Hi Alan

I have converted 8 or 9 locomotives, all steam, from the 2-8-8-2, 2-6-6-2, 2-6-2, 4-6-4 etc. and the hardest is the 4-8-4 Northern.

I've just finished converting one of two J class 4-8-4's.  There is no room under the boiler cover for a board unless you mill of an awful lot of weight.  The best method I have found is to place the decoder, ( I used the DZ143) in the cab and cut a channel between the two frame halves.  Make sure you tape the motor off to prevent shavings from getting into the motor and causing a short.  This allows the wires to lay flat and not cause the boiler cover to ride high or scrape off the insulation.  Also cut a grove from the top of the frame to the opening for the motor.  Again this allows the Orange/Gray wires to lay flat without getting in the way of the cover or having the insulation scored.  Getting the brass contacts out of there is a real struggle.  I opened the halves as much as possible and pulled them out.  This way I could isolate the motor and not have to worry about accidental contacts and shorting out the decoder.  Also I used the liquid electrical tape to coat the light compartment on the nose to prevent frame contact and again a short.  I also used this to cover the contact points on the motor itself.  Soldering the red/black wires to the frame takes some work, as it is very hard to get the frame hot enough to just solder the wire.  I used the holes left over when I pulled out the original brass contacts and liquid solder.  I Had to let it set over night to cure after I ran tests for programmability, direction and speed control, and lighting.

Hope this helps a little, good luck on your conversion

Dick


Dick









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SteamGene

As near as I can tell, the term Railway was ususlly associated with rail lines that cover short routes or areas, and did not run with the heavy rail and equipment found on the big main line systems. 

I remember as a lad starting to work for the CB&Q, I ask that question and someone told me it had to do with the land grant railroads.  I've look for that and can't find anything to back up that, but thats what I was told.  If the company received a land grant from the US government it was a railroad, if not it was a railway.  Wish i could find something definitive on this.  Oh well.   

Anyway hope this helps a little

I will second that, I had to send in an old version, and the replacement was great.  Can't get it any better than that.

Stoker

Here are my thoughts on your problem.

First, the headlight might still be working, as it usually takes a function button to turn it on or off.  Dependaing on the decoder it might be different, but mine works using function 10.

I have installed decoders in 2 of the spectrum 2-6-6-2 and my suggestion would be to double check the two screws where you had to undo two of the wires and attache them to the decoder.  I would double check the insulation on the solder joints.  also check to make sure the screws are tight. a loose screw may not be making proper contact to begin with, thats why you would have to "push down" on the boiler.

Just my thoughs and suggestion.  Hope this helps

anoldrail