Has anyone tried installing a Heavy Mountain shell on a Light Mountain chassis? I checked the archives and saw the difference in motors and frame, but wondered if the shell will fit. Thanks. Bob
I've always been interested in the opposite question, considering the Heavy Mtn has the better chassis.
Have both versions of the Mountain. The light has an 18 ft wheelbase while the heavy has a 19 ft. wheelbase. The heavy shows about 51 feet from the smokebox to the cab roof end while the light shows about 50 ft. However my light shell has been modified to a Belpaire firebox but I believe the dimensions were kept the same. There is a steam piping difference to the cylinders on both. In my opinion the heavy shell should fit on the light mechanism with maybe some minor tweaking. Probably to be sure somebody would need to measure an unaltered light shell for a more accurate measuement than mine since mine has had the rear section replaced with a Minitrix firebox and cab section.
I think the key issue is the width of the frame. The Heavy Mountain boiler is a bit larger in diameter but it is also cast metal so it may be the same inside diameter as the thinner plastic shell. It is certainly something interesting to try. I just wish the C&O versions were still around, I only got one and would like a few more.
I aquired 2 Light Mountains for what 1 Heavy would have cost me at Timonium. I also came up with a Vanderbilt tender. I got a full set of UP Overland cars in the gray scheme and my general direction is to set up a UP Heavy Mountain with Vandy tender, and paint the other Light Mountain Missouri Pacific with a passenger consist. They are going on my 1980's layout in a railroad museum and will be pulled out occasionally on excursions. Still researching, and the pics I can find of the UP Mountains appear to be the heavy type. That shell is available from Bachmann, so---
Be aware, if you put the heavy boiler on the light frame, you will need to be very careful to make sure it doesn't short out the split frame. The heavy mountain frame has some changes to insulate the boiler from the frame.
Thanks for the heads up. Worse case, I'll save my $20+ shipping cost on a Heavy shell and paint the Light Mountain in UP. I certainly appreciate this board. In looking thru the archives on this locomotive, I found out what to watch out for. I test ran 5 units before coming up with 2 that would run decently. The ones I passed on would run in reverse, but would lock up when changing direction. Granted, the test track was dirty, but even a finger nudge wouldn't get them going. The two I got were a bit wobbly, but I expect that when I get a chance, I will run them a while to break in. Plus, a dab of gear grease. I wasn't too excited about getting hung with a loco that I had to send to Bachmann right out of the box. Bob
Well, that is a very constructive answer to my initial question. I thought this forum was about help, not critisism. But then, everybody is entitled to an opinion.
Matt This is my first endeavour into N scale steam, and I am already having regrets. I own 258 diesels and all are tweaked and tuned, I can put any straight out of the box now and they run beautifully. Six cars wouldn't be bad, that is exactly what the Overland consist is. Maybe I have already wasted cash on what I thought was a descent, budgetary locomotive to get a little variety on my layout. Thanks. Bob
Newer Steamers showme, I agree with your observation about the Light Mountains and Heavy Mountains. It seems that if a steam engine made in the last few years is to have a decent pulling range, it needs both a heavy boiler, (or added internal weights) and traction tires. It is possible, but I run small trains on my layout anyway, so it is not an issue here. Some of the older ConCor/Kato steamers could pull the paint off the wall, like their Hudson and S-2 Northern, then they went to Chinese mechanisms almost identical and never could reach the drawbar pull power that the old Kato motors had. I think is it actually because Kato 5 pole motors have more torque and could really inspire drivers to dig in and power up trains. I am by no means an expert, but I have a ConCor/Kato Hudson which is totally broken in, with a set of Stewart traction tires on the rear drivers pull over 40 cars without slippage. Compare this to an older Rivarossi Mallet which couldn't pull more than 8 cars on level track. I sure wish I knew the formula..... Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman
Thanks, Ken. I didn't know the Mountains existed until the Saturday show, and in my haste to research Saturday evening, I just looked thru the board archives. I forgot to check out Spookshow's reviews, which I just now did, and WOW. Oh well, they sure are pretty. Maybe with what I am planning to do with them, they will be OK. I am fairly well talked out of spending more money on them, though. At least I did get enough advice to check them at the show and bring home runners. Plus, there is still the Bachmann warranty. Bob
I got mine for a steal, so I'm in the same boat. I'm still going to try Bullfrog Snot, and a couple of ways to add weight. I've also heard that moving the decoder to the tender helps with pick up. It's such a beautifil loco, I just wish it pulled more!
Have you tried shimming the traction-tire driver. Take the bottom off and pull the TT driver out, all it takes is a bit of masking tape cut to the size of the bearing block and place that between the chassis and the bearing block, put the whole thing back together and it will pull much better. This will allow the max pressure to be put on the traction tired driver.
Hi! I've put slightly thicker traction tires than the originals on the wheels and filled every hollow space under the shell with tungsten putty. The pulling ability improved significantly and is not less than my Heavy Mtn. Regards Mathi
Ditto on the steal, Matt. I got both on mine for less than 50% of retail. That is why I couldn't resist two of them. Whatever the outcome, I'll be satisfied. Lesson learned. Getting a lot of good tips from other board members here, too. Ken, I'll be taking a second look at a Hudson that Ive had on the sale table. It is one of the older models from Con Cor/Kato. It just happens to be a streamlined shell, Southern green and white, but that can be fixed. I will have to see if UP ran those. If not, maybe find someone will have a shell to trade from a standard style. Think I will call that one sold and keep it for myself. Bob
I would love to see a real Photo Report on this. I sat at the NTS last year, with Chuck from Feather River watching over my shoulder, in an attempt to do this very thing. It did nothing. In fact, the locomotive wouldn't run at all after installing the tape. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm pretty well versed in locomotive tinkering, and the tape/rotating the the TT driver looks to be a load of poo in my eyes.
Lt to Heavy Mtn I did the heavy Mtn boiler on the Lt Mtn chassis. Bought the stuff from B-Mann parts. The chassis needs to be reduced, and the inside of the boiler needs to be opened up. A lot of dremel tool grinding and test fitting but it worked. Insulate the chassis from the boiler with some 'scotch' tape. But the added weight seems to have changed the balance and now it wants to walk off the track on curves. It certainly looks better, and pulls strong, but I've paused my interest and it's on the shop track in scenery mode for the time being. This engine was one of my test sleds for BULLFROG SNOT. After the noticable improvement of the bearing block driver fix, we was motivated to keep 'sperimenting. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPHMZKIRNOc for the Lt. Mtn at work with SNOT. You can easliy turn these critters into working engines. Bill
Wow, Bill. Turns out, the two I got are good runners. The more I run them, the better they seem to do. I'll have to pick up a bottle of Snot at the LHS this weekend. I had decided to save the 20 bucks for a Heavy shell and save it towards the whole thing. The Lights are sharp little critters, anyways. What method did you use for the bearing fix? Bob
