adding power pickups to tender

[billgiannelli]

Hello all!
I want to add power pickups to my tender.
can I just solder the wires into the black and red wires for the engine track pickups?
I hope this will be a step in solving power drop offs.
thanks
Bill

[Doneldon]

Bill-

The short answer is yes. But it may not be as easy as that. You also need to install wipers on your tender's wheels or axles. The easiest way to go about that is to add a brass or nichrome wiper so it rests on an axle. This can then be wired up into the innards of your tender. Have one truck for each pole (rail) of the tender's electrical system.

It's also possible to put wipers on the backs of the wheels but my experience is that it doesn't work quite as well as axle pickups. The main thing to be careful with is making sure that the two rails are not bridged by the tender causing a dead short. In any event, you will significantly improve the operating characteristics of your locomotive.

God luck with your project.
                                            -- D

[jward]

perhaps these would work better?

http://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66_68_596&products_id=5629