Spectrum Saddle Tank Switcher

[CNE Runner]

Rich - What did you do to make the locomotive less of a 'growler'? I can [barely] live with the electrical pickup problems - but the gear noise is terrible! I considered attaching some Tomar pick up shoes...something the Bachmann Plymouth MDT could also use...if there were room.

Daylight4449 - I don't want to violate the rules of the forum or I would definitely sell you this engine (it is lettered for the Lectonia & Cherry Valley RR). I will probably send it to a Mantua rebuilder to see if they can regear the little bugger with NWSL gears.

Ray

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Mr. Howard Zane was watchin me test run two of these back at a show long ago(year or two) and I think he fell in love with em. They've pulled 5 cars no problem for me. I have 4 of these guys along with a Dockside for street running along my water front when i build a layout

[richg]

Rich - What did you do to make the locomotive less of a 'growler'? I can [barely] live with the electrical pickup problems - but the gear noise is terrible! I considered attaching some Tomar pick up shoes...something the Bachmann Plymouth MDT could also use...if there were room.

Daylight4449 - I don't want to violate the rules of the forum or I would definitely sell you this engine (it is lettered for the Lectonia & Cherry Valley RR). I will probably send it to a Mantua rebuilder to see if they can regear the little bugger with NWSL gears.

Ray

My Mantua 0-6-0T was purchased from Yardbird Trains about a year ago and might be a newer version than yours. Just a guess.
Mine has a can motor.
If you want to run the loco, you might re-gear with NWSL parts.
I did that with an old 0-4-0T using the MDC 70 to 1 gears from NWSL but the small open frame NWSL motor is mounted in bath caulk for noise isolation. It has a flywheel also.

Rich

[richg]

Rich,

Me likey your homemade pick up job.  Do you have any more detailed pictures of parts and/or instructions?  I have a couple of older models, I've been wanting to experiment with.  I haven't been able to noodle out how to install copper/bronze pick ups on a metal frame.  At first it seemed not too difficult, but for my simple mind, I couldn't work out how to make a secure, nonmetal bracket to hold the pick up brush, that wouldn't fall off or interfere with the frame or wheels.

Neato.

Regards,

Jonathan

I have some fairly thin copper clad PC board I used and soldered the springs to the PC board then put the PC board in place with five minute epoxy. I tried and fit until I got it right. I used a #30 wire to run power up to the decoder. With the wire and pickups painted black, it is not noticeable.
I can mail you enough PC board if you want to try it yourself. It will take some experimenting as there is right/left movement in the drivers. You want constant connection between driver and pickup while not "forcing" the drivers to one side.
I use a four inch pair of sharp wire cutters to cut the Kadee spring in half. I then solder the spring to the PC board. Attach the PC board and adjust the spring tension. Again, experiment.

Rich

[jonathan]

Rich,

I get it, now.  Thanks for the explanation.  As much as I appreciate your kind offer, I have enough on my plate right now, than to take on another old locomotive.  I'm a little burnt out working on the Doxie.  Gotta get it finished.

Now... let me show you why I want the 0-6-0T.

When I was building the Varney, I knew I would need a place to run her, if I ever finished her.  A dock area wouldn't work on my layout, but a mine would, with switching operations a necessity.

So I removed a hidden 18" radius turnaround in my mountain, and started a mine.  The space is very tight.  Have a Look:


Due to lack of space, I cheated a little bit.  The turntable also serves as caboose tracks, aaaand, the aux coal loader is used to load small steam that serves the mine.  Nevermind that the Doxie is an oil burner.  Actually the Varney and the 44 ton are so small, they can pull a caboose onto the turntable with them.  Very convenient.

In the third shot, you can see a #6 turnout coming off the main, then another #6 turnout, creating parallel tracks to the turntable.  Loco can pull in a cut of small hoppers (3-5), uncouple, turn on the turntable to the parallel track, then end o' round to the back of the cut, and finally push the hoppers to the tipple.  Make Sense?

The last few shots are taken from the backside.






That was a long story to say that the Varney doesn't like #6 turnouts with nonpowered frogs (stops dead).  The wheel base is long enough to handle a #4 (frog is shorter).

I think the 0-6-0T will fit very well in this little area.  It's still under construction, obviously, but the tipple facility already has interior lights.

Enjoy.

And thanks again for the input.  I did look at the Mantua, haven't seen a new one running, yet.  Unfortunately, Mantua makes a B&O version, Bachmann does not.  BTAIM, I still prefer a Spectrum, given my past luck with them.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Daylight4449]

its all right even if we could email each other i am short on funds... ah well.

[Daylight4449]

oh... is it also against the rules to share an email to start a sale... i don't know but it almost was done before. just asking.

[Jim Banner]

oh... is it also against the rules to share an email to start a sale... i don't know but it almost was done before. just asking.

One thing that is NOT against the rules is to include your email address in your profile.  Then people can email you off board about anything they like.  I have had an email address on my profile for years but I don't get any more spam to that address than I do to my other addresses.

Jim

[Jim Banner]

Rich,
I think your method of adding pickups to the locomotive wheels is great.  Have you tried it out for tender pickup as well?  The usual pickup off tender axles is fine, but gives only four wheel pickup.  I'm thinking this might be an easy way of getting eight wheel tender pickup.

Jim

[jonathan]

Deja Vu.



Easy to do with plastic trucks.  Insulating against an all metal loco is another matter. I agree, Jim.  Rich's method looks great.

P.S.

Oh my, found this old Rivarossi in my junk box.  Just put couplers on it.  Nothing seems broken.  Wonder if it runs...

[CNE Runner]

RichG - I was seriously contemplating sending my Mantua 0-6-0T to Yardbird to see what magic they could work on it. Right now I am starting the process of adding (building) the Sweet Haven district onto the Monks' Island Railway so my limited retirement funds are already allocated...someday though...

Jonathan - Love the mine scene! My wife and I were camping in Tennessee and ran into a guy who put a second deck on his Atlas turntable (made it considerably longer). From the pictures he shared it came out nicely.

Short locomotives do not like longer turnouts with insulated frogs. Actually they don't like insulated frogs period. When I have run the Mantua 0-6-0T, it navigated my #4 Peco Electrofrog turnouts without hesitation. 'Just food for thought.

Ray

[OldTimer]

Back when Mantua was really Mantua, the 0-6-0T was known as the "Little Six" and the 0-6-0 (with slope-back tender) was called the "Big Six." 

[J3a-614]

Hey, check out the coal bunker on the Rivarossi 0-6-0T--looks a lot like the one on the New Haven shop switcher P.D. Lethbridge found a photo of for the Dockside thread.

Overall look seems to be Baldwin; does anybody know if this engine had a prototype, or did someone do a "freelance" engineering job?

It may or may not run well; could be an indication of how a Rivarossi Dockside would run.  Could make an interesting detail project if it runs well, even if you have to shave off things like the generator and air compressor.

Let us know how it runs, and let us know if you have trouble with what look like deep flanges.

[jonathan]

I cleaned the Rivarossi, inside and out (lots of goo and fuzz and hair), applied a little lubrication... and she took right off.  Runs surprisingly well, as long as its code 100 track (flanges).  I could get it to run on code 83, but it's a little rough and you can hear the flanges hitting all the chairs/ties as it goes.  

Fortunately, I laid the mine with code 100  track, so I could use some old brass track, and to save on cost, like turnouts, etc.  

Remember, how I said I didn't want to take on another old engine?  I'm noticing bug bites.  And seeing how I just bought a 100-year supply of neolube...  Hmmmm...

Still got my eye on the Spectrum, though, you know, just in case.

As a side note, the 44 ton diesel scoots around the mine like nobody's business... super smooth.  

Regards,

Jonathan

P.S.  How do I get the dust off around the molded on details?  Soap and water doesn't seem to take it off.

[J3a-614]

I've had to deal with things like this in models and occasionally in other thngs, too, like getting an old radio clean, or knobs in your car.  Not much to do but use wet and dry swabs (i.e., Q-Tips), old toothbrushes, other small (stiff) brushes such as some artists use, and even wooden toothpicks or matchsticks (let these wooden sticks or picks be wet, it makes them just a little softer to help prevent scratches), and scrub the dust out.  Takes time, but it will look much better when you are done, and you shouldn't have to do this job again unless you let it collect dust for another 40 years.

I mentioned about doing this in a car.  This is or can be what "auto detailers" do on full-sized autos (and of course, they charge money for it). 

One thing to take note of is that some of these older models are not painted, but only have their numbers and lettters printed on the appropriately colored plastic.

Glad it runs well; a lot of things like this didn't!