Vintagesteamerif the brass ones are out of your price range, the AHM/Rivarossi Heisler(2 or 3 truck) are good solid models with RP25 flanges and run really well.
-Matt
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
If you want a solid and good running Climax in HO scale, PFM/United brass is really the only route. Both the 2 truck and 3 track ones from Bachmann have been prone to gear failures. But if the brass ones are out of your price range, the AHM/Rivarossi Heisler(2 or 3 truck) are good solid models with RP25 flanges and run really well. I know of no major issue with them other than no longer being produced. But were made for many many years, so plenty to be found on the second hand market. That was my only plastic geared logging engine, the rest were brass models from PFM(Pacific Fast Mail)/United or 2-6-6-2 locos from Mantua. Mike
Southgate 2I hope the OP doesn't mind our hijacking his thread! Whistling
crossthedogKevin, that's at handsome unit. Looks like a lot of particular care went into it. Does it go?
Thank you. It is the first piece of equipment ever lettered for the Stratton And Gillete, using rub-on dry-transfer lettering.
I built it when I was 14 or 15 years old.
The mechanism is an N scale Bachmann F unit, and it still will run, just as poorly as ever!
I have the stuff to build an HO scale version, and hopefully will use it to pull my work train someday.
Southgate 2One though, my most treasured model, this 4-4-0 was started in 1986, finished early 90s.
Dan, that is a very handsome 4-4-0.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I hope the OP doesn't mind our hijacking his thread!
SeeYou190 On my model I intended the brass tank underneath the cab to represent a horizontal two cylinder engine powering the driveshaft. -Kevin
On my model I intended the brass tank underneath the cab to represent a horizontal two cylinder engine powering the driveshaft.
Ah, the joys of freelancing! Works for me.
As far as going back and improving old original builds is concerned, I have no qualms about doing so if it makes it operate better. I have so few that would qualify.
One though, my most treasured model, this 4-4-0 was started in 1986, finished early 90s. My wife Anniversary gifted me with the MDC 2-6-0 starting point, knowing I'd 'bash it. (Tyco boiler and some other parts). I have remotored it at least twice, maybe 3 times.
The last being a Sagami can with a flywheel. Finally, smooth and quiet!
Dan
Kevin, that's at handsome unit. Looks like a lot of particular care went into it. Does it go?
WrongsideofthepondReplacing the climax gears is easier than replacing the Bachmann shay gears I've found. I think I just bought the short shafts in the bogies preassembled from bachmann rather than trying to fit the NWSL ones onto the shafts.
snjroyI should probably go back to it for improvements.
I won't try to improve old projects again. I really wish I had some more of my earlier projects in the "as built" condition.
Generally, when I went back to improve them I lost interest, or decided to start over from scratch.
SGRR #4 is the only old project I still have.
-Photograph by Kevin Parson
Now it is a personal treasure, and it lives in a display case.
SeeYou190 I was going purely for reliability and operation. An Athearn frame with a NWSL repower kit is hard to beat for works-every-time capability. Nothing about my layout is prototypical anyway. -Kevin
I was going purely for reliability and operation. An Athearn frame with a NWSL repower kit is hard to beat for works-every-time capability.
Nothing about my layout is prototypical anyway.
IMG_20230124_105352 on Flickr
Simon
fwrightNot trying to be a nitpicker because I'll probably end up in the same position. Just saying there is an appearance issue.
The issue with using a diesel chassis to build a Class A Climax is the wheelbase. All the drawings of small Climax locos I have found have wheel bases less than 4ft - 3.25ft appears to be common. Almost all commercial powered trucks have much larger wheel bases 5ft or more. The Roundhouse Climax conversion used their boxcab mechanism - with the large truck wheel base.
Not trying to be a nitpicker because I'll probably end up in the same position. Just saying there is an appearance issue.
Now back to trying to make that MDC (Roundhouse) mechanism not sound like a coffee grinder.
Fred W
Southgate 2Pretty cool, Kevin! The one thing that is missing is evidence of the diagonally mounted cylinders.
It still needs more work. I was going to detail it more underneath, but everything was so tight that any detail work would have disappeared.
I finally got a set of handrails from an Athearn S12 to use on the ends.
Another project now waiting for the workbench to come back.
crossthedog snjroy I have a Bachman B (two truck). Gears broke after a few hours of running. NWSL sells replacement gears: https://nwsl.com/collections/gears-replacement-upgrade/products/spur-gear-0-4mod-x-10-teeth-x-4-7mm-od-x-2-4mm-face-x-1-5mm-bore-delrin I have not replaced mine yet, but it's not "easy", from what I have read. There are Youtubes on the subject. My recommendation: buy a brass model, but test it first or buy from a reliable source. Mine gets a lot of mileage... Thanks for the word, Simon. This jibes with what I've mostly heard about the Bachmann Climaxes. I looked at the NWSL site and the replacement parts are cheap enough. If I see a Climax at the train show tomorrow and it's a good price I may consider it, but yeah, I don't really look forward to the necessary surgery I'd have to perform. -Matt
snjroy I have a Bachman B (two truck). Gears broke after a few hours of running. NWSL sells replacement gears: https://nwsl.com/collections/gears-replacement-upgrade/products/spur-gear-0-4mod-x-10-teeth-x-4-7mm-od-x-2-4mm-face-x-1-5mm-bore-delrin I have not replaced mine yet, but it's not "easy", from what I have read. There are Youtubes on the subject. My recommendation: buy a brass model, but test it first or buy from a reliable source. Mine gets a lot of mileage...
Thanks for the word, Simon. This jibes with what I've mostly heard about the Bachmann Climaxes. I looked at the NWSL site and the replacement parts are cheap enough. If I see a Climax at the train show tomorrow and it's a good price I may consider it, but yeah, I don't really look forward to the necessary surgery I'd have to perform.
Replacing the climax gears is easier than replacing the Bachmann shay gears I've found. I think I just bought the short shafts in the bogies preassembled from bachmann rather than trying to fit the NWSL ones onto the shafts.
snjroyI have a Bachman B (two truck). Gears broke after a few hours of running. NWSL sells replacement gears: https://nwsl.com/collections/gears-replacement-upgrade/products/spur-gear-0-4mod-x-10-teeth-x-4-7mm-od-x-2-4mm-face-x-1-5mm-bore-delrin I have not replaced mine yet, but it's not "easy", from what I have read. There are Youtubes on the subject. My recommendation: buy a brass model, but test it first or buy from a reliable source. Mine gets a lot of mileage...
MDC only made a Climax A, not the B or C (with visible side pistons).
I have a Bachman B (two truck). Gears broke after a few hours of running. NWSL sells replacement gears:
https://nwsl.com/collections/gears-replacement-upgrade/products/spur-gear-0-4mod-x-10-teeth-x-4-7mm-od-x-2-4mm-face-x-1-5mm-bore-delrin
I have not replaced mine yet, but it's not "easy", from what I have read. There are Youtubes on the subject.
My recommendation: buy a brass model, but test it first or buy from a reliable source. Mine gets a lot of mileage...
bmtrainmasterMDC Roundhouse has made them. Although it probably isn't what your looking for.
Southgate 2Rivarossi made a nice Heisler, not a Climax.
Darth Santa FeBachmann made some for a while, although they had some bad gear problems early on. I thought they fixed that with some later batches, but I'm not sure.
WrongsideofthepondI've got 4 of the Bachmann climaxes. 2 2 truck and 2 3 truck climaxes. All of them needed split gears replacing but once they were fixed they run beautifully.
SeeYou190one day I looked into the scrap box and got down to business
Thanks all. I'll hang back now but I'm still interested in anyone's experiences with manufactured (plastic) diagonal-cylinder Climaxes, particularly the Bachmann.
Pretty cool, Kevin! The one thing that is missing is evidence of the diagonally mounted cylinders.
That could easily be compensated for by panels covering where they would be, as sometimes they would cover over the moving machinery on these, because it would scare horses. Kinda like MDC's approach. Just a hint to add realism.
Great looking model! Dan
crossthedogKevin. Explain me, please. This is not a kit? Are you building a Climax out of flat styrene sheets?
Yes. I could not find a good looking low-slung climax model, and one day I looked into the scrap box and got down to business.
The boiler is from a Tyco "Chatanooga Choo-Choo", which was what I had on hand.
-All Photographs by Kevin Parson
The frame, motor, and trucks are Athearn, with all the side detail ground off flat.
I fould a small industrial stiwcher body where I could harvest the cab and pilot ends.
The frame and tender were all built from sheet styrene and strips.
There were a few brass details added, and lots and lots of NBW moldings and rivets!
crossthedog(It looks amazing, btw).
Thanks. It is ready to be painted, and hopefully as soon as my workbench and shop are back together it will be rail-ready.
I've got 4 of the Bachmann climaxes. 2 2 truck and 2 3 truck climaxes. All of them needed split gears replacing but once they were fixed they run beautifully. One of the 3 truck ones has a sound decoder and anything over about 2 mph sounds like its going to explode but thats normal as it takes lots of steam to move. I've also tried the MDC one but its very noisy and doesn't look very good so I heavily modified it.
Bachmann made some for a while, although they had some bad gear problems early on. I thought they fixed that with some later batches, but I'm not sure.
_________________________________________________________________
SeeYou190I have been working on my own.
I have been working on my own.
-Photographs by Kevin Parson
I finally have all the parts I need to finish it.
Rivarossi made a nice Heisler, not a Climax. Dan
MDC Roundhouse has made them. Although it probably isn't what your looking for. I think rivorossi has made them.
Photo from hoseeker
-bmtrainmaster
Besides brass, do we know if any of the Climax logging engines made over the years are any good? I'm thinking particularly of the one that has the angled piston and rod, rather than that other, boxy little tank thing (no shade on the boxy little tank thing, just not what I'm asking about right now).
Anybody had one? Experiences? Opinions? Wild guesses?
Thanks,