Emerald nightMARE

[HenrikLego]

Since I first build my Emerald Night I have wanted to improve the way it runs with PF. There are several things I don’t like with the original instructions on motorization. Here are the issues I want to improve on:

- I don’t like the way the IR-reciever points out and break the nice lines on top of the boiler.

- I don’t like the placement of the XL-motor which removes nice details.

- I think the train runs rather jerky with the original setup.

So, I have done some modifications that helps with some of the problems:

- I have done the fix with the sylinders as described here: http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=37468

- I have also done the other fixes mentioned in issue 7 of Railbricks.

- I have removed the gear on the biggest wheel that is used when the train is powered by the XL-motor, so no internal gearing is slowing the train down.

- I have build a tender that consists of a train motor 88002, a PF battery box (directly above the train motor) and a IR-reciever. The tender itself reminds a lot about this 9V tender: http://www.carolinat...ld-night-to-9v/.

By placing all the PF-elements in the tender I can hide all the elements nicely.

When I run the tender alone it runs smoothly through curves and switch points, but when I place the engine in fronts it stops and spins in both curves and in switch points.

Any idea on what I could do to solve this problem?

Edited October 27, 2014 by HenrikLego

[Aanchir]

Awww, when I read the topic title I thought somebody had made a Halloween version of the Emerald Night. Now I'm a wee bit disappointed.

Hope you find a solution to your problems, though.

[baard]

Hi

I have solved this by modyfying the train by lowering the IR receiver 1 plate, this secures a smoother line on top (this is possible with the current motor setup).

The 2 other changes I also made was the one by securing that the pistons move freely and 1 technic 1x1 bric to prevent the 12 tooth gear from slipping. The train moves slowly and only makes a little jump every now and then.... .

I think a part of the problem in curves is that the leading bogie has little or no weight on it and thus will (mis)lead the train at weak points of the track, i.e. curves and at switches. I think that pushing the train is hard for the tender because in curves the pushing is straigth forward and the train wheels in front are not pushed down enough too keep the loco on track. Maybe add some extra weight to the loco in front will help?

Edited October 27, 2014 by baard

[TheLegoDr]

I was expecting a Halloween version of the Emerald Night also...

I was thinking Monster Fighters hybrid with Emerald Night... haha

[SavaTheAggie]

The IR receiver is in the same place a sand dome would be. It's normal to have a break in the top of a boiler like that.

--Tony

[zephyr1934]

Awww, when I read the topic title I thought somebody had made a Halloween version of the Emerald Night.

Yeah... me too (grin)

When I run the tender alone it runs smoothly through curves and switch points, but when I place the engine in fronts it stops and spins in both curves and in switch points.

Any idea on what I could do to solve this problem?

My first guess is that you are running on 9v track and you are doing so counterclockwise. Running clockwise might solve your problem on the curves. The 9v track have a little lip at the joints where the wheels can climb the rail. Details on the process can be found in "Clockwork" in RB 7. In summary,

I THINK the problem has been reduced on the plastic track, but maybe not (I only have 9v set up).

I have a similar problem on switches that is due to the general geometry of the lego switches (lego has redone the guardrails on the plastic switches, but again, I've not tried them so I do not know if it was to fix this problem or something else). There you can stack a 2x2 round plate and round tile to make a guard rail in the key spots, e.g., here's my solution. You can also use this trick on the curves to run counterclockwise, though depending on the rest of your railstock, it might cause problems for other cars.

If that does not work, or you do not have the parts handy, then next thing you could try is disabling potential problems until you get it to run smoothly. First pull the connecting rods to the cylinders, test the running (there is definitely a possibility that the technic axle is binding in the "cylinder"). Second, pull the side rods from the wheels, test the running. If it is still misbehaving, see if it will run without the pilot truck and give that a try. Once you have made the problem go away, start adding everything else back in (except for the final step before it went away) to make sure the poor operation does not come back.

You could also check to see if the driver wheels are not binding, e.g., because they are too far apart on the axle.