i have looked for videos oonupgrading old cabmotored big boys to DCC nothing in depth is out there, i figure RRMEL is is i your wheelhouse. anyone have a video or done the conversation?
Who made them, are they the same manufacturer? What motor is in them? Makes a big difference.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
hey mel they would be cab motored rivarossi big boys between 1967 1980 & the motors would be original equipment.
Does the engine run well in DC? Do you want sound?
The DCC wiring for a Rivarossi Big Boy would be the same as my Rivarossi Cab Forwards and AC-9s. A word of caution about the older Ricarossi motors, they draw a lot of current so go with at least a 1½ amp decoder. They normally draw close to 1 amp at 80% throttle, locked rotor is over 1½ amps. I have remotored all of my Rivarossis with can motors.
I haven’t done a Big Boy (I’m an SP nut) but the wiring should be the same as my drawing. Click to make larger.
I use the 8 pin NMRA size connectors for all of my steam. I make my own micro connectors from Micro Header Connectors off eBay.
I use a 7 pin connector between the boiler shell and the frame so that the shell can easily be removed for maintenance.
No video, but you can follow Mel’s advice, or see http://www.wiringfordcc.com/hrbigboy.htm
I replaced the motor in an old Rivarossi Big boy and installed a decoder in the cab. I followed the advice above for wiring.
From what I could find on the Internet, there is the pre-1974 square motor and post-1974 round motor. The round motors of the post-74 models, if they are the same as the other Rivarossi’s of the time, were quite good. I have a Heisler and a Mallet that have their original round can motors and they still run great. As mentioned by Mel, they do draw up a bit of current, but a 1 amp non-sound decoder should work fine with it. I put in low cost MRC decoders and they have been running for years on them. But if you want sound, you will need a lower amp motor. I have never encountered the older 60s to early 70s motor, but I remember reading that they did not perfom very well. But hey, that was about 60 years ago…
Simon
I have 12 Rivarossi SP Cab Forwards, 4 Rivarossi SP AC-9s (kitbashed Cab Forwards) and 6 Y6Bs. I kitbashed two Y6Bs into AC-3 Cab Forwards, two into SP MC-1s and two are still Y6Bs.
Of my 22 Rivarossi articulateds I bought one Cab Forward new in the box (1989) and one was a gift from a RR Buddy, 20 were clunkers bought at either the Bakersfield yearly Train Show or off eBay.
I really enjoy restoring Rivarossi articulateds. All of them look and run better than new out of the box. I have remotored all of my Rivarossis, currently I’m redoing them for dual motors. I build up a new brass frame that excepts two either Canon EN22 or Mabuchi SF-266 motors.
https://melvineperry.blogspot.com/2014/08/august-9-2014-remotoring-rivarossi-cab.html
That said several of the Y6Bs had melted cabs from the Rivarossi motor over heating, square and round motor. All of them were factory, no mods. I don’t have any idea what heated up the motor but that was enough for me that I decided to remotor all of them with can motors. 15 years ago the Y6B shells showed up on eBay quite often.
Wow, i will start looking for a new motor for my Mallet!