My wife recently bought a Orient Express Train Set at an estate sale. I would like to convert the loco to DCC, but the box didn't have an exploded view of the locomotive. Is there an exploded view available online, or can someone give me a hint as to how to take the locomotive apart safely.
Wasn't that made by Lilliput? At any rate, I think it is from the 70's and because of that, unless you put in a new motor and replace the other worn parts, there would be no point in converting it to DCC. The motor is probably not very good since, most locos from 40 years ago had poor motors.
It's in a Bachmann box, and doesn't appear to be that old. I've been modeling since the late 70's, and don't remember this set from that time period.
I'll see if I can find when it was made, but even if it was made in the 80's, it still would not be the best. If it was made within the past 10 years then you can give it a shot, but I couldn't find an exploded parts diagram. I found your set:
(http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r132/tonycook1966/Bachmann/bachorientexpressboxlid.jpg)
(http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r132/tonycook1966/Bachmann/bachorientexpressboxcontents.jpg)
It was made in 1985, and Bachmann was not the excellent company we know them to be at that point in time, but no diagrams are anywhere to be found.
A simple Google seach came up with this if it the Bachmann set. Store the link in Favorites. You will need it.
http://www.ho-scaletrains.net/bachmannhoscaletrainsets/index.html
Rich
If you know which loco was used, below is a link to HO Seeker with loco diagrams that might help.
Check motor current at 12 volts DC. Isolate the motor brushes from the frame, wire decoder according to the NMRA DCC instructions. A Digitrax DZ125 decoder can handle 1 amp. and two light functions and is about the diameter of a dime but a little thicker. I use this decoder in a couple HO scale locos.
http://www.hoseeker.net/bachmann.html
http://www.digitrax.com/prd_mobdec_dz125.php
Rich
If the engine in the set is tender driven with the motor in the tender it is made for Bachmann by JOUEF of France. The tender has a big lead weight and not much room for DCC. Tender should also have traction tires. Remove the center screw in the tender and the top should come off. I have several Jouef engines and they run quite well. Hornby of England bought them out when they went belly up.
Bob