Docksider 0-6-0

USAT came out with a docksider in late 2008. It was delayed a bit, and many people were wondering why this model was picked.

A sound unit is included, but I was told it sounds awful according to most everyone who owns one. It is NOT the standard Phoenix that USAT normally uses.

The smoke unit is likewise not the nice TAS unit that USAT uses in the Hudson and the Big Boy.

In June 2010, I purchased one.

Here's a youtube video of my first testing of the sound system:

Disassembly:

Lay the loco on it's side or back.

There are two screws to remove under the cab; you see one just above the air cylinder, to the rear of the last driver, in the large flat spot under the cab windows.

There are 2 other screws to remove, they are just in front of the front drivers on the bottom plate, the two dark holes you see forwards of the last of the 8 screws that hold the bottom plate on.

Once you have removed the screws, the boiler and cab lift off as an assembly:

The assembly is in 3 parts, the cab, the firebox and the boiler:

The three components can be separated by removing 4 screws, the 2 screws on either side of the cab light wire you see coming from the hole in the "firebox" and the 2 screws immediately to the right. Note the screws are of different lengths.

Smoke unit:

Surprise! The smoke unit puffs! There is a gear that runs from the front driver, and there is a little connecting rod on it, and apparently a piston.

Electronics:

The chuff on mine is goofy, 2 chuffs per driver revolution, BUT one of the chuffs is "double". My guess is that the magnet is triggering the hall effect sensor twice.

I think my guess is right, put a bit of ferrous metal near it, and the double chuffs stop! I will experiment to see if I can fix it by moving the hall effect sensor away from the gear that has 2 magnets on it. (This is the same gear that has the rod to make the puffs.)

Modifications:

Here are some pictures (courtesy of Jim Agnew)

The picture below shows the stock configuration. The board on the top is the sound board, the trimpot "VR" adjusts the sound level. There are more functions on this board, when Jim cut this board off, his lights stopped. It may just have a passthrough, or a regulator for the lights.

The picture below shows Jim's modes, an NCE D808 is on top of the main board, and a phoenix sound board on the very top.