# Finally figured out how HLW Sparky comes apart.



## on30gn15 (May 23, 2009)

Hey Y'all;

Ordered a Hartland Locomotive Works Orange Sparky electric 0-4-0 steeplecab with pantograph.

Runs well on Bachmann indoor track.
Cab lights up bright. 

Plastic has enough paint to prevent that radioactive glow look.

A little bit of gear grind, so what - sounds just like a lot of real ones are reported to have.









Finally figured out how HLW Sparky comes apart.

1. Motor block snaps into bottom at one end, other held by flat rectangular tab hook. Tab snap is freed much like I once heard someone say about correcting a horse, "brute force applied gently", although in this case with assistance of a medium sized flat screwdriver.
"Brute force applied gently" is also the means by which motor block is reinstalled.

1.1 Brass tube rises from motor block through hole in floor/frame almost to cab roof: light bulb extends from end of tube

2. Cab held by 2 screws, diagonally opposite from each other and partially obscured by motor block.

2.1 Two fairly hefty slabs of metal weights are retained by tabs in cab end walls. Weights fall free when cab removed. 

3. Hoods lift off with each pivoting toward front where rectangular flat hook goes through slot in floor/frame. Hoods have tabs under cab end walls - hoods cannot be removed before cab is removed.

4. Cab roof lifts off after lens castings removed. Push lens castings out by pushing on long rod projecting into cab.

5. Pantograph held on by bolt in from top with nut underside cab roof.

6. Windows slide/snap into slots inside cab molding. Black frame on side window and window glazing are 2 parts: frame molded in a fairly flexible plastic

7. Number boards on hood ends are press fit with pin on board into hole in hood end

8. "Air tank" looking things on deck; handrails; couplers; each have tabs each end snap into slots in floor/frame molding


A.)trivia - appears floor/frame molded out of green plastic then painted black. Cab molded out of red then painted orange.

B.)trivia - headlight diameter about 10mm
I plan to replace each headlight's plastic rod with one 5mm LED or 2x 3mm LED.

later,
Forrest


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## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

I ordered one of those little critters just yesterday afternoon, from WholesaleTrains.com 

I'll be running it on my Whiskey Hollow Shortline (barrel layout that I created some years ago before Hartland came out with their own version).


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## on30gn15 (May 23, 2009)

There's now photos here http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/...20project/


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Shouldnt be any gear grind, might want to check and make sure there enough lube on those gears


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## on30gn15 (May 23, 2009)

Ah, maybe that was wrong word to use, more like a whine than grind - it is within the range of what I'd call normal, much like an old, 1970-1980 Athearn HO diesel.


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