Is there a link to how to use this forum i.e. search for a specific topic rather than start a new one?
I’m lookin for lessons learned info, videos, etc on installing can motors in an old pfm brass loco and I can’t get specifics. Very frustrated. ANY help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
I was expecting to see a 1966 Beatles movie…
One thing that does HELP is to have a topic heading that might guide the reader into understanding the context of the thread.
“Need help with forum search”
…Might be a better heading?
Most here agree that a Google search usually brings up better results than the forum’s “Search The Community” function. Which, actually isn’t much of a function at all.
site:http://cs.trains.com help
If you Google “help” you get about three billion-forty million hits.
If you Google “cs.trains help” that narrows it doen to 72,100 hits.
use the minus key to exclude words from the search.
Good Luck, Ed
Gidday, using Google search, I type in cs.trains installing can motors into brass locomotives, and got this…
Yes, the forums search function is rather[banghead][banghead]
Good luck with your search.
Cheers, the Bear.[:)]
Edit. Yellow Submarine was my favourite, Ed.
What Ed said.
The Search the Community thing on the right column is not worthy. It will list every comment (not thread), in reverse chronology, that includes anything in your search. No relevancy worth a darn. Awful. But free, so no (minimal) complaining.
EDIT: here’s a google search via “site:cs.trains.com can motor install in pfm loco”:
Here’s the same search with Edge (Windows 10 IE). I used to conclude Google was better but have not compared lately:
That search prefix may not be optimal, so I request that someone chime in with the optimal approach, which I can not remember. I had the perfect lead-in as one of my Google bookmarks but lost it when I had to reload my PC.
Nonetheless, using “Search the Community” (right side of the screen on these forums/scroll down) and using “can motor” and PFM as search terms came up with nearly 345 entries - which sounds too daunting to track down but many of those hits are to the same thread. Still, laborious perhaps, but some of the thread titles look promising (yet another reason to give new threads useful and relevant titles).
Where I would search rather than for things on the Forums is the index of model rr periodicals under “resources” on the top of the screen. YOu can refine your search to include only those magazines you have access to.
Using that index I found an article in the September 2012 issue of MR by Ken Robbins on how to install a can motor (and make other improvements) to a Pacific Fast Mail brass 2-8-2, and I’d have to think his techniques and suggestions would be useful to just about any brass loco remotoring, in particular PFM.
Dave Nelson
Welcome.
What is your mechanical experince like?
Some years ago I wanted new motors and better gears for a couple locos so I went and ordered motor and gear planning documents from NWSL.
Bought a dial caliper for measuring and did a lot of research before the Internet came around.
http://www.nwsl.com/nwsl-online-catalog.html
Also sent an email to Dave, the owner.
Did a Google search for pfm loco motor replacement parts.
http://cwrailman.com/Remotoring%20Clinic/Brass%20Repowering.pdf
http://shastasprings.com/repower/guide_to_repowering_and_regearing.htm
There is more out there but try the same kind of search. The search function here is somewhat useless. I doubt The Powers That Be really care or do not have the funds to pay a programmer.
Sometimes I use Google and include trains.com in the search and better results if something was posted here.
Search You Tube.
Rich
I just Googled brass locomotive motor replacement, and got a lot of places and info to get started with.
Anything that starts with cs.trains.com, will lead you back to here. Images also gives some places to go. Heres the first one on the list starting with cs.trains.com.
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/t/208464.aspx
Mike.
EDIT: I guess you’ll have to copy and paste, as I forgot the long involved process that it takes to post a live link from the forums, back to the forums.
I’m trying to learn how to make MR Forum links clickable so here goes:
Paul, go to page two of threads in General discussion, there is a thread, Posting a hyperlink to another thread within this forum, by BMMECNYC that gives the process.
I should’ve looked at it before I posted, I would have gotten right.
But, then again, I just tried it again, and it didn’t work. [|(]
Oh well, copy and paste.
Mike.