RIVAROSSI

Articulated Models, Big Boy, Challenger, Cab Forward and Allegheny (updated 5/2/02)

The "Spring Pin" pickup assemblies that contact the drivers on many of their designs are unreliable, prone to failure and also insufficient. Short circuits cause the springs to burn out and collapse, eliminating contact pressure and therefore pickup. Some short term solutions are:

(A) Use heavier springs that will not burn out, this will also of course increase contact pressure and pickup reliability but will also add more drag to drive mechanics slightly reducing overall pulling power, a worthwhile compromise!

(B) Add pickup to all possible wheels and especially reinstate pickup on all tenders wheels as was the case with the older designs that were significantly more reliable. In the new "Can Motor" designs released about eight years ago, pickup was dropped from all large loco tenders, probably an economy move, thereby reducing overall pickup points and also directing more current to the spring pin assemblies to burn them up. While the Allegheny has tender pickup the loco spring pin assemblies are insufficient and prone to the same problems, the tender is keeping the loco running. Conversely the Big Boys, Challengers and Mallets are a disaster with driver pickup only. Most of these units are failing and being resurrected by those knowledgeable users who know what to do ... add pickup to tender! The chat rooms are full of Rivarossi issues.

December 18, 2001

(C) Rivarossi Allegheny

The long awaited Rivarossi Allegheny 2-6-6-6 has been released. My initial impressions are very favorable; great detail, real smooth running, low starting voltage,excellent low speed control and running stability. The Allegheny negotiated our figure eight, over and under test layout without a hitch. All transitions through our small radius Peco turnouts at all speeds were uneventful.

Although I was enthusiastic when the loco was announced, I had reservations whether or not Rivarossi was going to be able to pull it off! They did!

Several years ago Rivarossi modernized their designs by adding can motors, flywheels and new diesel type gear boxes to all their popular articulated locos. These improvements were fine but they also reduced the amount of pickup wheels and changed the pickup mechanisms, which in my opinion proved disastrous and resulted in our dropping the line due to performance and quality control issues.

The main culprit is the spring pin pickup assembly that contacts the inner driver rim and the fact that not every driver had this assy. The modern Rivarossi Challenger for example, only has two drivers on opposite rails for pickup. The older, non can motor models, also had pickup in the tender. Furthermore, these spring pin assemblies would fail as a result of short circuits that essentially melted the internal springs.

So, when I opened the Allegheny box, the first thing I looked for were these Spring Pin assemblies and the next thing was for additional pickups. Yes the Allegheny still had these spring pin assemblies, but the good news is that all the tender axles, 7 in all, had pickup on both rails. In addition the front and rear loco trucks also have pickup. The multitude of pickup points should insure reliable operation even if the spring pins fail.

The Allegheny is DCC ready and the NMRA socket is in the boiler area, almost any decoder with the NMRA plug will fit.

The loco was designed to run on Code 70 track but will not run through Micro Engineering Code 70 Turnouts.

If you are considering Soundtraxx install a DSX and Speaker in tender and decoder in NMRA socket in Loco.

Rivarossi Allegheny 2-6-6-6 info here (updated 12/18/2001).

"HO" New Pacific and Mikados: Gear box assemblies screws overtightened when assembled at factory causing gear box flanges to crack on some units witch then causes rough running.

"HO" FEF'S: Insufficient pickup and mechanical problems cause poor running.

"HO" Malletts: Some units were assembled with main drivers not within NMRA wheel gauge tolerances. (Flange width is narrower than spec) . This causes derailment on some turnouts.

"HO" Heislers: Insufficient pickup, only two wheels on one side . Wiper addition solves problem.

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