- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
Most decent hobbyshops take them as trade-ins on newer stuff. I picked up two Mikes at a good price, then reworked them mechanically and cosmetically.
Wayne
Just a quick warning.
Those genesis Mikes & Pacifics have a gear issue. Apparently it cracks easily, causing the teeth to slip... causing the loco not to run.
Hoople wrote: Just a quick warning.Those genesis Mikes & Pacifics have a gear issue. Apparently it cracks easily, causing the teeth to slip... causing the loco not to run.
Are aftermarket replacements available from anybody like NWSL? Or are they some oddball size that leaves you SOL?
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
steemtrayn wrote: Hoople wrote: Just a quick warning.Those genesis Mikes & Pacifics have a gear issue. Apparently it cracks easily, causing the teeth to slip... causing the loco not to run.Are aftermarket replacements available from anybody like NWSL? Or are they some oddball size that leaves you SOL?
Im going to add another condition..
1- They run BEAUTOFULLY smooth.
2- They can barely pull a caboose on level and hardly move itself upgrade, even the natural tilt of a home is enough to bog it down.
I purchased the first two when Athearn first introduced them: nice running locos, but they had trouble moving their own shadow. When I learned how to boost their tractive effort, I bought two used ones from the LHS in St. Catharines, Ontario, for less than $100.00 each. Both were B&O, with high headlights, which I moved, and footboard pilots, which I kept.
I've not had an issue with cracked gears, yet. The four that I have are modified to pull a heavy (100 oz.) coal train on my layout. A pair will move the 12 loaded hoppers, plus a caboose, up a curving 2.5% grade, which is the job for which I bought them.
Thank you for the kind words.
Once again, thank you.
I went to Zealot Hobby Fourms and saw your Layout! It's soo beautiful!
Now, I have two questions.
1. Could you post your layout desgin.
2. What is the size of your layout?
I'm sorry, but I don't have a trackplan. In fact, after I lost part of the proposed layout area to other family considerations, I built the current layout without a formal plan: just a few ideas in my pointed little head and a couple of sketches.
I'm sorry, but I don't have a trackplan. In fact, after I lost part of the proposed layout area to other family considerations, I built the current layout without a formal plan: just a few ideas in my pointed little head and a couple of sketches. Here's a crude drawing of the layout room, which is about 560 sq. ft. in area. Click on the drawing to enlarge it.
Boffo stuff, Wayne. Your layout should be written up for "Great Model Railroads" or "Model Railroad Planning". It's one of the finest examples of a free-lance railroad I've seen. As far as I'm concerned, it rates right up there with the Utah Belt and Virginian & Ohio.
And why haven't you written up some of your kitbashing projects for publication? I especially like your kitbashed passenger cars.
Andre
P.S. I just added a folder for links to your work as they come available.
Thanks so much, Andre, not only for the kind remarks, but also for taking the time to view some of the links.
As for my roster of locos, a pretty eclectic mix. I've got the four Athearn Mikes, plus 4 Bachmann Consolidations, an IHC Mogul, and another re-motored brass 2-6-0. There's also a kitbashed gas electric, a re-built Proto USRA 0-8-0, and a reworked Bachmann Mountain. In the shops for major rebuilding are 3 more Bachmann 2-8-0s, one for another Grand Valley loco, one to be made into a CNR N-2-b and the other for a TH&B loco. Also two Bachmann 10-Wheelers that I'm modernising with piston valves and new cabs, a Bachmann 2-6-6-2, and an old John English Pacific. I also have some diesels, for those times that I feel like running my layout as a mid-50s era. Four Modelpower FAs, with two more rebuilt as an FPA/FPB-4 pair, a Model Power E8A, and kitbashed E7B, an Atlas RS-3, an S-4, and a pair of RS-11s. In addition to these, there's an Athearn SW re-built as an NW-2, and another four as SW1200RSs. The last five, plus the brass Mogul have all been remotored with can motors. In all, way too many locos for such a small layout, but I find it very difficult to part with any of them, especially after putting so much work into them.
doctorwayne wrote: Thanks so much, Andre, not only for the kind remarks, but also for taking the time to view some of the links.As for my roster of locos, a pretty eclectic mix. I've got the four Athearn Mikes, plus 4 Bachmann Consolidations, an IHC Mogul, and another re-motored brass 2-6-0. There's also a kitbashed gas electric, a re-built Proto USRA 0-8-0, and a reworked Bachmann Mountain. In the shops for major rebuilding are 3 more Bachmann 2-8-0s, one for another Grand Valley loco, one to be made into a CNR N-2-b and the other for a TH&B loco. Also two Bachmann 10-Wheelers that I'm modernising with piston valves and new cabs, a Bachmann 2-6-6-2, and an old John English Pacific. I also have some diesels, for those times that I feel like running my layout as a mid-50s era. Four Modelpower FAs, with two more rebuilt as an FPA/FPB-4 pair, a Model Power E8A, and kitbashed E7B, an Atlas RS-3, an S-4, and a pair of RS-11s. In addition to these, there's an Athearn SW re-built as an NW-2, and another four as SW1200RSs. The last five, plus the brass Mogul have all been remotored with can motors. In all, way too many locos for such a small layout, but I find it very difficult to part with any of them, especially after putting so much work into them. Wayne That's a lot of engines!
doctorwayne wrote: Thanks so much, Andre, not only for the kind remarks, but also for taking the time to view some of the links.As for my roster of locos, a pretty eclectic mix. I've got the four Athearn Mikes, plus 4 Bachmann Consolidations, an IHC Mogul, and another re-motored brass 2-6-0. There's also a kitbashed gas electric, a re-built Proto USRA 0-8-0, and a reworked Bachmann Mountain. In the shops for major rebuilding are 3 more Bachmann 2-8-0s, one for another Grand Valley loco, one to be made into a CNR N-2-b and the other for a TH&B loco. Also two Bachmann 10-Wheelers that I'm modernising with piston valves and new cabs, a Bachmann 2-6-6-2, and an old John English Pacific. I also have some diesels, for those times that I feel like running my layout as a mid-50s era. Four Modelpower FAs, with two more rebuilt as an FPA/FPB-4 pair, a Model Power E8A, and kitbashed E7B, an Atlas RS-3, an S-4, and a pair of RS-11s. In addition to these, there's an Athearn SW re-built as an NW-2, and another four as SW1200RSs. The last five, plus the brass Mogul have all been remotored with can motors. In all, way too many locos for such a small layout, but I find it very difficult to part with any of them, especially after putting so much work into them. Wayne
Well, since you and I seem to be almost the only ones posting here, I suppose that it'll do no harm. Here's the 0-8-0, which was rebuilt following photos of its prototype. First, I altered it internally to double its pulling power, then lengthened the frame to accomodate the CNR-style front end. The running boards were raised, then new airtanks and all new piping added. The tender was also modified to reflect CNR practices.
The 2-8-0s are fairly stock-looking Bachmanns, although all of the air tanks have been replaced with new ones fabricated from lead-filled brass tubing and an additional one added on the pilot deck. Some of the piping has been re-done, too, and a few other details added or changed, with additioanal weight added inside the boiler. The stock tenders have been severely shortened, then converted to clear-vision types, and like all of my locos, have footboards on the rear and modelled open coal bunkers, in which I use loose "coal".
You didn't ask to see this one, but it's one of my favourites. She started life as a brass B&M Mogul, and hasn't been changed too much, at least externally. Internally, she's got a boiler-mounted (as opposed to frame-mounted) can motor and is a sweet runner and decent puller for her diminutive size.
The 34 is often teamed up with this IHC Mogul, a more modern loco. I re-detailed it to give it a family appearance with her older sister, and shortened the tender a bit, too. She'll eventually get re-motored, too.
Finally, the Bachmann USRA Light 4-8-2. I used a photo of a NYC J-1 to get the piping layout for the Worthington fwh, then lengthened the frame to accomodate a completely new front end, from pilot to fwh. Since the Central has always been one of my favourites, I also included a NYC-style turret shroud and lowered the running boards to change its appearance. The tender was modified, too, and the coal bunker opened.
Great tutorial on the Athearn Mike, Wayne. You really get extreme in customizing your engines, and it's inspiring work.
Not having a basement is the pits (no pun intended ). I'd be a little nervous smelting lead in my apartment, but I'll save your techniques for future reference. Many of those split-frame steamers have boilers filled with the die-cast frame like that, which leaves them on the light side. I tried adding weight to Bachmann Plus steamers years ago by filling every possible gap with lead weights. Although I got them balanced, it seemed like the traction barely increased, because the drivers are made of the slipperiest metal known to man. The extra drag was enough to cause their 5-pole motors to overheat though, so I removed the weight.
The tenders look great with the extended coal bunkers, and the rest of the details. Is that .60" styrene? Would the coal bunkers clear the circuit board if it were left in the tender?
Thanks for the tutorials and the pics!
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
SteamFreak wrote: The extra drag was enough to cause their 5-pole motors to overheat though, so I removed the weight.
The extra drag was enough to cause their 5-pole motors to overheat though, so I removed the weight.
When I was testing the Athearn loco to see how much additional weight it could withstand without overpowering the motor, or preventing the drivers from spinning when its forward progress stopped, I used a "saddle" made of sheet lead, which I draped over the boiler. I simply folded up a sheet that I had on hand, put it in place , and ran the loco. The loco ran well, and when physically restrained from moving forward by manually holding the tender, the drivers slipped readily, a good sign that the loco's limits had not been exceeded. While I knew that there was no way that I could cram the same amount of lead into the boiler shell, I was surprised upon weighing the "saddle" to find that it was in excess of 20 ounces.
SteamFreak wrote: The tenders look great with the extended coal bunkers, and the rest of the details. Is that .60" styrene? Would the coal bunkers clear the circuit board if it were left in the tender?
Thanks. The bunkers are built-up from .030" styrene sheet, which is a bit on the heavy side, but it looks okay alongside the heavy coal doors at the front of the tender. I assume that you're referring to the Athearn tenders: I'm not sure if the "pigtail" would've fit under the coal bunker floor with those extra weights in place, but it would be easy enough to make the bunker not quite so deep. My reasons for making the open bunkers are several: I think that loose coal looks better, especially as time passes and cast loads collect dust; I like the fact that the coal load contributes to the weight, which improves the electrical connection between the rails and the wheels; and the loose load allows me to depict the loco at different stages of its run. I've done a few photographic threads where I follow a train around the layout as it does its work, so it's easy to make the coal pile diminish as the miles pass. All of the Bachmann locos still have the circuit boards in the tenders, although I may remove them from future conversions, as I find the plug system overly complicated for my operating practices.
New Haven I-5 Doc, could you post some pics of your 2-6-6-2?
That one is exactly as I got it, with a damaged cab. It hasn't been reworked, and while it seems to run well, it tracks poorly and doesn't pull well at all. I intend to cast a new set of weights for it, and rework the drawbar set-up, which is causing most of the tracking problems. I also plan to re-detail it extensively, and drastically shorten the tender (to about the same length and style as those on the 2-8-0s) so that it'll fit on my 90' (almost) turntable. It will probably also get a shorty auxillary tender, too. Sorry, no picture available.
However, since you've got an SW1, how about a couple of diesels? These are Athearn SWs, although I'm not sure what model designation they're using nowadays. When I puchased these, they were incorrectly called SW1500s. I've converted mine into SW1200RSs, although without the extended range fuel tanks or the usual style of numberboards. These are the locos that would've replaced the Consolidations shown earlier. All have been equipped with can motors and extra weight. Shown below, they're working a 71 car test train across the Maitland River bridge, on my layout.
And here's one of the RS-11s that eventually took over from the Mikes, although they worked together for a few years.
Sorry, but I'm not familiar with any problem of cracked wheel bearings on these locos. What was a problem with some of these locos was the small idler gear in the gearbox - I repaired one for a friend using a free replacement gearbox from Horizon Hobbies. I believe NorthWest Short Line also has replacement gears available for these locos. To be honest, I can't even comment on the bearings in these locos, as I had no reason to remove the drivers from any of mine. However, if the bearing actually is the problem, you'll need to remove the appropriate wheelset from the loco, then remove the wheel and bearing from the axle, in order to fit a new bearing (if you can get or make one). For re-assembly, you'll also need to re-quarter the drivers: NWSL makes a tool for this job, or you may be able to do it "by eye". None of this work is particularily difficult if you take your time and keep track of how everything goes together, but you should be at least comfortable attempting this type of repair. The difficult part of the equation will be finding a replacement bearing - try Horizon first.