Old Model Power Baldwin Shark

[Rich R]

All,

I have a question for the assembled multitudes who model such things as diesels in HO.
I have an old but rather well painted and detailed Model Power Baldwin Shark nose A-B set up. Sadly these are dummies and at least 30 years old. Now I find that all you can purchase are dummies and I would like to power what I have.
Question being. Does anyone know if a Bachmann Fairbanks Morse H16-44 or similar power chassis might work on these? I need the FM or Alco style trucks for this. I could butcher up an Athearn loco of some sort but prefer to go with Bachmann if possible. Any thoughts?
Simple measurements from the trucks center to center should do it.

Cheers,
Rich R

[Tim]

Rich

I think an Alco FA /B chassis should fit.
I will be at the shop tomorrow and will do some comparisons.

Tim
Souderton, Pa

[Rich R]

Hi Tim,

That's one I hadn't given much thought to.  I'm looking for a dependable drive rather than something DCC ready and all that. From what I've heard the model power drives leave a lot to be desired.
But let me know whatever you find out. The center to center on the Baldwin I have is right on at four inches.  Center of front leaf spring to center of rear leaf spring.
This is what I hate about not being close ot a local hobby shop. Nearest to me is over an hour each way.

Thanks for any info you might provide me.

Cheers,
Rich R

[msowsun]

E-R Models makes (or made) a very good running Sharknose. There is a bunch available on Ebay right now.

[Rich R]

msowsun,

E-R models?  I'll have to go take a run through Ebay and see what those are.

Thanks for the head's up on that however.

Cheers,
Rich R

[the Bach-man]

Dear All,
The ER Sharks are N Scale, but be patient for  couple of months...
I didn't say Anything!
the Bach-man

[Guilford Guy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/NIB-HO-ER-Models-4106-2-RF-16-SHARKNOSE-PRR-2000_W0QQitemZ6066787675QQihZ009QQcategoryZ19138QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem
doesn't look N scale to me?

[Dr EMD]

Dear All,
The ER Sharks are N Scale, but be patient for  couple of months...
I didn't say Anything!
the Bach-man

Ahh, another surprise!

[msowsun]

E-R Models Sharks are HO scale. They share the same drive as the E-R Models FP-7. They have Roco trucks, A very nice can motor and come with a DCC ready plug.

I think Roco built the Model Power Sharks and E-R Models used the Roco design in their Sharks. They just  upgraded the motor and added a DCC ready circuit board. 

http://www.tcsdcc.com/decoderpics/erm.html

[msowsun]

E-R Models Sharks are HO scale. They share the same drive as the E-R Models FP-7. They have Roco trucks, a very nice can motor, and come with a DCC ready plug.

I think Roco built the Model Power Sharks and E-R Models used the Roco design in their Sharks. They just  upgraded the motor and added a DCC ready circuit board. 

http://www.tcsdcc.com/decoderpics/erm.html

[Rich R]

Msowsun,

The E-R sharks are/were available in both HO and N scale. I checked and  was surprised to learn that myself.  Thanks for the information and a place to look as well.

Bach man.
Oh great! Now that I've finally started to be rid of all my old HO gear other than a few pieces that were gifts, you have to bring out one of the few things that I really liked about that scale.
Guess I'll have to learn to live with that. 
Not that you said anything about producing a Baldwin shark of course. :-)

Thanks,
Rich R

[Tim]

Rich

Tim here

I checked the wheelbase on some alco Fa's, and I'm sorry to say
the wheel base is 1/4" shorter than the 4" you told me.

Back to square one.

Tim
Souderton, Pa

[Rich R]

Hi Tim,

Thanks for your time and efforts on my behalf. Really do appreciate it.
So if the FA/FB won’t work I wonder what the wheel base on an Athearn F unit is? The newer ones with the plastic side frames? I could always switch out those for some Alco ones …… if the wheelbase is correct.
Question now is, who has an Athearn F unit or  possibly a Bachmann F they would be willing to measure?   

Cheers,
Rich R

[LD303]

ooooo!!!!!!!!   some new bachmann baldwins??!!!  i wouldnt mind that a bit!!!!     err...i mean....what baldwins??  where? who??     

[James Hail]

Do what i did.....I made a bachmann plus F chassis into a powered boxcar (trimmed leafsprings and brake actuators off the trucks and flat black them...then shove it into a boxcar shell...yea boxcar with a fuel tank i know) to push the MPower Santa Fe(dummy....loads of them on ebay...) Sharknose around.....Lights on the Dummy work of course so all i have to do is dcc the powered boxcar 8o)......Seems everyone on ebay has boxes of those old MP dummy sharknoses.....they must have found a lost ship from china or japan full of dummy locos....