Williams 4-6-0 Conversion

All you can do is try.  My STD I took the rear wheels out to have 2.  Has not given any problems.

Well, it can certainly be done, and the WbB 4-6-0's run very nicely. Good, low gearing. Good project locos. I have one that I have upgraded to command control.

You would have to change or replace the front truck, of course. This will take engineering and trial and error. That's OK; part of the fun. 2-wheel trucks are available on eBay. Buy a couple of inexpensive ones that look likely. Mountings would have to be designed. Now, I was just looking at mine and you might be able to cut one set of wheels off - that is, say 1/3 of the truck frame. It might track well, as there is a spring, but I doubt it. This is where a second, sacrificial WbB truck would be nice to have.

If you get a 2-wheel truck mounted, there will be a non-typical gap between the cylinders/steam chest and the #1 driver - the now-empty room for the 2nd leading truck wheel is no longer needed. This may not be a visual problem for you. (The AT&SF actually took some of their older 4-6-2's and converted them to 2-6-2's, just leaving the "gap" I mentioned.)

Have fun. This is what model RR'ing is all about.

Secondly, if you found a reasonably accurate (for your road) 2-6-0, "repainting" is seldom needed - just re-lettering/renumbering, which is not costly. Lettering sets are around if your road is not available. Lionel has made a very nice TMCC 2-6-0, B&M (I think) prototype. 

Is the loco you're trying to model the same one that's on the Everett RR now?  If so, I agree the Williams is a good starting point, and as D500 said, it's geared for smooth operation without speed control (which is rare!)  I would begin by buying a "spare" front truck from Williams.  Just remove the rear axle.  see if the truck drags on the rails, and how it looks.

The Lionel Moguls are another option.  The earlier TMCC and conventional versions are fine, but will probably cost more than the Williams 4-6-0.  I would avoid the most recent Legacy versions.  There were a few threads here on the Forum suggesting they had issues, which perhaps weren't fully resolved.

Good luck and please continue to share your work here on the Forum!!

Ted S posted:

Is the loco you're trying to model the same one that's on the Everett RR now?  If so, I agree the Williams is a good starting point, and as D500 said, it's geared for smooth operation without speed control (which is rare!)  I would begin by buying a "spare" front truck from Williams.  Just remove the rear axle.  see if the truck drags on the rails, and how it looks.

The Lionel Moguls are another option.  The earlier TMCC and conventional versions are fine, but will probably cost more than the Williams 4-6-0.  I would avoid the most recent Legacy versions.  There were a few threads here on the Forum suggesting they had issues, which perhaps weren't fully resolved.

Good luck and please continue to share your work here on the Forum!!

Yes, it is that engine.  I know Lionel made that model in 2016, but I have also read the about the issues with the Legacy moguls.  I have also looked into some of the conventional Moguls, but the positioning of the headlight is different on them from what it is on the actual engine, but is correct on the 4-6-0.  I'm not too sure why that matters so much to me, but it does for some reason, haha.  I'll give those ideas a shot at some point.  I've been thinking about this for about a year, so I'm not too sure when I will actually get around to doing it.  Hopefully sooner rather than later.  Thanks! 

D500 posted:

Well, it can certainly be done, and the WbB 4-6-0's run very nicely. Good, low gearing. Good project locos. I have one that I have upgraded to command control.

You would have to change or replace the front truck, of course. This will take engineering and trial and error. That's OK; part of the fun. 2-wheel trucks are available on eBay. Buy a couple of inexpensive ones that look likely. Mountings would have to be designed. Now, I was just looking at mine and you might be able to cut one set of wheels off - that is, say 1/3 of the truck frame. It might track well, as there is a spring, but I doubt it. This is where a second, sacrificial WbB truck would be nice to have.

If you get a 2-wheel truck mounted, there will be a non-typical gap between the cylinders/steam chest and the #1 driver - the now-empty room for the 2nd leading truck wheel is no longer needed. This may not be a visual problem for you. (The AT&SF actually took some of their older 4-6-2's and converted them to 2-6-2's, just leaving the "gap" I mentioned.)

Have fun. This is what model RR'ing is all about.

Secondly, if you found a reasonably accurate (for your road) 2-6-0, "repainting" is seldomneeded - just re-lettering/renumbering, which is not costly. Lettering sets are around if your road is not available. Lionel has made a very nice TMCC 2-6-0, B&M (I think) prototype. 

Thank you. Any idea of a part number for a two-wheel truck? I’m having some difficulty finding anything on eBay. 

John, I assume you want to replicate B&H #11? The Williams 4-6-0 has the wrong headlight too as its positioned on top of the smokebox instead of in front of it at the top. One question I would have is the Williams headlight screwed on or cast on? On the Lionel Moguls the headlights are screwed on and easily moved. A center headlight could easily be moved up and replaced with a number emblem.

I did this on a Lionel Mogul though moved from the center to on top of the smokebox instead of top front.

Before.

After.

Also, have you looked at the MTH Railking Moguls? They appear to be the closest to the B&H 11. Move the headlight and add a sand dome. Check them out and they can be had for less than the Williams engine.

Pete

Gee Pete, just my $.02 but I don't think the RailKing 2-6-0 looks anything like B&H #11.  Different boiler shape with more girth, and slightly more modern overall.  I don't believe the RailKing is based on any specific prototype but it reminds me of Canadian steam that's at least 10 years more modern than the turn-of-the-Century stuff from Bachmann-Williams and Lionel.

In any of these cases the original poster is gonna have to get busy with a Dremel tool and JB Weld.  It's part of the fun!

Norton posted:

John, I assume you want to replicate B&H #11? The Williams 4-6-0 has the wrong headlight too as its positioned on top of the smokebox instead of in front of it at the top. One question I would have is the Williams headlight screwed on or cast on? On the Lionel Moguls the headlights are screwed on and easily moved. A center headlight could easily be moved up and replaced with a number emblem.

I did this on a Lionel Mogul though moved from the center to on top of the smokebox instead of top front.

Before.

After.

 

Also, have you looked at the MTH Railking Moguls? They appear to be the closest to the B&H 11. Move the headlight and add a sand dome. Check them out and they can be had for less than the Williams engine.

Pete

Thanks for the suggestion.  The difference between in the middle of the smoke box and on the front to me is pretty minimal, so that difference does not make much of a difference to me.  How did you go about moving yours to the top?  Did you have to drill holes? 

I did drill a hole. Many of the Lionel Moguls have their headlights in same location as the Williams 2-6-0. This is just one of them.

Their might be as many as 6 others that are either conventional or TMCC. That said the Lionel Mogul has the wrong cylinders. Duplicating the B&H 11 would take a lot of modification. There is nothing really close out there.

Pete

Norton posted:

I did drill a hole. Many of the Lionel Moguls have their headlights in same location as the Williams 2-6-0. This is just one of them.

 

Their might be as many as 6 others that are either conventional or TMCC. That said the Lionel Mogul has the wrong cylinders. Duplicating the B&H 11 would take a lot of modification. There is nothing really close out there.

Pete

Right, I know there isn't really anything out there that would be perfect.  I'm pretty much basically just looking for a mogul that either has the headlight in mostly the correct position, or one that can be moved easily, and then have it re-lettered to say B&H on the tender and "The Champagne Trail" under the window for the driver/fireman.  

It's a bit of a longterm project, mostly because I'm having difficulty finding a conventional/inexpensive locomotive.  

Thanks for your help!