N scale FM H-12-44 experiences

[thomasjmdavis]

A little off topic, but here is a custom Alco HH660 that fits the Minitrix FM chassis. I bought this shell years ago and never got around to finishing it. Good to know the Bachmann NW2 is an option for power. The NW2 wasn't even available at the time.
The shell is not an exact match to the HH660 and maybe it is a different loco altogether, but the main spotting features are there for the 660 which is good enough for me.
(Attachment Link)

My guess would be that is a reasonably accurate model of some particular 660, as there was a lot of variation from one to another- from what little I can gather looking at pics, I would guess an early 660, maybe converted from a 600 while on the production line.  Like a lot of early diesels, every order is a bit different, as they worked out issues with the "newfangled" machines.  Plus railroad shops made a lot of alterations over the years.  Also, in the early days of N scale, there were few reliable drives, and so shells might compromise a few inches here or there to fit.

Nice job on the paint and decals.

[atsf_arizona]

Here's a treatise I did 15+ years ago on trying to remotor the Trix FM chassis.  Hans Starmans told me that even putting a Maxon motor in it,
wouldn't really help because the Trix gearing is too high.  I tried anyway.  Hans was right.  It runs ok, certainly better than stock, but the LifeLike SW1200 runs a whole lot better. But oh well, it was fun to try:

https://web.archive.org/web/20151002184854/http://home.comcast.net/~j.sing/Santa_Fe_FM_H12-44_Zebra_Stripe.htm



Here's the Maxon motor in the chassis:



And you can see more of those internals here:

http://home.comcast.net/~j.sing/Richmond_Controls_EZ26_Install_Minitrix_FM_H12-44_page1.html

[DKS]

Here's mine:



Back in the 70s there were no Shays, so I turned my FM onto one, or tried to. I never finished it--still had the truck sides and the drive shaft to do--but I got far enough for it to be fun. And yeah, it's pretty laughable. But hey, I was a teenager...

The entire build can be found here: http://davidksmith.com/modeling/layouts/OtherLayouts/wrn1-2-1.htm

[Dirk Jan Blikkendaal]

That Shay is still nice considering the time frame......
In the same "train of thought"...... around 1980 I have built a NetTrak (the Dutch version of NTrak) make believe 6 ft PE mudule. Using the Minitrix FM chassis (cut into 2 pieces and using only one driven truck) I motorized the 4 wood/brass Western Railcraft PE kits of that time, even with a small flywheel...... using life wire I was able to run two trains in the same block independently (DCC still may years to come). I never got the models finished unfortunately. Took some liberties.... no poles but pantographs... incorrent sideframes...... but that was 1980!  Was fun running these trollies..... [ Guests cannot view attachments ] Dirk Jan Blikkendaal

[jdcolombo]

The real question is why some manufacturer (Atlas, BLI, Kato - all of whom have made very nice small switchers) doesn't make a modern FM H-10 or H-12.  They were FM's biggest diesel seller, owned by nearly every Class I and repurposed by many industrial and short line roads.  The CN owned them, and so did the US Army.  They were manufactured until 1961 (the H10 from 1944-1950 and the H12 from 1950-1961) and were in service into the 1970's.

So why doesn't a modern version of this model exist?????

John C.

[thomasjmdavis]

The real question is why some manufacturer (Atlas, BLI, Kato - all of whom have made very nice small switchers) doesn't make a modern FM H-10 or H-12.  They were FM's biggest diesel seller, owned by nearly every Class I and repurposed by many industrial and short line roads.  The CN owned them, and so did the US Army.  They were manufactured until 1961 (the H10 from 1944-1950 and the H12 from 1950-1961) and were in service into the 1970's.

So why doesn't a modern version of this model exist?????

John C.

A very good question.  Given the boxy dimensions of the FM hoods, fitting it to existing mechanisms for other switchers already in production would seem fairly simple- in fact should have room for a bit of extra weight.  Looking at online PRR loco diagrams ( http://prr.railfan.net/diagrams/PRRdiagrams.html?sel=die ), The H10 and early phases of the H12 have the same truck center dimension (25'6") as the Alco VO-1000, and the shorter late H12  ( https://www.borail.net/FM_H12-44_Class_SF-4.jpg ) is just a bit longer than existing NW2/SW7/SW9 models or Baldwin S12. 

[JMaurer1]

Dirk: Those old Western Rail kits were not easy to build and even harder to build to where they looked really good, but you did it. Now finish the job and paint them at least!

JD: It seems that once a locomotive is made by anyone, no matter how long ago, nobody else wants to take it on (hey, it's already been done)...unless it is an F-7, GP-9 or SD-7/9. I have two of these old Trix FM's that I painted, decaled and detailed (for SP) that I might try updating the mechs on now that there are some better running mechs (thanks to all who pointed out alternatives).

I still don't understand why nobody has come out with a Baldwin AS-S616 or its related brothers... 

[jdcolombo]

The VO-1000 chassis is too long for the Minitrix shell.  You might be able to cut it down enough to fit, but it won't work stock.  Neither will the LifeLike SW chassis or the Kato NW chassis because of the width. 

I don't have a Bachmann NW2 I might buy a Bachmann NW2 just to try it myself; I might be able to shoehorn a sound decoder in it with that chassis . . . And since the NKP owned 20+ FM H10's/H12's, might be worth it to try.  Maybe it will be one of those "The day I finish, Atlas announces it" kind of things!

John C.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I think one of the issues with these and the Baldwins is that, unlike EMD that just cranked out hundreds of almost identical units, that these things typically had a bunch of variations that are expensive to tool changes for.

Different trucks, different frame lengths, etc...

[thomasjmdavis]

The VO-1000 chassis is too long for the Minitrix shell.  You might be able to cut it down enough to fit, but it won't work stock.  Neither will the LifeLike SW chassis or the Kato NW chassis because of the width. 

I don't have a Bachmann NW2 I might buy a Bachmann NW2 just to try it myself; I might be able to shoehorn a sound decoder in it with that chassis . . . And since the NKP owned 20+ FM H10's/H12's, might be worth it to try.  Maybe it will be one of those "The day I finish, Atlas announces it" kind of things!

John C.

That was my point, John.  The VO-1000 is correct for the original H10 and early H12 (shells available on shapeways, and I think in past days in resin), the later H12  (which is prototype for the Minitrix model) is shorter and will fit the NW/SW chassis.  I don't know what the driver was for FM to chop 3' off the length of their switcher in the later 1950s.

[CBQ Fan]

The VO-1000 chassis is too long for the Minitrix shell.  You might be able to cut it down enough to fit, but it won't work stock.  Neither will the LifeLike SW chassis or the Kato NW chassis because of the width. 

I don't have a Bachmann NW2 I might buy a Bachmann NW2 just to try it myself; I might be able to shoehorn a sound decoder in it with that chassis . . . And since the NKP owned 20+ FM H10's/H12's, might be worth it to try.  Maybe it will be one of those "The day I finish, Atlas announces it" kind of things!

John C.

I hope atlas doesn’t it announce it, not until they get caught up on their 30 some announced items that were due for arrival in the second quarter.

[ncbqguy]

Brian-
Supposedly the CB&Q had an FM H-10 demo at Western Avenue Chicago yard...and there are surviving copies of the RFE (request for expenditure) covering the cost of fuel and a movie of it working.   Goes along withe the rumored rendering of a Trainmaster in passenger livery at the DesPlaines River bridge in Riverside.  Neither would ever have a chance to happen because FM was dead to the Q mechanical department ever since they hired away one of their best engineers.
Neat engines nontheless!
Charlie Vlk

[OldEastRR]

JD: It seems that once a locomotive is made by anyone, no matter how long ago, nobody else wants to take it on (hey, it's already been done)...unless it is an F-7, GP-9 or SD-7/9.

Well, the E units have been made by everybody, there's at least 4 GG-1 mfgrs and that PA has been done again and again and again and again...

[Jim Starbuck]

Interesting thread

@mecgp7 : that Alco is very cool!
I did an H10-44 using the Shapeways shell and an Atlas VO1000 mechanism and am quite happy with it.
It’s good to know that the H12-44 was shorter.
I just got a book on FMs but haven’t had a chance to read it yet.

[sd45elect2000]

Interesting thread

@mecgp7 : that Alco is very cool!
I did an H10-44 using the Shapeways shell and an Atlas VO1000 mechanism and am quite happy with it.
It’s good to know that the H12-44 was shorter.
I just got a book on FMs but haven’t had a chance to read it yet.

Not all H12-44s were shorter. The Milwaukee H12s were the same length as the H10s.