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Just before Christmas, I installed a Spektrum RC system in my recently-acquired Accucraft Mich-Cal #2 Shay. As in my 3-cylinder Shay RC install, I used single-servo control; the reverse lever ONLY is moved by a servo, doubling as a throttle by how far the servo moves it in either direction. The manual throttle is simply used as a "master steam on-off valve"; opened a good amount for normal running, closed prior to lubricator draining or boiler blowdown. Since Mich-Cal #2 came with a predrilled holes in the "oil fuel tank"
& upper end of the reverse lever for a servo linkage, this made it relatively easy to do a "stealth"
RC installation...
The charge jack for the RC system battery is visible between the the "fuel" & "water" tanks, directly above the blowdown / trycock valve:
Since I'm a "second-shift" guy
, I frequently run late at night (or "wee hours"
of the morning!
), so working headlights are a MUST!
- I added BRIGHT
LED head & back-up lights, powered off the RC system battery (they also double to show that the RC system is turned on). The headlight reflector center holes were drilled out to a larger size to accomodate the LED's with my drill press.
- The negative lead of each LED is grounded to the loco's brass body, so only a single wire is required for power to them. I used solid (unstranded) copper telephone wire (#22, I believe), with black insulation for the power feed to the + LED leads. The solid copper wire can be bent to "stay in place" relatively easily; I dressed it along the front headlight bracket, down around & alongside the left side of the frame, & up into the tender tank at the rear...
- Since I've been an RC airplane buff
for years as well, I have a "well-stocked" RC component "junk box"!
After a bit of "rummaging" through it, I was able to find a much smaller-than-usual on-off switch with wiring harness & charge jack - which fit VERY NEATLY
in the gap between the fuel & water tanks!
- For a transmitter, I'm using a Spektrum DX7
(which for this application, is GROSS OVERKILL!
); I bought the DX 7 primarily for RC airplane use (I don't anticipate trying snap rolls
or spins
with Mich-Cal #2!
).
I didn't take any photos of the receiver & servo installation inside the tanks while I was doing it
, but if there's sufficient interest, I could be "persuaded" to do so.
The Spectrum AR-6000 receiver & a standard-sized servo are mounted inside the "fuel" tank; the battery pack sits on the floor of the rear of the "water" tank. Each head / backup LED light has a 680-ohm dropping resistor in series with it, soldered to an old servo lead plug, & just plugs into one of the servo sockets on the receiver. The whole system is set up in a "modular" fashion" to allow for easy disassembly (just unbolt the fuel tank retaining straps, disconnect the servo clevis from the reverse lever, & lift off the fuel tank for access).
I will have some video of it in operation eventually, but seeing as the railroad's got @ 6 inches of snow on it (& current temp is 18 degrees F.
with wind chills running from 9 F. to -34 F.!
), I may have to wait a bit!
Tom




The charge jack for the RC system battery is visible between the the "fuel" & "water" tanks, directly above the blowdown / trycock valve:

Since I'm a "second-shift" guy







- The negative lead of each LED is grounded to the loco's brass body, so only a single wire is required for power to them. I used solid (unstranded) copper telephone wire (#22, I believe), with black insulation for the power feed to the + LED leads. The solid copper wire can be bent to "stay in place" relatively easily; I dressed it along the front headlight bracket, down around & alongside the left side of the frame, & up into the tender tank at the rear...

- Since I've been an RC airplane buff




- For a transmitter, I'm using a Spektrum DX7






I didn't take any photos of the receiver & servo installation inside the tanks while I was doing it



I will have some video of it in operation eventually, but seeing as the railroad's got @ 6 inches of snow on it (& current temp is 18 degrees F.




