Large Scale Climax

[Pospete]

      I recently bought a S/H Climax that had been converted( Butchered) to battery and I am converting it back to track power with DCC and Sound using a Soundtraxx DSX.   I am wanting to have/fit realistic chuff, and wondered which method to use.  Referring to George S, tho he gives a modification to the Climax Switches, he mentions it may not be satisfactory.  I wondered if anyone else had any good ideas to do this.  I can't seem to find a working contact email to discuss this with George.   Does anyone know how I can contact him? ( the email link does not work).   I do have one idea for making the chuff trigger,  which I have tried previously on a Large Scale Climax, which worked really well, but it takes one of the wheels and contact from the rear truck.  A thin clear plastic disc with slots cut out.   Anyone else got a better idea?
           Also a very big thank you to Bachmann, for supplying the parts I needed to fix  my Climax.  

       Pete    

[mickeykelley]

Not an expert by any means, but I have read about some using magnetic reed switches with the magnets glued to the driveshafts. Everything I have read about the factory switches on both the Climax and Shay have indicated the are pretty worthless.  Which is why I just default to the sound board simulated at least  on the Phoenix cards.

[Kevin Strong]

I'll presume this is a 1st-generation Climax that does not have the optical chuff sensors.

I'd look to do something in the gearbox (the one that the cylinders attach to, not the ones in the trucks). That's where the shaft comes in, and you can probably figure a way to mount four small magnets and a reed switch in there somehow.

Later,

K