44 tonner models, opinions?

Rich Yoder, if you can find them is the Gold Standard!

I have a W&R in 2R and it runs better than any of the others. I have the others too and they are great runners but the W&R is by far the best. Too bad they are OOP.

 Malcolm

I agree!

Imo the dual motor Yoder 44 tonner is the best to date for detail and smooth operation.

Ed Rappe

Rich Yoder 44 tonner with an ERR drive upgrade and sound. Click on the image to access a video.


With a Weaver A5.  Couplers were upgraded to electro-couplers.

On Patrick H's layout several months ago.

The ERR drive upgrade seems to be a smooth runner, who is ERR?

Electric Railroad.  Click to link. 

I have an SS version and my frined has an old dual motor NJCB.    Both pretty good runners.   They are both also somewhat generic and might be phase IV for the rivet counters or RY reference.

The SS comes with weights in both hoods and under the floor.   It is a single motor drive.   I removed the hood weights and put an HO size decoder in it.   it will pull 12-15 cars on level with no problem.   Mine is still running in and has a little gear noise, but is very well built and runs well.   The speed is low for switching.   

I recommend it for the price I paid.   

The W&R locos are beautiful models with some nice detail. I have all three of the phases W&R produced and all run very well. I also have the NJCB 44 tonner which is  unusual in the fact that the fuel filler pipe is located in side 'skirting' at the bottom of the cab. Very few prototype 44 tonners had this feature and I have only seen one photo that of the Berwind Railway Service #76. Extra 2200 South published a very comprehensive look at the 44 tonner.

I have a 2-rail Sunset in ATSF I picked up from Bob Heil. The unit runs very smoothly. I've been getting some dirty looks from some of the club members, though.

The Apprentice, however, is jazzed by it. He says I should build a switching deck to keep down at the club. Good idea.  

The club members are probably jealous because it pulls more than their F-Units!

Rich Yoder Models are very good. I also have a 70 ton GE and 25 ton switcher.

My Yoder 44 tonner is absolutely delightful in it's capacity as a switcher. I installed a Tsunami sound decoder, and it runs and sounds fine indeed! I still occasionally see them available on eBay and O Scale Yard Sale so if you want one just a bit of patience will pay off I'm sure.

Bob

From a strictly operational standpoint, my NJ Brass 44 tonner has run many hours without complaint. I added a good deal of weight under the cab floor, so it can pull more than the prototype on flat ground. For years it was our "Christmas Tree" locomotive and went 'round and 'round for hours. Now it will be playing the role of Tidewater Southern 135 on my future layout. Chris

I have a RY 44 tonner that I can part with.    Email me off list.

How about a 3rd Rail Diecast 44 Toner in 2R or 3R? What Phase? Features? Roads?

Scott Mann

Thanks Scott. A manufacturer who finally responded. I do not know the answer but put New Haven on it and I am in for three rail! Problems have been room for electronics, horn, TMCC, etc.

How about a 3rd Rail Diecast 44 Toner in 2R or 3R? What Phase? Features? Roads? 

Scott Mann

I would like PRR and Strasburg RR. It would be great for a tmcc version with sound. If you can fix the extended 3 rail couplers that were present on the Rich Yoder model that would be superior!

One of those with TMCC or PS3 and sound would be a goldmine.  My Yoder 44 has been on the shelf for years because nothing will fit in it.  Sorry I know this is 2rail

Dave

Put NYO&W on it for 3-rail Tmcc and I'm in!

A good 2R alco s-2/4 would be swell.    I have models from NJCB and they were hard to come by.     Scott, do them in brass not plastic with a pittman motor...    

I have a 3rail PRR Yoder, but I will take another and a B&O also.

John P

Pittman 2 rail would be great, Scott! Injection molded or brass does not matter if up to your normal standards....

Scott, early post war styling will cover the most interesting railroads.  The Catapiller D-17000 engine has an interesting sound which changes with the speed, if you can hear it over all the rattles. You do not have much space to work with, which will probably limit what you can put in it.  As for road names, there are so many to chose from, so how about NYO&W, SNRy (black with orange stripes and aluminum with orange wings), SP, ATSF, PE, P&SR, CCT, TS, VE, SLG&W, and Bamberger.

In order to put DCC in my Sunset 44 ton engine, I choose a LokSound Select decoder because: 1) it fit, 2) it has the correct sound set. It is an extremely tight fit with a small ¾" x 1¼" speaker. I had to modify one of the hood weights to get the speaker in. I do not think a TMCC system will fit unless the board is redesigned much smaller, a weight is left out, or the drive system is changed.

The RY models would accept the Electric RR drive board with an R2LC board in the fuel tank area.  It may have been designed that way.
Note the custom cuts to increase the wire access.

R2LC board installed.

Fuel tank re-installed.

To get the Electric RR sound board in I had to remove two large capacitors and install them remote in one end of the hood.  The board just fits, allowing room for the motor swing.
Capacitors remote location.

Sound board installed, note where the capacitors have been removed and relocated. Large circles on the green board with hash marks.

Speaker in the other hood end.

Electro-couplers, part of Atlas articulated couplers.

I had used the existing RY board to operate the LED head lights but the board failed and I hooked the LED's to the Electric RR board in series with a 1000 ohm resistor (each).
RY board that was removed. Bottom of picture, board has white foam sticky back material.


Antenna is still an issue, a coil wire on one walkway, works well.

I also added an engineer, should have added glass to the windows, and covered the Atlas couplers with an Atlas part used with the SW9 couplers.

 IMO, a wonderful, challenging project.   Should be interesting to see Sunsets 3rdRail's production model.  At the time there were a few TAS upgrades to TMCC, I don't know if they attempted sound.  The ERR sound board is poor at best. The horn is O.K. Mike  

Scott,

A 44 tonner would be great (assuming your usual choice of either 2 or 3 rail versions). Road name? The PRR was  the largest single purchaser (over 40) of them; so that plus unpainted works for me. Features? TMCC with Electro-couplers, sound if the correct Cat D-17000 sound can be had, otherwise just a horn and bell. Pulling power? Enough to pull 5 or 6 scale weighted cars on a level surface - as a kid a real one ran near my house and couldn't even handle that many on a grade! Brass or plastic? whichever keeps the cost down. Really appreciate your interest as i've been asking for one for over a decade at all the shows -- the Lion & Mike only give lip service; Joe at Weaver says categorically "no" while Gary at Weaver says "maybe" if the electronics can be made to fit; Atlas said "mmmm...interesting" i almost bought a Yoder one, but finances at the time precluded that, and 3 rail versions seldom show up on EBay (no more than 3 times a year) and then fetch more than the original selling price.

jackson

Realistically, a 44-tonner for the 2-rail market would probably be a dud.   this is a 2-rail thread after all.  

The cost to do diecast or injection molded would require a huge number of sales.    Against that there are lots of brass ones available.   It seems every show I go to there are 2-3 on various tables.   NJCB and SS made a generic phase 4 version which are frequently found.     Yoder made 3-4 versions I think.    The SS was made in 3 rail I think and I think also the yoder versions could be had in 3 rail.    It would seem with so many available at shows for sale, manufacturing another one would be a bad business decision.   And besides, the brass ones have better detail than the diecast or molded.    You just can't get thin sides with castings.   

I think an importer would do better with other rare critters or maybe some FMs like the H-20-44 which has only been made once and is never seen at shows for sale.

I am thinking, a new shorty coil coupler design, ERR electronics, A $599 price tag, diecast (heavy) body, new gearbox design (with coil coupler integrated).

I never made 44 toners for 3 Rail.

If I can sell 500 in 2R and 3R combined, it would make sense.

I am willing to float it.

The GE 44-Ton switcher would be a good choice.  PRR Phase 4 with TMCC and electro-couplers in 3-rail.  Two Cab numbers would also be great.  The size of the electronics is not a issue any more so Scott it's time to make the one I ordered in 2001 that was canceled.

I will take at least 2 of the 3-rail models, assuming they are painted (gray, black, or yellow) but unlettered.  Not interested in Pennsy, SP, or the other common/major roads.

That kind of restraint would probably kill the project. A repaint is trivial, especially on die cast.  One would think that painted, but not decorated, plus decals would be a good idea, but for some reason nobody wants that.

Die cast Diesels would be nice - some day, a die cast E-7 or PA?

Diecast is too heavy in my opinion.   And as I said all the window frames and other areas where thin cross section is prototypical are not possible with diecast.

I can't agree with that.  Casting methods used today are able to hold very fine detail.  The weight would be a real plus in a small switcher.

In recent years its been easy to find 44 tonners on O scale show tables at prices well below $599.  (I've owned Sunset and Yoder 44 tonners).  I'd expect 2 rail reservations for a die cast 44 tonner would be disappointing - well below Sunset 3rd Rail's/GGD usual 2-rail/3 rail split. 

That said - there may be sufficient 3 rail demand to make the numbers work.  Scott - why not float your idea on the 3 rail side of the forum and talk with potential customers at York to gauge the depth of the market.   

Ed Rappe

As I mentioned earlier, I have a recent SS import in brass.   It pulls 12-15 cars with no problem.    And I have removed over half the lead weight.    that seems sufficient for a "small" switcher.

I agree keystoned that the 2 rail reservations might be pretty slim for the same reasons.

As for the detail of diecast, certainly the surface detail is very well done.   but I have looked a number of newer diecast and plastic units and the window/windsheild edges are too thick.    As of the tops of the coal boards on steam engines.    I don't think you can cast .030 inch think sheets which is probably about what the those sides should be.

Of course this is all opinion and we don't have to agree.   We have our preferences and that is the nice thing about an open market.   We can buy it if we like it or not if we don't.