Références du modèle - Model reference:

Proto 1000 # 239738 (BC Rail # 30)

Rayon minimum possible - Minimum possible radius:

R1.

Description:

Profitant d'une aubaine chez l'un de nos fournisseurs favoris au Québec, j'ai acheté cet autorail à 50 % du prix habituel. Cela faisait quelques années que je me posais la question de savoir si ce modèle Proto 1000 pouvait être converti pour circuler sur des voies Märklin. Voici la réponse ...

I took the opportunity of a 50 % discount to buy this railcar at one of our favorite hobbyshop in Quebec. I was wondering for years if that Proto 1000 model could be converted to run on the Märklin system. Here is the answer ...

Liens - Links:

Life-Like/Proto (Walthers)

Uhlenbrock

Photos - Pictures:

BC Rail RDC's # 30 and 31 at Lillooet, BC, in July 1997

BC Rail RDC's at Seton Lake, BC, in July 1997

Les .

There was a good news and a bad news. The good news was that it would be easy to install a decoder as reported on Bevis King's website or on Tony's Train Exchange page. The bad news was that is would not be easy to install the slider on the unpowered truck.

Anyway, I have found a way to solve this problem. The problem was that the bottom cover of the truck comes almost flush with K-Track turnout pukos. So it was not possible to add a slider below it as there was no clearance enough.

My option was then to put the slider inside the truck and remove the bottom cover. Of course, I had to proceed with some modifications of the truck and its components. In order to put the slider inside the truck, a new support had to be patented and the upper part of the slider modified as shown on the first picture.

Two Evergreen strips have been cut to make the new support. A small screw holds the assembly as it can be seen on the two next pictures.

Les .

In the meantime, I had filed the dents of the two wheels sothat they should not interfer with the slider inside the truck.

Les .

Both halves of trucks are hold together by screws. The inside of the unpowered truck is empty. Bottom cover is needed to hold the truck sideframes, but I have found a solution for this because I had the intention to do not use the cover anymore.

Here are some pictures of the unpowered truck prior any modification. One sideframe has been removed.

Les .

I had installed the slider assembly into the truck. Prior this, I had soldered a wire to the slider and bored a hole in one of the truck four legs to let it go outside (orange wire on the pictures).

The slider assembly was attached to the truck by means of two screws that you can see on the lateral face of the truck.

Both truck ends have been carved a little bit sothat the slider can move without interference. Wheel axles have been filed more than you can see on the above picture to avoid to much rubbing on the slider springs. At last, I have bored two holes in one leg each side of the truck to let the sideframe interconnexion wire (red) go through them.

Les .

I have then cut the bottom cover in order to save both sides with their legs and clips as you can see on the picture.

Les .

Surprisingly, both remains of the bottom cover can hold their position without any gluing. I just had to carve their inner side to make room for the slider. I did some preliminary tests on a K-Track turnout and it worked even if the limit was reached when the higher pukos pushed the slider against the truck body. This was less critical on C-Track turnouts.

Pictures show the completed slider installation .

Les .

Original components were removed from PCB and Uhlenbrock 76400 decoder was installed. Jumpers were soldered at the place of diodes D4 and D7. D4 jumper was installed on the solder side sothat it would not interfer with decoder installation.

A 560 Ohm resistor replaced the original 300 Ohm (this new value was calculated for the LED's under a 15 VDC supply). This is totally similar to a DCC conversion up to this point.

Les .

Kadee # 5.

Then came the first test on a C-Track circuit ...

... But both lights didn't work ! I had supposed that the blue wires were the negative. A quick measure with my multimeter proved me the contrary. So I inverted wires of the lights at both sides at it worked fine then.

Les .

Running test report :

The powered wheels had the tendency to slip when slider was on an elongated turnout. But wheels were a little bit greasy due to factory overoiling of powered truck. After cleaning, things were going much better on C tracks but the RDC still slips on K track elongated turnouts if running at low speed due to higher pukos and limited slider clearance. I think that adding some weight could help. I will do this later.

On C-Tracks :

On K-Tracks :