Broadway Ltd Tech Tips
Broadway Hopper Coupler Pockets
Updated 6/21/2004
Tom M has determined that BLI hoppers will not accept Kadee coupler springs: If it has not been already noted, the Broadway H2A coupler pockets will not accept the Kadee #5/58 coupler spring. The pocket's design is not long enough. There are two pocket cover alignment
tabs in the way. Also, even if you could get the spring in (by milling the tabs out), it lacks adequate depth. As a result, the coupler will not pivot when the cover is screwed down.
Noisy Hudson
Updated 6/21/2004
We had a Hudson from the latest batch returned by a customer complaining of excessive noise when muted. We disassembled and
found the problem to be the forward motor stop. The motor had moved forward to this stop and pitched slightly upward. This caused the worm to rub on the inside of the gear box cover making noise. To solve the problem we installed a piece of small shrink tube over
stop. This prevented the forward motion of the motor just enough to solve the problem. Also there was no lubrication on the gear box. We had another loco with a noisy tender which also had no lube on tender.
Broadway Ltd Cab Forward Reset Switch
Updated 6/21/2004
As delivered the Reset Switch may be set incorrectly. The BLI Cab Forwards shipped last week. Some users have reported problems with programming and also loco returning to default address 3, when track power is re-cycled. Ogden learned the hard way what the problem was:
I have cured my problem of the BLI AC4 restarting with return to default settings. I programmed in a four digit address, 4100, but it always defaulted to ADD 3 after a power off shutdown. As delivered, the switch in the tender was set to the rear. This agrees with the information sheet supplied with the unit. However, when I called BLI Tech Support, they said that the switch should be in the forward position. ???? Setting the switch to the forward position cured the problem. So, if someone else has this problem, they might try the switch in both positions.
Front Coupler for BLI 2-8-2
Updated 6/21/2004
Kadee does not make a specific conversion for the BLI 2-8-2. We were able to convert with minor effort using a Kadee #4 or #13 that has a slotted shank and a small machine screw, a #080 or #1 will work. The coupler channel in the pilot has to be widened and a little milling under the pilot is needed.
Front Coupler Broadway M1A/B
Updated 6/21/2004
There is no suitable off the shelf front coupler conversion option for the Broadway PRR M1's. We thought we could easily fabricate one as we did for the 2-8-2, but we were wrong. There is significantly less area to work with and the front truck is much closer to the pilot. We were able to use the same method as the 2-8-2. Using a Kadee #4 or #13, that has a slotted shank, and a small machine screw (an #080 nylon to eliminate shorting), is best. The trick is to mount the screw far enough forward to clear the truck assembly, not much room for error. Though the job looks simple enough, it took us 2 hrs.
The M1B has more room.
Broadway M1 A&B Shorting Resolution
Some of the new BLI M1 A&Bs just released exhibited intermittent shorting such that the DC or DCC power source would shut down. We initially determined that by disconnecting the draw bar the short would be eliminated and that in some way the tender was responsible. Bob Liberman did some digging and determined that the volume control potentiometer was impinging on the top of the reset jumper assembly, thus causing a short. The remedy is to apply insulating tape to the bottom of the trim pot. A simple alternative to returning the loco.
Update:
"Saw the suggested fix for the volume pot shorting to the reset pins. Although the application of Kapton tape is a good one (we use Kapton tape extensively where I work), the insulation provided by the tape can be temporary. The speakers are vibrators and there is probably some slight added, hardly noticeable, vibration from the tender trucks when the locomotive is moving. The Kapton tape can wear through, especially if the parts of the volume pot and/or shorting plug have sharp corners. Yes, after applying Kapton tape to the pot on the tender on my M1, the short did reoccur after approx 15 minutes of running. The clearance between the pot and shorting plug can vary and in my M1, apparently, it is an interference fit and reinstalling the tender shell (with screws) put them in 'intimate' contact with each other so that the tape fix wore through. Being very careful, I was able to bend the shorting pins sideways approx 15 degrees to increase the gap between the pot and shorting plug. Have not had any problems since."
