Another N&W J question (Spectrum)

[wobblinwheel]

Are any of the (six?) wires running from the tender to the engine NOT necessary for normal DC operation? I don't intend to ever run DCC on my little layout, and it would be nice to eliminate some of those wires. Of course, I still want motor power from tender and working lights. Seems all I would really need would be TWO wires?? Also, I think I may have a shorting problem involving these wires that affects the motor. The wires don't even seem to be INSULATED! I know they would have to be, but with WHAT?

[skipgear]

The wires are insulated. They have a laquer coating on them, like the windings in a motor. It is possible for them to chafe and short but it is very rare.

As far as needing them, you need al of them. tThe way the loco is wired. All the resistors and diodes for the lighting is in the tender so you need you need two for the headlight. The drawbar on this loco is not live so you need two to transfer pickup between the tender and the loco. The remaining two are for the motor.

If you really want to get creative, you could rewire the headlight, add a diode and resistors and make the connection in the loco. You could then hard wire the motor to the same place. Then you would just need two wires going to the tender to share pickup between the tender and the loco.

[wobblinwheel]

Thanks, I thought about that, if only I could get the shell off! To me, less is better, when it comes to electrics and wires.....

[seadowns]

Well, I've some experience with shorts on my 4-8-4Js and several Heavy Mountains.
The varnished insulation of the wires is sensitive to bending them while servicing the locos and can cause shorts. So I grabbed from my wife a not longer used flacon of nail enamel and gave the wires an additional coating and go figure-----------all occasional shorts are history.

Best regards
Mathi

[RGW]

I took my J apart to give it a Milwaukee Hiawatha paint scheme(yes I know, no Js on the Milw,but it's my layout) in removing the shell  I frayed and broke 1 or 2 wires,I tried to solder them back, it very hard and I ended up sending full voltage to the LED light and fried it.The problem is the connections on the engine are extremely close together and it is easy to solder 2 different ones together.
So I just removed all the wires and soldered  2 new ones,works fine on DC.

[wobblinwheel]

You mean you used TWO wires instead of SIX? That's what I'm talkin' about! I'd like to know exactly how you did that. Lights work also?

[RGW]

Like I mentioned I burned out the light.I tested the connections on the engine with power until I found the one that ran the motor.Because the light is LED it can not take full track voltage you might disconnect it before testing the connections.