Does anyone have the Concor SW switchers both A and B??? If so how they run, and pictures would be nice.
Here is a pic of the cow half, the calf is put away in a drawer since I don't use it. This mechanism is actually the old Kato drive. The Kato drive comes with traction tires and will peel wall paper. I bought one of ConCor new ones and I wasn't quite happy with it. So I switched shells and sold off the older shell with the CC chinese drive. I also sanded down the roof lines to get an arched roof like the prototype. Over all it is not a bad model, but you would be better off buying the LL SW9/1200 or maybe 2 if you really want. IMHO, it is a better model. Bob [ 05. January 2004, 02:40: Message edited by: bobcat ]
I tend to agree with you bob although I have not seen the ConCor models in action I can certainly recommend the Life Like model.
I'm sure if I looked for the subject I could find it, but can the LL SW9/1200 be equipped with DCC decoders with their extremely small size?
I own both the LL and CC units. The LL is better detailed, but the electrical pick-up is junk and the gears always seem to have flash and require attention. I have CC units from both Kato and China, and actually prefer the Chinese units. They lack traction tires and pick up electricity better. If you are lucky enough to find some of the NSN frames for these (I have been this lucky), the tanks are cast as part of the frame and electrical pick-up is enhanced by the added weight, as is the pulling power.
The GF has the C-C set. She bought it because she wanted a switcher for her AMTRAP work train and the only one that was available was the C-C. Why the LL did not issue an SW-9/1200 in AMTRAP I will never know. I have the LL SW-9 as well as the Atlas Baldwin. The C-C rates a C-plus on a good day, a solid C on most days. I do not know where they got the idea for the silly looking roof, but there it is. The LL rates a solid B. The main reason for this is those annoying contact tabs held onto the underside of the walkway by melted plastic. They keep falling off. This, combined with a few other minor gripes do enough damage to drop its grade from an A-minus to a solid B--any more complaints and it would drop to B-minus before investigation. It wins kudos for runnability, particullarly at speeds below 25 SMPH, and appearance. It was the best running N scale US switcher for a few years. The Atlas Baldwin rates an A-minus. Its runnability is unequalled. It is the only N scale switcher that will hold a steady 25 SMPH or less. The LL will work at speeds less that 25 SMPH for yard work, but will not hold the speed, should the operator choose to use them as road switchers--the Atlas will. The Atlas loses points on appearance: the hood appears ill-fitting. Further, it loses points because the add-on handrails do not always want to go into the holes opened for them. I have no quarrel with a manufacturer that leaves the details for me to add. I do have a quarrel with that manufacturer when the details do not want to go on. SO, buy the C-C, if you must. The street prices on the LLs are much lower, I would go with them, if your budget is limited. If you can afford them and they are appropriate for the period that you model, I would go with the Atlas Baldwins, if a Baldwin is acceptable to you. If you must have an Electro-Motive, then buy the LL. There is also the Arnold ALCo S-2. They rate a B-minus mostly for a three pole motor, a funny drive system, the ease with which the contacts get dirty and the difficulty of converting to MTs. There is a part out there that will fill the pilot gap and allow you to use 1015/1016s, but I have never tried it. MT recommends 1049 for the truck-mount conversion; these do not work well on this locomotive. I have had the best luck swapping out the Rapido and replacing with Unimate. If I want magnetic uncoupling, I simply couple a car with MTs as a 'handle' to the locomotive. It does not run bad for a three-pole motor. It is made of metal, which gives it a bit more tractive effort. It was, for years, the best running N scale switcher out there. If you must have an EMD, buy the LL. If Baldwin is allright and your budget will take it, I would buy the Atlas. If you must have an ALCo, all that there is is the Arnold. Out of this; if money is your main concern, buy the LL. If runnability is, buy the Atlas.
Yes. I cannot find it right now, but a few years ago, someone had a "how to" page on the web. I wonder if a Google search would bring up the site? Boxcab E50
I used one of the C-C calfs to do an SP TR6B. Even with superdetailing I still have a low opinion of the shell. I absolutely love the LL unit. Made an SP SW1200 outa mine with full light packages and it looks sweet if I say so myself. Gotta get a couple more. Sorry no pics
I always wondered wether they had copied one of the units that Illinois Central had rebuilt with square-topped cabs... Like these: http://yardlimit.railfan.net/rebuilds/ic-sw14/index.html
Thanks for that likk, completely nuts. I'll look into buying some more decoders for my recent aquisitions.
What kind of handrails would you use to kitbash CC ad LLs so that there's handrails along the long walkways? Size, Tools?
That is what I have always been told. Someone said that at the time Con Cor designed this model, they had one of their offices (JMC) right outside Chicago and only had to step out the front door to see these engines with the unusual roof line. Some very unusual choices were made for prototypes in the early days of N scale. The Atlas FM C-Liner, the Indian Harbor Belt steam switcher and a few others come to mind right off.
