# Aristo Revo in a F7 Covered Wagon



## harvey (Dec 30, 2008)

After sitting on the shelf for over three years I decided to get some power in to my CPR F7 A-B-A units.
I'm not sure if it's just ME or does everyone who takes a locomotive apart find that at least one screw has the Phillips head stripped. I seem to find this in just about every engine. It must be some assemblers sick humor. As it happens in this case the existing body to chassis attachments will only be reused at the ends. I Will have to make new ones at each end of the fuel tank as I won't be able to use the existing ones due to the wiring changes I'm making. 
I decided to put all the control switches in the fuel tank ends together with the speaker. By doing this I can completely wire the chassis with the fuel tank attached and then mount the body with only the lights being on a plug.
So this was this afternoons effort, hopefully more to come soon.
I did all this recently in a Bachmann 2-6-0 tender, so having all this space is somewhat of a dream.
I've removed the smoke system and I think they'll stay removed. When engines get out into the yard I don't want to be chasing them to see if the fluid has run out, it's enough just keeping the switches aligned.










I had to take the side frame off to get to this screw, but it was coming off anyway to remove the track pick up and associated wiring.
While they were off I painted the silver wheels black. I'll do the inside of the wheels when I do an upside down test run!










To gut or not to gut? this was the question.










The fuel tank removed. Only two screws and two dowels!! I'll need to improve on that when assembly starts.










To gut, was the answer.









Just look at all this room.










The start of assembly.










I think I'll paint the styrene supports green as some parts can be seen through the port holes.
I will add more as I do more.
Cheers.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I assume you are going to reinstall the front weight? 

Are you abandoning the smoke units? 

What was your decision about the lights? There are those bicolor leds in the front. The headlight and backup light may need rewiring too, due to commons being on the minus side. 

Regards, Greg


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## harvey (Dec 30, 2008)

Hello Greg,
The weight has been reinstalled and what a weight it is.
Yes I know the lights need to be rewired and I planned to do that. I'm just not sure what to do about the green/red marker lights. I'll see if I can figure something out other than installing two independent lights.
Although I have the smoke units out I'll probably reinstall them just so I don't loose them. At the moment I just need to make sure everything is going to fit with enough clearance for the smoke units. If not, they stay out.
As I mentioned previously I have to reposition the chassis to body attachments in the area of the fuel tank so I can leave the fuel tank attached.
Cheers.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

A tip: you can actually remove the chassis without removing the side frames, a long, thin philips will go between the sideframe and the motor block to catch those screws. 

On the bicolor leds, you could put in a small relay, and trigger it from the backup light, wire the relay (DPDT) so it reverses the polarity to the LEDs. 

Regards, Greg


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## harvey (Dec 30, 2008)

Well with regards to the lights, especially the marker lights, I've had a few comments from members of this site and also a friend of mine who happens to be an electrical engineer. To them the solution is simple, to me it's still an enigma. I did try using the trigger from the train engineer and this worked fine, but I was powering off the headlight so as soon as I changed direction I had no power.
What I did to resolve this and to get these F units off the work bench I installed a 3mm red and green LED next to each other. The green is powered for forward motion and the red for reverse. I know there is probably a little more wiring, but it works!
The number lights are on when the battery power is on and stay on no matter what direction the engine is going. The headlight is on when moving forward. So this is the way it is and will probably stay.
I had a problem with the Phoenix sound system and finally sent it back. It was a PB9 and is being replaced by a P8. I also ordered another P8 for the other A unit. From what I can gather there is a potential problem with running the PB9 sound system with the Crest lithium battery power pack. Hopefully the two new P8's work ok.
This is a photo of the LED shelf for the front of the cab.



















Green Marker Lights










Red Marker Lights.

These are a couple of pictures of the cab details I included.



















Cheers.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Nicely done, Harvey. I like the cab detail and your solution with the LED's. They look great.









Enjoy...


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm a little confused.. The classification lights were one bicolor led and the led stuck out of the shell. Did you recess your red and green lights and make a light pipe? I'm sure you did not drill 2 holes in place of the one original one. 

Regards, Greg


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## harvey (Dec 30, 2008)

Hello Greg,
The original classification lights are as you know, a single 5mm bicolour light. I did buy a DPDT relay complete with a base as you previously suggested, but I didn't have a clue what to do with it. The simplest way for me was build a new platform with the number light LED's on the underside and the classification Red/Green on the upper side. I did not change the USA Trains installed lens at the front, but placed both a Green and Red 3mm LED side by side on each side of the locomotive. The mounting for the LED's was drilled at 30 degree angle so they would both point at the lens in the body. The tip of the LED's are approximately 3mm from the lens and with the light intensity it's impossible to determine that there are actually two bulbs per lens.
I hope that sort of explains it.
On the number lights, which I have on all the time, I had to place two strips of 0.010" styrene in front of the LED to defuse the light somewhat. This worked very well as previously there was a intensely bright spot in the middle of the number board.
I should add that the 5mm LED now in the head light is incredible and certainly cannot be missed. Also, I had to mask the inside of the headlight, as when running in reverse with the headlight out there was a red glow in the lens from the defused light caused by the red classification lights.
Cheers.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Great, thanks for the explanation, sounds like a good solution. I'm glad it turned out well. 

Maybe shoot a picture of the loco all assembled for us all to enjoy? 

Regards, Greg


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## harvey (Dec 30, 2008)

These are a couple of pictures with the F units running together, for the first time!
You will notice on #1404 the number lights are on all the time (as they are on #1402) the green marker lights are on with the headlight and when the headlight is out the red marker lights are on. As they should be I guess.
The trailing A unit now has a Phoenix sound system installed, a P8 and I'm having problems with it. Phoenix are working with me to get this resolved before I install another one in the lead A unit. It seems I can't get the triggers working from the Revo receiver for the horn and bell.
I haven't installed the steps and hoses yet on the A units, as the body has yet to come off again, and I think we all know how delicate these are.






























Cheers.


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## adelmo (Jan 2, 2008)

H Harvey

What type of roadbed do you have on paver planter?

Nice article too!

Alan


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## harvey (Dec 30, 2008)

Hi Alan,
Thanks for your comments.
The paver planters have sheet shingles cut to the inner and outer radius of the curve. They're in segments of course and attached with black roofing compound. The planter stones are glued on the outer edge only, this gives me a slight super elevation around the curve. When the right-of-way enters the back yard again I have the same road bed glued to 3/4" P.T. plywood. The shingling overhangs the plywood by 1,1/2" and as it settles it hides the plywood. It's been in place just over a year now and already it has curved over the plywood in most locations.
Cheers.


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