Fairbanks Morse Body Shell

[Nukem001]

Hi Gianni, Can you tell why there are two types of body shells for the Fairbanks Morse American Diesel Locomotive. I have just been lucky to purchase another Western Pacific model and it is in very good condition and has not seen much service. It appears to be an early version as the motor has the screw type brush gear. When I examined the gear box it did not appear to have ever been lubricated as the gearing was dry and totally devoid of grease. I think the model has been in a show case in someone's collection. The motor ran perfectly well and even better after receiving the oiling treatment. I have attached some pictures which show the body shell differences. This latest version appears to have more embellishments ie handrails and the front has a better finished "snout" Best Regards Howard

[Giorgio]

Hello Howard, I try to answer.
The version with the front central slot for the hook is the oldest. In 1957 for the large supply to Lionel has been simplified by removing the cut for the hook. Since the body shell was of this type
I hope You can understand my awful english, or maybe Gianni can translate from my-english to correct-english

Look at these threads too:
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=2954&hilit=fairbanks
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=1871&p=13104&hilit=fairbanks#p13104
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=417&hilit=fairbanks
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=272&p=1472&hilit=fairbanks#p1472
viewtopic.php?f=53&t=188&p=1102&hilit=fairbanks#p1102


Chissà se qualche uomo baffuto e di buon cuore (forse Gianni? ) si prende la briga di riordinare quando scritto in questi thread per farne un testo lineare e completo da mettere sul Sito ....

Google translator to Howard (hidden message to Gianni): I wonder if some mustachioed man with a good heart (maybe Gianni?) takes the time to tidy up when written in these threads to make a complete and linear text to put on the site ....

[Nukem001]

Hello Giorgio its good to hear from you and thank you for that explanation. I have noticed that Rivarossi/AHM contiued to produce the more later version of the body shape in other FM models. I understood that the very early FM models were produced in Bakelite? By the way Giorgio you English is perfect. I only wish I could write and speak Italian as well as your English.

Best Regards Howard

[Giorgio]

Thanks Howard!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
The AHM Fairbanks-Morse isn't Rivarossi but is a Mehanotehnika made in Yugoslavia: http://www.rivarossi-memory.it/AHM/Riva ... o_FM_A.htm
Giorgio

ps.
On 03-03-2013 in Como will be a cerimony for the Alessandro Rossi monument's inauguration. It's a new fresh news. Maybe can We meet there???
But at the moment I have no other news about it.

[roaringanna]

Giorgio, dai link che hai passato a Howard manca quello piu' importante: "E' Rivarossi?", aperto da Talgo il 31/10/2011, attualmente a Pag.7 dell' indice.
E' importante perche' riassumeva tutte le comsiderazioni sulla FM fatte negli argomenti precedenti, che compendiate con ulteriori informazioni e contributi vari mi avevano consentito di tabellare in modo assolutamente preciso e definitivo tutte le evoluzioni del modello per quanto riguarda carrozzeria e telaio. Inoltre la discussione nell' argomento aveva anche consentito di individuare e datare con sicurezza anche particolari come motorizzazioni, carrelli e fianchetti, decals e tampografie, e quant' altro.
Dato che, a quanto vedo, vengono periodicamente riproposte domande riguardo la FM, le cui risposte assolutamente esaurienti (per di piu' corredate da un buon campionario di immagini) gia' esistono ma sono ormai perse nei meandri del Forum (io stesso ho avuto qualche difficolta' a ripescarle!), sarebbe davvero opportuno che queste informazioni venissero in qualche modo associate all' articolo FM sul Sito in modo da renderle piu' facilmente accessibili.
Per quanto sconfinato e viscerale sia il mio amore per la FM, non ho alcuna intenzione di tornarci sopra per la terza volta!!!

Dodi

[Nukem001]

Dodi/Giorgio/Gianni
I apologise for asking the same question repeatedly and thank you for the answers you have previously given. I think I am suffreing from short term memory loss. " Old age is a terrible thing"

Best Regards Howard

[Giorgio]

Hi Howard dont worry, You are always wellcome

Ecco il thread correttamente citato Dodi: viewtopic.php?f=53&t=2116
Siamo sempre in trepida attesa che un buon uomo coi baffi si faccia avanti per sistemare il tutto.

[Nukem001]

Giorgio/Dodi/Gianni

Please can you tell me if this F M combination is made from bakelite or polystyrene plastic.

Howard

[roaringanna]

Dear Howard,
both units in your FM WP combo are definitely from 1956, and should feature polistyrene bodies and truck side panels, stamped side lettering and early type motor (with screw-in brush caps). This because the pictures show the rear walls incorporating a small extension (just below the door) with two small slots where the metal bottom (frame) engages.
Early (1952-55) FMs used bakelite bodies, frames connected to the body by 6 screws, metal truck side panels and decals (trasfers) for lettering.
In 1957, instead, the 1956 body moulding was modified with open nose (for NMRA coupler), more detailed rear wall and door and moulded-in side grab irons - however it retained the 1956 mould number, 305. The 1956 frame was mantained, now equipped with the new motor (brushes held by hairpin springs) to be superseded sometime during the year (1957) by the plastic "tub" frame which went on to the end.

To identify any FM example you come across I suggest to refer to the table below. As you can see, the FM in 20 yrs production shared 5 body (carrozzerie) and 3 frame (telai) types only. I don't expect you'll meet too many problems with translation (numbers don't need it!) - don't esitate to ask otherwise.

Dodi

CARROZZERIE:
C-B Bakelite, 1952-55 - Per telaio T-M1
C-P1 Polistirolo, 1956 (stampo 305, muso chiuso, mancorrenti laterali riportati - Per telaio T-M2)
C-P2 Polistirolo, inizio 1957 (stampo 305, muso aperto, mancorrenti laterali incorporati, specchio di coda dettagliato - Per telaio T-M2).
C-P3a Polistirolo, fine 1957-1958 (stampo 305 - Come C-P2, lievi modifiche interne per telaio T-P. Finestrini anteriori piu' grandi per trasparenti).
C-P3b Polistirolo, 1959-71 (stampo 305 B - Identica, a parte il numero, a C-P3a. Unica differenza, plastica BIANCA anziche' NERA).
TELAI:
T-M1 Metallico, 1952-55 (avvitato, per carrozzeria C-B)
T-M2 Metallico, 1956-inizio 1957 (incastrato posteriormente, per carrozzerie C-P1 e C-P2)
T-P Plastica (vasca) fine 1957-1971. (per carrozzerie C-P3a e C-P3b)

[Nukem001]

Dodi, Thank you for your detailed response. As you see from my previous post I have the two types you mentioned ie 1956-1957. I thought that the "closed nose type" were all made in bakelite and did not realise an almost identical model of the 1952 series was made later in polystyrene plastic. The reason I asked this question is because the later pictures shown are from the UK eBay and of course unless you know the full details it is difficult to make a judgement from photo's. I would love the bakelite version so I will continue looking now for the indicators.

Once again thank you best regards Howard