As you may know from other posts, I really wanted to run more Italian stock on my Marklin lay-out. So I had to proceed with some modification of other brands, mostly DC. Here are a few results.

Roco 43501 - E626



I love this loco and had to have it. This is an older model I got from E-bay. The middle bogie of this Bo'Bo'Bo' locomotive is driven and the two outer ones are idle. I had to take it apart and "mill
my way through to install the pick-up shoe. The removal of material was significant and may weaken the area (it's all plastic). I also had to "superglue" all together since the several opening and closing actions (I was trying it out and taking it apart again because it was not working) "relaxed" the snapping action to close the bogie. This is how it looks from underneath.



As I mentioned, this is an old design. The motor is still a five pole but has very old lights etc. My next project is replace all the lights but I have to build my own PCB. Here is a look inside.



You may notice as on the right I am experimenting with the plastic support for the lights. This is not still good enough and I have decided to design my own PCB with the contacts for two light bulbs (one lights the "white" and one lights the "red" lights).

Locomotive runs now nicely, it is fitted with a Lenz decoder (I had a few of them).


Roco 43453 - D345



This Diesel engine has both bogies driven. Since I did not want to eliminate that, I decided to put the pick-up shoe in the first car following the loco. Now the two are connected by a visible red wire but I plan on using current counducting coupling and eliminate this wire. Re-wiring was required (the wheels to common ground and the pick-up now connected to one wheel input). Loco had a NEM 652 socket
but very little space inside for the decoder. I went on milling an area for it only to discover that the instructions indicate that you can put the decoder in one of the two driving compartments (by eliminating the interior plastic detail). I think I have a better solution and if you use a Loksound decoder it should be even smaller and require less millingg. This loco is without the additional detail (still in the box). The loco runs very well at all speed ranges, motor is very quiet and decoder works well.


Roco 63632 - E636



This articulated lodo is one of my favourites. The two outer bogies are driven and the middle is idle so I located my pick up shoe there. No major modifications required, only a small screw to fix the shoe.



Also here I had to re-wire the connection (to make it easy, I connected the pick-up shoe with the catenary pick-up and selected that mode of operation). Loco has a NEM 652 connection so I had only to plug-in the decoder. There is space inside the locomotive for it. The loco does not yet have the additional details installed. I really like how this loco drives, it has good power and very silent operation. It is nice to see it around curves with the articulated design.


Roco 69890 - E444



This is actually and AC design directly from Roco and comes already equipped with decoder.


Vitrains 2002 - E464



I got this locomotive from Eurolokshop (http://www.tee-usa.com/). Also here, the process of adding a pick-up shoe was not too difficult. Both bogies are driven but there is enough space inside to allow for a small screw (I shortened one to only 2-3 mm). I then re-wired the power and installed a loksound decoder on the NEM 652 socket. This is how it looks.



Locomotive runs very well, has some very bright lights and a silent five pole motor.


Roco 63949 - D350



This is one of the "hobby" locos (Roco calls it Playtime) but was ok to do some experimenting. Actually, it does not run too well, the pick-up shoe is maybe to big and gets stuck on crossings etc. I will have to work a bit more but, due to the limited quality and "cheap" design, is not one of my priorities. Plus, I have a Marklin DB 216 that has the same design.

Next projects..I may want another (newer) E 626 (I am scouting the Italian and German E-bay sites) and maybe a E 636 in the two-tone maroon color (the castano-isabella). I also have on order the Roco 63854 in AC digital.. here is a pic



After that.. I should be OK with my italian stock.

Ciao

Mario

Very impressive, Mario. Thanks for sharing. Were any of the locs originally DC?

Hi Mario, all

I think you can find these models interesting for your Italian collection :


Vitrains Minuetto, originally DC, easily converted to AC with Brawa pickup shoe and Lokpilot decoder. I added also internal lighting and brighter headlights.


Hornby Rivarossi E656, originally DC, easily converted to AC with Marklin pickup shoe and Lokpilot decoder



ACME E402A, originally DC, easily converted to AC with Hag pickup shoe and Lokpilot decoder, cool white LEDs replaced by warm white LEDs.

And eventually..


Shuttle train with Marklin E424 (37242) with ACME regional coaches, home made lighting with current conducting couplers.

All tested on K and C rail, not on M rails.
Thanks to Alberto and Piero for the pictures
kindest regards

(another) Mario

Mario,

Thanks.. I have those on order as I have also this set from Eurolokshop:



I will try to find the Rivarossi E656. Did you put the pick-up shoe in the middle as I did in my Roco E636?

Ciao

Mario

yes, it's very easy.
I didn't buy the bilevel coaches as there were not so positive comments about running quality. It looks like another small company is making them and should be delivered shortly. I'm waiting.
ciao

Mario

Benny,

Yes, sometime you have to remove material or become creative in the way you install the shoe. This was the case with the Roco 43501 "E 626" where I had to cut a large slot in the bottom cover of the bogie and install the pick-up shoe inside. This picture shows the original bogie (it is still like this at the other end):



While here you can see a detail of the extensive re-work



This sometime affects the stregth of these plastic parts but usually they have enough left to do the job.

As fas as the shoes, I am not aware of any that has a smaller "compacting" space. The problem is that the shoe has to keep it's springg effect to go over the crossings without loosing contact. I thought about building a "home made" one but there is not much you can do to compact more the shoe. Of course, you can use different lengths, I used a couple of 7164 as well.

Mario

Hi Mario,

Thank you for your instructive reply.
(Edited: also for your last two locs)
I realize that material has to be removed underneath the body (steamer) and bogie (el-loc). My two items are made of some kind of metal, and it seems that by using hand held tools, things can easily go very wrong, so I am trying to figure out what tools would do the job.

Showing as is. The outside limits (wheel sides) for the groove to be milled are marked on the bogie only


p.u. shoes just laid on top for display

Ciao Mario,

As you can see from the pics, I have all C track

Mario