Fleischmann use to meake a model of the locomotive the AEM6 was based on. https://www.reynaulds.com/products/Fleischmann/7365.aspx the problem would be finding one....
Train of Thought Follows: The above looks viable - Most likely will build something as simple as that. Objective would be Aesthetics - should look right at 3 feet - but not necessarily in photos Pulling capacity of 3 foot train - most likely short passenger cars. Mine will be purely free-lance Painted in CP bright red / multi-mark Will have scoops, (to collect Throms - see below). It will be based on one or two of the Kato chassis - for pulling capacity. The Body Most likely it will be my artwork on card-stock. Possibly will use other passenger cars cut down Might use aircraft fuselage Details may be from: Common house hold items Printed Aircraft models Parts / junk box Other source Edit: (removed streamlined version) Possible overall design with "boxy" cab: Maybe, just maybe I'll do it. What are "Throms"? Some time ago I recognized that I would never be a "credible" modeler. I invented "SyFy" materials and explanations to justify my work. Throms - Are an airborne substance which can be scooped up and fed into < insert a bunch of sy-fyish - non-sense >. Works for me.
And really, for my purposes this thing is MOSTLY going to be pulling itself only. It was outfitted with adjustable height couplers for limited switching. I suppose nearly any mechanism can switch a few cars at a time. I am confident that this one can.
those little things are great! I use them for a lot of my projects, including the climax and heislers.
You can also add decoders. If you need the see-through space, then you can mount them underneath. I cut a rectangle out, then gorillaglued the side tabs of the plastic wrapper to the frame: Cut channels in the frame for the wires. Paint the decoder & it's almost invisible: Just be careful not to mess with the contact strips too much. In fact, try not to mess with the frame too much. You need that spring action of the contact strips pressing down on the truck pickup nubs. But the great thing about a boxcab, there should be plenty of room inside the box to hide a decoder. The 11-105, 11-106 & 11-107 are all the same mechanism, just slightly different outter truck frame designs.
I attempted doing what M.C. has here once and totally boogered up my contact strips to the point I just had to scrap the chassis and start over. If I were doing it all over I'd go slower, NOT USE A DREMEL, carefully file the hole out with a hand file SLOWLY, NOT USE A DREMEL, use a smaller decoder (I was trying the TCS M1), NOT USE A DREMEL, and just check my work carefully, all while NOT USING A DREMEL. Don't get me wrong. Dremels are great, when, like all tools, used appropriately in appropriate contexts. Carving out a hole on the bottom of a dinky plastic chassis is NOT an appropriate use. Nice work, M.C.! For the Kato 11-104/OA #11 project I'll probably just shove it all in the box since the thing is basically an oversized apple crate on flanged wheels anyway.
M.C., What did you use here? Is that a Digitrax DZ125? I didn't mean to bag on the TCS M1. It's a great decoder. The version I was using was from a production about four years ago and I would swear it is bigger than the current production. Still, if I were doing it again, and I may to build one of randgust's 13-tonner Class A Climax kits, I would use a TCS Z1 or Z2 or whatever is available now. Those are right dinky decoders. Adam
I used a Dremel. And a DZ125 (or DZ123, can't remember) Either way I cut off the three lighting wires. Not gutsy enough to attempt lighting on the Climax (yet). I agree with you on the chassis modifications: next time I'll go slower & more precise (especially now that I know what I'm doing: totally winged it the first time). But good thing about the boxcabs: plenty o' room inside for decoder, weights, etc. Just a question of arranging. The lamps will be fun too, but there's room for resistors inside or on the roof disguised like the pipe-thingies I've seen. Kato 11-105 chasis: $20-$25 Decoder: $20-$25 Lamps / LEDs: $1-5 Installation time vs BMann 44T: $60 (mechanism, decoder, lightboard already RTR, plus free shell) I guess whatever works for people & what they're trying to build.
Hey Steve..... "The domeaflangy is fubar and the farphenator is stuck....causing the thingabopy to regurgitate. Also the gazinta is smoking...causing the whatchamacallit to bypass the clean gas regulator...and short out the glow modulators." Will that work?...LOL :tb-biggrin: .
Hats off to your efforts, there! I didn't know you had used a Dremel. Your work looks good. My criticism was of my own work - I hope I made that clear. I was talking about how I will NOT be using a Dremel next time, although back when I did this I had one of those cheap-o Harbor Freight Dremel knock-offs with no adjustment. I now have an actual variable speed Dremel. Hmmm. Maybe I *could* use a Dremel. I didn't attempt lights, either.
Oh, I didn't think you were knocking my work. I totally agree with you: this kind of modification to the kritter chassis takes a little patience and precision. Whatever tool works! The plus of the dremel is a straighter cut along uneven plastic. The minus is the width of the cutting disc might chop off more than you want. I think for the narrow width cut I scored it with the Dremel, and then used an exacto to finish it off, so I wouldn't wreck the area under the contact strips (I found other ways to do that! ) But the key, just like any styrene work, is to cut smaller than you think, and file / cut slowly to get the best space for the decoder.
I find I get much better fits if I maybe cut a hole intentionally a bit small with a tool, such as a Dremel, and then finish it off with a file. When I did my previous mod with a Dremel knock-off I unwisely tried using a grinding attachment. BAD idea.
"If it was a steam engine it would be a 2-4-4-2." Actually they were 2-4+4-2s... the trucks were connected.
Unfortunately one of my older fuzzier photos, but that is a boxcab on the left. Back when the SW chassis were available cheap I acquired a few and used the mechanism for a boxcab and a 34 ft. Overton body for the cab. Represents a twin diesel conversion and has six trailer cars also 34 ft Overtons.
Nice one, John! What's the headlight made of? Also everyone, I found a nice link with measurements and specifications of all the major powered chassis: Tomytec and Other N-Gauge Traction Chassis Dimensions Very useful information. Speaking of that, here's a question. Do I wait until I see if anyone at the Greenberg Train Show has an 11-105 in stock, or do I just order a couple from Japan right now (since they'll take until the first week of September to get here, likely)? If I buy on eBay, it'll be about $54 for a pair including shipping. If I wait, I may not even get a chance to go to the train show anyway and I'll just be that much further behind. Does anyone think that it's likely to be actually available at a show like this, and do you think the price will be comparable (including the $7 entrance fee)? Decisions decisions...
