Briggs Models MLW S13 review and build thread.

[craigolio1]

My two kits arrived today!  On first impression I’m super impressed. Pics and review to follow.

Craig

[craigolio1]

Ok so here we go.

What’s in the kit?

It comes well packed in several baggies with some some protecting key parts.



There’s a weight and some wires:



Frame:





Etchings:



Some misc details:




Cab:












And the body.:









At first glance the quality looks very good. I don’t see a lot of the lines and artifacts in the printing that I see in shapeways prints and it’s not covered in wax.

 I’m looking forward to starting to build it.

Craig

[CNR5529]

  WOW! I kept telling myself I didn't need one, but seeing it now I might just have to pull the trigger after all.

@briggsmodels great job bringing this model out, it looks like a great kit!

[craigolio1]

I starting building the kit this week and so far I’m still happy. Any problems I had were caused by me, haha.

Here is the first pile of parts I’m working with:



I’ve never installed a decoder in a Life-Like SW before. A quick search revealed this how to article which I decided would suit this install well.

http://n-scale-dcc.blogspot.com/2011/10/tcs-z2-in-life-like-sw91200.html

In the instructions I saw the Jeff routed one of the wires down and under the frame but I wanted to keep every thing inside. This article shows where to make a groove in the side of the motor so the wire won’t be squished by the shell.

Because the motor has round shoulders, there is room between the motor, weight, and shell to hide all of the wires. I plan to run them all back to the cab area. For now I’ll be wiring it for DC but in the future I’ll be able to wire a decoder by simply removing the cab to access all of the wires.





Here with the weight in place you can see wher the orange motor wire gets tucked in. The grey wire goes on the other side and then later the front truck wires go in the same place.



I modified the weight a little bit. On top I put a grove in the top to hide the wires for the front LED. I realized after that due to the curve on the top of the shell this probably won’t be needed but it’s there now. I also ground a channel out of the back of the weight to allow the wires to exit into the cab area with out bending down and possibly touching the universal. I’m concidering making a cover for the universal so that once my wires , and eventually a decoder, are stuffed in there it doesn’t interfere with the universal turning or the truck swivelling.

On that note I should mention that I found truck swivelling to be tight so with a round file I carefully clearanced the truck mounting hole in the frame just a bit. I also nothed out the side of the frame where the clips on the gear box engage frame to avoid any contact there. You can see that in the photo. Now they swivel very nicely.

Upon testing I found there to be a terrible grinding when it went through the curves on my test track. It was fine in the straights. After some investigation I found the front truck gauge to be to wide. Once fixing that it now runs fine. I still may do the brass worm upgrade I’ve seem recommended. May as well, right?!

Craig.

[BCR 570]

Reading with interest as I remember watching thee units hard at work in North Vancouver during my railfanning days.  The advantage of a groove on top of the weight is that once you have routed your wire(s) you will be able to secure them there with tape.

Tim

[craigolio1]

Reading with interest as I remember watching thee units hard at work in North Vancouver during my railfanning days.  The advantage of a groove on top of the weight is that once you have routed your wire(s) you will be able to secure them there with tape.

Tim

That’s exactly the idea Tim. I’m tired of stuff getting pinched. This weight is very tight fitting in the shell so I’m concerned that if I ever have to remove the shell the weight will get pulled
Out and possible damage the magnet wires I’ll use for the LeDs. I’m still on the fence but I may hit the weight with a belt sander on each side to make it a little looser. I’ll do a full test assemble before I decide on that.

[craigolio1]

I wasn’t feeling too good about the front truck pick up wires and there proximity to the worm and flywheel so I cut a grove for them to where they disappear above the motor.

It worked well and leaves plenty of play for the trucks to swivel. This is a mock up. Prior to final assembly I’ll knock down any sharp edges with a file.



Craig

[central.vermont]

Craig

Craig,
Something doesn't quite look right with the position of the worm in this shot. To me it looks like it should be moved out to the end of the shaft a bit more. Looks like its barely meshing with the truck. The opposite end looks as if its centered more.

Jon

[craigolio1]

Craig,
Something doesn't quite look right with the position of the worm in this shot. To me it looks like it should be moved out to the end of the shaft a bit more. Looks like its barely meshing with the truck. The opposite end looks as if its centered more.

Jon

Thanks Jon. I didn’t see/know that. I’m considering upgrading to Kato brass worms but if not I’ll see if I can adjust it.

Craig

[craigolio1]

I have the chassis fully assembled now. I forgot to adjust the worm but it’s fully engaged so I’m not going to worry about it too much this time. I have one more to build and I’ll make sure that one is better.

I used a piece of styrene angle to hold the LED and also make a spot for a resistor:



And I used a shim to get the LED up high enough that it will be in front of the lenses:



Some Kapton tape secured the wires in the channel:



With some colourful language and tape I managed to get the four wires under the weight routed so that nothing is pinched:






That’s as far as I’ll go for now until I can get it on some track and test it.

Craig

Edit: I did wind up shaving just a bit off the sides of the weight so it just slips into the shell.

[craigolio1]

Today I soldered / assembled my second chassis and started on the handrails. They are tedious but the result is awesome. I originally though it can with two handrail options. One with etched handrails and stanchions, and another just stanchions that you could bend your handrails for. Turns out the additional stanchions are to be added at right angles to the handrail section to create a scale size 3D angle iron.

The instructions say to assemble on the model but both of mine will need masking and decals which will be difficult with handrails in place, so I soldered mine together off the model.



Craig

[Angus Shops]

Wow! Briggs' handrail assembly is really well thought out. That looks like a really well designed kit.
Geoff

[tehachapifan]

Wow!! Here's to hoping they do some of the other Alco "S" units, like maybe an SP S6!

[johnb]

Wow!! Here's to hoping they do some of the other Alco "S" units, like maybe an SP S6!

Briggs won't, he's from Canuckastan

[craigolio1]

Even though Jeff is Canadian, he understands that in fact there are trains, and therefor model railroaders, outside of Canada. He has announced several ‘Murican models. This is a quote from his upcoming projects page.

“I am branching out into some US prototypes and models...”

Russ, he would likely be receptive to your SP request if there would be a demand. I wouldn’t know. Being Canukistanian myself I’ve never heard of the SP. Is it one of those farm rail things. SP. Small Potatoes?

Craig.