Modifications to the Lionel
0-6-0t Switcher
By
Joe Foehrkolb
Baldwin Forge & Machine
Baldwin, Maryland
The Lionel 0-6-0t
• Lionel introduced their new 0-6-0t tank
engine in mid-2004 and after examining it
at the Fall TCA meet in York, I purchased
one with the idea of converting it to 2 rail
scale operation. The following photos and
text describe and show what I have done to
this model to make it into a unique little
steam era switcher for a scale 2 rail layout.
Lionel Electronics
• I removed all of the Lionel electronics as
well as the smoke piston and gear from my
model. The engine only smoked when it
was moving fast and the loco seemed to
bind at times in reverse with the smoke
piston connected so…I removed the smoke
piston. You can sell the electronics and
parts to a Lionel repairman and recoup
some of the cost of the engine!
Drivers
• The first job I tackled was replacing the
Lionel 3 rail drivers with a new set of 48”
drivers utilizing lost wax brass driver
castings from Precision Scale Co, (PSC)
• Drivers were machined in my shop with
12L17 alloy steel tires.
• The Lionel axles were hardened so I made
new axles from 5/32” drill rod. The Lionel
axle bearings and worm gear were retained.
Rods and Crankpins
• The Lionel side and main rods were kept on
the model but I installed new crankpins
machined from 1/8” drill rod in the driver
castings. The Lionel crankpin screws had
oversized hex heads and I decided to do
away with them. I think the smaller 0-80
crankpin screws look better. You may have
to ream the Lionel rods slightly to accept
the 1/8 crankpins if you use 1/8” rod as I
did.
Basic Loco w/ PSC 48” Drivers
Rods with New Crankpins
Electrical Pickups
• I made my electrical pickups for the
insulated tires on the left side of the loco by
drilling 1/4” brass bar stock and inserting
Kadee coupler springs and small brass
plungers to contact the driver tires. The
brass bar is insulated from the frame with
0.010 thick fish paper. A 2-56 nylon screw
holds the front pickup in place. The double
rear pickup attaches to the original 3rd rail
shoe pickup point that is already insulated.
Electrical Pickups
• A 1/16” brass rod connects the front and
rear pickup blocks and is held in place with
0-80 flat head screws. I made a small
socket from a piece of brass tube and heat
shrink tubing that fits over the 1/16” rod
and connects via a short piece of wire
through one of the original speaker holes to
the left side motor brush.
2 Rail Pick Ups
Wiring Plug to Motor
Brake Cylinders
• The Lionel frame casting has brake
cylinders in relief cast into its sides below
the locomotive cab. I decided to mill these
low relief details off and replace them with
PSC loco brake cylinder and clevises, The
clevis hanger was made from 3/16” square
brass stock and screwed to the frame with
0-80 screws utilizing two of the holes in the
frame where the sound speaker was.
Brake Shoes
• Brake shoes were made up from some old
Kemtron (now PSC) brass castings and
hangers formed from 1/32” x 3/32” Special
Shapes flat stock. They are attached to the
frame between the drivers with 00-90 x 1/4”
long hex head screws. A small tubular
spacer about 0.150 inches long keeps the
hanger and shoe at the right location on the
driver.
PSC Brake Cylinder & Shoes
Rear Foot Boards
• Because of the Lionel hi-rail coupler swing,
Lionel omitted foot boards on the rear of the
loco. I made mine up using some Detail
Associates flat brass stock. I pinned the
foot boards to the model with tiny brass
brads sold by a doll house supplier called
the Houseworks. Drill a No 71 hole and
drive the pins in! Add a drop of super glue
and you have a permanent joint.
Rear Foot Boards
Kadee Couplers
• There is plenty of room to attach Kadee
couplers to the front and rear of this model.
I used Kadee 804s on this engine to
eliminate the possibility of a short circuit
when coupling to a metal car with metal
wheelsets. If you leave the top plate off of
the Kadee box, the coupler height is just
about perfect when mounted.
Whistle & Sand Dome Lids
• I changed the Lionel whistle to a Kemtron
whistle with lever and added a 0.008” brass
bell rope. A small handrail stanchion was
added to the rear sand dome to support the
rope. The sand domes were drilled 1/16” in
the center of their tops, flattened with a file,
and brass lids, turned on the lathe were
glued in place. The little handles on the lids
are brass pins from Houseworks.
Safety Valves
• I also added two safety (pop) valves to the
top of the steam dome. These were brass
turnings from All Nation (now Babbitt).
Whistle. Pops & Dome Lids
Air Pump, Governor & Piping
• A single stage air pump, pump governor
and cooling piping with brackets were
added to the left side of the smokebox. All
of the castings are available from PSC.
Air Pump & Fittings
Headlight & Steam Generator
• I removed the original Lionel oil headlight
with a razor saw and installed a new
headlight bracket, headlight and steam
generator in its place. This change does a
lot to alter the appearance of this model.
Numbers on front of the smokebox plate are
photo engravings by Wilbur Epperly.
Headlight, Generator & Numbers
The Finished (almost) Loco
Conclusion
• I hope this presentation inspires you to try
your hand at modifying one of these little
locos. I would be happy to assist you with
any machine work required to accomplish
this conversion but encourage you to do the
detailing yourself and create your own
unique model…HAVE FUN!