adding pickups to trucks

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

does anyone have a simple method for adding pickups to trucks to bring power up into the car (caboose)?

i was thinking of something simple such as these trucks on ebay, or maybe using a flattened 12 gauge copper wire. one worry is how to anchor the pickup (wire) to a common (roundhouse) plastic truck with replaced metal wheels

2

Kadee #5 coupler springs, bend the little arms out, and there’s a convenient screw hole already there for mounting

–Randy

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3

I have done the below from Harold’s link. Suggestions are good but a link is better. A picture is worth a thousand words.

I solder #30 flexible wire first and then install the pickup. Not all #30 wire is the same. Some have more strands and very flexible.

http://www.55n3.org/cars/tender_wipers/

Rich

4

Athearn/Roundhouse sells the tender trucks with all wheel pickup. I have bought some. They are used in the Roundhouse steamers. The trucks might not be correct for a caboose though.

Below is a link to the present locos. You can see the part number. They come complete.

http://www.hoseeker.net/assemblyexplosionMdc/roundhouse260diagram.jpg

Rich

5

I have also used the Kadee centering springs for caboose truck wipers, and they work very well.

Tomar makes a product called Tomar Shoes. It is a package of bronze pre-shaped wipers that slide on the rail between the truck wheels. If you can’t or don’t want to use them as they are designed, you can reshape and cut them to suite your specific needs.

6

Never tried them but have a look at these wipers.

http://sbs4dcc.com/hoscalewheelwipers.html

Peter

7

I have used these and they work very well.

Get several pairs, once you use one, you will find many more uses.

8

Backshop has several configurations for these. They are well made and robust, not nearly as flimsy as using the KD springs. I use them to light the marker lights on my cabeese and for lighting my passenger cars. Since they pick up well from both sides of the truck, I have little to no flickering lights. Great product and he has nice light bars at a reasonable price.

pharmd

9

gregc

I use a home made copy of the Roundhouse pickups pictured here:

The Roundhouse pickups are discontinued but it is easy to cut out the basic shape from sheet brass. I will admit that mine aren’t quite as pretty as the originals.

The limitation with these is that you are only picking up power from four wheels of the eight available. In that respect, the Backshop units are better for obvious reasons, but mine really meet the requirement for “cheap” [swg].

In any case you will need metal wheels with metal axles. I use Bachmann 33" #42904’s. Only one wheel is insulated so they might not work with the Backshop pickups. Their website says that you need wheel sets with both wheels insulated, although I don’t quite understand why. I can’t see what problem a live axle would cause. Maybe somebody can correct me.

Dave