I purchased one of these monsters used awhile back, threw it on some snap-track with 18"r curves and let it run for a couple hours. No problems, it ran fine in DC. I’ve taken a little break in my cab-forward project to play around with some of my other locomotives and identify any problems. When it came time for the Y-6B, it started off smooth and slow. I had 9 40’ cars trailing (free rolling wheels) and noticed the engine not wanting to get any type of speed. It was running smooth, but I also noticed it appeared to have a steam leak, as it was putting off some smoke along the length of the boiler. I’m sure it was not designed like this. I dove in to find the source and discovered two things. There are lots of plastic parts that only snap into holes, which is good. The next is that this thing is a pain to get apart, mostly because of the screw under the sand dome (only until you find it). The interior is pretty much taken up with the drive system and pot metal capsule. This is pretty light for its size and would dramatically help tractive effort if it were heavier. Has anyone tried making one out of lead, or put lead plugs into this capsule? How many cars are you pulling with yours on flat track or grades before a lack of weight is an issue?
Smoke? Smoke comming from a model train is a bad thing…could have something to do with running it on 18" radius. It is possible that the drivers are being stressed, and in turn, the motor has to work very hard.
David B
One of the ongoing complaints on the P2K Y6b was its lack of tractive effort for an locomotive of its size. Unfortunetly theres probably not enough room in the boiler to add enough weight to give anything like prototype performance.
And then theres the older Paragon and new Paragon2 series of Y6bs from BLI which having a die cast metal boiler weighting 2lbs and have Traction tires on the rear drivers of both front and rear engine will just about pull the studs out’of your walls, BLI has also included 2 spare non traction tired wheel sets for those that do not wish to use traction tires
Although I do not intend to make a habit of it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d43t-ms3yJI
Not really. These things were designed to run on tight radii. They have both front and rear engines articulated, essentially turning that 18"r into a 36"r. It works great, as the swing out on the front engine is greatly reduced on curves even though the rear engine swings out as well. I also have a H-8 set up this way and it handles those tight curves like a champ. This is just a track I throw together on the floor to watch some trains go round and test them. After looking at this thing, I believe the issue is a cold joint where the pickup wires from the engines connect to the pc board. They are not soldered and need some cleaning up.
I noticed that there is no room left in the shell after this pot metal capsule is in there. I was thinking in either drilling some holes and plugging them with lead, which is the easier task but with less weight added, or making a mold of the original and making one out of solid lead. This will take alot more effort, but if the results are what is needed then it would be worth it. I’ll do a displacement test and see what the difference between the alloy and lead would be. The good thing is that the weight would be centered over both engines. If I go this route, I can probably be conned into making a couple for anyone else looking for one. First things first I guess, let me see how much weight will be added.
Big difference in weight between this alloy and lead. Replacing both upper and lower pieces will take the alloy (at 8.67 oz) to 15.57oz in lead. That nearly doubles the weight of the casting. While this thing is in pieces I think I’m going to go ahead and make a casting of it and go for it.
I don’t understand why mfgr’s don’t put more weight in the loco and motorize the tenders for additional tractive effort?
Did it look like there were any loose wires?? My 2-8-8-2 ran great for a while then died, in researching why I found out many early ones had an improperly done solder joint which caused a connection to come loose over time. As you say, the body is apparently pretty packed so in my case I suspect the wire was held in place long enough for the engine to run OK for a while but eventually disconnected and stopped. I wonder if a loose wire might be touching something causing a short or something??
BTW I haven’t tried re-soldering it myself, partly out of laziness plus (as you note) it’s apparently a bear to get taken apart!!
I’m sure that has everything to do with that heavier metal. Lead is the best, but there is no company out there that will mess with it. Haven’t you heard the media blitz on all the kids toys? Such n such a toy has 1ppm of lead in the paint on an eyeball, and then the national recall and those uncaring chinese. What would happen with a pound of lead in what’s considered a childs toy? I’m sure there are metal alloys that are heavier than what they are using but cost comes into play. Don’t get me wrong, lead is really not good for anyone, but it also has properties that make it ideal for certain things. Depleted uranium is pretty dense as well, but I cannot seem to find any laying around
That’s what I’m suspecting is the problem. I have got mine all the way apart (aside from the drivers) but think you can actually get to the problem spot fairly easy. Under the dome is a phillips screw. Pull it and the top half of the boiler should come off, revealing the pc board.
P2K Y6B (2-8-8-2) ???
The P2K model is not a Y6b, it is a Y3, or if delivered to or owned by someone otherr than the N&W, simply a USRA 2-8-8-2, or maybe a Chesapeake on some railroad that used the C&O name for that wheel arrangement - but it’s not a Y6b.
Y6b’s have outside bearing lead trucks, Delta trailing trucks, large streamlined tenders, just to name a few of the differences.
As for lead, the two BLI 2-8-2’s I just took apart and kit bashed both have lead weights and I installed more lead as well.
Sheldon
You’re just looking in the wrong place.
Try Iraq or Afghanistan.
Or wait a few weeks for the two-fer-one sale in Iran…
I got several of these for my N&W and Virginian applications, and added weight pretty easily, and they all run and pull well. I really miss P2K. I was able to accurately depict several different classes by changing around the generous supply of parts that came with the undec versions without having to spend thousands of dollars on brass prototypes. I called Proto and they even sent me the parts to convert the short tenders to long and wouldn’t accept any money. The long gone good old days.
I had understood that only PCM and Rivarossi had made non-brass Y6b engines in HO. Bachmann had made a 2-6-6-2 and P2K Heritage the Y3 class.
-Crandell
Here is a link to a thread by Dr. Wayne on another message board. You have to join to see the pictures but it’s well worth it and it’s also free. He shows in depth how he modified Athearn Light Mikado’s which were notoriously bad pullers. Ok before the posting police jump me no it’s not a Y6 or a Y3 but what he illustrates is not only is added weight important but where the weight is located make more of a difference.I have four Proto Y3’s and I am not brave/foolish enough to start taking them apart, like Dirty Harry said “a man’s got to know his limitations” I’ll leave that up to the repair guy at the LHS do do. But what I have found that makes a world of difference on those locomotives is Bull Frog Snot on the drivers. I have no idea whats in that stuff but it does work.
Check out Dr. Wayne’s piece it’s pretty much exactly what your talking about with some mods that are unique to the Athearn frame but the general premise is the same.
Here is an interesting reference to how to access the boiler, and details on the electrical fault.
http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/loconews/wp2k_heritage_2882.htm