N Scale Hi Rail - Retro Hollow Core Door Layout

[Steveruger45]

Ommmmmmm noclicky noclicky noclicky ommmmmmmmmm.

Glad I could help.

Darn it.  You beat me too it.

Lee, glad I could help too.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Tempting though it may be to dismember my WM 2-8-0, or even to buy another to scavenge, they just aren't retro enough for this project, nor can they be had very affordably in the aftermarket. 

So I ebayed a cheap White Box 2-8-2 with a Reading profile shell and a Vanderbilt tender with B&O markings...  Spookshow's review gives me hope that it can be a smooth enough runner, and I've already concocted a means of improving pick up with a new style Bachmann tender...  Years ago I modified a couple of the mechanically identical 2-8-0s into a double header, wired together to overcome the pick up issues, and they ran and pulled really well. 

So the surgery will consist of getting the Rivarossi shell to fit over the Bachmann drive (after removing the pilot and trailing trucks, of course) and fitting the original tender shell to a new chassis with all wheel pickup.  (There will be further surgery on the Vandy tender to see if I can make it work with my second RR Mikado)

In the meantime, will you please bow your heads and join me in the "I hope the white gears don't click" prayer...  I'm due to receive it on Tuesday.

Lee

If you don't do anything with that shell or tender, I know a good home for it...

[wm3798]

I want see if I can convert the tender into something useful, but the engine shell will be free to a good home.

Lee

[johnb]

I want see if I can convert the tender into something useful, but the engine shell will be free to a good home.

Lee

which shell? I can use parts of the  2003 Connie

[wm3798]

The 1990s white box.  It's actually not a bad model for its day.  It's due in the mailbox today.  I'll post up a picture this evening.
Lee

[wm3798]

In other news...i have gotten the foam base of the layout set for the upper deck based on the track plan.  I'm going to include the coal branch, utilizing the tight Trix curves, about 7.5" radius, with a tunnel in the front to lessen track clutter along the river. (Second photo)


Not sure I'm going to keep the crossovers on the B&O.  I don't like the geometry and I'm not interested spending money on curved turnouts.



I also got the cork down for the B&O staging tracks.  This will now out of view behind the sky board, but it might be fun to scenic it as a PRR four track main diorama.

[wm3798]

The White Box Wonder has arrived.  It's motor, the plastic frame that @spookshow warned us about, was toast.  Fortunately, I had a metal frame version with the same worm which had been pulled from the UP 4-8-4 Now on display at the public park...so with little effort and a styrene shim, I've got it running.


Next to solve the pick up issue.  Per the review, the only pick up comes from the three drive axles, so performance on insulated frogs is spotty at best.

Fortunately, it turns out that axle point pickups from an Atlas B truck are exactly spaced to fit in the tender truck.  I filed the inside of the sideframe to create space for the shoe, and reamed out the center hole to properly align the center axle.



Since the Bachmann axles are only insulated at one end, I only need one shoe on each truck.  If I'm going to use the tender for my Rivarossi Mike, I can put both shoes on the right side replicate the RR set up, but if it's going to ride behind the Bachmann, I'll have flip one of them to collect from both rails.

I'm disappointed that the RR 0-8-0 she'll isn't a more direct fit, but that might be solvable with a shorter worm shaft to pull the motor into the cab a little better.

The drivers also suffer a bit from slipping out of quarter on one side, so once I get them properly aligned, I'll try wicking a dot of .CA into the hubs.

Otherwise, it runs reasonably well.  I'll see if I can tuck some lead under the hood to improve its reactive effort, then put it into service.

More results as the tests continue.

Lee

[DKS]

If it were me, I'd say screw retro purity and use a B'mann Spectrum tender. Just sayin'...

[wm3798]

Do they offer a Vandy with the pick ups?  Can't says as I've seen one...
It's not so much the retro purity, It's more of a challenge to use up some of that parts I have floating around!
Lee

[DKS]

Do they offer a Vandy with the pick ups?  Can't says as I've seen one...

Yes, they do. It just may be a little tough finding one--persistence is required.

https://www.trainz.com/products/bachmann-89451-unlettered-vanderbilt-tender?variant=32975351750

 

[wm3798]

A little pricey for my tastes, so in the meantime I'll keep working on breathing life into the old dinosaur.

[peteski]

Lee, if you went through the trouble to installing the axle-end cone pickups (on one side?), why not just go one more step and replace the wheelsets with ones which have insulated axle (like Kato), install the other bearing plate and have all 4 wheels on the truck pick up power?

[wm3798]

That's a possibility, @peteski .  I had originally wanted to swap the tender to a Rivarossi Mike, but a test fit demonstrates that I'd have to completely rework the drawbar to get it to work.  So I may go ahead and set up for all wheel pick up to benefit the Bachmann loco.

But not until I get some actual work done!!

Lee

[OldEastRR]

I've got a Bachmann Vandy with NH lettering I don't need. The lettering is just the words "New Haven".  It's a longer frame than the one you show.

[wm3798]

Thanks for the offer, @OldEastRR , but I think I can work with what I have for the moment.  It looks like those get sold for a pretty penny.  You might consider putting it up for sale and see if you get a nibble.

Lee