44 tonner disassembly...

[coosvalley]

 Hi there..

I am now the proud owner of 2 Bmann 44Ts, and I want to custom paint them for the Claremont & Concord, a street running shortline in NH(see link for a pic) . However, I need to figure out how to get it apart without breaking it first.. So, if anyone out there has done this, please tell me what I need to know. Any suggestions on how to get the handrails off? They are glued in.

 Thanks in advance.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo=201001012349107366.jpg&order=byrail&page=1&key=Claremont%20Concord

[Chris333]

I pushed the handrails out from the bottom with a slightly dull exacto blade.

Once you pull the shell off you can file off the 4 nubs on the frame. The body stays on fine without them.

[coosvalley]

So, it is a friction fit onto the mech? Do I need to remove anything first?

That is what I figured I might have to do with the handrails. I think I'll remove the paint first to try to loosen the glue. They didn't seem to use glue at the cab..Bachmann is full of (good)surprises!

[coosvalley]

Chris333, could you please tell me more about the 905 conversion, did you modify the box at all? Shims? My model is from the second release, with the BIG spring type couplers. It looks like someone slapped a HO #5 on there!

[Chris333]

Yes the body is a press fit.



For the couplers I just drilled/tapped the hole and then wacked off the post. If the couplers are low you might need to file the top of the opening a little. Then the coupler bolt right in. I did have to cut the back off the boxes off.

[coosvalley]

 THANK YOU!  ;D

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Since this is a 44tonner thread, Richie (UP1950s), do you have one of these?

Can you give me a read on if it'll fit under the Island Modelworks SW1001s?

[up1950s]

Since this is a 44tonner thread, Richie (UP1950s), do you have one of these?

Can you give me a read on if it'll fit under the Island Modelworks SW1001s?

As you can see the wheel base is off by a mile . I have shims glued to the inside wall of my 1001 so I can't slip the 44 in the 1001 shell , but there was an area where I could measure the IW of the OEM shell , and low and behold it is a perfect fit with just the desirable clearance  . You would need to get rid of the ckt board . I aligned the shell 1001 sideways with the 44 fuel tank bulge of the 44 chassis to see how the coupler and ride hight lines up and that looks pretty good . fudging it deeper in the shell is no problem as there is plenty of space above the 44 chassis and the inside of the top of the 1001 shell , even at the slope on the inside near the cab end .  

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Hmm...

So then it'd just be a job of stretching it and fixing the trucks.

Hmmmmmmm.....

Thanks for checking! Mine are still packed up from the move.

[wm3798]

How long till Digitrax or TCS makes a real decoder to replace that Vacuum tube and punch card design?

Lee

[wazzou]

Don't forget the truck wheelbase.  That looks shorter on the 44T as well.

[reinhardtjh]

How long till Digitrax or TCS makes a real decoder to replace that Vacuum tube and punch card design?

Lee

There are reports from people that have used either the TCS MZA4 or the Digitrax dz123m0 decoders for Micro-Trains Z engines.

I have a MZA4 waiting for one of my 44t's but I haven't had a chance to do the install yet.  It's not a plug-n-play but it looks pretty simple - even for me.

  John H. Reinhardt

[Jim Starbuck]

How long till Digitrax or TCS makes a real decoder to replace that Vacuum tube and punch card design?

Lee

I used a TCS Z2 in mine and am extremely pleased with the way it runs. I installed micro SMD LEDs in the shell for lighting and mapped F0=headlight, F1=rear light, rule 17 directional dimming and F4=pushbutton dimming of active.
Would really like to try an MZA4 in one and use one of the extra functions for a beacon.

I also did the 905 conversion but a bit differently.  I used a cutting reamer and enlarged the hole in the coupler until it fit over the post and reinstalled the original screw. After it was attached to the shell, I cut the rear of the box off to clear the trucks.

The rails are a bit of a pain to get apart but they will come loose. I also on Chris' instruction pushed them out from the inside but used a small drill bit chucked in the pin vise backwards so the square end pushed on the rail.

[Nato]

  FYI, Union Pacific actually owned one 44 tonner for awhile, it was used at Pocatello, Idaho if I recally my data mostly for shop work. UP 903999 was built new as GE Demonstrator 1399,delivered to UP on March 28.1947,and sold to the UP on May 8,1947. When new it was painted in the then current black switcher scheme.It proved to be underpowered assigned as a yard switcher in the Omaha area it was too light for shop switching,with many shop switchers available it was transferred to the System Roadway MOW Equipment Department Shops in Pocatello.Besides switching the MOW Shops it was occaisionally used switching the roundhouse and car shops. Renumbered 03999 in October 1956 when officially transferred to the Roadway Dept. It was re numbered again to 90399 during a general renumbering of Roadway Equipment into 9000000 series numbers occurred. Sent to Omaha in 1972 for a complete rebuilding completed in Feburary 1973 it was then used as the Omaha Shop Switcher untill 1974 retirement. Sold to Diesel Supply a used loco dealer in Wisconsin,they sold it to General Dynamics Electric Boat Division in Groton ,Conn. Two photos on page 80 in 'Union Pacific Switchers and Slugs"by Don Strack show in two paint schemes, standard yellow gray colors with "Dependable Transportation" on cab side and with "We Can Handle It" on cab side. Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.