Lionel RF- 16 3 to 2 rail

Really cool! Great job. Was it a difficult conversion?

I wouldn't say it was difficult, but difficult varies from person to person. Theres a good thread on the 3R scale section, on lowering the RF-16 or Sharknose diesel.     cTr...(Choose the Right)

Looks like very nice work to me! Great job.

Are those NWSL wheel sets?

It is a very nice looking model, but it still has a toy-train 2 motor mechanism.   I have found that these do not run nearly as well, all other things considered, as a single motor mechanism.

 

So I am wondering why you are spending so much time and effort converting 3 rail stuff, when you can buy similar 2 rail models?

Stephen, nice work so far.

 

Jim, I am not aware of many 2 rail version of the RF-15/16, other than the NJCB and Overland models, which can be quite pricey. I don't think Williams made theirs in 2 rail, but I could be mistaken.

 

My own Shark conversion utilizes Williams brass bodies mounted on Weaver decks. Using either a 2 motor or single horizontal motor drive. It is sitting in the queue to be done.

 

In instances where using the 2 motor drive is unavoidable, I have success in taming it's behavior in several ways: series wiring of the motors, snug fitting truck block to frame deck interface, and a good DCC decoder. I have a pair of 2 rail Weaver RS11 done this way and they perform very well at all speed levels.

 

Love it!

 

I just sent you more files... two for the sharks, and some others.

 

Thanks,

Mario

Chris

 

I have the Weaver RS11s also and have done the same thing.   but as they get older, they seem to be a little jerky at starting and stopping, especially run as a pair.    I have 10 various other MTH and Atlas 2 motor units and the behavious is the same.   I have a pair of MTH AS616s that run about the best of the 2 motor units.   I prefer single motor, but sometimes as  you say, you can't get them.   I did have a pair of Weaver U25Bs that I just got tired of.   I could not keep them running smoothly not matter what I did.   One spec of dirt and they were jerking and stalling all over the place.

 

I was thinking that the NCJB sharks are usually available at shows periocially.   You are right not too many options there.   I have a pair of old LWS aluminum cast bodies I have built up and powered with P&D (weaver) single motor drives and reciently added a Williams B unit also powered that way.   My shells are not nearly as nice as the Lionel ones in the photo.   

 

The "experts" say a good decoder will not fix a bad mechanism, but it will make a good mechanism run better.

 

My best running diesels are a pair old Max Grey GP35s that I remotored with Pittman motors and put D408SR decoders in.   They run very smoothly and silently and well together.    With the original motors, they very very slow even for 2 rail.

Hi  everyone thanks for your remarks. Jim I chose the Lionel shark because, first I feel they captured the lines of RF-16 very well especial the cab and nose and they got the axle spacing right on the trucks, even some brass models got this wrong 9'3" instead of 9'6". It also didn't cost me very much, I haven't had any difficulties in slow speed running with DCS, TMCC they run as well as my overland diesels. I do not object to DCC its just expensive to scuttle good operating systems and sound, especially from all the way over here in Australia theres no one to by the old systems.

Joe  I just took out the original axles easy to do as the block unscrews I used .8-.9mm washers(plastic and brass) to get the gauge right, put on the new wheels and dropped them back in.

Mario  Many thanks, Mario does a great job with his fixed pilots and Kadee mounts all 3D printed, have a look over in the 3R scale section.      cTr....(Choose the Right)

Whoa! Cool!!

 

Should we start a new forum... O Scale Converters Anonymous?

 

Hello, my name is Mario... and I have an addiction.