N Scale Hi Rail - Retro Hollow Core Door Layout

[wm3798]

Finally got around to working on this beast.


Peteski did an admirable job repairing the dreaded Bachmann cracked axle gears.  I'm planning to repower it with a Lifelike motor, but I figured I'd try the factory motor to see if the truck repairs held...  worked really well.  It's noisy as all get out, but it operates surprisingly well.

The main problem is the low torque motor combined with the high friction pick up shoes in the Bachmann Amtoobs.

I've ordered some Easy Peasy light kits to replace the factory set up, and hopefully dramatically reduce the drag to see if the repower is even necessary.
My plan is to run a Florida train, with maybe three Amfleet, a couple of chair cars and a sleeper.

[jpec]

He's going to slip those in when no one's looking. If he replaces those bulbs with some SMT LED's those would make a nice retro/mod combination.

Jeff

 

What? Not using some of these?

[davefoxx]

My plan is to run a Florida train, with maybe three Amfleet, a couple of chair cars and a sleeper.

You know me. Loves me some Florida trains. 

DFF

[wm3798]

I believe there was a Friday night in Perryville, early in the NS Era, when a bunch of us Asshats convened for the 10 p.m. show, as the freight was allowed to drain off the Port Road and onto the late night corridor.  I think it was @davefoxx @Ed Kapuscinski, Bullet Bob and a few others...  I'm sure the photo we took was a few hard drives ago...  But the Silver Meteor was usually the last Amtrak train to go south, always hauled by an E-60.  Back when I lived in Harford County, it was a Friday night ritual to cross the Conowingo Dam, stop in Port Deposit to see what trains were holed up at the signal, then set up the web lawn chairs at Perryville to get ready for the show.

I think part of this video is from that night...

And if it wasn't it should have been!
Lee

[peteski]

Finally got around to working on this beast.


Peteski did an admirable job repairing the dreaded Bachmann cracked axle gears.  I'm planning to repower it with a Lifelike motor, but I figured I'd try the factory motor to see if the truck repairs held...  worked really well.  It's noisy as all get out, but it operates surprisingly well.

The main problem is the low torque motor combined with the high friction pick up shoes in the Bachmann Amtoobs.

Nice Lee!  Good to see that beast alive and running!

[wm3798]

Thanks, @peteski !  Couldn't have done it without you!

I'll have to put up a video... I've got one on my Hi Rail page on the facetoobs, but I don't think it shares easily...

Lee

[peteski]

Thanks, @peteski !  Couldn't have done it without you!

I'll have to put up a video... I've got one on my Hi Rail page on the facetoobs, but I don't think it shares easily...

Lee

Sounds good! No FB for me.

[wm3798]

And you are a wiser man than I in that regard!!

Lee

[wm3798]

Well, surf's up, and here come the Sharks...


At first I worried that "Bought it Now" for a bit too much money... no original boxes, glass and details missing from the A unit, the risk of White Gear Syndrome...  But when I opened the package, I was pleased to see that they are in reasonably good shape, the cosmetic issues should be fairly easily overcome, and, the E-R shells are actually riding on Atlas/Kato RS3 mechanisms!!    Extremely smooth, familiar mechanisms!  So apart from the fuel tank details being off a bit, something mostly hidden by skirting, I feel like I got a pretty good value.

And on top of that, the seller threw in a couple of extra shells that someone had started doing a freelance paint job on.  So, for less than I would have paid for a pristine set of E-R Sharks, I now have lots of fun projects added to the Retro Fleet work order board.

But it also raises a question about the extra shells...  The only Shark listed on Spookshow is the E-R/Bachmann model.  But I now have three shells that are clearly NOT from the same run.



You can see differences in the roof detail, the pilot hole for the truck mounted coupler, and the grills down the long hood, and of course, the ER model has added on grab wires, while the other two are molded on.

So what gives?  Did @spookshow miss a model in the Encyclopedia?  Did Mehano, or one of the other early manufacturers do a Shark?  The black shell is definitely injection molded with big Mehano style slots along the sill to catch the frame (my example has a retrofitted Mehano FA drive, not an original equipment frame, so it's hard to tell specifically who did the shell) and the red one appears to be resin cast off of the black model with some minor modifications (no mounting holes, for instance).

So what is the origin of this species?  Am I in possession of some sort of rare and primitive N scale Artifact?  Or was it an accident of nature that was missed by the scale's foremost authority on all things obscure?
Now that I've suddenly gone from one shark to potentially 5, my curiosity is piqued!  Next I'll have to start hunting down some old A/K drives to power these new additions to the Laurel Valley retro fleet!


Lee

[wm3798]

A quick scan of eBay reveals that two more sets of these mystery shells are on the market presently, also powered by A/K RS3 drives.  The first pair sports the mounting slots, and the other single unit does too, but it is all dolled up with Trainphone antennas and custom paint.

Still hoping to find more clues.
Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Those black sharks are ancient castings by a cottage manufacturer.

My dad has a pair that he put on Atlas RS11 mechs with added weight. They will pull down wallpaper now (much like the real thing).

[Point353]

And on top of that, the seller threw in a couple of extra shells that someone had started doing a freelance paint job on.  S

But it also raises a question about the extra shells...  The only Shark listed on Spookshow is the E-R/Bachmann model.  But I now have three shells that are clearly NOT from the same run.



You can see differences in the roof detail, the pilot hole for the truck mounted coupler, and the grills down the long hood, and of course, the ER model has added on grab wires, while the other two are molded on.

So what gives?  Did @spookshow miss a model in the Encyclopedia?  Did Mehano, or one of the other early manufacturers do a Shark?  The black shell is definitely injection molded with big Mehano style slots along the sill to catch the frame (my example has a retrofitted Mehano FA drive, not an original equipment frame, so it's hard to tell specifically who did the shell) and the red one appears to be resin cast off of the black model with some minor modifications (no mounting holes, for instance).

So what is the origin of this species?  Am I in possession of some sort of rare and primitive N scale Artifact?  Or was it an accident of nature that was missed by the scale's foremost authority on all things obscure?

Probably Deluxe Innovations shark nose shell:
https://www.walthers.com/baldwin-shark-nose-diesel-shell-undecorated-w-accessories

[wm3798]

Ah, so it never had its own drive.  Good to know.  The Deluxe Innovations doesn't appear to have the mounting slots, I suppose it's possible that the design evolved over the years?

Either way, it's good to know the history of it.  Back to running trains now... er WORKING!

Lee

[nickelplate759]

the shell on the left (with the 2 holes on each side near the frame) were made by V-Line, and designed to fit the Mehano FA1-chassis.  I have 2 of them that I put on Atlas/Kato RS3 chassis.   The shell on the right was made by Deluxe Innovations who bought the tooling from V-Line, and plugged the holes.    Other than that it's the same as the V-Line shell.

The ER (and made by Bachmann I think) shell is clearly much nicer.

[wm3798]

Okay, that now makes complete sense.  I have vague recollections of V-line.  I think they did a couple of projects...
and yes, the E-R shells are beautiful.
Makes me think I might go ahead and drop the coin to get an actual boxed set next time I see one come around.  There's a New York Central set at the local hobby shop in nearby southern Delaware... I thought he had a relatively high price on it, but maybe not now that I think of it.  I would probably want to inspect it for white (bad) or black (good) gears, though!

Lee