Powered - Aristo-Craft Vintage RS-3
by Paul Norton
INTRODUCTION
The following pictorial illustrates a method used to convert an old Aristo-Craft RS-3 from track power to on-board, battery power and radio control.
As this locomotive did not have Plug and Play features, a Super Socket was made to install an Aristo-Craft 75 MHz receiver.
The Super Socket was easy to assemble, and there were several advantages to using it.
- The Super Socket can be used to convert ANY Aristo-Craft or USA Trains, 4-axle diesel to on-board, radio control and battery power.
- The large chokes on the board suppress radio noise generated by the motors, a problem for the 75 MHz receiver, and greatly improve radio range.
- The wiring is much easier to understand and trouble shoot than factory wiring. The heads of the screws in the terminal blocks can be used to test the wiring using a multimeter.
- Resistors on the board make adding LED lighting easier.
To see how the Super Socket was made, click on the link.
DISASSEMBLING THE LOCOMOTIVE
The handrails were removed from the front, sides and rear of the locomotive. The front and rear pilots were loosened and the MU stands were removed to ensure they did not get damaged. The pilots were re-fastened. The stanchions on each side of the locomotive were removed to ensure they did not get damaged.
The locomotive was placed upside down on a soft engine cradle with care taken not to damage the horns. The four screws (10, 13, 15 and 18) were unscrewed and the fuel tank removed. The four screws were fastened back in the frame.
The screws that hold the side frames to their A-frames were removed and the side frames set aside. The motor blocks were unplugged and set aside. The screws were returned to the A-frames.
The remaining seventeen screws that held the shell and battery boxes to the frame were removed. The frame was lifted by the long hood truck and set beside the shell.
As the on-board, lithium-ion battery provides the power, and the 75 MHz receiver controls the headlights and motors; all the redundant factory wiring and circuit boards were removed.
The redundant components were stored in a large Ziploc bag with the locomotive model number, road name and road number marked on it.
POWER CONVERSION
The motor blocks were opened, and the wiring and small circuit boards were unsoldered. Longer wires and a 0.1 uf capacitor, available from All Electronics under catalog number 104D50, was soldered across the motor terminals. A capacitor across the motor terminals helps reduce radio noise generated by the motors. OVGRS members only can purchase the capacitors for $0.50 each by contacting Paul Norton.
CAUTION:The chrome pins in the universal joints of old Aristo-Craft FA-1, U25-B and RS-3 motor blocks are not a press fit and may come free. Apparently the red substance that holds them in place may let go over time. See the red arrow on the left.
They can be fixed in place with a small dab of J-B Weld epoxy. The excess can be wiped off with a finger tip. See the red arrow on the right.
The motor blocks were lubricated, re-assembled and installed back in their A-frames. The new wires were passed through their holes in the frame.
The female half of a 2-pin plug set was used a charging plug. The two-pin plug sets are available from All Electronics under catalog number CON-240. OVGRS members only can purchase the plugs sets for $2 each by contacting Paul Norton.
CAUTION: The two pin plugs sets sold by All Electronics are not colour coded the same as the plugs in Aristo-Craft or USA Trains diesels. To see how to change the wires over so that proper polarity is maintained, click on this All Electronics Plug Fix link.
The chassis mounting wings were removed from the charging plug to make it less obvious. An air hose on the rear pilot was removed and a hole drilled in the center of the rear wall of the pilot. Another hole was drilled in the center of the frame just inside the wall of the rear hood, and the wires of the charging plug threaded through all the holes. Additional lengths of wire were soldered to the charging plug so they would reach into the fuel tank.
A double pole, double throw (DPDT) switch available from All Electronics under catalog number MTS-12 was required to toggle the battery between its charging plug on the rear pilot and the receiver. A 5 amp fuse was required to protect the receiver. OVGRS members only can purchase the switch for $3 by contacting Paul Norton.
The DPDT switch was mounted on the bottom of the fuel tank.
The charging plug wires were soldered to the tabs of the switch as shown in the diagram above.
The male half of a 2-pin plug set, later to be connected to the battery, was soldered to the center tabs of the switch as shown in the diagram above. The plug was passed through the hole in the frame and the weight set.
The fuse was mounted on the bottom of the frame inside the fuel tank. A red wire was soldered to the bracket on one side of the fuse, and to a tab on the positive side of the switch as shown in the diagram above. Another red wire was soldered to the bracket on the other side of the fuse. A black wire was soldered to the remaining open tab on the switch. These last two wires were passed through the hole in the frame and the weight set. They will provide the receiver with power from the battery.
CAUTION: The wiring was checked to ensure all the red wires were connected to the positive side of the switch and all the black wires to the other. The plug on the center tabs of the switch and the plug on the lithium-ion battery pack were checked to ensure the colour coding corresponded so that the correct polarity would be maintained.
The fuel tank was fastened back on the frame and the toggle inspected to ensure it would clear any track obstructions. If the fuse had to be changed, the tank could be dropped by removing four small screws and the nut off the DPDT switch.
A floor 1 7/8 inches x 18 3/8 inches was cut from 1/8 inch thick styrene sheet. Holes were drilled to match those in the weight stack, and six more for the screws on the outside of the frame rails that used to hold the factory circuit board.
An L shaped bracket to hold the Black Kat antenna was fastened to the floor with a screw through the bottom. The switch and motor wires were passed through the floor and the floor was fastened above the weights using two additional nuts over the weights and the six screws that use to hold the factory circuit boards.
The Super Socket was hot glued to the floor. The antenna was slipped over its mount, and the receiver plugged in to the socket.
Although the Black Kat antenna available from E Cubed R/C may not provide any greater range than the 40 inch wire antenna, the Black Kat was easier to mount because of its small size. OVGRS members only can purchase the antenna for $12 by contacting Paul Norton.
The wires for the front and rear motors were fastened under 3rd and 10th screws on the front and rear terminal blocks respectively. The black and red wires from the switch for the receiver were placed under the 1st and 12th screws of the rear terminal block.
Both the front and rear lights were replaced with a bright white LEDs from All Electronics under catalog number LED-121. LEDs produce a prototypical, long bright beam. OVGRS members only can purchase the LEDs for $2 each by contacting Paul Norton.
Note: LEDs are polarity sensitive and the longer lead (anode) is positive. The negative side (cathode) of an LED usually has a flat spot on the base which can be coloured with a black marker to make it more obvious.
The wires from the lighting boards were left long so the shell could be removed easily. The red (positive) wire of the front LEDs was fastened under the 6th screw of the front terminal block, and the black (negative) wire under the 4th screw. The red (positive) wire of the rear LEDs was fastened under the 6th screw of the rear terminal block, and the black (negative) wire under the 9th screw.
Velcro stripes were glued to the bottom of the empty switch platform in the long hood. A long cable tie was pasted through the openings in the side of the switch platform. The lithium-ion battery was then glued to the bottom of the Velcro strips and the cable tie pulled tight to secure it.
CAUTION: Ensure the DPDT switch is in the center off position. Connect the lithium-ion battery pack to the plug from the center of the DPDT switch in the fuel tank.
The DPDT switch was toggled forward to bring the battery and receiver on-line. The receiver was programmed in accordance with the instruction manual. The motors and lights were tested.
If the lights had not worked in either direction, the wiring would have been checked to ensure the positive wires from the lighting boards were connected under the 6th screws of the front and rear terminal blocks, and the negative wires under screws 4 and 9 of the front and rear terminal blocks respectively. Had the lights worked, but operated in the opposite direction of the motors, the positions of the motor wires in the terminal blocks would have been reversed.
After testing the 17 screws were removed from the shell and used to attach it to the frame. The MU stands, stanchions and handrails were attached.
The locomotive was tested using a 75 MHz transmitter with new batteries and the rubber ducky antenna that came with it. The radio range was a disappointing 10 to 15 feet. The rubber ducky was replaced with a chrome telescoping antenna and radio range at 135 feet was reliable and responsive.
Comments [ Add a Comment ]
How long does the locomotive run on battery power?
Thanks,
Ken Fellows
careusa2003@yahoo.com