoke unit for sale by Williams or Bachmann, they might sell it.

Lee F.

[jmc8922]

GREETINGS LEE, THANKS FOR THE REPLY.  I PUT THE BRIDGE RECT. IN WHEN I BOUGHT THE LOCO,  IT ALSO HAS A CAP. AND INDUC. FILTER.  FIREBOX LAMP IS ACROSS THE MOTOR ALSO.  ONLY WAY TO USE IT WITH A STOP STATION. 
I HAVE BEEN BUYING WILLIAMS FOR AWHILE.  THE REPO EXTRU. AL. CARS THEN A GGI KIT......... 
ALL HAVE RUN FLAWLESS.  HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND ANY PARTS FOR WILLAMS.  I WOULD REALY HATE TO HAVE TAKE APART ONE  OF THE CROWN EDITION LOCOS TO COPY THE CIRCUIT.    I JUST PICKED THESE UP AS THE OWNER WENT TO MTH DCS.  WHY HE DIDN'T UP DATE THEM IS BEYOND ME.

[phillyreading]

Hello jmc8922,

I can see why the bridge rectifier and inductive filter, but why the capacitor if you don't have direction control.
The Crown Edition locos were made over 12 years ago by Williams, and most have QSI circuit boards in them, like my Santa Fe F-7's. Very nice for the time they were made at. The only problem with the older F-7's is that they don't have much power to pull the set of passenger cars that I bought with the F-7's(A-B-A set), the Santa Fe "el Capitan" set of six aluminum cars. So upgraded one of my engines and have the power I need. Also using bridge rectifiers instead of circuit boards to keep the direction the way I want it,  one going forward and one going in reverse.

To find parts for Williams, you may have to use after market parts as Bachmann don't list anything but a very limited number of parts.

I tried to go to TMCC with an older K-Line engine and found the cost was extremely too much for my budget, over $250.00, even though it said TMCC ready in the instructions.

Lee F.

[jmc8922]

GREETINGS LEE:  THE CAPACITOR SMOOTHS OUT THE RIPPLE TO ALMOST FLAT PURE DC.  THE CROWN EDITION PIECE WHERE MADE IN THE LATE 80'S. THIS IS THE STUFF MIKE WOLF BOUGHT AND STARTED MTH. 
TROLLED THE WEBB FOR ANYTHING FOR THE WILLIAMS AND HAVE COME UP SHORT.  TRAIN AMERICA NO LONGER SELLS TO THE PUBLIC.  CTT AND OGAUGE FORUMS NO HELP EITHER.  GUESS I JUST STUCK. 

JERRY C.

[phillyreading]

Hello Jerry,

I got the website for Ma & Pa Junction, www.mapajunction.com they sell some Williams parts from what I have heard.
Hope this helps you!!

Lee F.

[jmc8922]

Okay Here Group:  Bought a Seuthe#5 unit.  Going to install it as listed 671.  Lets see what happens.

[671]

jmc8922,
             Hi, 671 here. My semi-scale 2056 is still smoking. I used two diodes in series on the plus side of the electrical supply to the smoke unit from the voltage reducing circuit. This got me down to a peak of 6.5 volts at a track voltage above 10 volts. If you run your train, as I do, at a lower than 10 volt track voltage; you want to only use one diode in series. This will keep the voltage to the smoke unit itself, higher at a lower track voltage. This will produce a greater amount of smoke at a lower engine speed.
             My unit, using two diodes, does not start to smoke heavy until 10 volts. But at 10 volts the loco is traveling at a high rate of speed.
             One other thought would be to use the two diodes as I have originally spoken of and in addition add diodes both sides of the motor. This will make the loco start slower with an older lionel transformer (no Jack Rabbit starts) also run slower at a higher track voltage.
             This is exactly my next customizing of this loco. I think three 6 amp diodes on each side of the incoming power to the motor ( total 6 diodes 3 and 3 ala Joe Satnick) Should do this loco well. This should create about a 3.5 volt drop in voltage at the motor in respect to the actual track voltage minus whatever drop is produced by the electronics within the electronic "E-unit"
                                 Hope this helps...671

[671]

jmc8922,
            Hi again, 671 here. Go on line and check out DALLEE Electronics site. They have a wiring diagram that shows the use of a bridge rectifier along with diodes to produce the voltage reduction to the motor that I mentioned.
                                         ...671

[jmc8922]

GREETINGS GROUP:  WORKED OUTSIDE WITH THE NICE WEATHER, NOW TIME TO FIX CHOO-CHOO.
WIRES TO SMOKE UNIT AN HEAD LIGHT RUBBED ON HEAT SINK.  BLEW VOLTAGE REG. AND DIODE.  RADIO SHACK HAD 7805, 5 VOLT REG.  NEW BRIDGE RECT., 470uF CAP,  HEAT SINK COMP., REBUILT BOARD.  USED 6VOLT, T-1, MAG-LITE BULB AND WITH HEAT SRINK TUBING MADE SOCKET.  SMOKE UNIT "SPITS" A BIT WHEN GETTING LOW.  HAS ANYBODY HAD ANY LUCK USING MEGA SMOKE OR MTH SMOKE FLUID?   I HAVE ALWAYS USED THE WILLIAMS.  WHERES THE GRAND KIDS, THIS HOLYDAY SEASON SHOULD BE LOTSA FUN.  THANKS FOR EVERYBODYS INPUT AND HELP.

[671]

Hi jmc8922,
               I use LGB Smoke fluid. It seems to be a thinner viscosity. It spits very little if at all. How is that smoke unit retrofit working/looking?

                                      ...671

[jmc8922]

HEY THER 671:
THE #5 DROPPED RIGHT IN.  I PUT A SMIGGEN OF THE HEAT SINK COMPOND ACCROSS THE TOP FOR A SEAL.  THE HOLDER IS ACTUALLY A BAYONET LAMP BASE WITHOUT THE GUTS. 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!