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   allowing  the  U.S.   locos to run   through  with stock  (excuse for me to  still play trains in HO on a small  layout)    

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:





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



& 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.


Front coupler


Rear coupler

I made an offer on an FLM class 24 #4142 & its now mine  



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

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





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 :?:






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    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








Toplight  only  



Bottom lights



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, 



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 



Nice pair of Br89   locos  with  the new longer shank  Kadees fitted

Also  another  loco  from the  70's  a  Fleischmann  V42 


I have resprayed  it  black as it did  seem   plasticky in   red ..........  more pics of it soon   

I'll ignore this post.      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