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Heavy Metal - The articulated thread

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Posted by dinwitty on Monday, July 20, 2015 11:04 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6cacTtbSrQ gotta do dat triplex now http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/193541.aspx thread link
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Posted by trainnut1250 on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 3:46 PM

 

More posts - Cool!!

Tom:  Beautiful locos – I’m guessing you have quite a few of these on your railroad.

Deluxe – The AC 9 is one of my favorites (being an SP fan)

Burlington:  Love the new post – you also have quite a roster of big beasts

Dinwitty: very cool triplex.  Awesome work to get the beast to run.  Made the youtube link clickable - no luck with the forum thread.

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/193541.aspx

 

 

Well this thread does appear to be winding down.  Thanks to all who posted.
One more photo from me.  I’ll leave you with a piece of model railroading history.  This is a picture of the first O scale Big Boy that Westside models produced.  The owner of the company, Dick Truesdale kept this loco as his own personal model.  The loco has been through quite a bit over the years and was in the process of being repaired when this photo was taken.  As some you probably know, Dick passed away last February.  The model has been refurbished and will go to Dick’s son as a remembrance of his father.

 

 

 

 

 
Guy

 

see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site

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Posted by Burlington Steam on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 6:42 PM

oops found 2 more!

1st my modified Bachmann H4 which you can see on the earlier video that it now has a bald face,i having replaced the smokebox cover eliminating the front mounted air compressors. also it was heavily weathered.

2nd is my Great Northern class R2 2-8-8-2 no.2059 the most powerful engine ever owned by the G.N rated at 150000lbs of tractive effort with the booster engaged. a true beast.

well thats all of my articulateds,enjoy!

 

 

 

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Posted by BRVRR on Wednesday, July 22, 2015 7:33 PM

Great photography, great models and some really fine layouts guys. Thanks.

Nothing too exotic. An Athearn Challenger renumbered to 3985 leading a short excursion on the BRVRR.

Remember its your railroad

Allan

  Track to the BRVRR Website:  http://www.brvrr.com/

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Posted by twhite on Thursday, July 23, 2015 12:23 AM

Big SmileOkay, one last one from me.  Can't leave the thread without a group portrait of my 3 "Never Was" Rio Grande Yellowstones.  They all date from about 1964 and they all run just as smooth as ever. 

Tom

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Posted by "JaBear" on Thursday, July 23, 2015 2:35 AM
I’ve enjoyed everyone’s contribution to this thread, but must admit from back when I was a “Lurker” I’ve admired the Heavy Steam fighting the grade on the Yuba River Sub.
Sticking my neck out, was the AHM / Rivarossi Y6b the first “affordable” HO articulated??Whistling
 

 

Cheers, the Bear.Smile

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

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Posted by Burlington Steam on Thursday, July 23, 2015 8:08 AM

I remember seeing AHM BIG BOYS for $39.95 at Longs Drugs back in the late 70s.

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Posted by DAVID FORTNEY on Thursday, July 23, 2015 9:31 AM

Burlington Steam

I remember seeing AHM BIG BOYS for $39.95 at Longs Drugs back in the late 70s.

 

I bought one from a local hobby store for $35.00 and believe me it was not worth that. Still have it. I have taken it apart many ,many times to try to improve its performance with no luck. Have not messed with it for the past 25-30 years, maybe it's time to try again, nah, let it sit on a shelf to remind me how bad AHM really was. 

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Posted by selector on Thursday, July 23, 2015 12:58 PM

A head-on view of the PCM Y6b entering Seneca Yard.

This image file seems to have deteriorated since I uploaded it seven or eight years ago.  At least, it certainly doesn't look focused...but it used to be.  Anyway, the Rivarossi H-8 is descending into Seneca Yard over the combination girder bridge that crosses the Seneca River.

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Posted by twhite on Thursday, July 23, 2015 6:28 PM

I’ve enjoyed everyone’s contribution to this thread, but must admit from back when I was a “Lurker” I’ve admired the Heavy Steam fighting the grade on the Yuba River Sub.
Sticking my neck out, was the AHM / Rivarossi Y6b the first “affordable” HO articulated??Whistling
 

 

Cheers, the Bear.Smile
 

Bear: 

I think so.  I remember buying my first Rivarossi sometime in 1965 or so--it was listed as a "USRA Mallet" instead of what it really was (Y6-b) and I think it set me back about $59.95 or so (this was when the Akane Yellowstone cost about $110.00).   The Rivarossi had hinged articulation, pizza-cutter wheels, and the first models picked up current from both locomotive and tender, so there was a lot of contact on the track.  For its time it was pretty smooth running, and it could haul almost anything you wanted to put behind it.  Mine gave me quite a few years of good, yeoman service---I kit-bashed it into a "kinda-sorta" Rio Grande L-131.  Looked good enough for me.  I liked it.

Tom

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Posted by Burlington Steam on Thursday, July 23, 2015 7:37 PM

alexstan

 

 
twhite

Okay, two more from me.  First is a 1966 or so Tenshodo model of a Rio Grande L-131 2-8-8-2, for a time, the most powerful articulated ever built.  This baby has been re-balanced and rare earth magnets added.  I use her to raise and lower the garage doors, lol! 

Second is a Westside import of a Rio Grande L-105 4-6-6-4, for my money, the most beautiful Challenger ever built.  Here she is winding a freight up the 2% grade of Yuba Summit.  These older brass articulateds are NOT light-weights, they'll usually tip the scales at close to five pounds, just for the locomotives.  If you want plenty of power for long trains, these are your babies.

Tom

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mate, the locomotives and the layout scenery are both stunning.

 

Tom I understand the concept of balancing a locomotive but how does one balance a articulated with its two sets of drivers?

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Posted by twhite on Friday, July 24, 2015 2:07 AM

Burlington Steam
 
alexstan

 

 
twhite

Okay, two more from me.  First is a 1966 or so Tenshodo model of a Rio Grande L-131 2-8-8-2, for a time, the most powerful articulated ever built.  This baby has been re-balanced and rare earth magnets added.  I use her to raise and lower the garage doors, lol! 

Second is a Westside import of a Rio Grande L-105 4-6-6-4, for my money, the most beautiful Challenger ever built.  Here she is winding a freight up the 2% grade of Yuba Summit.  These older brass articulateds are NOT light-weights, they'll usually tip the scales at close to five pounds, just for the locomotives.  If you want plenty of power for long trains, these are your babies.

Tom

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mate, the locomotives and the layout scenery are both stunning.

 

 

 

Tom I understand the concept of balancing a locomotive but how does one balance a articulated with its two sets of drivers?

 

 

Burlington: 

Actually I probably used the term "Balance" incorrectly.  What I've done with some--not all--of my brass articulateds is to strengthen the springing between the boiler and the front set of drivers to give more even contact with the wheels to the track.  The 3 Yellowstones received new, tighter springs, and the Tenshodo front set of drivers received more weight.  A lot of times, the front driver sets of brass articulateds are a little "light" as far as tracking and pickup.  I just try to distribute the weight a little more evenly.

Tom

I

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Posted by Southgate on Friday, July 24, 2015 2:41 AM

Some may find the  statement that SP's AC-9 is the most beautiful articulatede arguable, but I can't say I'm one of them. And as much as the cab forward is such an SP signature locomotive,  These AC-9s just look so much more proportional, even graceful, at least to me.

I meant to add the applicable "quote" to this reply. Oops. 

 

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