How accurate is the C-Liner?

I admired them - had several.  I never measured them,  but I bet they are really close.  I traded mine for metal.

To model that prototype, it looks like the side skirts over the fuel tank area will need to be removed.  Also, the Rivarossi shells all have raised exhausts for the two steam generators that were present in passenger versions at the rear of the shell.  These will need to be removed as well.

I have 3 As and Kitbashed B, they look pretty good to me, especially for the price.    The only work I did was fill in the pilots and add the grabs as  you say.    I think they must close, they are longer than a scale EMD F unit by a little bit.  

Thanks!

This last one has twin EMD-style exhaust stacks. 

What do you plan to do for drive system?  I have a couple of these engines but am not sure what is the best replacement for the stock Rivarossi drive.

Rolland

CLW/ P&D.  Or, if you want a really good mechanism, Protocraft or MMW.

prrjim posted:

I have 3 As and Kitbashed B, they look pretty good to me, especially for the price.    The only work I did was fill in the pilots and add the grabs as  you say.    I think they must close, they are longer than a scale EMD F unit by a little bit.  

FYI:

An EMD F-3/7/9 A is 50'8" long.

An FM C-Liner A is 56'6.5" long.

Rusty

CLW is unfortunately long gone.   They made a really nice drive system for this loco with brass lost wax sprung trucks.    They actually did the correct truck casting.    P&D drives are a similar design and I like them a lot.   However, they do not have the correct trucks.   An Alco truck is similar but obviously different to those who have looked at photos.   The most obvious difference is that the lower spring hanger on the C-liner truck has a slight arc while the Alco is straight.    The springs look different too.

So the hardest part of repowering these in my opinion is getting somewhat accurate trucks.

Thanks for all the great info...

what do you think of the Lionel FM trucks?

also, I plan on mating it with an F7B, so I'll have to show its been repowered. Unfortunately, the only picture I could find was a brass model showing the EMD exhaust stacks. Would this be accurate?

thanks,

Mario

Short answer: Yes.  FM's could MU with both EMD and Alco.  The FM doesn't have to be repowered:

Rusty

Rusty Traque posted:

Short answer: Yes.  FM's could MU with both EMD and Alco.  The FM doesn't have to be repowered:

Rusty

We'll see, I have both sound chips; FM & EMD 567 (and ALCo, too). But I kind like the idea of adding the EMD exhaust stacks and using EMD sounds...

I'll probably be powering the rear truck, and adding some sort of cab interior. Hopefully. 

How about the lift rings on the rear? Any commercially available parts?  Or do I have to design and print them myself?

Also, any thoughts on the angle-bracket looking roof top lift rings?

You might be better off with a brass model.  I personally think the Rivarossi is a good basic model, but if you are looking for that kind of accuracy the plastic model will fall flat.

bob2 posted:

You might be better off with a brass model.  I personally think the Rivarossi is a good basic model, but if you are looking for that kind of accuracy the plastic model will fall flat.

Oh, I don't think it'll be that bad...

Centralfan1976posted:

Also, any thoughts on the angle-bracket looking roof top lift rings?

You could make your own from polystyrene or modify the former Keil line [now scale city designs] EMD rear lift ring kit.

As I remember the axle spacing on the trucks was 9'4" so you'ld wont to cheque Lionels spacing. Id be prity sure MTH's spacing would be wrong. I seem to remember that some FM's where later repowered using GM prim-movers or engines, and so the different exhaust stack placements. I feel the font windscreen on the Rivarossi is a little wrong but basically there pritty good, the mech is the weak piont. The use of a powered F3-7 B unit would work well. The Rivarossi had only one power truck, take the motor out and you have a nice free rolling dummy.     cTr...( Choose the Right )

They are inexpensive and a reasonably accurate model.  I've spent a lot of time trying to repower them.  I've used mashima motors to replace the stock motor and that was a little smoother.  You can't use flywheels.  I have one of the CLM repowered units but the person that did the repower only did a fair job.  I have tried to use the old weaver chain drive and made some progress.  I used the rivarossi side frames and you really need to open up the hole for the axle and use a bearing surface.  The weaver are Delrin, but the rivarossi are not and I don't think the plastic will wear that well. If anyone is interested I can post the weaver drive modification.  

So I drew new grilles for the Rivarossi C-Liner. There's a back part that slides out from inside. It's tabbed.

Then there's an outer grille, 0.020" thick that slide in front he outside. There's pins that fit in the holes in the frame, above.

I will be interested to see the prints of those grills, I have six or seven of these old C-liners sitting waiting for some attention,and some modifications. So much to do!!          ( cTr...Choose the Right )

My dad just showed me a bunch of pictures of these. Great shots he foudn them while getting photos ready for me to scan out of his collection

Matt Makens posted:

My dad just showed me a bunch of pictures of these. Great shots he foudn them while getting photos ready for me to scan out of his collection

MM,

That's great! Share if you can, there's not a lot out there. 

Here's the louvers that will be behind the radiator grilles. 

When I get there I will, I'm on box 4 or 5 of 36. There are approximately 175 slides per box. And it takes about 8 hours to do a box

BTW, here's the paper prints of the side grilles as a test fit. 

I like the fact that the windshields are the correct shape, unlike more recent offerings from MTH.

Agree the AHM C-liners's have a good windshield and are generally well proportioned, albeit the cast-on details are thick as mud. They are what they are. As posted the carbody faux-pas can be removed and replaced. Getting rid of the cast-on handrails and replacing them with wire grabs is an instant improvement, ditto drill-milling out the the rood fans and replacing with brass screen and strip ribs. Highly impressed with Central Fan's excellent printed grill work here. Great idea!

You can do worse then doll up a set of these up shells with the CLW drives. We have a pair so-equipped on the club that have been running forever.

I'm actually fascinated with the re-finishing options myself as neither of the two factory schemes is correct, and AHM never delivered on the long promised/catalogued NH McGinnis version (sigh.)

The CFA prototypes look great- Brunswick Green PRR with antennas, Orange & Maroon Milwaukee Rd, NYC, CP and CN

The five axle CPA's can be rendered with the CLW drive if you shorten the tank skirt and upgrade the rear truck to a PA style A1A , not exact but close enough for me, and who can argue any of the NYC, NH or Long Island schemes. I have  a lasting urge to build one of those LI CPA-24-5's in that Orange & Grey "Dashing Dan" version, monster powerful engines in their day.

There's a lot of detail parts coming out for these units, and you check them out here:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...i-c-liner-conversion