Restoring a Rivarossi KM ML-4000 (I must be mad!!)

[John M Upton]

Well, here it is.  It's been sitting a box for the thick end of twenty years but the time has come to grasp the proverbial nettle, drag it into the works and actually do something with it!!  I blame my fondness for oddballs, one offs and weird machinery....

 

 

The model was made by Rivarossi probably in the 1970's and is based on the first version cowl units of which there were six, three for SP and three for Rio Grande, the body mould being based on the latter as defined by the large top nose light and a few other minor details, no matter though as the three DRGW ones were offloaded onto SP pretty quickly.

 

 

The  model itself has already been dismantled and the moulded hand rails were removed some years ago so it is already in a bit of state but overall, especially considering the age, the bodyshell is a nice crisp and pretty accurate moulding.

 

The front end shows the DRGW specified lights, the SP version had a smaller top light and an extra pair mounted horizontally, fortunately SP never changed these on the acquired DRGW ones:

 

And whilst we are about it, here is the other end:

 

The glazing, which is pretty much flush when fitted is present and includes light lenses and number boards, the latter seeming only ever made with the DRGW 4001 number, that can be easily changed fortunately.

 

The chassis is interesting....

 

A rather odd vertically mounted motor sits above the rear non driving end bogie.  On test, it did actually move, all be it reluctantly (probably the first time it has taken power in decades) but careful power application was need, going full throttle on my old Gaugemaster E Series controller I use for testing saw it cut out so I am guessing this had a significant current draw:

 

Light is provided by a very 1970's bulb shoved into the wiring loom:

 

So, what's the plan?

 

My intention is to concentrate on the body for now, clean it up, replace the missing handrails and add some parts such as the torpedo tube tanks that were added by SP amidships on the top as part of what seemed like a never ending list of modifications that the type received over the years until they finally gave up and pulled the plug.

 

I need a horn though, any suggestions of the correct type (and a suitable source of same) would be greatly appreciated!!!

[mdvle]

The ML-4000's are interesting oddballs.

 

If you complete this model and as a result a brand new RTR model gets announced there are a couple of people on another forum (who keep asking for a new model of this) who will be very happy.

[John M Upton]

Some progress, holes drilled and replacement handrails in the process of being fitted:

 

I need to find grab rail steps for the top and (other) side of the nose. I could try and salvage some from my demic parts box of broken Proto 2000 GPs but I am sure you used to be able to buy brass or copper wire preshaped ones from somewhere. 

 

Anyone able to point me in the right direction please?

[John M Upton]

Bit of work on the chassis that has now been dismantled. The bogie frames have been extracted and the front air dam bit has been carefully removed and fitted to the front underside end of the chassis frame.

 

 

 

[TheEngineShed]

You might like this link to Clyde King's work, the best Rivo conversion I have seen:

 

https://www.pbase.com/espeef5/more_km_project_photos

[Phil Bullock]

Nice project John… always liked the prototype with their twin MD870s …. Been following the restoration of SP9010 with much interest

[John M Upton]

There is something rather pleasing about a loco body in primer...

 

[TT-Pete]

On 20/06/2022 at 00:10, John M Upton said:

A rather odd vertically mounted motor sits above the rear non driving end bogie.  On test, it did actually move, all be it reluctantly (probably the first time it has taken power in decades) but careful power application was need, going full throttle on my old Gaugemaster E Series controller I use for testing saw it cut out so I am guessing this had a significant current draw:

 

 

 

Those old Rivarossi mechs are a bit clunky, but the problem might be the gears, I have recently had two vintage Rivarossi locos where they just go bzzzt and don't move a wheel when power is applied, in both cases the old gear grease had hardened into a putty-like substance. I stripped everything down, soaked in meths, dug the gunk out with a toothpick and both run fine now. Beware when taking apart, the plastic Rivarossi used can get brittle with age.

 

 

[John M Upton]

A chance ebay find arrived this morning, another one...

As they don't surface in the UK very often and it was cheap, it was too good a chance to pass up.

 

It is an unpowered model with a bit of damage, lifting the body off revealed this rather Heath Robinson looking affair.

All rather odd...

Edited June 29, 2022 by John M Upton

[Halvarras]

On 23/06/2022 at 07:55, Phil Bullock said:

 twin MD870s 

 

Where have I heard that before........? Oh yes - a briefly-proposed 'Super-Western'!

 

Ooops, look out, the Off-Topic Warning Light is flashing.........quick swerve back to the ML4000. What an unusual motor set-up - looks like it drives through the bogie pivot. I had a Playcraft Class 22 conversion (don't ask, it was 50 years ago and not worth the effort) which did that - in that case a horizontal motor drove a vertical shaft through the bogie pivot via pinion and crown gears. Versions of both set-ups are now employed by Heljan on their O gauge diesels of course, so I guess not so unusual these days.

[TT-Pete]

6 hours ago, Halvarras said:

What an unusual motor set-up - looks like it drives through the bogie pivot. I had a Playcraft Class 22 conversion (don't ask, it was 50 years ago and not worth the effort) which did that - in that case a horizontal motor drove a vertical shaft through the bogie pivot via pinion and crown gears. Versions of both set-ups are now employed by Heljan on their O gauge diesels of course, so I guess not so unusual these days.

 

The "vertical motor driving through the bogie centre pivot" was common practice for Rivarossi at the time,

 

 

The DB Br119 has one,

 

Whereas the DB Br320 has two;

 

 

8 hours ago, John M Upton said:

It is an unpowered model with a bit of damage, lifting the body off revealed this rather Heath Robinson looking affair.

All rather odd...

 

That must be the horn feature mentioned under model number 1895 here:

http://www.rivarossi-memory.it/Riva_Loco_Americane/Riva_Krauss-Maffei.htm

 

 

[John M Upton]

Painting underway, three coats of Tamiya grey sprayed onto chassis frame, bogie frames, bodyshell (apart from the nose of course) and the roof air tanks:

 

The chassis is reassembled as a rolling chassis at the moment, the old motor does work but will be reinstated later:

 

At the moment it's the cosmetics being worked on.

[mdvle]

Looking very good.

[John M Upton]

Getting there...

 

The red nose/wings is all hand painted as I was unable to find a correctly sized set of wings transfers on my various sheets despite the actual locomotives seemingly carrying a different variation in every photo I have found of them.