Anyone have the new Williams 70 ton switcher yet?

Scott, I guess you missed this one right here:

https://ogrforum.com/...c/williams-ge-70-ton

What surprises me is that there is no mention of this recently arrived loco on the Bachmann website. On the top of the home page, there's a banner with changing images of new products. You'd think they'd have the 70 ton switcher on there.

People have wondered for a long time, what is happening with Williams by Bachmann? It appears Jack Lynch is no longer with the company. Many have speculated lack of corporate interest, but Bachmann is continually offering new products in other scales, so that can't be the issue. So then one might summarize it is a lack of sales. Though the list price of this engine is right on par with many of their competitors products that offer digital control.

Whatever the issue, this newly arrived engine has sort of fallen under the radar.

FWIW, I spoke to the rep at the WGH Hampton show and mentioned the issue of pulling the lead car off the rails. Funny thing was, he actually has on the design team for introducing the switcher.  He wasn't aware there was a problem, and I explained it the best that I could, not having one.  It was a good conversation and he seemed genuinely interested.  I gotta say, they had some nice shiny new stuff in the other gauges though....

At Springfield, ma show back in January, WBB had the Tropicana version running around. It looked sharp. Hopefully they will get around to doing the Rahway Valley and that infamous one in SoCal.

They had 4 roadnames there, but I don't think I got a picture of them and I see trainworld has only 3 listed...

Ordered it through Andrew's Shopping Center in Howland, Ohio.  Tropicana now on the property 

MR_P posted:

They had 4 roadnames there, but I don't think I got a picture of them and I see trainworld has only 3 listed...

Pictures are on the Williams/Bachmann website.

Hey, take a look at this. I'm referring to the line "This loco has been DISCONTINUED." That's a surprise.

https://estore.bachmanntrains....dex&cPath=77_673

I hope that's a mistake... That doesn't do much to instill confidence that you will be able to order any needed parts in the future.

No other loco I looked at states that. Even the Chuggington locos , which were just one shot deals that they only made a production run of 500, and sounded like they'd be discontinued from the get go after the initial run.

Good evening  I'm a bit late to the party but I got mine last week..its getting repainted and re numbered 

Eventually  it will look like this

Ok Ben, I'll bite. What did the "k" stand for in SBK? 

prrhorseshoecurve posted:

Ok Ben, I'll bite. What did the "k" stand for in SBK? 

South BrooKlyn

The Railroad Reporting Marks page on the Trains Magazine website has good info.  

Old Goat

Here's my first (of eventual many) backdated to the early flat front and incandescent headlamp painted for Southern Ry and upgraded to ERR w/sound and electrocouplers.

Received my 70 Ton just today. I purchased the Rutland however my goal is to convert this to look like either #16 or #17 from the former, but still very popular short line here in Northern New Jersey, The Rahway Valley Railroad.  I have an RVRR #17 in  Sunset brass (pictured)  which had been custom painted by its former owner when I bought it many years ago. The paint job and lettering were done very well over the original brass. Problem is this engine runs only DC and needs all new belts.  So I need to find someone who can makeover this Rutland to look just like the this RVRR brass engine.  I am just glad someone finally decided to make a 70 tonner.  As far as I know, this is the first one ever make in AC 3 rail.  I am curious as to how many of these are being produced. If I recall this was announced a couple of years ago and has only just now been in stock and still is on backorder in a number of train stores I checked.

@NHVRYGray posted:

Here's my first (of eventual many) backdated to the early flat front and incandescent headlamp painted for Southern Ry and upgraded to ERR w/sound and electrocouplers.

Are you doing these conversions as a business?  I have one that I'd like backdated.

Not as a business, or other, still working on more for myself.

Here's what you do.

Using a straight chisel knife, carefully cut off the grill rivet details and headlights.  Using model putty, fill the grill and headlight areas and sand using 600 (or finer) grit WET sandpaper.  This will take multiple efforts to get smooth.

Using evergreen tubing, new headlight housings must be made.  Note the all the early housings were NOT the same size.  Drill and cut for new housings - CAREFULLY.  Will probably need some putty touchup work afterwards.

Detail as desired.  Be familiar with what you are wanting to model as details and accessories varied greatly.

Note I start with the CN version as there is less lettering to feather off for a paint basis.

Also note the if you add ERR TMCC control, change the sound to ERR sound (must do to work properly), add electrocouplers, and change the headlights. by the time you add in a core you will have well over the amount of a Lionel or MTH Medium to large sized diesel.  Then you have painting costs as well.

Was hoping MTH would do one with DCS, but that aint gonna happen now.  But if you want a 3 rail 70 tonner this is the only game in town.

That's it in a nutshell, all I can say is Jump in and swim, that's what I did.  I've done probably 2 dozen for myself (not all with the electrical upgrades).

Would someone post pictures of taking the body off,please.

Trainworld has a great sale running on these right now. I'm planing on picking up the Rutland model. I run post war Northeast lines so this will fit in with the BAR, MEC, NH, PRR, and NYC. Alphabet soup

A ERR upgrade could be in its future. The WbB 44 ton engine is well done also if you are looking for a nice conventional loco.

Wow.  Fixed pilots and all.  What a nice little locomotive!

@harley rider posted:

Would someone post pictures of taking the body off,please.

You posted this just after I had just closed mine up after replacing the reverse board. Do you need help with taking the body of or do you need to know what it looks like inside? If you're just need help opening it up:

1. Remove the six phillips-head screws from the underside of the chassis. Two are in front of the front truck, two are just in front of the rear truck, and two are just behind the rear truck.
2. Gently pull the hand rails out from the front and back of the cab. The plastic should be flexible enough to do this without breaking them.
3. Lift off the shell. Remember that the wires for the directional lighting are connected from the reverse board to the lights in the shell. They are long enough so that you can fully remove the shell without unplugging them.

It's pretty straightforward once you're inside. There's the reverse board in the front and the sound board behind it. The motors are in the trucks.

These are photos that I took previously.

Front is on the left. Note the wire nut, I have wired it in series.

The reverse board is clearly labeled.

Matt GNo27, thanks for posting the pictures! I just ordered the Southern Pacific 70 ton today, and just wondered what the inside looked like.

Has anyone done an ERR upgrade on these with electro couplers? Looking to uparade my Rutland but I remember some posts about challenges fitting electrocouplers to WBB switchers.

Will the 70 Ton run on DC?

@EricTrainMan posted:

Has anyone done an ERR upgrade on these with electro couplers? Looking to uparade my Rutland but I remember some posts about challenges fitting electrocouplers to WBB switchers.

No, but I just ordered one from Trainworld, should get it Tuesday.   Fitting the electrocouplers to the 44-ton unit was a BEAR!  That took more time than all the rest of the conversion to TMCC!  I haven't seen the 70-Ton locomotive, so I don't know what the couplers look like.

Williams 44-Ton Upgrade with ERR CC-Lite, Sound, & Electrocouplers

@harley rider posted:

Will the 70 Ton run on DC?

If I had to guess ( and that's what I'm doing) I'd say probably not...

Mark in Oregon 🎄

Well, it will probably run on DC, but remember that the horn or bell would be continuously operating as they're triggered by a DC offset on the rails.

The bottom line is, with it's stock electronics, it's an AC locomotive.

Right.... that's what I meant to say! 😁

Mark in Oregon 🎄

Wow!  How can you not LOVE that Tropicana diesel!

My birthday is coming up in 6 weeks, so I have three questions:

The posts above mention that the loco is throwing the lead car off of the tracks.  Is this just the standard stiff coupler issue, or is it something more complicated than that?

There is also mention above of a problem with the pilot.   Is this just a cosmetic issue, or does this relate to its proper operation or function?

Does anybody know what the overall length of the diesel is, excluding the couplers?

Thanks,

Mannyrock

I want to run this on DC ,and I would like to have the diesel engine sound.  I don't care about the bell and whistle, so if someone knows how to do that please let me know.

Since the sound module is one piece, and it just takes track power in, no-can-do AFAIK.

Thanks John, I have never had a 3 rail locomotive, so I guess I have a lot to learn.

@harley rider posted:

I guess I have a lot to learn.

Don't we all.   I suppose one could try to figure out how to disable the DC offset sensing circuit to be able to run on DC, I never had the interest to try to do something like that.

Well I come to you from a DC HO 2 rail world, so I am used to DC.

@harley rider posted:

Well I come to you from a DC HO 2 rail world, so I am used to DC.

Sure, but you didn't have a transformer with horn/bell controls.

Just ordered the Rutland version.

Store pick up too! I wonder what else might follow me home........

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

No, but I just ordered one from Trainworld, should get it Tuesday.   Fitting the electrocouplers to the 44-ton unit was a BEAR!  That took more time than all the rest of the conversion to TMCC!  I haven't seen the 70-Ton locomotive, so I don't know what the couplers look like.

Williams 44-Ton Upgrade with ERR CC-Lite, Sound, & Electrocouplers

Keep us posted on how it goes John! I saw your thread on the 44 toner. Hopefully this one is easier. Id like to upgrade my 70 toner but will let you do it first 😁

If it's anything like the 44-Ton model, it won't be getting electrocouplers!