Improvements to the AHM/Rivarossi Casey Jones


malletman

malletman

Alcohaulic
Since the only decent looking model of this engine is the AHM/Rivarossi one from the late 70's, it looks better than any of the brass versions I have seen at least. But they lack in a couple of depts, one is you cant see the headlight, and they have one speed, warp drive mode. I installed the NWSL regear set, it cuts the top speed by 65% over the factory set up. You have to swap out the worm gear and axle gear. I scibed a line in the axle and wheel face to retain the quartering when I reinstalled the drive wheel. I drove the axle from the wheel with a small punch, then did the same with the gear using a pair of plyers behind the brass gear to support it. The axle is shouldered so the gear will only go one way. The driver you remove is the one that picks up the power. The axle is lightly splined to help line up the driver when reinstalling. I drove the new NWSL gear into place using a small socket and my small brass hammer. I then lined up the scribe and did the same with the driver. After checking wheel gauge, I put a drop of ACC to lock the wheel back on the axle and set it aside to dry, the capliary action will draw the glue into the wheel/axle grove and set it tight. I then set up my plyers above the worm gear on the motor, and drove the motor shaft back out of the worm with my small punch and brass hammer. I tapped the new worm gear on the shaft and flush with the end of the motor shaft. It was nice and tight on my motor's shaft so nothing else was done with it. I put a better grain of wheat bulb directly under the headlight and painted the back of the boiler face silver, then removed the headlight lense, painted the whole inside of the head light silver, let it dry then reinstalled the headlight lense, now its much brighter. If your motor makes alot more noise going forward, reverse the two brushes as one is mesh and one is carbon, I did this and mine is much quieter now going forwards. You will find the regear, combined with the 3 pole Rivarossi motor is a nice combination and runs quite well. I also turned down my flanges on the pilot truck and drivers using my dremel and a cut off disc, running the flanges on the side of the disc with the wheels spinning or power to motor to spin the drivers. I put new wheels in the tender trucks. Now it should run good on code 80 or lower track. I did leave the driver flanges a bit deeper than RP25 to help prevent any derailments. Wish someone made a nice casting of his special whistle! Cheers Mike
 
Ok but now we need to see the pics of your progress. I was thinking about getting Caseys engine and a few cars to high ball on the club layout.
 
She wont highball at warp speed like with the factory gearing, but she will run much better at slower speeds and not take off like a rocket. Pics soon. Mike
 
MDC did thier short Overtons in the ICRR paint scheme for the New Orleans Fast Mail, which is what Casey was pulling that night. While the cars are to short, they look nice and run good on small layouts, not to mention they are factory painted. A more correct train would be the Overland series from MDC for the RPO, Baggage, 3 coaches. Then you need two of the Pullman Pallace sleepers on the tail end. That would be much closer, but custom painting and decaling will be required. I plan to build that train this spring. Mike
 
Mike,

I have a couple of these locomotives. After purchasing the 1st one, it didn't even make it around the club layout(when I belonged to a club) before the gears locked up and literally tore the drive rod nut & bolt out of the plastic spoke. That made the the locomotive useless since parts for this are not available anymore. the 2nd one I purchased has not been run as I'm afraid that the same thing will happen. Would you(for cash, of course) be willing to try your hand at regearing mine?

As for Casey's train, is there someplace that lists what the car numbers were that fateful night? Is there a place that pictures of similar cars could be seen?

I agree with you, a nice lost wax casting of the whippoorwill whistle would be outstanding!!

Thanks & regards,
 
The whistle still exhists at the Jackson TN museum I believe. Unfortunatly I havent found much pic wise of the passenger cars of that era. We know what he was pulling by description, consist went like this, 382 and tender, 50' RPO, 50' double door baggage, 3 50' coaches w/open platforms I think, and 2 Pullman sleepers on the tail. That was considered a light load for the 382. I have another guy that also needs a new pair of drivers for his Jones engine, he got it that way on ebay unfortunatly. It probably came out of quarter to cause that kind of damage on yours. Not much you can do but watch the junker boxes at shows for a new driver pair. Any of the drive axles can give you a new pair of wheels for the geared set. I ACC lock all the drivers to the axles as many of the plastic centers have cracked with age and can "wiggle" a bit on the axle. Make sure all your drivers are tight on the axles on your good engine, remove the bottom plate and clean all the old grease out and completely relube the engine with new lube. That will go a long way to helping it run better. I keep my loads light on my engine. Its a shame Rivarossi never offered this engine again. I wonder if Slaters Wheels over in the UK has some drivers close in size and with the right axle size? When I can get parts, I am pretty good at rebuilding dead Rivarossi's or any other model train for that matter. I have a Berkshire and a Big Boy here now I am doing for the local hobby shop, most only need cleaning and new lube to run right and smooth. Caseys Whistle is bascily a standard whistle base, with 6 different length tubes on it with a sheet metal strap around the middle clamping them all together. Bascily a prototype chime whistle before they were really seen on locomotives later in the 20th century. Any chime whistle can be "played" by someone good at feathering the whistle valve and changing the steam pressures thru that action. I wish someone would make a recording of that whistle blowing so we could have a nice sound system to put in the models. Now that would be sweet!!!!!
 
Mike,

As for the whistle in Jackson, TN. that one was built by Charles Jones, Casey's son. The real whistle is at St. Francois County Railroad Club at Bonne Terre, Missouri. I have an old book from childhood that has this information.

As for the sound of the whistle, you are right, hearing that would be wonderful!!

Regards,
 
Ask and thou shall recieve! Pic time, not the best but as good as I can do on our mantle. Got the rods in the down position, marker lights shining on the tail car. All the windows have "glass" in them including the 382, metal wheels on all cars (JB's) which I really dont like, would rather have Kaydee wheels. Tail car has a detection wheel set in the last truck for the detector circuits at the local club. Only thing I want to do is get an engine crew in the cab. Will probably have to repaint the face on the fireman unless someone knows of a set with a black fireman. Not sure if I want him in the cab window or riding the tender foot plate. He could have been either place when not firing the boiler. I also need to get some green window "glass" to put in the clerstory windows on the cars. Mike
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I knew the real whistle was somewhere as it was give to his widow from my research. Its a shame the real 382 wasnt saved and preserved. I really wish someone would make a newer model of the 382 with a newer style drive system. Mike
 
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