LGB 2-6-0 Mogul Snow Plow Blade Installation

[RkyGriz]

I accidently deleted my first post of this topic. So i'll repost it! Hi everyone! I am new to your forum,but have owned G Scale trains since 2004. My first G Scale train was the Lionel Gold Rush set from 1987. I bought it used on Ebay right before Christmas of 2004 for $50.00 as complete, running set. I now own 11 G Scale locos and some 30 mixed freight and passenger cars from several manufacturers. They include Bachmann,Lionel, LGB, Kalamazoo, Delton, USA trains, Aristocraft, and Hartland Locomotive Works. Road names include : South Pacific Coast, Virginia Truckee, Denver & Rio Grande, Denver & Rio Grande Western, Santa Fe, and Pennsylvania. I have recently purchased my first LGB locomotive, a 2-6-0 unlettered Mogul 23191. This loco does not have factory sound, but is DCC ready. I have 2 questions: LGB has a sound unit for this loco that is called American Steam. I found it for the price of $178.95,includung shipping. Is this a good deal, and is this unit worth the expense? Next question: I want to install a snow plow blade on the front of the pilot. I already bought the plow blade ( $31.95, shipping included,on a website). This will replace the cow catcher, but the cow catcher is one molded piece and does not detach from part of the pilot that holds the front stanchions for the smoke box. I have researched this installation by locating LGB moguls with the snow plow blades installed, and there are obviously different parts used for the factory installed snow plow blade than used for the normal pilot. As you can see in the attached photos, the normal front of these locos is ,of course, square. The one with the snow plow has tapered ends ,and no front (brake?) bar. I searched online for the proper parts and came up empty. A call to the San Diego office for LGB (as listed on the paperwork and online) was answered by a different company, so no help there. My research has shown that the snow plow blades on these locos is attached to the front bogie, and there is a mounting hole on my new loco for it. The problem is the lack of the proper factory parts to mount the blade on. Does anybody have a solution for this issue ? Or should I just resell the plow blade on Ebay and forget about it?
Any advice that you could offer me will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance!
Andrew

 

[dunnyrail]

Going back quite a way now but I have an LGB Mogul that had the Snow Plow attachment. As I was wanting to make the Loco Europonenised I took off the snow Plow and did a fair bit of work to get the pilot how I wanted it. The Plow I Modified and it now attaches to my Roundhouse Jack. I guess using bits of Metal and screws if you are that brave you could do a similar thing with your Plow..
As you can see Snow has caused some damage that has been repaired, the bottom view shows the repairs. The Plow plugs into the Coupler which has a shank made from Brass Oblong and a Pop-Rivet holds it in place.

 

[phils2um]

Hi Andrew,

Welcome. I can't answer any ?s bout the plow but will opine on the "American Steam Sound" module. I think you would be much better served by installing a DCC Sound decoder. It will be a bit more expensive. The sound however will be much better. I believe most DCC sound decoders can be set up to function on an analog system. I assume that is what you currently have. You will probably need to enlist the help of an experienced hobbyist with the installation. Massoth makes an XLS sound decoder that might almost be "plug-and-play" for this loco but other makes are probably not much more difficult to install and may have help more readily available to you. I'm sure others on the forum will add their thoughts.

Phil S.

 

[RkyGriz]

The plow arrived today. This thing is bigger than I anticipated. Maybe I can find a way to fit it to one of my Bachmann Anniversary Edition 4-6-0's. I emailed a company called Train-Li about the part today. I was provided a link to the pdf for the manual of LGB #25192. That shows the part that I need and I'm hoping the people at Train-Li can find and provide the needed parts. We'll see!
Thank you for your help, gentlemen!
Andrew

 

[RkyGriz]

Train arrived today. Works perfectly. Removed bottom plate and lubricated it. Tested snow plow on front bogie. Perfect fit. I now need to either purchase or make the necessary part to mount the snow plow on the front. Any suggestions? I've thought about buying a resin casting kit and trying to make it. But I don't have a form to make the initial mold. Or maybe I could find a piece of wood and cut the part?

 

[RkyGriz]

I couldn't find the proper part anywhere and never heard back from Train-Li. So, I went and fabricated the part myself! It's made from hardwood. It's a litte lopsided, but it works fine ! Next, rigging the chains.

 

[PhilP]

never heard back from Train-Li

They were recommended to me, as able to source 'difficult' LGB spares..
I think whoever gets spares to them paddles across form Eu-rope, in a canoe... I believe it must be the same person delivering to me on his way back..
Parts enquired about back-end of last year.. Monies have been taken this year.. No delivery yet..

 

[RkyGriz]

Train-Li has ticked me off .I called and left a voice mail, and then emailed them. No response. Exceedingly poor customer service from my point of view. Your experience with them has convinced me to avoid them. I will definitely not be buying anything from them. Ebay will be my primary source of parts for LGB .
Thank you for the info!
Andrew