Installing DCC on a 1951 Rivarossi Hiawatha

[@quintinbarnhart]

If the headlight is on, it means it is passing power from one rail to the other. Read: it’s connected to both rails somehow. Because dcc is a constant voltage, it’s probably not an issue, you just have constant headlight now, until it burns out because it’s an incandescent. Another thought for you would be: are the tracks clean? For my troubleshooting, I always go wheels then track, then take the loco apart. That digirax decoder also supports a power xtender, which is a capacitor bank to help with any dirty spots or power loss to the motor by keeping the current constant to the decoder, a real cheap and good investment for older locos (ask me how I know lol) , and as for sound, I would recommend the Soundtraxx Tsunami2 2200. It’s a two amp decoder, and even with the smallest speaker, you could hear it in that tender with no holes drilled. Excellent video!

[@normancoreyBuildingTrains]

digitrax decoders sometimes when they are damaged the light will stay on i shorted one out and thats what happened light stayed on and i got one used same thing light was on and sound did not work cause it got shorted out other than that it worked

[@dwc8269]

Absolutely beautiful loco, it surely deserves DCC.

[@skylitejunction5589]

Very nice that you installed a DCC decided to a nearly 70 year old model locomotive. That’s really impressive Harrison. Keep up the good work on restoring this locomotives. 👍🤘👍🤘

[@skylitejunction5589]

Midcoast Maine Rails Aw come on man. The engine lived its life. Doesn’t it deserve more? Yes, it’s a fantastic engine, and I wouldn’t chip it either. But at least the Hiawatha deserves a second chance to make it fun a life time. I know DCC chipping it isn’t the only way, it can remain DC and it’ll still perform really well for its age. But it is his Hiawatha.

[@TheStarforce2]

@@skylitejunction5589 im surprised the original motor can be used, usualy I hear the old motors draw too many amps and burn out dcc decoders. That is one old ass motor.

[@skylitejunction5589]

@@TheStarforce2 I’m surprised too, tbh. I was thinking about this for the past couple years. I’m no longer a fan of him chipping the engine. With how rare and valuable it is nowadays. Yeah, I wouldn’t dare chip a 70 year old engine.

[@TheStarforce2]

@@skylitejunction5589 well, being this sounds like a family heirloom, it's his right to choose what to do with it. Also he did say the wiring was gone so it will never be original and an engine can be uncapped as easy as it can be chipped so it could be reversed to normal dc should someone desire. I'm retrucking and putting led in 1961 Lionel ho nuclear waste cars because even though they won't be original, original does me no good if they don't work or are unusable.

[@skylitejunction5589]

@@TheStarforce2 That is true. I do see your point.

[@robertcrundwell2782]

The Chippewa Northern shop guys says a job well done!

[@UnionCentralSystem]

Great job on bringing that historic engine back to life.

[@nicholmansgarage3501]

I have always loved that locomotive.

[@susankr8286]

I love the paint job

[@strobson1]

Glad you got your grandma’s train working. Wishing I had my grandma’s train. They gave it away to a neighbor. Darn

[@robertcampbell6349]

A beautiful model of an elegant engine.

[@GooseinTheCabooseProductions]

Great video man, love it when you can bring an old engine like that into the modern era instead of having it sit on the shelf gathering dust. If it's hesitating a lot, you might consider finding someone who can rebuild a the drive train with a modern can moto. Old motors from that era tend to have an EXTREMELY high current draw. It dosesn't happen with all of them, but the ones that do have generally need to be rebuilt. Regardless though, really interesting to see how you're a decoder in such an old locomotive.

[@SMTMainline]

It has Neo magnets so the current draw isn't too high anymore

[@NortheasternRailPhotography]

Hey Harrison. I got a HO lot at a yard sale today! Whole bunch of AHM things, including and old ATSF ALCO!

[@SMTMainline]

Very nice, you should make a video about it.

[@NortheasternRailPhotography]

@@SMTMainline Maybe. I can show you some of the things on Hangouts later today

[@joshuagametime8846]

I have always wanted to do this!!

[@donsgotmoney]

I installed DCC to a 70's model power engine. Darn thing sounded like a coffeee grinder going around the track. It had that huge power sucking dc motor in it. Eventually I changed it over to a Mashima can motor, it greatly reduced the amount of amps the motor was pulling, but it still sounded like a coffee grinder. Come to find out, the reason it made that sound was simply because of the material used for the gears. It was a E8A, would pull a ton of cars with that huge flywheel it had.

[@TheStarforce2]

did you loose top speed with that motor? I am looking to replace motors on older non-can motor steam, and honestly even my fox valley atlantic (as it seems to loose speed on the slightest hill with only a small train) and need a powerful motor that still retains the rmp for the high speed Hudson's and Pacific's were supposed to run at.

[@MikeThomasRailRoadOverhaul]

Cool brother

[@bradyrinard5550]

You couldn't even tell that the haiwatha was from the 1950's

[@raymondleggs5508]

Rivarossi Also made a black version as an FS Italiano commemorative/collectors locomotive. The Milwaukee version also came in a set with two Yellow Italian passenger cars with silver roofs.

[@OttawaModelRailFan]

Good job! It’s a very old engine but can still take the decoder, next is to get some cars for it

[@stephenhenion8304]

Great looking Locomotive!!👍👍👍

[@JusstDexx]

Good video

[@SMTMainline]

Published for less then a minute on an 18 minute video "great video" XD

[@betsymani2734]

When harrison started off the vid he said everything super fast

[@davidchapman1519]

Not a big list of railroads that had 100+ mph passenger trains.. however the Chicago Milwaukee st. Paul and pacific topped the list with steam powered trains day after day..

[@ReadingAreaRailfan]

SMT Mainline its normal for headlights on a dcc engine to stay on. All of mine to.

[@pieseasmyseas]

You should have wired in such a way that only one wire came from the tinder and used a quick connection between them

[@SMTMainline]

I don't think that's possible.

[@adamjacobson1993]

@@SMTMainline all you had to do was run a black or red to the tender since you said the loco and the tender are each a track pickup.

[@pieseasmyseas]

I'm a electrician plus I install dcc alot and have done a few steam locomotives it is possible

[@LifeOfRiley2166]

Very well done. I have seen pics of this locomotive pulling both heavy weight passenger cars and freight cars in later years. Could you shoot a video of a step by step guide of taking a metal locomotive and isolating the motor and adding DCC?

[@pieseasmyseas]

Green and purple are for auxiliary functions such as ditch lights number boards or any thing else you want to power you use the blue wire as a common aka a positive lead for the yellow white Purple and green if you connect a light to all the different colors and then the other side to the blue you can use each light independently of each

[@nathandelay]

That is very awesome that you got that Hiawatha working again Harrison i’m just curious I wonder if I could make passenger cars for the Hiawatha and have an awesome day

[@SMTMainline]

I bought a brass one today at the train show.

[@kevinjennerproductions2024]

Oh wow i never thought youd keep it on DC, and i thought my 1985 Hornby Thomas was as old as you could do it at 30+ but 70+ , Harrison Man you crazy, im shocked it actually worked Next should be installing connecting rods and. A new wheel and it should be done, gtg rn I have SATs in the Morning

[@SMTMainline]

Can't install the connecting rods since one of the bearing is literally gone.

[@kevinjennerproductions2024]

@@SMTMainline time to look on RivaStore or whatever its called

[@aidenerland6916]

Yeah!!!

[@willausterman3104]

I've got a mid-50's HO Rivarossi C-liner made for Lionel. It ran fine for about 5 minutes after cleaning and now it's dead again. I think the motor windings need replaced. This video gives me hope that it might one day run on DCC too.

[@colbeausabre8842]

If the windings are gone, best to replace the motor with a modern can motor

[@willausterman3104]

@@colbeausabre8842 in this specific case it's just better to repair the motor. A motor swap on it would be difficult and it's better to keep it original as a curiosity. If it was an AHM branded one heck yeah, but not one of the Lionels.

[@leverettrailfan5414]

@@willausterman3104 My Lionel Rivarossi C-Liner self destructed too. An early A-B-A set in WP livery, with sheet brass frames on the A units. I had the powered unit running briefly, replacing the weak alnico magnet (so weak it fell out of the motor) with neodymium magnets, did my best to avoid losing the ball bearings (maybe lost one)... but it didn't run the best. And then it abruptly stopped working. Somehow it threw the top bearing, and all those little steel ball bearings went on the loose. I think I only was able to find half of the bearings it previously had in it, which I'm not convinced was even the original total. The rest were never seen again. That's when I admitted defeat for the time being. For now, I have a modified AHM chassis inside the shell. I do want to have it run with the original motor some day, or at least have it run with a re-powered original chassis. The windings never looked great on mine, not sure if that was the main issue or not.

[@espeechoochoo]

In DCC I believe FWD & REV ( when used) are controlled by F0. Even when Loco stopped you have to press F0 key to turn off. May have defaulted to 'ON' position when decoder first fired up.

[@marlomedina4421]

Trains are cool

[@patrickwamsley3284]

Did that engine originally come with drive rods and valvegear?

[@Marty43936]

Put sound in that bad boy!

[@therailroadempire7993]

That runs great for being that old!

[@pieseasmyseas]

One more thing 3 pole and 5 pole motors have to be programmed differently using the C.V.s or you can burn up the decoder

[@SMTMainline]

I'm not sure how to program that.

[@trainknut]

I like how your DCC equipped model train is older than some actual steam locomotives.

[@sparky107107]

i am impressed.

[@Brianrockrailfan]

amazing SMT Mainline :)

[@albertweir5070]

interesting i was a little boy when that loco was made im an old codger now cheers

[@animalyze7120]

I would definitely take those trucks apart and clean then grease them, it's very clicky sounding along with some grinding it seems. Beautiful train though the Hiawatha in both color schemes along with the Olympia are my White Whales.

[@mechatrain150]

that's really cool this engine can run on moduals in clubs should you attend to do so

[@SMTMainline]

Exactly.

[@badboy10350]

You should use a plug between the loco and tender, then all you have to do is wire to the plug.

[@erict.8190]

Good job smt :)

[@joegold754]

You should install a keep alive decoder next time.

[@LukeLovesTrains-Mr.RailYard]

Cool

[@4501driver]

How in the world did that old old motor have a low enough stall current to not blow the decoder.

[@SMTMainline]

Neodymium magnets.

[@4501driver]

@@SMTMainline oh crap I totally forgot about that. My bad.

[@robertrivera9162]

Can you show how to install a DCC decoder in a Bachmann F7 locomotive?

[@kandothings3337]

right now i'm restoring a prewar american flyer o gauge steam engine

[@mopacproductions6669]

That’s cool it’s funny cause I was just thinking of that earlier today You should take it to ho trak with some miwake road cars

[@crsrdash-840b5]

wait a minute? You got it working without programming the road number to the decoder? Is that how the Bachmann DCC unit works? If so, that's crazy! It limits how many DCC locomotives can work with it - say 1-8 DCC with 0 or 9 reserved for DC (analog). Still, you got that old girl running, amazing! You are worlds best at restorations.

[@michaelcudby787]

All new decoders have an address # 03 from the factory. Harrison only needed to dial up #3 on the throttle, & he had the loco under control.

[@milepost856]

This may help you soundtraxx 810132 DBX-9000 WIRING KIT ON OLD DC steam convert to ddc

[@robbpenoyer9357]

Try hitting the 0 button on your controller. That usually turns the headlight function on and off

[@OwenConcorde]

Looks like a mini version of the Lionel prewar O gauge Hiawatha, but I do approve DCC chipping of almost everything in HO.

[@gwebberarts]

It’s a beautiful engine, once you get it sorted out , it’ll be great. Are the vents on top of the tender open? Could do sound that way maybe?

[@MikeThomasRailRoadOverhaul]

Wanted to remind you i did post a decoder video giveaway

[@dawson6184]

where are the drive rods?

[@englishtwister]

I am curious, what happened to the engines coupling rods? Edit: I mean connecting rods.

[@corwin81]

Would it be a similar process for a 60s/70s Rivarossi Berkshire?

[@TheStarforce2]

is this the bake-alite plastic one? I have never seen this riv model, it must be very rare.

[@frankishknight1878]

You are offering a second life to this classic and rare masterpiece made in Italy!

[@tommurphy4307]

you lost me at 'masterpiece'..... they built fiats, too

[@frankishknight1878]

@@tommurphy4307 not a valid comparison. Italy has produced more masterpieces it its history than Canada and the US in their short one. Rivarossi is a well respected brand of model railways. If you bring automobiles is the equation our side of the Atlantic has no Maserati, Ferrari nor Bugatti equivalent. Looking at real train production, the US and Canada cannot even make fast passenger rail locomotives nor carriages.... All is conceived and made by Siemens!

[@seyerener]

Can you do this on a 0-8-0 from Rivarossi following the same process?

[@liam04294]

You should really super detail that thing

[@colbeausabre8842]

Not much to superdetail, most of it was under all that sheet metal

[@pieseasmyseas]

You turn the light off and on with function 0 or 1 can not remember if it's on in dc you got a problem if it's on in dcc you got to use the dcc controller to turn it on and of or you have wired it wrong

[@RailMike1225]

Ok can you add side rods now?

[@SMTMainline]

Nope, it's missing a bearing.

[@thegreatdh]

but why, why would you do that?

[@SMTMainline]

Running trains w/ friends, running it on club layouts, running it with other trains without isolation, the list goes on.

[@CardboardSliver]

Because he can, and it's a fun project.

[@markhod1960]

you need a 60w soldering pencil.

[@heli-man-]

It would have been a better idea to put the DCC chip in the locomotive neater and less wire to run through to the tender

[@SMTMainline]

Space inside the locomotive is very limited. It certainly would have been cleaner but extremely difficult to install.

[@Ax89]

Nice gift from your grandma - did you show her that you got it working? (But scotch tape as an insulator?? Really?? That will dry up and fall off.)

[@Ax89]

I know (hope?) you are just using the tape temporarily. Easy to use heat shrink tubing to cover the wires.

[@markdm5415]

Why did you not put digital decoder in the locomotive? Seems more logical.

[@colbeausabre8842]

Space, according to Harrison

[@thegreatdh]

Since you don't have piston rods for the Hiawatha why not make your own you have made the letters for the Hershey factory why not pistons.

[@SMTMainline]

I actually have both of them, the problem is that one of the wheels is missing a bearing.

[@austinbrodzinski4444]

@@SMTMainline How is the crankpin installed in the drivewheel? I may know how to fix the "missing bearing". If you don't mind, send me some more info to my email ([e-mail]), I'd be happy to help somehow! I've restored old locomotives for years, sometimes you need to think outside the box

[@CardboardSliver]

What?! A 1950s HO engine...NOT DCC READY?!

[@normancoreyBuildingTrains]

why not just put decoder with the engine and only have one wire running out

[@sgtshultz13]

Easier to put the decoder in the loco

[@brandongaines1731]

We can rebuild her ... stronger ... faster ... more digital - wait - what?