Help and advice updating an HO Scale Rivarossi AC-12 Cab-forward #4294

[dstarr]

I am not an AC-12 guru but I will mention a  few things that I have done to improve lesser breeds of steam locomotives.  You can improve open frame motors a lot by replacing the Alnico magnets with the new neodynium supermagnets.  Clean the gear box (if it has one) carefully.  Get all the old dried old and hardened grease out of it.  Inspect the worm and the worm gear for flash, bad spots, missing teeth, whatever.  Wipe each tooth of the worm gear with a clean white pipe cleaner.  This will pick up bits of flash stuck to the gear teeth.  With the motor removed see that the mechanism (drivers, drive rods, valve gear) roll smoothly and freely.  If there is a sticky spot,  you can localize it by removing rods and valve gears piece by piece until the problem goes away.  Once localized you can usually fix it by ovalizing some holes with a rat tail file. 

   For detail parts see the Cal-Scale parts in the big Walthers catalog.  They have generators, air conpressors, reverse gear, headlamps, marker lamps, just about everything.  If you file off the molded plastic parts and replace them with brass castings you will probably want the repaint the entire locomotive.  I use dark gray auto primer from a rattle can, either Krylon or Rustoleum work well.  Paint the firebox and the smoke box a light gray to simulate the graphite the prototype used for these areas.  They ran too hot to allow ordinary paint to stick. 

Old AHM Berkshire, plastic, painted with dark gray auto primer, and light gray auto primer on smokebox and firebox.

 

[RR_Mel]

I’m a Rivarossi AC-10/12 guy.  I have 18 of them, all but one remotored.

 

The only maintenance mine need is a good gear box cleaning and lubed with white grease afterwards.

 

I have added from 8 to 10 ounces of weight to them, increasing the drawbar from 2.8oz to 5.8oz.  Don’t add weight to a Rivarossi articulated with the original Rivarossi motor, the motor will over heat.

 

Precision Scale makes brass detail parts for SP Steam.  Don’t go with their Buckeye tender trucks, they’re terrible!!!  Look great but won’t track at all, they are great at derailing.  If you can find some Bowser 35107 Buckeye trucks they run perfectly, never a derail.

 

https://www.precisionscaleco.com/

 

http://www.bowserorders.com/.sc/ms/dd/HO%20Bowser%20Parts--Trucks/14463505/Bowser%20BUCKEYE%20TENDER%20TRK%2EKIT%20-%20SP-1

 

Just curious, what detail parts are wrong?  They look pretty good to me.

 

 

I use Cal-Scale 190-280 brass marker lights, drill them out and light them up.  I also illuminate the number boards.

 

 

 

 http://www.bowserorders.com/.sc/ms/dd/HO Cal Scale/14464683/Cal Scale HO Marker Lights Loco Modern Pr

 

 

Check out my Blog, I have about a dozen posts on the Rivarossi Cab Forward.

 

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

 

Mel

 

 

 

 

My Model Railroad   

http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

 

 

Bakersfield, California

 

I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

 

[hon30critter]

Hi Alex,

I can't help you either, but I do want to say welcome to the forums!!

Dave

[BigDaddy]

to the forum Alex.  Your post may have gotten hung up in moderation, which lasts for a handful of posts.

Can't answer your question, but I know we have people that like to upgrade steam and I'll give it a bump

[Katie360]

Hi there everybody, I am new here.

I have a late run riverossi cab-forward that was purchased in aproximatley 2001. The moter is running great though the gears need to be cleaned and relubed.

I am looking for some advice and help about updating and upgrading the detail on this locomotive. Most of the current detail is molded on and does not match the prototype photos.

Can anyone advice me on the most aftermarket detail parts to add or point me to any references to anyone else working with a Rivarossi AC-12 Cab-forward I can't seem to find anything on the internet in terms of references.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You

Regards Alex