After a couple of big disappointments with the performance of recently purchased HO steam products I’ve pretty much decided stick with diesel locomotives exclusively. I already have a bunch of them (from FT’s through SD45’s and almost everything in between) except for a couple accurately detailed and smooth running A and B Sharknose diesels. The closest I’ve ever seen were several roadnames put out by Roco a few years ago, but even they had a few problems. Wouldn’t you think that manufacturers like Athearn, Walthers, and the rest of them would be better off offering motive power that would look and run right on average layouts instead of pushing Big Boys and Alleghenies (which only a small percentage of layouts can reasonably accomodate)?
And while I’m at it, I noticed in the most recent issue of MR there was a layout that featured an entire fleet of early switch engines (H-44’s maybe?). They were sold under the Walthers Trainline brand years ago and were really great lookers and performers. The dies for the engine castings must still be around somewhere and I’m surpised that whoever has them hasn’t reintroduced that interesting looking model (In my opinion we already have enough SW1500’s and Geeps etc. to last several lifetimes).
I don’t know about you, but I for one am keeping my fingers crossed.
I have a couple of the Walthers FM H 12-44 switchers that you mentioned but they were not Trainline models. Built by Roco, they do look and run very nice. The tooling may belong to Roco and not Walthers. I also have a couple of the Roco / Model Power Sharks bought off the bay. These also run very well, although the shell is a little dated. Some detailing helps a lot. I do not know how well the later ER models version of the shark’s runs.
A way I got some sweet operating Baldwin Sharks (RF-15’s) takes a little work. I went on Ebay and bid on some old Mantua/Tyco die cast metal body sharks. If the mechanism is no good/burnt out/missing, contact Bear Locomotive in New Jersey about a new drive now marketed by them under the old name “Hobbytown of Boston.” The body shell itself weighs just slightly over a pound, and the Hobbytown drive runs all the wheels, plus has been updated to isolate the motor frame from the loco frame for easier conversion to DCC. These have some serious pulling power. To look decent, they WILL need repainting/redecalling.
Like you, I too desparately wanted a GOOD running pair of Sharks. What I ended up doing was using a couple Atlas RS-11 chassis as a starting point. I removed the flywheel from one end and shortened the frame a scale 4-1/2 feet to get the correct wheel-base. Body mounts then had to be fabricated. The original Model Power shells were then extensively upgraded to bring them up to current detail standards. Now I have a pair of Sharks with the smooth running characteristics of an Atlas engine.
Sure, it was a fair bit of work - but it was a darn sight cheaper than a pair of the new Precision Scale units !!!
I’ve got a regular school of Sharks, NYC Lightning stripe, B&O and both paint schemes of PRR. I ran into two problems w/ the Roco drives. First the drive wheels are plastic hubs w/ metal rims. I run 40-50 car trains and those rims eventually got to where they’d slip off of the hubs. The other problem was the method they used to get that good looking close coupling. They used truck mounted cplrs (Talgo) between the units. In operating on a friend’s RR w/ a fairly serious grade and a long train the engines kept derailing at the same spot. After much investigating of the track we figured out that what was happening was that after topping the grade, the slack would run in and pop the Talgo trucks of of the track. The solution I hit upon was to convert all of the chasis to Athearn power trucks, keeping those Roco motors which I love, and learning to live w/the noise and the (very) slightly short truck wheelbase.
I have an the older version of the Model Power Shark and it runs beautifully, but they could be hit or miss. At some point they upgraded the drive, putting in a flywheel and much finer gearing, which I have in one of their FA’s. Those giant can motors were strong as oxen, and didn’t draw much, either. I would assume that the ER Models/Roco Shark uses this drivetrain, though that’s just an assumption. They did change to blackened RP25 wheelsets, but the shell looks unimproved. They go for about $70 on eBay.
I repaired a similar problem on my Roco / Model Power Sharks. I noticed on mine that the rear wheel set had a traction tire on it. On the same axle the wheel would slip and come out of gauge.
None of my fleet of Roco / Atlas manufactured GPs and SDs used this setup and I was sure with the weight, large can motor and low gearing it was not needed. I replaced the wheel with a spare wheel from one of my Roco / Atlas units.
I am not sure if this would have fixed your issue as I never ran that long of a consist but it worked for me.
Another interesting footnote is Model Power sold the units with 2 different drive trains that I am aware of.
One has low gearing and a large flywheel equipped motor.
The other had higher gearing without a flywheel. The body is very loose on the frame on this version. I have also seen “dummy” units with this frame. This version, from what I have heard is not as good a runner as the flywheel equipped / low gear version.
Before I replaced the entire chassis with an Atlas, I attempted to upgrade the the original drive. I replaced the original wheel-sets with some nickel-silver ones from NWSL. I don’t need them anymore if anyone is interested. I have two full sets including both gears for the old and new drive. These are complete wheel / axle / gear assemblies. Contact me offline if interested.
Proto 1000 came out with some Sharks a while back that are supposed to run well. The have the Proto 2000 mechanism. The shell just isn’t quite as nice.
Dave, you mentioned that you were disappointed with some recent steamer purchases. I’m just curious which ones you bought?
I remember years ago (1990s or 1980s) a company produced a brass HO version of the BP20. Appearancewise, it was a beauty. Some of you with MRR back issues from then, might thumb through some of them and see the advertisement.
From what I have read, the prototype BP20 for Pennsy was the only passenger shark ever produced though I don’t know how many Pennsy purchased. It’s a shame that Baldwin had limited success with their carbodied diesels. Locomotive engineers reportedly found the cabs quite cramped. Mechanically, Baldwin diesels were “generally” less reliable than their EMD competition.
Still it’s wonderful to know that the Shark is not extinct.
Alco Models, an A-B set went for $480 on eBay about a month ago.
Miracle Castings (maybe aka Resin Unlimited ??) did resin castings for the BP20 including a resin chassis which was intended to utilize Athearn PA trucks, and lengthened driveshafts. This was before the P2K PA models came out; five years or so ago.
