Rivarossi Docksider: A Plucky Survivor 

I'll be old and grey lol

@@michaelramsey81 id be 4 morbillion years young

Yep - better than a lot of my Bachmann locomotives!

I'm glad you enjoy them! I did run everything stock for a long time before I started this layout, but once I got good at repairing and modifying stuff, I started to see the flaws in every factory model, and a lot of them were easy enough to fix. I also enjoy having unique rolling stock that doesn't look like every other mass-produced model out there - I think it gives it more character, and it feels more like an actual railroad.

And for me, none of my passenger equipment is off the shelf, plug and play. I like to run milk trains of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western. All my steamers are IHC's with cosmetic mods and my 'Boonton' coaches are polyester craftsman kits. Incidentally, one of your previous videos, with comments turned off, sent me down a rabbit hole to find coaches with which I could model Lackawanna passenger trains from the early 1900's. Thank you for that too. I think it was the one where you repainted the coaches. I found them. @@michaelramsey81

Thanks! The motor swap was really the key to making it run well.

More of an issue with these old ones, is getting it *down* to speed.

@@robertmyers5269 Definitely. The IHC motor holds a slow speed much better than the original Rivarossi motor. I think a modern 5-pole motor would be even better.

The y6b they make is great, I have one and it’s one of the smoothest running engines I own. Eventually I’m going to get a new motor and a dcc decoder for it.

@@shaqtus3365 Funny enough, I also have one of their Y6B's. Unfortunately something happened to the original tender pickup connection and the previous owner had to jury rig a new one that hasn't exactly proven to work that well. Luckily I didn't pay much for it, not even half the going price. I'll get around to fixing it eventually, but for now I've got other train projects that are more important.

@@TitanicKid now I’m thinking I might have to start buying some old Rivarossi models! I mainly model UK trains/railway, but I do have a bit of American stuff and want to do a project with that stuff eventually.

Old Rivarossis can be pretty decent runners. The main weak point, in my experience, is the factory motors - they seem to be very prone to burning out. The actual mechanisms are quite solid and reliable.

That’s a good idea! Those little coreless motors run well too, and they hardly take up any space!

@@modelrailfan37 Precisely!. I have made it a necessary thing to do to all of my smaller locomotives now.

@@WWIIREBEL I’m still yet to make the upgrades but I certainly will!! I mainly have British locos so a lot of mine are smaller, and a few of my Hornby locos could do with a motor swap

I hooked up power to the motor to spin the wheels and used a Dremel with a grinding wheel to gradually shave the flanges down. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but if you're careful, you can get good results.

I hooked up power to spin the wheels and used a Dremel tool to gradually shave down the flanges. It helps to have another wheelset to compare to, so you don't take too much material off.

That would be interesting if they do. I believe their current Big Boy model that they sell is a heavily modified version of the old tooling, so maybe??? It would make a terrific beginners model if they still have the tooling!

Yes, the power supply to the tracks is independent of the turntable mechanism.

I've never had a Varney loco. Always thought their 2-8-0 was kind of neat. Maybe I'll get one someday.

@@michaelramsey81 I have the 4-6-0 “Casey Jones” locomotive and I’ve heard the 2-8-0 is great as well. One thing you have to look out for is zinc rot. When I got it the tender was completely crumbled. The motors they may not be the strongest or quietest, but they are tough. Mine ran with one of the pulls completely disconnected, idk how. I got lucky with finding the dockside looking for projects and parts for the 4-6-0 funny enough. It was in a bag missing parts and had a cracked mount for the brushes and the person who had it before me had half built it so I took it home for $15 and build it along with making some replacement parts out of a sheet of plastic.

I'm slowly working my way through my collection.

I covered most of it in my "Decorating an HO Steam Locomotive" video.

Yes, it had a molded front coupler originally. I forgot to mention it in the video, but I drilled out the coupler pocket and glued a Bachmann E-Z Mate coupler into it.

@@michaelramsey81 I have a Riv USRA 0-6-0 that has a molded on front coupler. Been working off and on trying to carve out space for a Kadee box to mount one on the front. Not an easy task.

@@PetesPrettyGoodTrains For front couplers, I don't usually bother trying to mount an actual box. I just glue it in place. It doesn't swing back and forth, but it seems to work fine.

I hooked up power to the motor to spin the wheels and used a Dremel with a grinding wheel to gently shave down the flanges, switching between wheels frequently to make sure I made them all match.

That would make a great how to video. Thanks.

I think the 2-8-0 is probably the best out of the box.

Ok

The 2-8-0 is probably a safer bet. I had one of the 4-6-0s a long time ago and had issues with the traction tires coming off repeatedly. That said, it was a really nice runner and a beautiful little model. The 2-8-0 has been around longer and is a very sturdy and reliable loco (and a very strong puller). Some of the older ones run a little rough, but they can usually be nursed back to health with a good cleaning and lubrication.

@@michaelramsey81 thanks for the help mike i think I’m getting the 2-8-0, mabey in the future if I get the 1800s 4-6-0 and use the shell of their earlier model I can kitbash it to look like a modernized 1890s engine

Update: I decided to get the 2-8-0 and it’s amazing smooth runner that just needs some oil work. The only promblem is that my example had a micro trains coupler, which broke in shipping, should I just glue it back or replace it?

@@TheTransportationFanfromCA Nice! I would replace the coupler if you can - if you glue it, it most likely won't be able to move enough to automatically couple anymore, and glue also tends not to hold very well to the slippery plastic they're made of.

@@michaelramsey81 I’ve looked at the box and they super glued it, is there a way to loosen the glue?

I'll have to make a video on it! Didn't expect people to be that interested. The basic technique was just to hook up power to spin the wheels slowly and use a Dremel to carefully grind down the flanges.

@michaelramsey81 awesome, That definitely would be appreciated!

@@bear470 It'll probably be a while, but next time I get an older Rivarossi loco, I'll be sure to film the process.

It is an Athearn 2-8-0, backdated and custom painted. I wish I'd filmed the painting process, but I didn't. I could do a video on it though.

@@michaelramsey81 either way you don’t have to. I’ve just been looking for new paint methods and other ways to backdate models. Thanks a lot though for the reply!

Wow, really? I paid $50 for this one on eBay.

@@michaelramsey81 that's ebay everything is like 60% cheaper at shows

If I see one for that price I’ll be sure to get it! That’s terrific!!