Slow project progress alert - I only recently finally aquired an MDC boxcab track cleaner version - the track cleaner version has the end doors that only CNJ1000 is lacking. I’ve had a single motor 44 tonner for a while, but I kinda don;t want to cannibalize that one for parts, it still has service ahead of it as a dedicated cement plant switcher. The MDC boxcab is missing some parts, but I have two others for parts. Some sort of weathering was done on this, it looked like the oone truck sideframe was actually rusting but the same thing is evident along the rivet patterns and the bootm edge of the body, so it appears to be powedered weathering with an overspray of Dullcote.(it doesn’t rub off) No worries, it’s getting stripped anyway. I’m exercising modeler’s license anyway to have one of the Reading units still in service in the mid 50’s.
I do hope that place that sells proper GE traction sideframes is still around, I have the bookmark somewhere…
The thing about the track cleaner one is, the cleaner pads bit just screws on the front, you cna take that off and attach eht footboards tot he proper position. And the track cleaner body shell is the most correct one, unless you are building CNJ 1000. The non-track cleaners ones (that I have seen, and I had two different vintages of them - one from when they first came out and one of the ones with the (useless) flywheel) have no doors in the ends, just on the sides. This matches CNJ 1000. Later ones all have doors int he ends - which the trak cleaner version body shell does. Go figure, otherwise it’s the same shell. Why they retooled it to put doors in the ends but left all the others alone is anyone’s guess.
I know they did sell the track cleaner attachment seperately, if you already had a boxcab you could just get the cleaner part and attach it.
My bachmann 44 ton and the MDC boxcab have truck to truck measurement of 18’ and 16’ Anyone have a 70 tonner handy?
An expert no less that the Internet, says
the 44 tonner wheel base was 5’ 0" with 33" wheels, truck to truck 19’ 3"
the 70 tonner wheel base was 6’ 10" with 36" wheels, truck to truck 26*'*
the Box cab wheel base was 7’ 2" and 36" wheels truck to truck 17’
Whatever the model 70 tonner is, it’s bound to be more than the 44 tonner which is already longer than the box cab. I’m sure some of you out there are confortable with altering the drive line, but that wouldn’t be something I would be interested in doing.
I did find a worthwhile site for pictures, and data is mixed in. The organization of the website is not quite what I would do.
The truck wheelbase on the 70 tonner as pictured looks to be almost dead on. Hard to get accurate spotting on the tape measure but it looks like axle to axle it’s 1" or 7 1/4 scale feet, the truck frame looks to be about 1 1/4" or 9 scale feet, and truck to truck looks to be about 2.75" or about 20 scale feet. So they would be the trucks to use, with a shortened driveline. Which really shouldb’t be too hard, there are I assume drive shafts connecting the motor to the truck, they are easily shortened. Or just replaced with NWSL parts. My brass RS-2 has some NWSL universal parts in it, the drive shaft is custom cut (by you, not NWSL), the universal ball slides over the end of a square tube and you cut it off at whatever length is needed. The two motor version of the 70 Tonner is probably easier, no driveline mods (unless is stands too tall), just need to fashion a frame for the loco and mount the two trucks closer together.
I really like these little boxcabs, so when I get around to mine I will probbaly just bite the bullet and pay the price to get a Bull-Ant drive made. Not sure about fabricating my own frames and drives from brass - might give it a try.
Randy, the conversion can be made without making changes to the driveline. You only need to grind the 70 tonner frame to make it fit under the MDC shell. If you have a dremel, it’s quite easy to do…
The truck spacing on the 70 tonner is wrong though (although it appears less than scale, so maybe Bachmann did us a favor). If the model is actually closoer to scale, it would have 26’ truck centers which is just too much moore than the boxcab’s 17’ to just ignore and go with it. 17’ vs 19’ or 20’, I might be able to live with.
Then there’s still the fact that the single motor 44 tonner I have is an ok runner at best. It’ll work for its planned duties as a cement plant switcher, but for something I will put a good bit of time into adding detail, I want to run great, not just OK.
Geared Steam, or anyone else. I am a bit confused about the generations of 44 tonners. There are 3… I think?. The originals were 2 motors and came in a black box with gold letters. When did the single motor come along and how would I know if I see one on Ebay? Or do I have it all wrong?
I have two single motor and use to have a two motor. As I recall, you can tell looking at the loco bottom but I doubt and ebay seller would post a photo of the bottom or know what the bottoms of both locos look like. The Bachmann site shows the parts for both the last time I looked at their parts list. The trucks for both are different and noticeable looking at the bottom of both locos.
My two motor cracked a gear. Bachmann sent me a single motor, DCC ready replacement.
I recall some years ago, two motor DC, single motor DC, and single motor DCC ready but might be wrong about the single motors.
You may be right about a DCC ready and a not DCC ready single motor. My single motor is a DCC readony one, currently it sports a TCS MC2, after I clipped off the capacitors. I’ve had it like 7-8 years now, so if they did make a single motor without the DCC plug (well, holes in the board to solder the wires to), it was probably a short time. Mine was in a black and gold box. Next to last one at the Strasburg train shop (the one that used to be right at the railroad, not the other place out on 30). Factory lettering is PRR, to match the one they have there.