I noted here that other scales belong in this section of the site & HO is another side of my hobby along with my love of all things U.S. outline i have a collection of HO Fleischmann locos with the odd N scale among them .. all the locos i intend to fit DCC & new couplers to at least anything else i will play it by ear.
My idea is to have an end to end layout approx 6ft X 2FT a museum theme with a funicular possibly to a second level the station above the tracks/platforms .. with the LOK's other U.S. modern outline locos run also being an eccentric he runs tours of the steamers :wave: :wave: allowing the U.S. locos to run through with stock (excuse for me to still play trains in HO on a small layout) :thumbsup: ;)
If i can i would like a shuttle line on the upper level which brings visitors to the museum.
Fleischmann 4029 HO BR80 with i have been told by a friend has the later motor needing a different backplate to the one i have on order for it :wink:
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/newlocopics012.jpg)
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/newlocopics007.jpg)
The red under the cab sides needs some attention but nothing too drastic
It will be converted to DCC with a TCS M4 using this invaluable source for Fleischmann conversions.
http://www.voyagerrobotics.herobo.com/index.php?p=1_16
The couplers i have changed for Kadees & so needed to remove the original Fleischmann ones ..... wrap some thin tape around the buffers to protect them while unscrewing them gently with some long nosed pliers, once removed the buffer beam plate will fall away along with the FLM coupler, the replacement Kadee couplers need modifying slightly as follows the draft box filed on the underside carefully as here
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/KADEEMODIFIED.jpg)
& on top of the draft box i glued a piece of 30 thou plasticard & trimmed it to the outer dimensions of the draft box,
replace the buffer beam plate & buffers leave them a little loose & try the kadee so the buffer beam edge is inline with the dotted line shown in the drawing above try the loco on track with a hieght gauge to see if it matches up if so remove the coupler apply a tiny drop of CA to the top of the box end & reseat again ..... all done on the rear :) the front draft box is the same though after removing the original coupler replace the buffer beam plate & leave the buffers only just threaded in as the draft box fits neater on the front once it is in place tighten up the buffers.
Dont lose the wire with poles while doing this to the front beam.
Without any modification to the plates as i mentioned before using this method the couplers are fractionally higher than the gauge but do look a lot better :) & if ever they are converted back to the original couplers the locating holes are still present in the beam plates.
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/newlocopics025.jpg)
Front coupler
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/newlocopics032.jpg)
Rear coupler
I made an offer on an FLM class 24 #4142 & its now mine
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/fleischmann-4142.jpg)
i find they are superb though even if the detail isnt as sharp as todays standards, this one is very near todays standards though when it came its is very clean & tidy Fleischmann ahead of their time when it was made in terms of quality :D
It has now been converted to DCC & three figures added to the cab/tender from Preiser ...... heater, driver, & a member of crew from their loco/crew set, i am going to install a 4 function decoder to add light in the cab to show off the figures & have a firebox flicker function after adding the figure the lighting effects will enhance it more :D
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/1-1.jpg)
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/5-1.jpg)
Why it looks like CA white marks on this side of the tender is a mystery as it looks fine in normal light & no CA was used or near the tender ...... could be the effect of the flash on the camera :?:
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/6-1.jpg)
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/7-1.jpg)
Although not a steam LOK this lovely little loco has found it's way into my collection FLM #4300 E69 i converted it using the superb PDF guide from Zmil
http://www.voyagerrobotics.herobo.com/index.php?p=1_16 (4305 E69)
A straightforward conversion i fitted a TCS 4 function decoder in a 2 function would be fine but it was spare on the bench & means i can switch the top headlight off if i want directionally :D the lights all come sold moulded on this loco from the factory so careful drilling out is needed on all three either end i fitted warm white SMD'S in each hole drilled out & hoped to paint the inside of the light housings white but it is very fiddly so a green to match the body is a better solution & weathered it will look ok, as at the moment the plastic is thin and the light seeps through.
I used an 8K resistor but the lights still seem bright
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/S5300047.jpg)
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/S5300046.jpg)
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/S5300044.jpg)
Toplight only
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/S5300040.jpg)
Bottom lights
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/hello/FLEISCHMANN%20ETC/S5300042.jpg)
All three on
After it was mentioned the draft boxes where standing out i loooked on the Kadee site & found the #156 to have a longer shank, a pack containing ten packs arrived these look far better than the draft boxes :)
Here they are on the left longer than the #11 i usually fit,
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/photobucket2.jpg)
Being a whisker coupler they dont have centering spring in the draft box allowing me to trim the end of the box toward the centre of the chassis to allow the box to sit flush with the buffer beam with shims to achieve the correct height they look better & hopefully will perform well :D
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/photobucket.jpg)
Nice pair of Br89 locos with the new longer shank Kadees fitted
Also another loco from the 70's a Fleischmann V42
(http://i549.photobucket.com/albums/ii377/upnick/1_m.jpg)
I have resprayed it black as it did seem plasticky in red .......... more pics of it soon :D
I'll ignore this post. ;) :D Looks like a good collection there. Have you been working on the layout, or are they just ideas? The museum idea is a good one.
Hi Tank the layout is still in planning at the moment but i hope to sort the boards for it soon & make a start ;) along with a New British N layout of similar size ;D