# R/C components for my Forney live steam



## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

Could someone direct me to any suggestions for which components work well to R/C an Accucraft Forney. I rather not pay the partial assembly fees for a "system" instead preferring to buy and build the mounts, linkages, etc. or better yet if I could modify the components I have. 


I tried to use an R/C heli transmitter and servos, but the transmitter controls for the servos are both on one stick (the right hand stick controls the motors). Can the transmitter be modified to put one servo on each stick? I'm not concerned about the 72 mHz frequency.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm a little confused by your statement that "the transmitter controls for the servos are both on one stick." R/C helis generally have two gimbals, each capable of controlling two or more servos. Most live steamers I know have settled on the Spektrum R/C system. It's glitch-proof, can be purchased with 6 or 7 (or more) channels (more than we need), has more than adequate range, and uses very physically small receivers.


Most like the Spektrum *DX6i*. Shop around for price.


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

The right stick controls the servo for the blade pitch, back and forth, the same stick controls pitch, left and right. The left stick controls main rotor speed, front and back press on the stick and tail rotor motor, left and right on the stick. 

If the loco throttle could be 'reprogrammed' in the transmitter to the left stick and the johnson bar could be on the right, all would work fine.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

The gimbals control the channels on the receiver. The receiver doesn't care which servo is plugged into which channel. Simply plug the servo controlling the locomotive's throttle into the socket of the receiver controlled by the left stick fore-and-aft. You can also pop the back of the transmitter and remove the spring on the left gimbal's fore-and-aft so it isn't spring loaded return-to-center anymore. Plug the Johnson bar's servo into the channel you want and you're there.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Be concerned with the 72 MHz frequency. 
That is an air frequency in the USA and is illegal for ground use. 2.4 GHz is legal for air or ground use. 
The other problem with many 72 MHz R/C systems is that they "glitch" like crazy in some situations. A problem totally eliminated by 2.4 GHz systems.


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

Posted By TonyWalsham on 29 Jul 2011 06:09 AM 
Be concerned with the 72 MHz frequency. 
That is an air frequency in the USA and is illegal for ground use. 2.4 GHz is legal for air or ground use. 
The other problem with many 72 MHz R/C systems is that they "glitch" like crazy in some situations. A problem totally eliminated by 2.4 GHz systems.


What if I am modeling NYC elevated railroad?? Is that air or ground? ;-)

I seldom run on large layouts, or with other R/C, so interference and range are necessarily not an issue. 

I guess me trying to make chicken soup out of chicken droppings is senseless. I'll have to crack open the piggy bank for a "real" loco r/c.



I tried to pigtail onto the motor wiring to run a servo, the servo motor ran past it's limit.


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

Is this one of those little desk top fliers? or a "real" model helicoptor? 

if you use a desk top flier that came as a set with tranmitter, charger and heli all in one box, probably setting it up to run the locomotive is going to be more trouble than it is worth. 

If it is a real model heli and an off the shelf radio control system, it could be made to work. obviously you will have to control the loco with the same sticks that controlled the heli. you can choose which channel to plug the servos into to get the control working the way that makes sense to you. the notes about frequency legality and gitter still apply. 

You can make the sticks on the transmittler "rachet" by opening the transmitter, removing the centering springs on the stick, then adding some kind of "drag" to prevent the stick from moving on its own.


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Glitches are an issue with typical 72/75mHz stuff simply due to extraneous EMI generally associated and or realized of mechanical abrasion specifically metal to metal contact which is abundant in or of trains..... PCM and other intelligent digital Receivers have provided excellent results to tame EMI/RFI but the added expense takes the consideration over the top when you can purchase inexpensive 2.4gHz stuff. 

Michael


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

Okay all. Thanks. I'm back to base one and will have to bite the bullet and shell out the $300+ for the correct components.


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

Bunker, 

You can purchase a 2.4gHz system for under $50.00 at hobbyking.com as well as others. Add a couple of mini servos for $10.00 each, a battery and some miscellaneous bits of hardware and your good to go. 

Michael


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

Oh WoW! Thanks Michael. That supplier has some reasonable prices.


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## Steamer Bill (Nov 22, 2010)

I still think there is an unanswered question here.

Where in the cab of a Forney is there room for two servos, receiver, and batteries without hacking on the bunker tank. I have had a lot of feedback to use the Ruby mount that is sold, but the cab of the Forney is a whole lot smaller behind the burner.


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

There IS plently of room in the bunker. I am planning to contain the components inside with two small holes drilled to accomodate the linkage. The bunker screws will be dummies with small magnets glued to the bunker and floor to hold the box in place.

It should work.


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## Michael Glavin (Jan 2, 2009)

I’ve rigged several Ruby’s for others without benefit of the purpose built Ruby servo mounts offered. I didn’t care for the way the servos/mount blocked easy access to the burner for maintenance. I mounted the fwd/rev servo parallel to the Johnson bar and the throttle servo flat on its side on the cab floor under the needle valve. I used a micro RX and it’s in front of the Johnson Bar, battery is installed in the pseudo tanks surrounding the boiler wrapped in a heat resistant Nomex type woven insulator I use on copper tube for steam lines in the 1:1 world. That said the overall installation is quite compact compared to others I’ve seen. 

Sorry, I don’t have any pictures. 

Does anybody have pictures of the Forney cab, I've seen them but don't recollect the physical restraints. 

Michael


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

From this run Video:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/S8dEsqNIqfUmg-09qwdoJA?feat=directlink


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## bille1906 (May 2, 2009)

I have my Forney running on the $44 RC set with $3 servos from Hobbypartz.com. 
Both servos are in the bunker as well as the receiver and a four AA battery pack 
I first built a brass shelf midway up the bunker to support thr battery pack above the servos. The pack is held there with velcro to keep it from sliding off 
The servos are mounted to the floor with K&S brass strips. 
The reverse servo is connected directly to the Johnson bar where the factory rod goes in with music wire wrapped around the factory rod. remove the locking/detent screw 
You can actually stop here as the Forney valving is able to control speed through the johnson bar 
If you want to get a little more control on the speed, you can mount a second servo and use a bell crank to work the throtle. This is a little tricky but can be done. 
To easily remove the bunker, cut slots, rather than holes with a dremmel cut off wheel in the front of the bunker. I alse installed an on/off switch in the front of the bunker where it can't be seen 
I have some pictures I can post if anyone is interested


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

That was sort of how I was picturing the installation. I planned to keep the servo in the bunker with a shaft to the 'bell crank' under the throttle.

I did not know about speed control with the johnson bar though. Pix would be interesting, if not too much trouble.


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## bille1906 (May 2, 2009)

Here is a shot from the rear with the bunker removed. Sorry about the poor quality. Shot with an old iPhone


Side shot
Note that this shot shows the bell crank made from .040 music wire which had a little flex to it. The top photo is a later design with 1/16 SS rod which is stiffer

Here is the inside of the bunker. You can see the shelf which is just a bent piece of brass attached to the bunker with J B Weld
The receiver can't be seen but it is attached with velcro as is the battery pack. the blue tape is just to keep the wires away from the servos
The antenna is in the bunker and the transmission is fine
You can see where I had to cut some of the flange of the bunker to clear the servos


Here is a shot of the front of the bunker with slots cut for the control rods and the on/off switch installed. 
The bunker is attached using only two factory screws at the two corners which are easy to get to which makes the annual battery change a five minute process

One word of caution
The Forney is a delicately ballanced engine and adding the weight to the rear of it tends to make the little guy want to pop wheelies under certain circumstances. This can cause pilot wheel derailments and poot traction
Weight can be added under and actually inside the pilot and on top of the pilot wheel truck
Dave Hottmann has added a flywheel to the front driver made from 1" round brass stock which I copied here








Here is the weight I made. The pieces are just J B'ed together








And here it is installed. My pilot is hand made from mahagony so the fit may be different on the stock pilot










Well
That is about it except that I will probably build a small tool box to go on top of the pilot and fill it with lead to get even more weight up front
Dave was pulling about 8 or 10 Jackson Sharp or similar coaches on an oily track in Sacramento with his Forney while mine was slipping and sliding
Good Luck


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

Excellent shots. THANKS!! I'll definitely copy most of your installation


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

I GOT IT!!! 

I opened the transmitter tonight and found the potentiometers are all fitted with the same plug to fit into the board. I moved the one servo to the opposite stick and I now have one stick to control throttle and the other for forward/reverse. YEAH!! 

Next I will take Dwight's suggestion about the springs inside the TX and limit the side motion of the sticks. 

Thanks for the suggestions all.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Surely you could have done that by simply plugging the relevant servo into a different RX terminal, instead of messing with the TX internals?


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## steveciambrone (Jan 2, 2008)

With many of the new computer R/C transmitters the programing modes can be changed from Helicopter to Airplane. The airplane mode is easier to use for locomotives, since helicopter radios have mixing of the channels for what they need to do. A radio set to the Airplane mode would be defaulted with no mixing of controls. I use the Spektrum DX -7 for my latest R/C needs, Boats, Planes, and Trains. 2.4gHz is the way to go, control is rock solid with no interference. 

Steve


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

Posted By TonyWalsham on 07 Aug 2011 05:13 PM 
Surely you could have done that by simply plugging the relevant servo into a different RX terminal, instead of messing with the TX internals? 
I tried that first. It did not work. The plugs were different for one, and the servo and motor control are different for two. One runs the servo to the limit and stops, the other spun the servo past the limit 360 degrees.


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