Alco Models, old brass E-44 ho scale rebuilds

I am working on a project that is 2 alco e44's in brass,the are both basket cases,I will be taking pics as I go
from what they are, to be,I am painting these as AMTRAK 502,504,(4465,4462)as they were before scrap(I have many pics)
these 2 models will be based on photos at amtk'del shops taken in the early 90's,I will give detailed info on repowering on a buget/DCC, as far as sound,well could have left the can opener in it but had some good info for Q sound, first Photos I have spare parts that will make build right.will post in 2 days,if I cant come up with soultion for e44's they will be for sale at the
Model Railroad shop,piscataway,nj,,, but will be on display atleast till oct. in their display case,yeah the only thing I have
left is the number board for 4462,and the horn!!!!

I'm so Confused!!! ?????

That's OK, Bob, I understand "typical gramatically challenged txtspk".

To the OP: Well, I'll tell you right now that they'll look very good, but the old Alco Models drives quite literally sound like coffee grinders at full-tilt. No sound decoder for any electric ever built will be audible above that growl.

And what's with the hurry? Take your time with them.

Okay, I had to search Google. We're talking about an Alco Models brass import of an E-44 electric. Original poster should communicate more clearly next time.

Found a similar topic on another forum:

http://brassbackshop.com/forum/viewtopi ... 67aaa98ef7

Sorry for the less info on the projects,but yes thankyou otto for pointing it out(alco brass),they do have odd drives
I am rebuilding them with atlas drives (they were nothing but junks)basic drives,itsfunnyhow they run better than most
of my brass

Out of simple idle curiosity, how old are you?

Otto Vondrak wrote:Okay, I had to search Google. We're talking about an Alco Models brass import of an E-44 electric. Original poster should communicate more clearly next time.

Found a similar topic on another forum:

http://brassbackshop.com/forum/viewtopi ... 67aaa98ef7

Yeah, that was me.

To be honest, i don't even want to try and re-build the old drive. I actually did go right ahead and put a new motor in it 3 years ago when i made that post. It ran marginally better. The issue has been, and will always be the craptastic gears they use in these models. If they can be replaced with Atlas parts, good for you!

I think the real fix, however, would to totally rebuild the Alco E44 from scratch. When they sit next to the Alpha E44As, or even a bachmann E33, they look terrible. The Alcos are WAY to short in both height and length, and are way WAY too rounded off. The E44 is as long as the E33, and when you put an Alco next to the Spectrum unit, the alco is short by just under an inch (a full size inch, not a scale inch). Inches go a LONG way in HO scale.

This summer, if i get around to it, i may again attempt to make an Alco E44 casting with resin, but then cut it up and correct some of the more obvious faults. I hope to be able to sell them as conversion kits to be set over the Bachmann E33 frames.


for reference, this is an Alco E44 Frame with original motor



Notice how the top of the E44's shroud is BARELY higher than the low section of the E33. if i faced them rear to read, the size issue is more apparent.

graftonterminalrr wrote:Out of simple idle curiosity, how old are you?

He was probably just suffering from madness induced by these alco models. There is a reason i invested in the alpha model!

OK,I will post the pics of the mods I have done,I do have 4 of the alpha's,it really needs flywheels(can motor)
keep in mind this is nothing more than a basic rebuild with (scrap?) parts.there is a way to convert the bachmann
trucks(E33) with mods to alco frame to fit(and not the bachmann frame)but this is a junk yard rebuild,Ill just post
the pics by the weekend,and dont cast it MTH will do it soon

Wasn't saying to use E33 trucks, (though those would be accurate). Rather, i was saying to modify the sell to accept the E33 frame. I've seen some cut back the E33 frame to take the E44 shell, but i think thats a step backwards.