“ROUTE OF THE SHORTYS”

[Northroader]

F-unitMad, big thank you, I owe you a drink! (Wonder if Andy Y can set up a sort of virtual "bit-pint" system on this web?) Your comments set me off thinking, something I don't usually do. I've got two controllers, not quite so old and decrepit as me, but not far off, being Hammant & Morgan Minor units, well the one is, the other is a rectifier controller unit designed to work off the companion unit's auxiliary 16v ac output. I made it standalone by sticking in a transformer with some vent holes added. This is the one I've been using, so this morning I swapped it for its pal. It still needs gentle handling, no "burning rubber" twists on the knob, but the new Alco ran up and down the rails, showing me how quiet and smooth it is. I really do like it, every model railway should have one or more. It walked off with the meagre trains I use as if I hadn't coupled anything on. The old Alco also thinks Spring has sprung. Your method of motor connection makes sense, although I don't suppose Alcos had a series/ parallel switch on the back cab bulkhead like a Gronk has. When she gets a repaint I'll try that.

[F-UnitMad]

Those controllers sound well dodgy!!!

My H&M Duette wouldn't look at O scale locos. I think they're only 1Amp 'each'.

 

I do like my Atlas RS3, don't get me wrong. The individual grab irons were a big atraction, especially as they are curved on the hood ends. With a Loksound L sound decoder loaded with the Alco244 12-cyl. engine, it splutters along just like the real thing. As one viewer at a Show said, all it needs is a smoke unit! (I think the RS1 has one!). My response was that I didn't want to set off the venue's fire alarms

...plus, of course, as yet I haven't seen a smoke unit capable of chucking out the thick black clag of an Alco

[40019]

Those controllers sound well dodgy!!!

My H&M Duette wouldn't look at O scale locos. I think they're only 1Amp 'each'.

 

I do like my Atlas RS3, don't get me wrong. The individual grab irons were a big atraction, especially as they are curved on the hood ends. With a Loksound L sound decoder loaded with the Alco244 12-cyl. engine, it splutters along just like the real thing. As one viewer at a Show said, all it needs is a smoke unit! (I think the RS1 has one!). My response was that I didn't want to set off the venue's fire alarms

...plus, of course, as yet I haven't seen a smoke unit capable of chucking out the thick black clag of an Alco

 

I managed to get my 40 yr old H&M duette to run my G scale RS-3 in the garden - was a bit warm tbh after a while

[Northroader]

This being Easter, the line's top-link engine driver and her fireman paid us a visit, and found time to get in some driving practice besides hunting for eggs. The combination of the Alco FA2 with the controller we've been going on about was just right for getting a delicate touch to get acceleration without tripping the 2amp cut-out, and also stopping just where required. The fireman isn't quite ready for "passed" grading, but much better than last year when she ran trains off the end of the cassette and laughed like a drain! Happy Easter to everyone.

[F-UnitMad]

Like the drawing!!

 

Been there/done that with young drivers & a lack of "End of Boards Protection". Ended up with this when my lad was 5 & driving. Wasn't entirely his fault - he didn't realise the loco was isolated, & turned the controller to max. I flicked the turnout to feed power... end result Terminal Velocity onto a concrete floor....

At least it was a "cheapy"!! Later with a new body & identity the loco was returned to service.

[skipepsi]

That was a while ago wasn't it?

[F-UnitMad]

That was a while ago wasn't it?

Yes, when my lad was 5. He's now 13

 

...and yes the Soo livery was entirely bogus anyway

[skipepsi]

Just checking my memory! 

[Northroader]

Ouch! I'm alright there, the fiddle yard is an old flush panel door, to which I've added sides and ends in ply strips, so anything going off the end of the cassette won't get far. That looks like the upper works of an Atlas 0-6-0 diesel switcher?? If so, the ballast weight they put inside would help to make a mess like that of the top when it hit the ground. Hope the lad's still driving trains a few years on.

Now, the question is, what can you do with an Atlas switcher? I bought the undercart of one last year at a bring and buy very cheap, and I'm very impressed with it, in terms of performance. It could run the whole show quite easily. I haven't seen one in a "war bonnet" livery, but as you say, they appear in all kinds of spurious schemes for all the mainline roads, but I get the idea they're far more likely to turn up on a private steelworks, as none of the mainline rosters seem to show any. I've toyed with the idea of having it as one end of a double bogie diesel, like the pantomime horse, but the wheel sizes and wheelbase are not too close to the units I have in mind. So, anybody got any bright ideas, please?

Edit: The other alternative is fitting one of those "joke GP7" sawn down shortened tops. I saw one of those on eBay the other day, could I do it and not get everybody pointing fingers an laughing at me, not the engine?

Edited March 28, 2016 by Northroader

[F-UnitMad]

 Hope the lad's still driving trains a few years on.

 

Now, the question is, what can you do with an Atlas switcher?

He certainly is, although rather distracted by football, playstation etc; but he leans to N Gauge nowadays, and we've been working on his layout today.

 

What to do with an Atlas Switcher? (Guessed correctly by the way )

I have two, just done up for my Short Line....

The blue one is the "rebuild", the yellow one was originally owned by Airfix Model Trains Editor Chris Ellis, and I retained his "FWR" (Fair Weather Railway) markings in tribute.

They would be more accurate without the outside frames, but the inside frames would need some detailing then.

They do tend to be "Industry owned" it seems; for inspiration look at RR Picture Archives.net This link is just 40t Plymouths; there's a whole load of their other types listed as well.

[Northroader]

That RRpicturearchives site link you gave is most useful, I'll be busy looking at that now, as well as everything else! I'm researching early boxcab switchers to see if I can go down that route with the Atlas.

[F-UnitMad]

Talking of Ebay, there's a couple of Weaver 4-6-0 steamers on there at the moment (3 days to go)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322053036509?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

and...

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322053667502?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

Have you seen them? They seem to be 12v 2-rail models. Located in UK so no outrageous shipping & VAT duty... £110 each starting price, must be worth a pop..? Rather tempted myself (but would prefer a 2-8-2 Mike)

[F-UnitMad]

Assuming that the engine number is correct for the models, those were originally built for express passenger service in the late nineteenth century,...

So would easily have cascaded down to Short Line service by the 1950s

 

More descriptive detail and a better selection of photos (a proper side shot, and of the chassis) might help the sale!

Yes, that's very true. I've tried to look at the wheels as close as I can. Look a teeny bit pizza-cutter-ish, but not like 3-rail steamroller treads.

[JAMO]

Yes, a 4-6-0 can be a nice locomotive for a 50's shortline!

[Northroader]

You're all a bunch of conniving *****, no more eBay for a long time, I said. Bid placed, wish me luck (with the missus)

[F-UnitMad]

Happy to help!!!

[Robatron86]

When it comes to eBay, my wife actively encourages me. The FM H16-44 I won last Friday (and arrived today!) was due to finish at 23:45. She turns to me and says "Go to bed now (22:00) and set an alarm for half past 11 and bid on it!" I think she is crazier than me!

[jasond]

(Jason, you're grumpy today - be sensibl..) Rivarossi did not make the Casey Jones for Weaver, it was sold by AHM in the USA.  Weaver did make a diecast metal 4-6-0 after their nice diecast, sprung 2-8-0, more about them if anyone's interested.

 

Anyway, I've deleted my tirade bleating on about how disappointing most of Rivarossi's O-scale stuff was, but the 4-6-0 is an 1880s prototype that could do with a fair bit of updating to look believable on a '50s layout. 

(Enough, now go and make Her Indoors a coffee and say Goodnig...)

 

OK Goodnight, Jason

[F-UnitMad]

Ok, so that particular 4-6-0 might be stretching things a tad if placed in 1950's service 'as is', but in reality it only has to please whoever owns it. Years ago I got a Bachmann 'Old Timer' HO train set for £20 from an Ex-catalogue discount store. It had the same 4-4-0 that Airfix did, as 'Jupiter' & #119. As part of a whole set, with 5 cars, track etc for £20 it was just rude not to

Anyway my point was that I had a ball with that 4-4-0. I repainted it black, removed the cow catcher, added front coupler, working back-up light on the cab roof, real wood on the tender, & went to town with the weathering. I ran it with a Combine as a highly unlikely train for a 'modern' Short Line, but what the hell, I had fun!!

In fact when I sold off my HO an American modeller on another Forum liked it so much he bought the loco & combine from me!! I must try & find a picture of it.

[Northroader]

Simon and Jason, you're both right, of course, the loco is an old timer which wouldn't be around in the 50s. However, I was doing some research last night, and found there were several locos around which were a close match for wheelbase and diameters, so with a rework of the superstructure it will fit in quite well. Those tender bogies will have to go. Still, I don't even know if it's mine, yet! Jordan, look forward to seeing your take on updating a 4-4-0, I've got one of those, too. Rivarrossi/ AHM again, me, I like em, but you're very welcome to let us have a tirade on them, Jason? G'wan, g'wan. Robotron, look after that lady, she sounds like pure gold, the new FM and work train look really nice jobs, and add more interest to your layout. I'll try and post a picture of where I've got to on Englefield later on today

[Northroader]

Looking at the calendar, I realise I haven't posted a shot of work on the layout for nearly a month, so here's one of what I'm on with. The ballasting has reached the road crossing, so now I'm making this. There are some very inspirational ones to try and copy on other lines on this web. I'm doing a concrete one, and using 2mm greyboard as a foundation. This is a dense recycled cardboard, obtainable from artists materials shops, where it's usually used for picture mounting. I find it takes a nice clean cut with a Stanley knife, and you can flake layers away. I also use it for making rolling stock storage boxes. This is set down in a puddle of pva bond, coming just below rail level. It is then scored and the thickness reduced for the timbered areas where the track goes. The timbering is coffee stirrers glued down. (Where would we be without them?)

It's very slow progress, looking for excuses, I have to admit I've started a diesel loco kit as well. It's one I got second hand from a dealer well over ten years ago, and sat on ever since. I decided I best get on with it, as I'm not getting any younger, and I've found an excuse to run it on Englefield. It's all brass, whoever had it has done about 75% of the body, and then left it. I'm working on the bogies, lovely brass castings, and fitting these together with files, is one of the joys of life, like wimmen, beer and music. It would be even more of a joy if the twerp who sold had put the instructions in with it, at present I'm flying by the seat of my pants, and a photo of a bogie with the drive I found on the net. So I'm picking bits out of various bags labelled by category, and assembling it if I can see where it goes, and hopefully the leftovers will shake in somehow! I want to get a few wheels and if I can get it to work I'll put up some photos.

Edited April 1, 2016 by Northroader

[F-UnitMad]

I bet some on here might be able to help if you post pics of that kit sounds interesting so post pics anyway!!

[jasond]

The owner of Rivarossi (Italian Count ... can't remember) spent his money on models that caught his eye. The two 4-4-0s were as built for the V&T in ~ 1880s, just need the updating, but you do get driving wheels, etc. The 4-wheel diesel is a narrow-gauge prototype blown up to standard gauge, Atlas/Roco did the same for their WDT 6-whl switcher, why? The Harbor Belt was chosen because it was the largest 0-8-0 built, all 3 of them. The Fairbanks Morse C-liner was a nice model, I got halfway through making a CPR A-B- H16-44 -A set (the H16-44 was based on an ok Lionel body), but few roads had them, only one truck was powered with an HO motor. Wow I must have been feeling grumpy yesterday.

 

On their boxes were pictures of USRA 0-6-0 (would have been a sure-fire winner) and a caboose with trucks. Yes, I've made a bogie caboose out of 2 of their 4-wheelers as well, but.... Passenger cars for the 4-4-0s appeared, but only as an initial small pilot run I think.

 

The freight cars were nowhere near as good as the Atlas/Roco cars, they looked more like South American meter/42" prototypes. Yes I thought about that too! Enough. Insulating garage going well - soon to run out of excuses for not running trains.

Jason

[Northroader]

Thanks, Jason, when you put it like that, yes they could have come up with a better range. Still, it's not a really good rant, you're very welcome to come back when you're really pissed off and get it off your chest! I've got just the V&T 440 and the FM. The diesel is a nice runner, and I like it a lot. I picked up another cheap recently, war bonnet paint job, joke! Ive got fond dreams of scratch building the upper works to a road switcher, as the chassis is good for most with the Atype bogies, give or take a foot or two. The 440 will need some rebuilding, but it's nice to start from. I wouldn't mind an IHB 080, as the MKT had a few very similar, without some of the fiddly detail that appealed to the count.

I'm glad to hear you're settled in, and preparations are in hand to get started on getting trains going. Very best wishes with that, and come back with progress until you get your own thread going. What were you doing up north?

[F-UnitMad]

I note "somebody" is expecting a parcel with a Weaver Steamer in it soon