The Rest of the Story
The other locomotive for this train is a late run, redesigned Walthers Proto E7A. It has the greatly improved truck design featuring helical cut gears and improved axle bearing design. Other improvements are the motor, smaller flywheels, and simplified frame incorporating speaker mounting locations fore and aft. The body shell detail is a whole new paradigm of separately applied details including the roof.
(I came across this gem at the local train store and the owner offered me a deal I could not refuse. It came with factory installed QSI sound. Compared with the QSI in my Atlas SDP35, this one was less than exciting. No fear as it will be replaced with a T2. This unit will also receive new speakers and a conversion to the SP Bloody Nose paint scheme.
Black Widow E8
As with previous P2K units, the Black Widow’s trucks are disassembled and new Walther 920-584494 geared wheelsets installed. These are specifically made to repair older Protos with cracked gears. While working in the trucks, I trimmed the molded brake shoe detail to remove any source of friction against the wheels. Ditto replacing the worm gear with Athearn part 34128 as it meshes better with the replacement #12032 Aline-PPW hex drive shafts.
.New Motor Coming Up, Again
As I have more P2K Es to do, I purchased a Dremel 4000 and flexible drive shaft to modifiy the interior of the fuel tank for the Kato motor. Wow, was that quick and easy. The new E’s have holes in the frame bottom for sound to escape so after machining the fuel tank, I added holes in the Black Widow frame with a metal capable drill bit. Not pretty but they function.
Let There Be Light
As on past vintage Es, I utilized the original clear light molding attached to the front of the cab interior to mount 2mm (or 3 mm, if you prefer) warm white LEDs for the head light and Gyralight. 0603 SMD LEDs were added for the number boards. I drilled a small hole in the front lens which sits behind the number board area of the shell. I used a small flat file to create a slot so the LED would sit slightly recessed,
With four lights, that is eight wires and four 1K resistors to be managed along with shrink tube. Fortunately, Proto E-unit lights are mounted to the frame so removing the shell does not result in long wire snake on the loose. But on some locos, it could. Either way, long wire leads are just problematic but there is a better way.
The answer is to create a PCB lighting board like the former Ulrich lighting resistor board. In this instance, I cut a small square piece of thin copper clad PCB which I glued to the top of the rear partition of the P2K cab. The power feed from the Tsunami 2 front light common provides the power. On the front side of the PCB board I mounted the four 1K resistors. The common leads from the four LEDs are soldered to the resistors. To diminish the visual impact, I painted the resistors and wires black. The longer function wires were routed to their roper pad on the decoder.
Sound Considerations
I am always looking for better sound. Aren’t we all? In the past I have used RailMasters Hobbies DHB27-8 (others have similar versions) but the challenge is the side located terminals make fitment into many of the available enclosures less than ideal. But I recently discovered a little gem at Litchfield Station made for this speaker. Their SPENC-27H16R. It has a shallow cavity (more like an engineered dent) which accommodates the lead connection while allowing the speaker to nest properly in the enclosure. Once the speaker wire is applied, a little pressure will move the attachment tips inward to more easily fit inside the enclosure.
These enclosures could be mounted to the interior roof with acrylic silicone but then we have created an umbilical cord when removing the shell for any reason. I mounted the speakers on a perch so they clear the drive shaft. In the past I have used styrene tubing cut to the appropriate height (.375”), but this time I used a flexible dense foam which provides speaker isolation from the frame. Silicone secures the pad to the frame and the speaker to the pad.
As this is a T2, tune with the equalizer. The values I used for this arrangement are:
CV225 7 (user specified), CV226 0, CV227 0, CV228 192, CV 229 117, CV230 24, CV231 106,
CV232 105
Improved Walthers Proto E7
Body Preperations
I used the Scalecoat paint stripper to remove the really thick factory paint; emphasis on thick. It took multiple soakings and tooth brush scrubbings to remove the paint. Before removing the paint, I removed all the glazing. The newer Proto shells incorporate flush fitting glazing with an inner lip which is lightly cemented to the inside of the shell. A #11 tip easily removed the glazing without damage.
On the E7, there are several etched brass screens which cover what would be air intake openings on the prototype. The screens are attached to the shell with “fingers” which fit into tiny slots in the shell wall. The protruding lip is bent over to secure the screen. Again, a #11 tip straightens them so the screen can be easily removed. Once free, use small needle nose pliers to straighten the fingers for easy insertion when painting and decaling are complete.
The prototype E bodies were structural and not a mere shell as on later F/FP 45s, Walthers simulates the structural framing on their shell and is visible behind the brass screens.OCD kicks in and I choose to open the area between the simulated framing for a see through effect. I used the Dremel and a 3/32” dia. drill bit to make the initial penetration. I followed this with a metal Dremel deburring bit and working very slowly.
As shown, there were at least 2 areas I considered too small to open at the risk of trashing a shell. Close enough, as Allen McClelland would say.
On the older Proto Es, such as the Black Widow E, there were two actual openings and the rest were implied detail behind the etched grills. After looking at prototype photos via a Google search, I chose to not worry about it on the Black Widow. On the previous UP units, I added a weathered black wash to imply an opening and it looked good.
E7 lights
The newer Protos come with 2mm LEDs for the headlight, Gyralight (as appropriate), and number board lights. The task is to decipher the factory wiring in their PCB so it can be adapted to our use. Fortunately, the board notes which leg is positive.
I attached my power feed to the common (positive) and the appropriate function wire to the other leg. As the Proto lights are tied together differently than my plan, I snipped the common leg. I soldered my appropriate common wire to that leg. Again, I used PCB board to simplify the wire management. I painted the wires, resistors, and PCB board in GM interior green to make them less conspicuous.
New Paint and Added Details
Paint was Modelflex SP Dark Gray for the body and Scarlet for the nose. The decals were Microscale, and I must say, greatly improved over the last Bloody Nose decals I installed. Easily floated off the backing and very opaque. After decaling, suitable misted coatings of Dullcote hid the film and will provide grip for the weathering powders.
I added nose grabs, visually neater horns, air deflector/mirrors, MU hoses, uncoupling levers, sun visors, and cab awnings to both units.
The nose grabs are on the fireman’s side so I made a template out of Tamiya tape. The tape on the pilot marks the drill points for the uncoupling levers.
After positioning, I used a T-pin to mark the location and then drilled the hole with a number 77 bit (allows a bit more wiggle room for fitting the Tichy double bend grab irons. I secure them from inside the shell with CA and after dry, filed them smooth to avoid interference with the shell.
The Proto number board is so small (how small is it?......), that my eyes rebelled at trying to put in a 4-digit number so I cheated and used a fictitious train number as SP did once upon a time. Modelers license; so sue me. And the number is straight. Must be the iPhone camera angle?
Tsunami 2
Good news, as I mentioned, the design of the revised Proto frame incorporates down-firing speaker mounting locations. Bad news is they are a wee bit larger than the standard 28mm and the depth will not accept the deeper enclosure as used on the Black Widow. Hello Mr. Coke cap and RailMaster Hobbies RND 28. No problem here.
On previous locos which are consisted, I have invested time in tweaking the CV 2,3,4,5, and 6 settings so the locos played well together. Not here. These locos were within 1 speed step of each other from the beginning through the first 35 speed steps (128 speed step setting). Only minor pre-running tweaks to the BMEF CVs 211 and 215 as suggested by Soundtraxx but nothing else.
I like the ability to fine tune the lights as to brightness and when they are on especially when consisted. For instance, I want the number board lights to be on regardless of directions of travel and whether consisted or not. No problem on DecoderPro and the T2.
I used dry pigment for the weathering sealed with Dullcote. Just enough that they would appear well used but not forgotten orphans. A video follows.
