Have an old AHM/Rivarossi 2-8-8-2 Mallet from the late 70’s or early 80’s I think Blue Box. It’s in good shape not run much. Would it be worth having it re-motored and DCC and sound decoder added and who could do such work? It would be run on code 100 track.
If the motor runs well, there’s no need to replace it. When adjusted properly, Rivarossi motors are very smooth runners. If it really needs to be remotored, try contacting Northwest Short Line (NWSL) about it. Their website is www.nwsl.com.
If you like the engine, then it is worth having DCC and sound installed if you want it. If you can’t do it yourself, try asking a local hobby store if there’s one around, or ask someone you know and trust with a soldering iron.
I have installed a DCC decoder into a Rivarossi 2-8-8-2 and I think it was worth the effort but I wouldn’t recommend it as a first decoder installation project as the install is 100% custom. It also involves doing some slight rewiring on the motor, apart from hooking up the DCC itself, and also the headlight in the loco if you want that to be under DCC control. You’ll have to add a light in the tender if you want a reverse light. Soundtraxx makes a decoder that has dual / compound sounds for Y6’s and such. I don’t recall the part number offhand but it’s in the post I’m about to refer you to…
There was an older post similar to your question in which myself and several other people discussed decoder installation in more detail: http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/175723/1929186.aspx#1929186.
For me, the motor that was in it seemed acceptable and it pulled a 35 car train of hoppers plus caboose on level track without any hesitation and I’m sure it would have pulled quite a few more if I’d had more of them out to test. As for the sound module itself, I have mixed feelings about that-- the chuff isn’t too bad, but the whistle (IMO) is atrocious. I don’t know if I would use that one again if I had it to do over. But the price was good. I picked it up in the $50 buck range.
John
Hi I just bought this same loco from a local train show,no box,but runs real well and was wanting to know more about it when was it released from rivarossi?and where can I get spare parts like a new ladder for the tender?
AHM first brought out the Y6b around 1965-66. In its time it was considered well detailed and smooth running, but even then the deep European flanges were a disappointment. it will run on most makes of Code 100 track. And due to the huge flanges the drivers were smaller than prototype. The 1977 run of the engine, 5092, had .039" flanges that could run on Code 70 rail, versus the 5090 which had the larger flanges.
Interestingly in my old AHM parts catalog the ladder is never shown as a separate part for the tender (or I would have supplied the part number for you). So you probably are on your own for the ladder.
Dave Nelson
Thank you ok my ladder is just rusty brownish looking,great though I’m on my own…but maybe a back issue will have something on making my own
Those locos have oversized wheel flanges that probably won’t go through an Atlas turnout without stalling. Before converting to DCC, I’d run it on DC through all turnouts to see if it can make it. If it stalls, you’ll need to replace all your Atlas turnouts with Peco or Shinohara, which have deeper “European” flangeways.
Electrically, the weak point of these engines was the power feed between the tender and locomotive, which relies on a small spring wire under the drawbar.
To install sound, I’d replace that with miniature plugs and sockets such as those made by Miniatronics.