Post by domi on Jul 12, 2017 10:35:10 GMT -5
Like many others here I purchased a brand new SD70ACe, a few months ago. Nice unit that runs fine.
But I couldn't satisfy myself with the truck mounted AZL (ie non-Magnematic) coupler.
Here is what I've done in order to set the unit to "my standard".
(my goal beeing setting the locomotive's front side to prototypical appearance and ability to perform hand-off switching duties - I let the locomotive's aft side to AZL in-factory standard and appearance as this unit will be coupled back to back with a Ferromex GE GEVO when it's available)
-Pull the shell away from its chassis,
-Cut truck's coupler arm. A pair of cutting pliers were ok for that, that took less than one second to do that,
-setting a new pilot (part #AZL Model: 61099-5) in place between shell's fwd lateral stairs. A little bit tricky, I had to do some filing before parts match.
-remove matching grey/black snowplow. Very easy, one has to simply pull it forward.
-removing AZL coupler box, that is simply screwed to place
-swapping it with a MTL #905 coupler box and setting the screw back in place (a little bit tricky as well, just to be able to insert screw head in its thread)
-cutting locomotive's original zebra striped snowplow from its pilot, that holds an articulated AZL coupler arm and knuckle.
-glueing the snowplow on the new pilot, tacking care of not blocking MTL coupler box, arm and knuckle. With CA glue. A little bit tricky as nothing holds snowplow in place as long as glue is not dry. I held the locomotive vertically nose up on a matress and blocked it into position between to pillows, just to avoid snowplow slippering in a random position before glue sets.
Hope this helps,
Dom
But I couldn't satisfy myself with the truck mounted AZL (ie non-Magnematic) coupler.
Here is what I've done in order to set the unit to "my standard".
(my goal beeing setting the locomotive's front side to prototypical appearance and ability to perform hand-off switching duties - I let the locomotive's aft side to AZL in-factory standard and appearance as this unit will be coupled back to back with a Ferromex GE GEVO when it's available)-Pull the shell away from its chassis,
-Cut truck's coupler arm. A pair of cutting pliers were ok for that, that took less than one second to do that,
-setting a new pilot (part #AZL Model: 61099-5) in place between shell's fwd lateral stairs. A little bit tricky, I had to do some filing before parts match.
-remove matching grey/black snowplow. Very easy, one has to simply pull it forward.
-removing AZL coupler box, that is simply screwed to place
-swapping it with a MTL #905 coupler box and setting the screw back in place (a little bit tricky as well, just to be able to insert screw head in its thread)
-cutting locomotive's original zebra striped snowplow from its pilot, that holds an articulated AZL coupler arm and knuckle.
-glueing the snowplow on the new pilot, tacking care of not blocking MTL coupler box, arm and knuckle. With CA glue. A little bit tricky as nothing holds snowplow in place as long as glue is not dry. I held the locomotive vertically nose up on a matress and blocked it into position between to pillows, just to avoid snowplow slippering in a random position before glue sets.
Hope this helps,
Dom
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