HO scale diesel switcher with DCC

I meant to include this photo. Looks messy but the shell covers it up real nice. This is a Digitrax DZ125 decoder in a two motor HO scale Spectrum 44 ton diesel. Had to isolate the motors from the truck pickups.

r

Thanks, though this does not help me much. I am converting the 44 tonnner to the state it was in when exported to Europe, end of WWII. With buffers and a much lower profile. I never found photos of these engines, except on the cover of a magazine, which obviously was 'photoshopped' to give it an European look. I found pictures of Portuguese and Italian 44 tonners, but none of the USA army ones. They seem to have vanished soon after the end of the war through the port of Hamburg. What was to be found later were imported after the war.

Model Railroader magazine, Jan. 2001 has a two page article on installing a Digitrax decoder in a HO two motor 44 ton loco. I used a Digitrax DZ125 decoder in my two motor diesel.

Railroad Model Crafstman, Jan 2008 has an article on installing a LokSound MIcro decoder in a Bachmann 70 ton single motor loco.

I am installing a LokSound decoder in a Bachmann HO 44 ton single motor diesel.

Go to the below link and look in the DCC & Electronics forum and you will see a little on the single and two motor 44 ton installs.

r

Hello Wim,

You might try this link

It has links to all of the WWII Railway Operating Battalions of the US Army. Some of the photos I've seen show American built railcars with buffers, so there may be a 44 Ton GE in there somewhere.

Good luck, LD

Like this?

Yes, thanks!

Thanks, but the model is not a model of a US army 44 tonner. Look at the pictures, the center cab of the model is much higher in profile.

I thought you might look though the various links. The below link shows a GE 44 ton with low cab. Some of those were sent to Europe to be used in rebuilding railroads.

From another link.

Military version During the Second World War GE produced a "Drop Cab" variant of the 44- ton locomotives for the US Armed Forces. These appeared similar to the standard 44-ton but had a lower cab for European clearances, and large boxes next to the cab, on the front right, and back left running boards, housing the air compressors (housed under the cab on standard versions). Most of these military variants were ballasted to an actual weight of 45 tons.[1] A total of 91 Military 45-Ton Drop Cabs were built with 31 of those sold to the Indian Government. Additional narrow gauge drop cabs were built to a 47 ton rating for the military and export. Twelve Drop Cab 45-Ton locomotives were bought by the Portuguese Railway (CP - Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses) in 1949, with the Iberian broad gauge of 1668mm. Numbered 1101 to 1112, after some initial use as light road engines, they spent most of their lives as switchers at the southern region main stations. The series is withdrawn but one example is preserved at the National Railroad Museum (Funda=E7=E3o Museu Nacional Ferrovi=E1rio Armando Ginestal Machado) at Entroncamento. The above should provide material for more searching.

r