Bachmann 44 tonner - making it better

[tehachapifan]

Wait, you guys are saying the top photo is the 65-Tonner and the bottom one is the 44?? So, were the SP, PE and P&SR units not 44-Tonners? Everything I hold to be true is now in question.......

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Wait, you guys are saying the top photo is the 65-Tonner and the bottom one is the 44?? So, were the SP, PE and P&SR units not 44-Tonners? Everything I hold to be true is now in question.......

No no, the top one is the 44. The lower is the 65.

It's the ladders on the side that are the give away. If they're at the corners, it's a 44.

Ignore me. I was wrong.

[wcfn100]

No no, the top one is the 44. The lower is the 65.

It's the ladders on the side that are the give away. If they're at the corners, it's a 44.

Top is 65 ton, bottom is 44.  The giveaways are the thicker sill and heavier sprung trucks in the top photo.

Some 44 tonners had side ladders.




Jason

[Chris333]

Here are the phases of a 44 tonner

[coosvalley]

Easiest way to tell is look for the end walkway, if there isn't one, it's a 44 tonner, if there is, it's a 65 tonner.

[tehachapifan]

Okay, we still seem to have a 50/50 split on which one is the 44 Tonner. I find myself more confused than ever and, while it has good info, that 44 tonner phase sheet Chris posted is only adding to at least my confusion!

[Point353]

https://www.thedieselshop.us/Arcade.HTML

[Chris333]

The big difference is the small walkway in front of the hoods:
http://www.sssalesandleasing.com/locomotive-parts/65-ton-ge-locomotive-for-sale.php#

I didn't list all of the 65T phases either just the phase 1 sub-phases 

Still the wheelbase of the 65T looks different than the 44T.

[reinhardtjh]

Top photo is a 44T, bottom photo is a longer loco.
But a 45T is shorter than a 44T.

The other way around.  Top is A&A 112 which is a GE 65-ton.  Bottom is A&A 110 which is a GE 44-ton.

Top is 65 ton, bottom is 44.  The giveaways are the thicker sill and heavier sprung trucks in the top photo.
Jason

Correct.

I'm assuming the A&A knows which is which.  They bought 110 in 1941 new from GE.  The 112 was built 1945 for the USN, bought used 1987-ish.

The labels I placed on the photos, while hard to see, were correct.  Photo angle may play a part in some of the identification problems. The small walkway on the front and rear of 112 are hard to see.

[lv4142003]

That is a confusing Phase table. If you look at the top of the hoods there is a clerestory curving up from the headlight and running back on the top of the hood,where the flat, elongated door like cover for the 44 ton engine cooling vent is. I can't find a definitive answer as to when and how long they were produced with that feature, but I'm pretty sure it was an interim phase of the early 65 ton. The later 65 tonners had stepwell equipped frames and a longer "porch" on them, as well as a large box on the deck in front of the cab, on the right side looking at the unit dead on from the side.  Chris on that phase table he seems to have skipped the phase after -A2 and before -A3, where the units were equipped with 2 ladders on each side, "centered" over the trucks. This phase preceded moving the ladders to the ends of the frame.

[up1950s]

Thanks for the toot on the etching process you use . Once I get that pen I will finally try one for myself .

[Chris333]

That is a confusing Phase table. If you look at the top of the hoods there is a clerestory curving up from the headlight and running back on the top of the hood,where the flat, elongated door like cover for the 44 ton engine cooling vent is. I can't find a definitive answer as to when and how long they were produced with that feature, but I'm pretty sure it was an interim phase of the early 65 ton. The later 65 tonners had stepwell equipped frames and a longer "porch" on them, as well as a large box on the deck in front of the cab, on the right side looking at the unit dead on from the side.  Chris on that phase table he seems to have skipped the phase after -A2 and before -A3, where the units were equipped with 2 ladders on each side, "centered" over the trucks. This phase preceded moving the ladders to the ends of the frame.

The clerestory is a 65T thing and on II-B models only.

65T phases

[dariaphoebe]

LOL!

Looks to me like you arrived at a fair price. I won't get rich, but I won't be losing money either.  If the other couple of people who expressed their interest in this conversion also get on board, I'll make a small batch of these boards.  But I can't really commit to a time frame.  And yes, you would have to unsolder the over-current protector from the Bachmann decoder and solder it to my adapter board.

I assume if you did these, they are long since sold out?

[peteski]

I assume if you did these, they are long since sold out?

No, they haven't been sold. I etched the boards some time ago, but haven't contacted all the interested parties yet. It's one of those projects that got done half way . . . I have too many of those projects!    I still want to write up some instructions for those wanting to install their own decoder.  I think I etched about 10 of these boards, but have to dig them out (from the pile of my partially completed projects) and see how many I really have.  I'll also have to compile a list of the interested parties (from this thread), and I'll offer them on the first-come--first-serve basis. 

[JMaurer1]

Me