57 Years Old & Wont Run! Made From A Importer You've Never Heard Of!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- This is an Amazing little Alco C-415 Road Switcher with some really great engineering behind it. Lets get it running again, do a brief history on the company ATT and the C-415 it's self and see how hard it can pull!
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Thanks!
Thank you very much!!
😂😂😂😂 I'm dying laughing. You pulled a wheelie with a Locomotive. Maybe that's the new sport. Wheelies with Locomotives. 😂😂😂
No locomotives got hurt in the filming of this video ;-)
Absolutly.
You forgot the most important part of the Alco C-415 story the demonstrator unit was sold and shipped to Australia and is still used but now in a heritage service.
I guess I didnt find that part in my research. Sounds quite interesting.
Until fairly recently, there was a quarterly magazine named "HO Collector". The istQ 2021 issue had an artile on the ATT company, including a discussion of the Mehano-built Alco C-415 model. Incidentally, I have repowered several of these models. The easiest approach is to use the chassis from the later eight-wheel drive Mehano RS-11.
I liked the HO collector mag. To bad it didnt make enough $$$ to keep going. Thanks for the chassis update info.
I was glad to see this video as I have quite a bit of ATT trains, I have purposely been collecting them over the years. You don't see or hear much about them on any of the model train TH-cam channels or forums. I have a lot of the FT locomotives, Centercabs locomotives, Roco freight cars and Tri-Ang passenger cars.
Right on! I just found another one in my stash last night. a F unit. Now I know what to look for
Always Enjoy watching Your Videos!
I appreciate that Dennis!
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Channel deserves more subscribers!
Thank you very much! I agree :-)
Thank you for sharing. Very much enjoyed the video.🚂🚃🚃🚃👍
Thanks for watching
Hello again Rob, The karmer brothers of Baltimore owners of Like-Like bought the Varney company in 1960 from the original owner Gordon Varney before his death in 1965, It continued under that name until march 1970, Varney would become you guessed it, Life-Like Trains! I think Life-like should have taken over A.H.M/I.H.C that would have been their golden opportunity, Also, In 2014 Model Power would be bought out by Lionel starting their third attempt at 'HO' scale.
Yup! Ive done a few video's on there history of Life-like and Varney
@@classicmodeltrains Thanks again for replying to my comments much appreciated.
Another strangely engineered locomotive. Watching you fiddle with those springs, brushes, and trucks once again makes me think just how right Athearn got it with the Blue Box design. Take care, Jeff.
Love the information. I started watching your Lionel ZW rebuild and I have been hooked since.
I always heard that Hugh Stephens owned ATT....according to Tony Cook's old website, he actually met with Hugh's son Michael Stephens.
I read that as well during my research. Then another site mentioned the feller I talked about. Leave it to the internet to have poor information on it ;-)
Super. I always wanted an Alco C-415 center cab locomotive for my railroad, and so I took a look at the American Train and Track model. AT&T (ATT) imported brass and plastic models from England, Japan, and Yugoslavia, so I had high hopes. The model looked great and had an enclosed drive, but the traction tires (I knew back then) and the handrails really broke the deal, and even though I was only ten years old, and I really wanted one, I passed on it. Decades later, and decades ago, while I was checking out a garage sale, I found one, along with the remains of an ATT EMD FT unit which had the same brass electrical pickups as the Century loco, and the same axles and wheels. Long story short, I added the pickups to the powered truck on the C-415, changed the wheels and axles, added new handrails, couplers, weight, diode directional lighting, and details, and ended up with an ATT Alco C-415 with eight wheel electrical pickup and four wheels driven. (And a dummy ATT EMD FT unit, using the traction tire wheels filled in with epoxy.) Extra weight lets the center cab Century locomotive pull 12 to 15 cars, which is less than my Mantua/Tyco Plymouth CR-4 center cab four wheel switcher will pull, but the "I have one" part of me is satisfied, and it operates pretty well for such an old girl. The loco also came with three different height cabs and an option to raise the bottom of the fuel tank to clear the rails by thirteen inches so that the C-415 could be used in rock quarries. Good video. Hello again from the Tracy Mountain Railway in Colorado. 💙 T.E.N.
Sounds like a lot of customization went into that one! Pretty cool!!
Coogan’s Bluff Fun movie of dirty 1970’s NYC. The end scene of the motorcycle chase in the park is Fort Tryon if memmory serves and the Cloisters up there in Manhattan. That’s where I grew up as a kid. On the northwest corner of Broadway and Dyckman Ave was a train shop in the 60’s and 70’s. Lots of history for me there and in that movie.
Thanks Ron
Thanks for the info on the movie there Robert!!
Hey Ron, you really make me smile ! Love your shows.
Get some Noalox, by Ldeal, antioxident. (in electrical dept.) Wipe it on, then wipe it off, with a clean cotton swawb, on all electrical contacts,should not be visible.
Nerd information; on comutators, the slots are insulators, the bars are segments. "Just less than too much, perfect !" "Scrub to get the Sube off."
Thank you!
Well Ron that was an adventure. Traction tires are a problem when doing a pull test especially with all four of them having tires and it ends up being a moot test in the end. I do like the adjustable ramp you made but I see locomotives hitting the floor in your future. This would be very entertaining, and you could call it the Pugsley Adams segment, lol. Great informative session with repair and service, Jersey Bill
Hello Jersey Bill, I'm curious on how traction tires make a pull test a moot point? I can see traction tires vs. non traction tire's loco's. That would be an unfair advantage. I'm just getting research here on this grade ramp ive made here. want to make sure the tests are as "scientific" as possible :-)
Another great video!!
:-)
LOL Was afraid it was going to launch off the end of the ramp. Pulled that weight right up the hill. Thanks for sharing. Watching to the end.
I need a railing at the top I believe. Accidents do happen
Great video! Maybe someday I can be a channel supporter. I do have some odds and ends to donate to you.
The interior of this engine reminds me of one that I put aside in frustration last year. Maybe it's time to try again. The engine I've got is a Southern Pacific RS-11, and it was my very first loco.
Well I hope you can get it running once again
Great video Ron. That little locomotive is a beast. Great job on restoring it. I saw a real C 415 in operation at a lumber mill in Oregon about 15 years or so ago. It was still in Burlington Northern colors. I have always liked the look of the C 415.
I used to see the Rock Island ones that were assigned to Chicago as a teen-ager. I actually had one of the life-like ones back in the mid 70s. I remember mine having the metal plates like this one not the plastic. Perhaps a design change post 1975. Also, I think this model was still available recently as a Mehano branded unit. It seems that very few of the old models ever go away they just get rebranded every few years.
Thank you. I like the styling as well
Another fine video…always time well spent…
Nice job restoring this att c415 locomotive!
Thank you very much!
Another great video, thanks!
:-)
Another fantastic video!
Got the same unit from evil bay. Found a new motor that fit and worked out well. Unit now has different paint and a Digitrax decoder !!!
Evil bay??? Why do you call ebay evil bay???
Must be a real nice one now!!
@@classicmodeltrains dont run
bad
@@chessiesystemrailfanman3741 been screwed a couple times
@@joeraderblackrockcentralrr I am sorry for you that happened. I mean that in all sincerity.
Hey Ron you're asking for supporters- how about you owe me!?!? Because of your channel, I've spent thousands on rebuilding my collection lol. Thank you for such awesome content brother
Addictions are more fun with others ;-). Make sure to keep your collection. Many Fellers sell it off after awhile and then regret it.
Hi Ron.
Good to see you. Good job and good history, funny a lot of companies in the day were owned by a few people. They say follow the money, for what that's worth.lol.
Glad you left the pull test in, it was a great chuckle 😂 Glad nothing broke.
Chat again soon, Cheers G.
Thanks G!
Cool video Ron & thanks for putting my name in the list. Never had my name shown looked real nice. 🤠
Hey there's Dennis! Thanks for becoming a Member there Mister!!!
Hello from the UK Ron, if you have time to watch "Sam's trains" from the UK, he has a great way of testing the pulling power of the locomotive's and it's a lot less scary, no need for any juggling 😅. Also I find loco's with a drive like your c415 pull better with the motor at the rear nearest the consist.
Greetings from Montana, USA. I will have to check out how Sam does it. I agree my way is a bit sketchy
Bridget Bardot?
Also, I'm starting to really like your videos.
Im 61, and have been into damn near every train you've torn apart.
Brings back many broke ass memories!
Lol
Great stuff
I think I used Bridget in another episode. Glad I'm starting to grow on you ;-)
I almost lost my mind working on a similar Mehano motor with that fiddlely gear array [DON'T EVER TAKE THE WORM GEAR OFF AS CATASTROPHE AWAITS]. The meshing of those gears add to the crazy making, not to mention the brushes' set up with that awkward way to bring voltage to them. And the motor itself that hangs up all the time. I salute your work on one of the most frustrating motor bogie I've ever worked on!
It did love to hang up upon applying voltage. Very annoying
Another good one. The history lessons are especially fascinating. The 60's were my childhood days. Did you ever smell the house when your kid forgot to turn the transformer off? My parents did and boy oh boy that ended my train collecting for a while. 😂
Keep up the great work Ron. It's always a pleasure when you put a vid up.
Yes them old Lionel transformers always had a certain smell. I put a smoke bomb in a hopper car once, though I would get the house aired out enough before Parents got home. Yup, I was grounded from the layout for awhile as well :-)
Fiberglass pencils are just _amazing_ for this kind of work. Ever since I ordered my first pack, I've always tried to keep a bunch in stock in my room. Perfect if I'm getting something from the used market and the train needs a wheel cleaning (such as a couple of otherwise-serviced Con-Cors I picked up a while back).
Yes they are.
Hi Ron, Great video as always, you got your model history spot on, l love that someone other than me loves old trains. I’m a Triang collector here in the Uk and I’ve got some ATT Triang Budd RDC’s that went all the way over the pond to the USA, to be then re-imported back to the Uk, they still look amazing and run very well. Looking forward to your next video 👍
Lots of Miles on them RDC's
Have this in Rock Island! Sadly it will not run on my code 83 track, darn those deep flanges. I think these were later sold by IHC and then Mehano through the late 90's / early 2000's
They do have some monster tall flanges for sure.
Thanks for another great video. You keep making them and I’ll keep watching them.
Sounds like a good plan!
Neat little engine. Thought about getting one for myself but it’s right at the end of my railroad time period and decided against stretching my limit. After seeing you open it up, I’m glad I didn’t buy one. The guts look too complicated for me and the pizza cutter wheels sealed the matter. Interesting show though, and I never would have guessed who the young woman was. She was totally unfamiliar to me.
It does have some monster flanges for sure
Great little loco. That had some very unique brush holders. Rube Goldberg must have invented them.
I bet you're the only guy with a train launcher.
Rube Goldberg! .....Well now that I think about it :-)
I have that model as it was sold by IHC in Southern RR livery. The bottom of mine is labeled with the Mehano marking. Runs great still!
Very Cool!
Another?
Good one I wish you would've got that thing slightened back that would have been great , and you laugh on about it makes it even better keep from coming brother , thank you
Been busy at the editing desk I am
Good looking and powerful little locomotive Ron. Great video as well. I love the fact that you provide the real life story and photos for us who want to be in the know. Never knew these existed until today, so thank you for sharing!
Thanks Marty
I'll go c 415 is my all-time favorite engine those little models are strong runners when they've been overhauled a few of my collection I'm glad you made this video there's different versions a bunch of them the later ones have eight wheel drive thank you
Right on!
I have a rock island variant that sits in my display case ATT also imported some of triangs stuff like Stephensons rocket and the transcontinental stuff for both American and Canadian markets
Right on!
Life-Like actually did make trains. Most of what they had though in the beginning (1970 ish) was from Varney and Revell. Eventually, they did retool and then in the 1980's, snagged the Athearn drive system for their P1K and P2K models before being bought up by Walthers. A buddy gave me a AHM/Mehano/ATT S3 to work on. That motor took a dump. I have to see if I can find a replacement but its the same motor that your C-415 has in it.
Sure the early 70's stuff I agree, But I bet by the end of the 70's it was imported. Heck even when Mantua was re-released there stuff was made in china
I have a old Mantua steam ho train when I got it it didn't run took off the case got the motor only runs with wires on the motor.doesnt run any other way
Do you think it's the wire from the tender to the locomotive?
Ive done many Tyco/Mantua steam revivals. Check out the video's and follow what I did. Yours should come right back around. Look for my playlists category and goto the tyco repair video's.
Thanks for the video. I've been thinking about going to the model train store.
You should!
Thank You Ron, always a great repair video! Kool
Thanks for watching!
Hi Ron & it's is Randy and i like yours video is Cool & Thanks Ron & Friends Randy
Hello Randy, Thanks for watching and commenting again :-)
Great video Ron, I love the history you provide with each video.
Keep it up brother
Thanks Big W
Very interesting model Ron. Glad it all worked out.
Thanks!
A T&T is American Telephone and Telegraph
No american train and track. Imported the ugliest ft and triang rdc2
@@peterkneissl3358 A T&T is American Telephone and Telegraph was at that time was the Bell system
and I know, I have some ATT train cars
I was just joking with you!
Ma Bell ;-)
@@classicmodeltrains yes Ma Bell now direct tv
You could put a cap and diode on the front light, you'd lose it in reverse, but that's not a bad thing to a point.
Lights, I can take em or leave them personally.
I have one of these models, purchased new in 1974. It ran well the last time I ran it, maybe 35 years ago. I custom painted it for the Burlington Northern, they acquired it from
the Spokane Portland & Seattle in the merger that created the BN in 1970... It ran great, a strong puller..
Fun fact: SP&S wanted 2 more of them but alco refused the order because they had already decided to go out of business.
:-)
I remember seeing these in the IHC ads in the 90's. I looked up Mehano and they still make HO stuff, including the same Burlington war emergency red gondola I received for Christmas back in '74.
@@markwilliams2620 new drive. Like the gp18
Them Mehano's are really pretty good loco's. Over looked by many
Grade dyno is awesome. I will name it"HELIX ELIMINATOR" 😊
He He!!
Great video, I knew Mehano was producing for Model Power but never knew they were that old.
Akways great to find a model that old and seeing it running again.
It is fun doing research and learning about the history of all these things. Everybody's related one way or another
@@classicmodeltrains I guess you're right.
Occasionaly you find some model that you just get because it looks good and then you get curious about its history.
Well done. I think I have one of the C-415. I gotta go find it.
He He! I hope you do find it and put her back into service :-)
I will let you know when I have all the old horn hooks couplers together.
sounds good
Rear truck pull the worm off to drop truck. Dont
:-)
Really enjoyed your history lesson of ATT. I wonder if AT&T had issues with that name?
Classic model has some Lauren Bacall vibes, but I'm not sure, so I'll lay out this week and just go back to my layout.
:-)
Same drive as mehano rs2 rs11 c415 and s2
I found a F unit from ATT last night in a box, looks like the same drive as well
Did this video come out Early? Or is it Monday already? Great Video.
Part of your Membership perks are early releases of video's. The Normal time is 10AM MST on Monday's.
ATT also imported into the USA Triang's Transcontinental range of North American style passenger cars (very nice generic models) and their version of the RDC from the UK.
Yup. They were busy back in the day
@@ArcadiaJunctionHobbies well it was really an Australian model
are you still working on a new layout in your old trailer?
My back injury in July put the whole project behind almost 2 months. Now with winter coming on im not going to be able to do all the work needed so it's put put on hold till next spring.
I really enjoy watching the whole video
Thank you for that!!
I thought it looked like an AHM. They are a little noisy, but good pullers.
what does an AHM look like? They imported about 5 different manufacturers locomotives. Mehano, Polo, Roco, Rivarossi, and Lima. Well now that I think about it they would look plan Jane, devoid of a lot of detail to keep cost down
@@classicmodeltrains The AHM has the same metal covers on the bottom and similar vertical shaft motor.
American Train and Track corp
Yup!
Mehano AHM Alco C415
ATT imported from Mehano
Like the grade tester good idea
Glad you like it
It has some Rivarossi traits.
Oh?
C415 made by alco in real life
Yup
hop hop pop. 🙄
:-)