Really Old Skool FM Switcher Thread

[SirTainly]

 She left when she was a few weeks old, and grew up here but still has the passport. That said I have spent the last few years working with Kiwis, so know you all greet each other in the morning by yelling Brunette in Spanish at each other😉

[kiwi_al]

Like this?

Nō reira, mōrena ki a koutou katoa.

 

[kiwi_al]

I've extended the chassis, and cut up the cab end a la FM H12-44 TS style. I'm trying to locate my H16-44 shell I've got squirreled away so I can use part of its shell.  Finding it is proving difficult.



A gaggle of FM H12-44's

[kiwi_al]

A little bit of progress, found the long hood. Added short hood to the Minitrix shell, it's drooping a bit because I need to add the pilot and front walkway. I now need to find that part!!! 

[SirTainly]

Like this?

Nō reira, mōrena ki a koutou katoa.

 

Had to google it! Thanks Kate was no help!

Switcher is looking good!

[kiwi_al]

Googling is good  I had to look up Spanish Brunette 
Taking a break for a few days, all my train stuff is now 40  km away as I'm moving house. Bought another place and sold this one. My wife wants to finish the move this weekend as it's Easter over here. I then have to unpack 30 boxes of train stuff. The fun is just beginning!  . And no it's a smaller house and less yard so not so much space for trains.

[SirTainly]

Good luck with the move! Sorry to hear the new place is smaller though, what's the plan for any train stuff there? I'll be doing all that before 12 months is out I expect.

[kiwi_al]

Move done, will have to see what I can do with a couple of spaces 
I need a rest now 

[thomasjmdavis]

Great project kiwi_al.

Could you publish a parts list?  I'm assuming the H12-44 shells you are using are of the earlier phase, longer versions (the final phase as modeled by Minitrix being 3' or so shorter than the early ones never made in N scale).

I've been thinking of something along this line, but was going to use the internals from an Atlas or Bachmann H16-44.  In this case, the Bachmann might be better, as the later H16-44s were a bit longer than the early "phases" (as represented by the Atlas), and so might yield the correct 31' truck center.  However, Bachmann being like they are about these things, I would like to measure one and get a look at its chassis before committing.

Chassis notwithstanding, I think I am going to chicken out and wait until somebody produces the shell as a 3D or resin casting. So I admire kiwi_al's courage in chopping up a couple of working locos and several shells.

Oh, and for anyone who might be looking for drawings of a H12-44-TS (or any other ATSF FM unit), the SFRHMS Warbonnet magazine, 3rd quarter 2014 has an extensive article covering all Fairbanks Morse locos on the Santa Fe.

[kiwi_al]

Hi Tom,
Yes it's keeping me out of mischief  . I'm using the Minitrix shell as the info I had was that the H12-44TS was built at the same time as the later H12-44's and shared common parts (I could very well be wrong). I will be making sure all the details are correct and that the hood lengths are close to or correct. I'm using the short hood off an Atllas H16-44 and mounting the headlamp up high. The Minitrix mechanism has been extended to provide truck centres of 31 feet. The only reason I'm doing this to the Minitrix mechanism and not getting an H16-44 mechanism is that USPS is still not sending parcels to NZ so I just improvised with what I have. I am replacing the motor with a chinese made motor (it's pretty good) so we'll see how it goes. I do have to grind down the pizza cutters to run on code 55 track. I've been meaning to do this for a few years.

[SirTainly]

Glad the move went well! Pics of the new space when you find one!

[DiggerDownUnder]

Oh mate!! I hope you are learning Kiwi colloquialisms and slang?
You might have to make a trip downunder after all this covid stuff settles 

@ kiwi_al Downunder is across the Ditch on the BIG Island. Happy to take a rib on this. What motor did/are you using to repower these? I have two that still run on DC so am interested in a re-power and DCCing them.

David

[kiwi_al]

@ kiwi_al Downunder is across the Ditch on the BIG Island. Happy to take a rib on this. What motor did/are you using to repower these? I have two that still run on DC so am interested in a re-power and DCCing them.

David

[/ribbing on] Yeah nah mate - probably should have said downunder downunder and by the way you are the West Island of NZ  [/ribbing off]

I'm using a 12v DC motor from China (aliexpress)- Mabuchi - reasonably good performance for about 2.40 NZD which means it's at least 20 percent cheaper for you with your exchange rate. I have another 2 I'm looking to repower. I'll add them to this thread when I start on them. Gotta build a new workbench first

[DiggerDownUnder]

[/ribbing on] Yeah nah mate - probably should have said downunder downunder and by the way you are the West Island of NZ  [/ribbing off] 

I'm using a 12v DC motor from China (aliexpress)- Mabuchi - reasonably good performance for about 2.40 NZD which means it's at least 20 percent cheaper for you with your exchange rate. I have another 2 I'm looking to repower. I'll add them to this thread when I start on them. Gotta build a new workbench first

What was the model number that you used?

[kiwi_al]

Mabuchi 010 DC Motor 12v and 28000 rpm. There is a choice of 21000 or 28000 rpm.