# My first Accucraft live steam locomotive is almost here.



## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

It has been a struggle, but if things go according to plan, I should be picking up my new Accucraft 4-4-0 live steamer this evening.

UPS tried to deliver to my home (at 2 p.m.), but I'm at work and they required a signature to deliver. (I hate it when that happens.)

The UPS website said they will try 2nd delivery tomorrow. Guess what. Same old story. Nobody will be home to sign for it.

Called up UPS and they will hold the package for pick-up tonight at the local shipping depot (9 miles away). They are open until 8:30 pm.

I'm excited. It's been 4 years since my last live steam purchase.


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Soon you will hooked. Welcome to the dark side. There is no turning back (to sparkies) for you my friend.

Those Accucraft are good runners. You will be happy with that one.

Post some pics of your run.


Bob


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

MY 4-4-0 is my favorite locomotive, and a great performer. You might want to email Cliff with the serial # to get the updated wrist pin and rods kit, free of charge. 

Larry


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

It has arrived. No running yet. UPS held my package hostage until 8:30 pm. I was lucky. The guy ahead of me never got his package. UPS screwed up.

By the time I got home and unwrapped the model and partially assembled the fittings, the only energy I had left was to snap a couple of flash photos of my new loco.



















The packaging from Accucraft is very good. Virtually childproof!









Any suggestions for the best R/C servos and receiver/transmitter?


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## zephyra (Jan 2, 2008)

Depends how many channels you want. The Spektrum DX7 is outstanding, noise free and has plenty of channels - it is designed for aircraft but easy to adapt. The Spektrum ground systems are typically three channels (steering, speed, forward/reverse) but have the advantage that they are compatible with the new Spektrum telemetry systems which allow you to moniotr all sorts of things like temperature and spped remotely....


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Congrats Sailor Don
Next time you cometo Steve's maybe John Frank will have his 4-4-0 there. It is r/c equipped. The 4-4-0 that was therethis past week is r/c controlled. You will have no probems


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

I was so wiped out last night around midnight as I was typing my last reply, that I didn't notice how truly bad my photos were. My apologies. 

A quick look inside the tender indicates a butane cyclindrical fuel tank mounted horizontally. It would appear as though the intention is to fill the surrounding volume with warm water to keep the butane as a gas as it travels through the connecting tube to the burners. Sort of like the AristoCraft live steam Mikado. I haven't read the instructions, so I might be all wrong on this.

My question is, where do you put the batteries and reciever for the Accucraft American 4-4-0? Does it require a "battery car" like battery operated G-gage?


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Sailor
Like I mentiond above last evening, Whenyou see how John and the oher guys have their batterisad r/c mounted you willsee how it is done. Thye mount the batteries under te top over the cab roof.
Takes a little manuevering to attach the batteries and r/c o underside of roof buthey get it done.


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes Don, you should have no problems. With a Spektrum radio set up you will also be able to run your #24 off the same transmitter. The nasty old glitches will be gone too. If it is under 100 degrees next Tue, you can come by and check it out.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

A Spektrum receiver is small enough to mount it in the cab. The battery pack can either be enclosed in a plastic bag and then live in the tender water bath, or you can make a small waterproof styrene tray inside the tender for them. I'll probably go the latter route when I get around to R/Cing my 4-4-0's. Velcro-ing them to the cab roof is also worth looking at.


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

I'll have to see other people's solutions to the R/C addition to this nice live steam model. The cab is sized so that servos are no problem, but add reciever and batteries, and I'm thinking there might be a shortage of space.

I'm only planning on R/C controls for throttle and direction, so I only need two channels on the reciever. That's 4 wires to run from reciever to servos. Has anyone "hidden" the wires under the tender and put R/C reciever (including antenna), and batteries in a "battery car"? I'm thinking about two 4 pin connectors. First connector between loco and tender and second between tender and "battery car".

I've already got the R/C connector design on my Sandy River #24. The factory installed R/C has connectors between the tender and the locomotive. That model has a dry compartment in the tender for batteries and R/C reciever.


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## johnsteam (Feb 16, 2008)

Two weeks ago picked up my 4-4-0 live steamer Nevada County. What a beauty. What I would like is a better way to add boiler water without depressurizing, like the Goodall valve, or a tire valve.


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

I haven't even had time to read the instructions yet. I guess then I will learn how to add boiler feed water. 

. 
There was nothing obvious unless you remove the safety valve assembly to "fill 'er up".








.
It would be a very good idea for me to learn how to fill the boiler with distilled water before I light the butane fire.


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Don, Cliff is at: [email protected] 

On my 4-4-0, I installed one of Bill Ford's water level detection units that includes the Goodall valve, in the top boiler fitting inside the cab. Unfortunately, I believe Bill is no longer making these. 

For a Goodall valve and pump bottle, try Norm Saley: [email protected] 

Enjoy your engine! 

Larry


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

I have enjoyed my first steam with The Colonel. 

For details, click here: *Steamin' with the Colonel*http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/aff/11/aft/111535/afv/topic/Default.aspx[/b]


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## 2flydropper (Feb 10, 2010)

hello sailor don,
I got my accucraft 4-4-0 in aug. 08 but didnt run it much until 09. Had problems with solder. Front truck came off and so did air pump. E-mailed Luscher. He said epoxy. Couldnt believe it but tried anyway. didnt work, soldered myself and then he admitted I wasnt the only one with this problem. Never said anything about side rod replacement kit. having some burner problems also but wont get into it here. Beautiful loco. Colonel Boone. Reason for post. Need to radio control throttle. Googled and ccame up with your mylarge scale disscusion from last Aug. How'd you make out. What did you do? Please email me at [email protected] if you want to respond.

2flydropper


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

No R/C yet. Give me another 6 months and ask again. No need to rush into these things.


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## dennisintexas (Jun 24, 2009)

As the one Gibs035 referes to as 'the other guys', I really enjoy my 4-4-0. I bought the cheapest Spectrum available, about $100 with no servos or battery pack. I put the battery pack in the space along with the butane tank by wrapping it with Saran wrap. That seems to keep it dry. I glued the receiver to the roof of the cab with Liquid Nails. It hasn't dropped off yet. The throttle servo ( a micro by Hitek) has the operating part sticking out the right hand back cab window and a connecter (from the rc shop) connecting it to the throttle. My reversing lever servo caused more problems then it was worth as I tend to just operate forward on Steve's track as welll as the Zube track, so I pulled it out. Reminder, on the 27th of Feb, we will be boiling water at Zube. Maybe triple head 4-4-0's. 

Dennis in Hiouston


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

Posted By dennisintexas on 10 Feb 2010 08:59 PM 
Reminder, on the 27th of Feb, we will be boiling water at Zube. Maybe triple head 4-4-0's. 

Dennis in Houston That sounds like a plan. I'm ready to steam!


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By SailorDon on 11 Feb 2010 10:47 AM 
Posted By dennisintexas on 10 Feb 2010 08:59 PM 
Reminder, on the 27th of Feb, we will be boiling water at Zube. Maybe triple head 4-4-0's. 

Dennis in Houston That sounds like a plan. I'm ready to steam!




Sailor Don, I believe Dennis and I pretty much did the same thing with the RC. Here are some pics of mine. The receiver is stuck to the cab roof. I did not take a pic of that. So far it has survived the heat. Rather than saran wrap, I used an RC plane fuel tank sawed in half to protect the battery in the tender. I turned the coal load piece over and reglued the coal to it on the reverse side and it fits pretty well. The coal is easily soaked off with water. The glue they use is water soluble. Dennis made a fake wood load to replace the coal on his. Tom Burns also has one of these so there are four in the Houston area. You can see the reversing servo sitting below the throttle one. I just made a small bracket to hold it. The Throttle one is screwed to the cab. I added a goodall valve which I bought at Diamondhead from Norm Saley.


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

The throttle looks like something I could do myself.

The reversing solenoid looks like a more difficult mounting.

I still have to buy the R/C stuff. I've been procrastinating.


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## bfindus (Aug 17, 2008)

Just to let you know, the Bill Ford water level detection system (WLDS) is back in limited production.
For more info visit website www.wldssystem.weebly.com or Email [email protected] 
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