Model Railroading > first brass loco (or hallmark models question)

I just acquired my first brass model, a Hallmark Wabash O-1 4-8-4. To my understanding it is an early Korean built model, I was wondering if there are any major weak points with either this specific model, or the early Korean Hallmark engines in general. The model will be converted to DCC, I have a can motor for it (the model already has a can motor, but it isn't isolated from the frame). any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

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How does it run without DCC?

If it is not smooth with a low current draw you may need to do some mechanism work. Since it already has a can motor someone may already have done that for you.

That is a very nice looking model. I suggest that you might want to read up on older MR and RMC from the '70s. That is when there were conversion articles going from open frame to can motors. I remember the goal with the valve gear was to tune it so that you could push it on a piece of glass! With regards to being made by the Koreans, they seem to have used superglue instead of solder for attaching detail parts, depending on the builder.

They came with can motors. I have the Halmark 4-8-2 "twenty-eight-hundred". It runs so, so and can pull ten cars up a 2%, 30 in. R grade. Though most would never notice, and I can't remember the exact details, a friend told me there is something incorrect about the model versus the prototype twenty-nine-hundred. I think it was somehting to do with the air tanks.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/01/20 19:42 by wabash2800.

The models of this engine I have seen have problem with the front truck frame  hitting the cylinders.  Depending on the sharpness of your curves you could run into a derailment problem or short problem with that.  I would take the rods off the engine and check to see they are smooth at the holes for the crank pins on the back side.  Those rods were usually punched and many times left sharp edges that affect smoothness of running.. Use a very fine model file to smooth them out.

Model had a very powerful 20-32 Sagami motor which may draw more DCC current than you wish.  If you change it out, I would buy the motor from you.

They are a fairly well detailed model and a good representitive of the 2900s.   However  (and there's always a however in life) for some reason, Dong Jin has the gear on the wrong driver.   The main driver with the bigger counterweight on the model is #3.  Should be #2.  Requires some work moving the gear from 3 and swappng driver positions.  Good time to fine tune the running gear and paint the drivers/wheels while you're at it.