HO 4-6-6-4 Mallet

[Anonymous]

I want opinions and possably a year

I just perchased a used and in really good condition
4-6-6-4 Rivarossi made for AHM Mallet, and I want
to know if any one can tell me anything about it as far
as the motor reliabilty and maybe what year it may have
been made This engine runs pretty smooth and there
isnt any thing broken. The Tender says Hudson & Deleware
please help me out.

thanks

jef

[Anonymous]

Jef,
Rivarossi still makes this locomotive. This wheel arrangement is called a "Challenger". Challengers were simple articulateds and not mallets. A mallet was a compound steam engine. They used the steam from one set of cylinders directly in the second set. With mallets, generally steam was used in the back high pressure cylinders first then sent forward to the low pressure cylinders.
Since Rivarossi still makes this locomotive, placing a build date on yours is difficult. However, it is likely the parts are still available for your loco. The only bad thing about the older Rivarossi locos is they had deeper flanges than the NMRA standards employed today. This is likely only a problem with lighter rail, such as code 70 and 55 rail and maybe 83. For many years, some people considered Rivarossi the cream of the crop in plastic locomotive design and production, so I would suspect given proper care and maintenance yours will last a long time yet.

Doesn't the tender say Delaware & Hudson, and not Hudson & Delaware?

Mark

[Leon Silverman]

Jef:

You have the terms mixed up. The mallots had a low and high pressure steam chest. These can be recognized by the fact that the front (low pressure) steam chest was noticeably larger than the rear. The simple articulateds, like the Challenger, Big Boy, etc. supplied the same (high) pressure steam to both steam chests. Consequently, both steam chests were the same size.

[nfmisso]

Jef;

As you said that it is an AHM unit, it should have a motor in the cab. The motor is not a smooth, nor as powerful as many available today. The latest RIvarossi Challengers have thier motors in the center of the locomotive boiler, and the cab detailed. NWLS offers new gears for your vintage of Challenger, and a can motor can be fitted to further improve the slow speed performance. Stick with code 100 track, or plan on replacing the wheels - a brand new model would be about the same $$$.

Rivarossi is currently in bankruptcy - again. The only public bid for them that I have seen is from Hornby. The cas will be in the Italian courts for several more months.....

[Anonymous]

I spoke with a gentlman from whistle stop trains in Portland Oregon today
He thinks that my engine was probobly sold between 1960 and 1975
because of the riverossi to AHM build. He said AHM is no longer a company.
but it is now IHC and apperently they changed sometime back in those dates.
is that possible?
That means this engine is over 30 years old. (An antique)

So how difficult would it be to change out the motor and replace the gear
The engine is in the cab so, I assume it is going to be a tedious job.
Also I am not sure what you guys are talking about with the track codes and replacing wheels The track I am running it on now is Bachmann EZ-track
What code would that be? Also in the future I am just going to run plane old brass track, I guess a little education would be nice.
Any takers

thanks

jef[^]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jefw

I I guess a little education would be nice.
Any takers

thanks

jef[^]

Education is the horse, experience is the jockey. You're on the right track here.

[Anonymous]

Jef,

The code number is the height of the rail. Code 83 is .083 inches tall. Code 70 is .070 tall etc. It is likely your Bachmann track is code 100 or .100 inches tall or one tenth of an inch tall. You will regret going to brass track, I strongly suggest Nickel/silver track. Brass tarnishes quickly and its' tarnish is not conductive of electricity. Nickel/silver track tarnishes less and its' tarnish is conductive.

Get some Kalmbach books on starting out in H.O. and/or join a club to get educated.

[cjcrescent]

Jeff;
Remotoring/Regearing an articulated loco like that challenger is not a job for a beginner. There are some very specialized tools needed to get the job accomplished, that a beginner just wouldn't have. Your LHS (local hobby shop), should be able to point you in the right direction for getting it done by knowing someone who can be paid to do it or doing it himself if he has the skills. If not check the ads in MR, RMC, MRR, or the other mags for anyone doing that service and call/write/e-mail them.

[Fergmiester]

I have a Rivarossi Big Boy of the same vintage. I tried to re-engine it as the old motor was useless/fried. After a lot of tweeking, fiddling and such I have given up! By todays standards the old rivarossi engines can't compare. If your engine runs well accept it as it is and consider your self lucky. The old adage of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" really applies in this case.

Sorry to come across as a nay sayer but.......

And then again if you do come up with a resonable retro-fit, I'm all ears!

Regards

[Anonymous]

OK Now I have a problem!
It was running great, Now
when I put power to it, it sits and spins
The engine that is the wheels are
trying to move but just berilly it did this
once before I let it set for a while and
it seemed fine, but now I am not so sure.
So I am going to assume its the gear drive
from the motor to the trucks on the gears that
are slipping How hard is it to get to that area
This engine seems to be a little more difficult
than others I have worked on.

thanks

jef