Mario's C-Liner post on the 3RS forum got me to thinking about my experiences with putting FM C-Liners to work on my railroad. Hopefully it shows how over time with some work we can improve the hand we've been dealt. O scale has come a long way since I came over to the dark side - and in the hands of the creative folk who share their work on this forum and in other media will continue to thrive.
V-1 (as built) - Along with quite a few other O scalers in the 1970's I purchased a Rivarossi C-Liner only to be disappointed by its weak drive, the absence of a B unit, and a fantasy paint scheme. For several years it sat in a box under the layout with a burned out motor.
The market comes to the rescue To address drive issues both Central Locomotive Works and All Nation offered repowering kits for Rivarossi C-Liners. The CLW kit used drive components similar to those in their ALCo FA1 kit featuring lost wax AAR B trucks. The CLW drive performed well but the trucks are a poor match FM B trucks have a longer wheelbase, taller 42" wheels, and different shape drop equalizers. All Nation took a different approach and reused the Rivarossi side frames. The user bushed the plastic side frames and attached them with shouldered machine screws to a stamped metal bolster. The setup was similar to AN’s F unit drives which equalize nicely over uneven track. A double shaft open frame motor mounted in the plastic Rivarossi under frame and drove both trucks through delrin chain towers. The All Nation drives run well - but I later found their sintered iron wheels were prone to pitting from arching, and over time become grunge collectors.
V-2 (up-detailed A-B-A with AN drives) - A Bill Losse article in the May 1980 issue of O Scale Trains on kit bashing a C-Liner B unit inspired me to build a set of repowered PRR A-B-A C-Liners. To that end I bought 3 basket cases C-Liners at various swap meets (this was pre-eBay). On the A units I sheathed the pilot with a styrene overlay, carved off the molded on hand grabs and replaced them with wire ones, built an interior, fabricated brass trainphone antennas, and re powered the A’s with All Nation drives. Following Bill’s article I created a B unit using two of the A unit bodies. The weighted A's provided more than enough power for 30 car freights so I decided not to power the B unit.
V-3 (OMI drive, Pittman can motor) - After about 10 years of operation I was tired of cleaning the pitted A unit wheels before our monthly operating sessions and decided to repowered the A units a second time. I purchased 3 pair of unpowered Car Works brass FM B trucks (42” wheels) and two sets of Overland (late generation) tower gear drive train components. The axel diameters of the Car Works and Overland wheel matched so it was relatively easy to replace the 40” OMI wheels with the 42” Car Works ones. NWSL flywheels were mounted on Pittman 9xxx motors to power the drive. Result – smooth problem free operation. Fast forward 10 more years.
V-4 (DCC & sound) Construction of a new railroad commenced in 2007 set upfor DCC operation in mind. In 1010 I installed QSI Revolution-U DCC decoders in the A units. Smooth operation became even smoother and I enjoy the sound
V-5 ?? Upgrades with 4th generation DCC sound decoders and TB speakers (like discussed in another Fairbanks Morse post on the 2RS forum) would further improve the C-Liner. Something I'll think about once my steam roster DCC installs are complete, and when I'm looking for a diversion from working on scenery.
This cat may not have 9 lives, but it sure is better than when it came into the world.
