"HONGZ" stands for HO scale, N scale, G scale, and Z scale.
Post your non-O scale stuff here!
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Hi Sam;
Long time no talk. Nice to see shots of your HO railroad. Looking good.
Regards,
Jerry
Yo Jerry,
Just noticed that OGR just put this new forum up for us 'odd' people so I thought I'd post a few pictures of the layout. For the last few months, I've been getting the layout ready for this Sunday when I have a open house for this month's NMRA meeting. Over the past year, I've picked up about 20 new engines and the bulk of them needed to be painted. Since GN and NP were 'joined at the hip', I've added several NP engines and painted them up in the gray boiler scheme: I love multi-colored steam engines. GN leased yellowstones from DM&IR during the winter when DM&IR couldn't haul ore due to it freezing so I also picked up a 2-8-8-4.
With 1500' of track covering a 33'X47' area, I had a lot of cleaning to do to get ready for the open house. But, I think the GN railway is ready for the crowd.
Sam
I liked that retail coaling facility.....before people show up, check that building with the stone addition...it may need ties moved and a foundation, to thwart rivet-counters and critics. How were GN and NP "joined at the hip"? Knowing little about them, I would have assumed they, between themselves, and the Milwaukee were fierce competitors
The 'critics' get 'show me pictures of your basement size layout and all 150 buildings on your layout and how you did each of them'. James Hill (founder and owner of GN) owned a lot of stock in NP as well as SP&S and Burlington. He tried on 3 occasions to merge all these railroads into one but the ICC ruled against it. The merger finally happened in 1970. The GN and NP shared the main passenger terminals in St Paul and Seattle and Burlington pulled the GN passenger cars from St Paul to Chicago. Both GN and NP owned SP&S and shared SP&S's track to bridge some cities.
I think Milwaukee was last to reach the coast and they had the most severe routes to get across the mountains. I never read much that Milwaukee was a threat to the GN railroad.
WOW, thats a beautiful layout.
Thanks, Matt.
Video:
GN P-2 4-8-2 mountain freight crossing Chumstick canyon trestle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujdVUF1STZI
Sam
Video of the GN R-2 2-8-8-2 in glacier park colors. The engine rivaled the Big Boy and Allegheny in tractive power.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwtHmXKgPlU
sam
Just arrived.
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One of my favorite locos !!
Nice layout. I noticed that HO layouts have the same issues as O Scale layout. Somebody laying down on the job face first.
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samparfitt posted:Video of the GN R-2 2-8-8-2 in glacier park colors. The engine rivaled the Big Boy and Allegheny in tractive power.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwtHmXKgPlU
sam
Excellent!!!! However, I'm curious as to why your R-2 does NOT sound like an articulated, i.e. no multiple exhausts, just 4 chuffs per revolution?
Like they say: how many work at your company? ...oh about half of them!
I think most model articulateds are set up for just one cam. There's two cams, one on each set of drivers but the sound would sound like just one continuous noise. Also, only one motor controls both sets of drivers so they won't go 'in and out' of sink like a full size articulated. Somethings don't scale down well. Kind of like scale handrails: make those scale and 1) you probably couldn't see them , 2) they would be extremely delicate and 3) they probably wouldn't look right.
For me, I consider modeling an art versus an exact duplicate. It's like looking at an expensive oil painting real close: it's just a bunch of paint brush strokes. One looks at it from the proper distance to get the feel of realism without painting each leaf on a tree. Our brain fills in the 'detail' for us.
If you've ever watched Bob Ross paint, you know what I mean.
samparfitt posted:Like they say: how many work at your company? ...oh about half of them!
I think most model articulateds are set up for just one cam. There's two cams, one on each set of drivers but the sound would sound like just one continuous noise. Also, only one motor controls both sets of drivers so they won't go 'in and out' of sink like a full size articulated.
It seems that the sound systems in the O Scale articulated models have found ways of "generating" that in-and-out of sync exhaust sound. Apparently the HO sound suppliers have not discovered that yet?
Somethings don't scale down well. Kind of like scale handrails: make those scale and 1) you probably couldn't see them , 2) they would be extremely delicate and 3) they probably wouldn't look right.
For me, I consider modeling an art versus an exact duplicate. It's like looking at an expensive oil painting real close: it's just a bunch of paint brush strokes. One looks at it from the proper distance to get the feel of realism without painting each leaf on a tree. Our brain fills in the 'detail' for us.
If you've ever watched Bob Ross paint, you know what I mean.
Regardless, you still have a fantastic layout!!!!
I had a talk with the one employee resting and he's back at work. Not sure why he was tired; back in 1938, you only worked 12 hour days, 6 days a week and just moving 100 pound chunks of ice around!
An easy fix on the W-1 electric.
The engine ran fine upside down on the bench but was shorting out on the track.
The brass is not cast but just bent sheet brass so it was easy to straighten out.
The original foam was gone so new foam was cut via a scroll saw.
Here's the guts of her:
The new DCC sound systems may be more enhanced for the chuffing sound. I'm using the PFM sound system from the 80's.
Back in the 80's and 90's I had 'cutting edge' high tech equipment on my layout and all enjoyed my monthly operation sessions. Now, The new DCC systems are the latest thing. I've got around 44 steam/electric engines and am not going to convert that many. Besides, I'm very happy with my 'stone age' sound. It has about 24 different sounds, besides the usual chuffing, hiss and whistle, 3 different wheel motion noise, 3 bells sounds, generator, 3 air pump sounds, coupler and blower.
Like DCC, I can control my trains remotely so one can 'walk along' with his train on the layout.
One is controlling the PFM sound systems.
The other are RC airplane transmitters that control speed and direction (good for my electrics and any engines others may bring over to operate).
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Here's a video of a sampling of the PFM sounds:
samparfitt posted:I had a talk with the one employee resting and he's back at work. Not sure why he was tired; back in 1938, you only worked 12 hour days, 6 days a week and just moving 100 pound chunks of ice around!
Its to bad that you have to stand there and watch him like that. You just cant get good help these days.
I was watching you videos. The more I see your layout, I like it even more. Question. Since you have the ore docks and Glacier National Park . Did you model the entire GN system, from Minnesota to Seattle? Once again thanks for sharing your layout.
That old rule seems to apply to everything: there's always that 10%.
I did model the entire system from St. Paul (upper yard that is straight) to Seattle (lower yard that is curved). Since the mainline is 400' long, I figured I could model both yards (cities). Takes a good 1/2 hour to go from one city to the other. Minimum radius is 48" and max grade is about 1/2 percent.
The yards are large being about 22'-30' long holding about 500 cars each with a train of about 35 cars can be in each track. I made all turnouts #10's on the mainline and yards: they are needed in the yards as the cars would probably derail when a switcher is pushing that many cars through the points of the switch.
I like me some GN!!!
My 1st train HO) was a Bachmann GN 2-8-0 in Glacier scheme. Probably not prototypical but at the time it was beautiful.
I may be wrong, I really haven't studied GN all that much, but it seems like they had a lot of similar equipment to my Seaboard Air Line, at least their steamers with the front-mounted air pumps seem similar to the SAL Q3 Mikes.
If I was into SAL, GN would be my next choice.
(I need to get a couple of O scale boxcars with Rocky on them)
Bob,
The main characteristics of the GN steam were:
flying airpumps on the smokebox.
belpaire fireboxes (Pennsy only other railroad that used them in large numbers).
glacier park colors (green boilers, red cab roofs)
vanderbilt tenders (cylindrical)
low mounted headlights (when pumps on smokebox)
Sam
Other than the Belpaire fireboxes () the rest of those features could also be found on SAL steam (well, except the colors in GN configuration).
I just did a search on GN boxcars for O scale, but I'm not sure who makes the best or if they're even true to prototype. More searching required!
I do have a few HO GN cars, old Athearn and other brands.
Most paint schemes are pretty accurate but GN may not have had that specific box car type, but most people won't notice, or care.
samparfitt posted:Most paint schemes are pretty accurate but GN may not have had that specific box car type, but most people won't notice, or care.
Either way. You defiantly have a better selection of prototypical rolling stock, Engines and Waycars in HO. Since I do both CB&Q and GN, if I want correct Way Cars I have to kitbash to get what I want. The latest ones I am starting, is a C&S Way Car, U28C Ph1 and U28/30B.
I looked and actually had only 3 GN cars in HO:
All 3 Athearn, thought I had more. I'd like to get one like the red car in O scale.
When did the sky blue color come and go?
(they feel so fragile, no heft to them compared to O. It would take some getting use to again)
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Bob Delbridge posted:
When did the sky blue color come and go?
GN Big Sky Blue appeared in 1967 and would start disappearing in 1970 in favor of BN green.
Rusty
I think the blue scheme came in around the mid 60's, before the 1970/1 merge of GN, NP, SP&S and CB&Q.
Even though HO is 1/2 O gauge, when considering 3 dimensions, weight and volume is dramatic. ie, a 2X2X2" cube is 8 square inches and a 4X4X4 is 64 square inches so bulk and weight increases significantly when doubling dimensions. That's why the grand kids can play with the lionel stuff but not the HO!
Each scale has it's advantages. GN, being in the sparsely populated area of the north west, didn't get all the publicity that the eastern and west coast California railroads got, so modeling GN in HO gave me the largest selection possible.
Until the last 10 years, or so, there wasn't much made in O gauge. Not until MTH and 3rd rail started making GN steam engines. Lionel, for the most part, has only slapped on a GN decal on a steam engine and called it GN when GN never even had such engines, ie: hudsons, yellowstones and other steam engines that didn't have a belpaire firebox on it.
My O gauge GN steam:
Except for the 3rd rail M-2, all MTH:
As I like to say 'GN and NP were joined at the hip' and GN leased engines from DM&IR so I also have a 3rd rail NP Z-5 yellowstone, Z-8 challenger and a MTH DM&IR M-4 yellowstone.
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GN big blue scheme was introduced with the FP45 in early 67. The first three SD 45 were delivered in the Simplified Empire builder scheme. After that all new engines were in the big blue. By the merger probably half the fleet had been repainted. NP didn't start changing to cascade green until the late sixties and even then it was only on new rolling stock. CB&Q with with the delivery of the SD45 in the premerger scheme of Cascade Green and black, White nose stripes, and side panel. I have seen photos of this color scheme as early as late 67 on Burlington engines although they were for publicity shots. After the merger the White strip on the side would go away and this would be the merger scheme. I run 60s to the merger in my world. I now just starting to add some NP to my roster. There is a member who does the merger period. This in its self leads allows for infinite combinations of engine consists and way car uses. It still would be nice if someone made the U25/28C as all three roads had them on their rosters.
So red boxcar it is, I'm pre-1967 ACL/SAL merger.
Thanks guys!
Sam:
Enjoying the pictures of your GN-based layout. Good stuff.
Agree with you on the PFM sound and adjust-ability quality. I have a (now) unused PFM Mini-Sound console, the 04 Bypass Filter w/external bass speaker, and the PFM coil spring reverb. As you well know, you can just about replicate any whistle, and stage of cutoff/labor in the exhaust, et al, with PFM. Excellent stuff.
If you would like a really great deal on my PFM Mini system, just shoot me an email and I can make you a deal you can't refuse!
Laming,
Thanks for the offer but I've got 5 of the PFM sound systems. Also, have 4 of the earlier PFM sound systems but don't use them anymore.
If you have any RF traps or square speakers, I'd be interested in those.
email: samparfitt@fuse.net
Sam
Hi again Sam:
Doesn't seem to be much demand for the old PFM 1 or 2 consoles, eh?
As for RF traps: Are those the bare copper wire wound black spools with a ceramic diode on top? If so, I may have a few.
Andre
Andre,
There's some people still buying the PFM 2 consoles but the PFM 1's are, in my opinion, worth less than 50 bucks.
Yep, that's the traps: I'm hoping to find like 10-20 of them.
sam
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Cool. Just learned something. Question, What did you use to cover the yellow to make the stripe?
I put masking tape on a piece of glass and cut it with a steel straight edge ruler for masking all the colors.
Painted in order: Yellow, Pullman Green, then Omaha Orange. Would that be correct?
Usually best to go from light to dark, ie, yellow, orange and green last.
Thanks, I see how you did the stripe now.
GN W-1 electric assembly.
Base assembly:
Just the reverse of disassembly.
Head lights:
I wired up 4 12 volt bulbs for the 4 head lights.
Access to the headlight area is difficult so I used some 1/8" diameter shrink tubing to pull the bulbs through the front head light casings.
After the bulbs were pulled through the casings, I put some short pieces of heat shrink tubing on each bulb, a little carpenters glue and pushed them into the casings, letting the curved bulb stick out for a lens cover.
The lead weight was added and the the wires taped to the roof of the engine so they don't get snagged by the motors. Some EMS RC radio connectors were used to make the base removable from the top structure.
Testing:
Six screws hold the base to the top.
I had trouble with the engine binding on curves.
1) I had the lead/trailing trucks backwards as the brake cylinders were hitting the steps.
2) Even with 48" minimum curves, I had to bend the steps out a little for clearance. Fortunately, the steps are screwed on so they can be removed for smaller radii. These would best be truck mounted.
It's difficult to get the perfect narrow lines as found on factory painted engines. As you can see in the picture, I applied a little too much green paint so it was thicker than needed and the tape rippled the green paint a little. Pictures always expose glaring errors whereas, when the engine is sitting on track, even at close range, it's difficult to see those errors.
Interesting, when I paint multi-colored steam engines, those ripples never show up: must be my disdain for diesels!: and that's only in HO, whereas I have a bunch in O gauge (figure that one out!).
sam
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Wow Sam, excellent post on painting your W-1. Looks as good as anything I've seen, custom or production. Great Job, Sir!
Regards,
Jerry
Thanks, Jerry.
SP AC-6 4-8-8-2 just arrived on the GN property!
GN interfaced with the SP in Oregon and California: That's my rationale for having an SP engine, plus I like them
This is by Key and made in 1984, factory painted. I'll be adding the Sacramento grey boiler paint to it. Cam motor with direction headlight and tender light.
Extremely well detailed. Besides all the piping, Key even added flex hose between the piping to the articulated set of drivers. Piping running towards the tender is also a nice detail along with the plate deck between the engine and tender. Nicely detailed cab with a removable roof.
With all that extra piping, one came loose and was touching the wire connecting the drawbar. Also, replaced the drawbar with a scissors type drawbar for better contact.
Still have to add window glass, marker lights, paint gauges, valves and crew.
Surprised SP didn't use larger tenders on these monsters as it is a yellowstone, only in reverse!
Sam
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The later AC classes did have MUCH larger tenders. Look up AC-8, AC-10, AC-11, and AC-12 classes.
Hotwater,
Good point, I forgot about those huge square tenders on the later models.
Sam
A good friend of 36 years called and wanted to know if I wanted a couple of cab-forwards....that was a no brainer
The AC-5 flat face and an AC-7. Brand new, never run. Made around 1984.
AC-7:
Lots of detail. Flex hoses between engine and articulated drivers, fully detailed cab with removable roof. The tender trucks are cool in that they are sprung plus, since they are 6 wheel, the truck articulates vertically. The AC-7 has the huge tender and the compound air pumps are on the fire box door.
Tender:
deck and cab:
Left side:
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AC-5:
One thing nice when they aren't painted is one is able to see all the fine detail.
Compound air pumps mounted on the side of the engine.
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Bob Delbridge posted:
The rare occasion that a hobo mistakenly rode the "Monkey Deck", he was usually found gassed/scalded to death after one or two snow sheds/tunnels. It didn't take long for the "word to get passed" about NOT ridding on the "Monkey Deck".
UP 4-12-2 bald face by Key.
Went to the Springfield, Ohio flea market and saw the engine at a good price.
Another excuse to get it: GN interfaced with UP in Oregon.
Also, only single engine with 12 drivers
Also, has a 3rd piston.
Full cab detail.
Smoke door hatch opens:
3rd piston moves via attachment to one driver.
Auger in tender:
Spare flanged driver. With 48" minimum radii, I'll add this driver.
See through walk boards:
Sam
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Springfield meet:
Held on county fairgrounds and takes up two buildings.
I've gotten some of my best 'deals' at this flea market over the last 30 years.
A couple of layouts were set up. One fellow has, what looks to be 'like new' or mint pre war and post war Lionel trains.
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SP AC-4 flat face 4-8-8-2.
I bid on this at an online auction and lost but the high bidder reneged and I was the next high bidder. Another 34 year old engine made in 1984 that was never run.
By Key, factory painted with removable cab roof, well detailed cab interior and lots of piping.
This should be the last cab forward. The AC-4 through 6 will be painted with a Sacramento grey boiler while the AC-7 will just be black.
Sam
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I really like that model of the "Bald Face" UP 9000 class. Would you mind post a few photos of the side with the double Walschearts valve gear arrangement? I sure wish Sunset/3rd Rail or MTH would issue this model version in 3-Rail O Scale.
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Thanks. The double gear is on the right, Engineer's, side, and sure adds to the extra detail.
Functioning caboose marker lights.
Picked up 7 of Utah pacific (sold by tomar) caboose marker lights. Nice that they are still in business as the last ones were bought about 3 decades ago! Nice that they don't try to make a profit on shipping with a reasonable 4 bucks for shipping.
tomar web site:
https://tomarindustries.com/up.htm
Already have them in some of my 'cabeese' and will finish up the others. Can get them with small bulbs but figured some LED's would be cheaper and easier on the battery. They come with jewels.
Figure I can also put them on the front of the cab forwards. Easy access since the markers are on the cab. I can grind off the tops of the caboose markers to get them to look like the front engine markers.
Sam
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Sam,
Nice. The lights on the FRONT of locomotives are referred to as Class Lights, and would normally show white to the front, for an extra. Green color to the front would indicate that a second section was following (passenger service), and red color to the front would indicate that the locomotive was backing up, i.e. red to the rear.
DM&IR M-4 2-8-8-4 by Westside.
Picked up a test run only yellowstone.
It's by Samhungsa so that persuaded me to get it.
Has nice detail including cab detail and a functioning closed cab.
The box also has a caboose, which is the only example that I know of included with an engine.
sam
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Comparing the Westside M-4 to the Tenshodo M-4.
The Westside has an elesco feed water heater in front of the smoke stack.
The Tenshodo has more fine detail than the westside, ie, door outlines in front of cab, boiler jacket stays, extra piping and see through running boards.
The tenshodo tender has marker lights and see through castings on the truck wheel side frames.
The tenshodo also cost about twice as much as the westside (at least on what I paid for them) so you have to weigh the cost of what you're comfortable with versus detail. The tenshodo is also already painted.
The westside gives a very nice running engine with nice detail plus a nice caboose thrown in for a reasonable price.
Sam
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Sam:
In a very strange turn of events, I am re-interested in my small steam and a TOC19 (Turn of the 19th Century) small layout.
However, like you, I prefer PFM 2 sound for steam engines. A few questions along this line:
* Is there a cottage industry/individual that has figured out a way to piece together/sell in-tender modules?
* What speaker would be a good replacement for the 1" (?) PFM face ported speaker?
* Is there a substitute for the contact capacitor?
What can you tell me about trying to model steam using PFM 2?
Thanks much for any input.
Andre
Andre,
I only use the PFM speakers as they are very high quality and give the bass sounds. They are difficult to find now but can be found on ebay.
You can make your own sound boards. I go to radio shack and get 47UF capacitors (two go in series) and a 473J (green capacity) in series with the cam contact.
Another hard part to get is the PFM choke (RF trap) but they do show up on ebay.
I also get a bridge rectifier from radio shack for the 1.5 v bulbs (LEDS).
I have some extra cams if you need those ($3.50 each plus a buck for shipping). These cams came from Tenshodo and are what they used on their engines.
I put an X over one axle on a driver and pull the driver off and put the cam on and then, re-insert the driver. A wheel puller is best for doing this. You will also have to cut a slot in the retaining plate that holds the drivers to the frame to make room for the cam.
I've done so many of my engine that I'm low on speakers and chokes (RF traps) and will have to wait until I find them for sale on ebay.
Below are pictures of parts needed plus schematics. The one picture is of the instructions that come with a LTM kit so if you buy one of those, it actually shows the parts for a sound system.
The LTM doesn't include a speaker. You should be able to use a speaker for DCC.
Sam
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Good stuff. I've had a soft spot for the GN for a while as I don't live too far from their line into Seattle, nor the SP&S, which they owned jointly with the NP.
I rode the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle back in September, sadly a few years late for riding on a GN train, of course.
GN O-8 2-8-2 open cab from westside.
Picked up a Mike that just came in today.
Things that needed fixing:
1. piping on one side loose and needed soldering.
2. piping from front air compressor needed soldering.
3. whistle broken off and re-soldered.
4. Injector loose and re-soldered.
5. Lift bar on tender broken and needed re-soldering.
6. both hand rails loose to the ladders on back of tender and re-soldered.
7. screw missing holding motor to mount.
8. screw missing on trailing truck, wheels frozen in trailing truck plus side frames too close and also binding the wheel axle and spring missing on one side of journal on trailing truck.
9. Journals on geared axle frozen to axle.
Other than that, no problems.
Took a few hours to fix but, I can't complain, I got it pretty cheap.
I now have a westside closed cab (that one had no problems) and an Oriental limited closed cab. The OL is real nice, FP glacier park, coast drive, movable sand and cab hatches, and directional lights. Paid twice as much for the OL but the westside is by Samhungsa and has a lot of nice detail. A nice feature of the westside tender is how low mounted the trucks are to the tender frame (very scale).
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Sam:
Thank you very much for such a quick and informational reply.
As of a few nights ago, I have started watching eBay for the module kits/etc. I have about three traps on hand, and a couple of speaker-less modules. I'm hoping to see some 02A tender modules pass through, and if so, I will try to snag them. I guess I could try to build my own, but I did like the ease of the constant light/etc that the modules offered.
I'm still in the process of digging through my stash of steam stuff to see just what all I still have left. I am bitterly regretting selling off some of my stash several years ago. I seem to regret almost every model railroad sell-off I have. (Hm, is there a lesson there?)
As for needing the better bass that the PFM steel enclosure speakers (like the face-ported one pictured above) can provide: Though I would love to have those PFM speakers again, I used (still have) the 02 Bypass w/woofer and it makes a dramatic difference, so a good quality DCC speaker for the tender will probably be okay.
IF there was a DCC system that can do what PFM2 can do... then I'd be open to such... but to date I've NEVER heard a DCC steam sound system that can give me what the PFM system gives. As I'm sure you well know, the on-the-fly adjust-ability of the exhaust cut-off, wheel noise, and that wonderful reverb on the whistle, et al, just isn't there in DCC.
Don't know if I'd still be interested in a small steam/small layout if staying with PFM isn't practical, it's that important to me.
All fer now!
Andre
Andre,
The DCC makes it pretty easy for present modelers to get nice diesels with nice sound. My layout was started back in 1979 and, if I switched over to DCC, I'd have to rip out all the wiring and start over. I'm partial to brass steam as they have tons of detail and, if made after 1975 (or so), they run great with the can motors (else I have to re-motor and re-gear them).
I thought I had enough sound parts to do all my engines: actually I did, but I have acquired about 30 more engines in the last year and a half so I'll have to watch ebay for PFM sound parts.
=====
P51,
Post some pictures of your On30 layout. Would like to see it.
I also do RC airplanes (going by your handle) and have about twelve 8'-10' wingspan warbirds: complete with retracts, closing gear doors, full cockpits, functioning canopies and cowl flaps. Gotta' have my toys!
Sam
Miller signs.
Picked up a GN sign plus some that I remember when I was a lot younger!
A&P, Texaco, Williams paint, reddy kilowatt and champion plugs.
I'm impressed by the complexity of the sign yet at a very reasonable cost.
Sam
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BLI brass hybrid's GN S-2 4-8-4 Northerns.
I got them when they first came out several weeks ago but had to send them in to the service department as both engines were shorting out, intermittently, and smoke not properly working on one. It took awhile but they got everything fixed and all is working fine, now.
It turned out the drivers were shorting on the boiler.
They did put a lot of detail on these engines from boiler jacket stays to functioning closed cab, windows, crews, cab detail, etc. The cab light comes on first and as the engine starts to move, the cab light goes out and either the engine or tender light comes on. It really smokes nice and is comparable to O gauge smoke units.
The boiler and tender tank are brass but the front/rear and tender truck frames are plastic. Unusual, at least for brass engines, electrical pick up in that one side of tender and engine wheels are hot while the other is ground.
Sam
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samparfitt posted:P51,
Post some pictures of your On30 layout. Would like to see it.
You can check out the link at the bottom of my signature on this post, there are plenty of shots there.
As for planes, I never got into model planes after seeing people put a lot of money into detailed RC stuff that crashed with spectacular results. I saw a 1/6 scale B-17 pretty much shred itself into pieces on a high speed pass at an event in my teens, and it hadn't hit anything. I never forgot that.
I have flown in some neat WW2 planes, including (but not limited to), a real P-51, B-17, B-24, B-25, T-6 and others...
P51,
Nice looking layout. One thing I find about narrow gaugers: they ACTUALLY like to build and modify stuff, no 'pull out of the box' and put on the layout! Good work.
sam
SP GS-4 4-8-4 from Westside.
Just delivered to go along with the cab forwards; plus I like multi colored steam engines
Factory painted, made in 1980. A good runner. No cab detail, unlike the Key model, but it can be bought at a very reasonable price. The handrails around the cab need some 'touching up'.
Sam
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Great GS-4 model. I'm a big SP fan as well and have seen 4449 on several occasions and ridden behind it a few times, as I live just over 100 miles from her current engine house location in Portland. I've also seen the GS-6 in St Louis in 2002.
I saw 4449 at the age of 7 during its run on the Freedom Train as well.
If I modeled standard gauge, no matter what scale, I'd had gotten a GS-4 for sure.
Nice GS-4 model. I notice you selected the "as delivered" version with the small "Southern Pacific Lines" lettering high up on the tender sides. For what it's worth, the SP did away with that lettering styling beginning in 1946, and changed to the large "bill-board" SOUTHERN PACIFIC styling. I still have two HO Westside GS-4 models, in my display case; one de-skirted black #4444, and one "Daylight" #4449.
Hot H2O,
Thanks for the info. Buying on ebay, I can't get too picky. In theory, my GN railroad is modeled in 1938 but you can find discrepancies as I'll buy something if it appeals to me: some of my GN motive power is from the 40's.
Sam
samparfitt posted:Comparing the Westside M-4 to the Tenshodo M-4.
The Westside has an elesco feed water heater in front of the smoke stack.
The tenshodo also cost about twice as much as the westside (at least on what I paid for them) so you have to weigh the cost of what you're comfortable with versus detail. The tenshodo is also already painted.
The westside gives a very nice running engine with nice detail plus a nice caboose thrown in for a reasonable price.
Sam
I just noticed this series of nice photos. I'm a bit curious though about that model with the Worthing Type S Feedwater System, as I dod not know that DM&IR ever had any of their M Class yellowstone delivers that way. I can only remember seeing photos of the Elesco equipped locomotives. Sure are nice looking models!
Hot H2O,
Hey, I just work here!: I'm GN but, usually, the importers usually get their facts straight on their products.
===============
Milwaukee EP-2 bi polar electric by custom brass.
Just arrived. Two motors for each end unit. Interesting how the center section just fits over some pins located on each end section. It runs well on the track but you have to be careful on picking it up since the attachments are not permanent.
The last picture shows the paint scheme that I'll use.
Milwaukee was a direct competitor to the GN. I believe they were the last to reach the west coast after the GN and NP. They decided to extend their electrification for several hundred miles. GN considered it in the late 40's/50's but deemed it too expensive, plus diesels were showing up.
It reminds me of the Lionel pre-war years.
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UP FEF-2 4-8-4 Northern factory painted grey by Key in 1991.
A very detailed model that I just got off of ebay.
1. functional drop coupler.
2. directional lighting
3. coast drive.
4. see through walk boards.
5. removable sand hatches.
6. 3 operational doors on top, in front of cab.
7. opening rear cab doors.
8. functional deck plate.
9. full cab detail
10. 3 operational water hatches on tender.
I was expecting the engineer's head to rotate!
Back in the 70's I used to think that they couldn't get any more detailed than the Tenshodo engines.
sam
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UP Big-Boy, 4-8-8-4 by Key.
I used to have one of these by Tenshodo but sold it around 1980 so I could buy a 1962 Chevy impala SS convertible.
It doesn't have all the fancy movable hatches, coast drive, etc, that the previous northern has but it's nicely detailed and runs great. With a can motor, full cab detail, deck plate, see through walk boards and movable pilot coupler.
Come this Fall I've got a few engines to paint!
ps: the last picture was posted vertical, not sure why the software like to rotate it!
Sam
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UP 4-6-6-4 Challenger by Key.
Was looking for a Tenshodo FP grey challenger but found this Key model instead.
It has to be the most detailed engine that I've ever owned, or seen in HO scale.
1. Coast drive.
2. directional headlight/tender light.
3. moveable pilot coupler.
4. Functioning sand and access hatches on both sand domes with detailed interior.
5. Functioning access hatches in front of cab roof with detailed interior.
6. Functioning cab roof hatch.
7. see through walk boards.
8. Functioning doors on back of cab.
9. Cab deck plate.
10. functioning water hatches on the tender.
11. Tons of detail piping and running gear.
12. full cab detail
13. FP grey with yellow stripes.
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Substitute speakers for the PFM sound system.
I got some sugar cube speakers (and enclosures are required)
https://tonystrains.com/produc...rsonic-mini-speaker/
The sugar cube speakers worked great for the PFM sound system.
A speaker enclosure is needed for proper sound (not sure why they sell the speaker and enclosure separate as both are required).
They measure about 3/8" X 1/2" and are super thin. The enclosure adds about another 1/2" to the depth.
Compared to the PFM speaker (in photo) is about an inch square and about 1/4" thick.
Each set is 16 bucks.
Sam
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After the NMRA Div-7 meeting we went over to Bob Lawson's very nice layout that is super detailed.
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...amp;feature=youtu.be
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GN F-8 2-8-0 by Tenshodo.
Just acquired this engine on e-bay. Made in 1975 and, at most, just test run and, virtually, new with no visible wear on the wheels. Factory painted by Tenshodo: some errors as domes are all green, piping not painted black and, manufacturers always like to do this (put silver on the cylinder heads) as only the S-2 had this and no black stripe along the front of the belpair fire box. Easy fixes plus some dull coat. Most manufacturer's were adding can motors by mid 70's but easy add for this open frame motor engine.
Very reasonably priced at $235 (delivered), and you can't beat the detail that one gets on a brass engine.
Just ordered more scalecoat paint from minuteman so I'll be painting up the seven new engines acquired since last winter.
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samparfitt posted:GN F-8 2-8-0 by Tenshodo.
Just acquired this engine on e-bay. Made in 1975 and, at most, just test run and, virtually, new with no visible wear on the wheels. Factory painted by Tenshodo: some errors as domes are all green, piping not painted black and, manufacturers always like to do this (put silver on the cylinder heads) as only the S-2 had this and no black stripe along the front of the belpair fire box. Easy fixes plus some dull coat. Most manufacturer's were adding can motors by mid 70's but easy add for this open frame motor engine.
Very reasonably priced at $235 (delivered), and you can't beat the detail that one gets on a brass engine.
Just ordered more scalecoat paint from minuteman so I'll be painting up the seven new engines acquired since last winter.
The first run of the locomotives had a more detailed paing job on it, I purchased one many years ago, still sitting in the box. I'll have to get it out and post a photos of it. The green is off on all the Tenshodo locomotives, instead of Glacier Green, it is Pullman Green, but now we are picking nits.
Yes, these locomotives are out there for a song, they run great, and will be running great long after you and I depart this earth. I have one on the layout now that runs every op session, and has been running on my layout since 1987. Eventually, I want to toss a sound decoder in mine, just have a NCE D102 non-sound decoder in it now. Put a can motor into mine also, the open frame motor was a growler.
Regards,
Jerry
UP big boy 4-8-8-4 by Tenshodo.
Just arrived from purchase on ebay.
1981 run, factory painted, see through walkboards, boiler lagging clamps, can motor, detailed cab. This model appears to have, at most, just test run and, probably, has been in the box for 25 years. A number plate is below the cab floor indicating year and number of how many made and on the other side of the deck is a crown shield indicating a 'crown' series. Reportedly, only 19 came into the USA.
I put it next to the Key big boy for comparison. As usual, the Tenshodo is longer by several feet as they built the engines around the scale wheels. The Tenshodo has additional details, ie, see through walk boards, wood grain tender deck, lagging clamps but the Tenshodo also cost me twice as much as the Key model. Each has their own merits so it depends on the individual on what he is willing to pay.
ps: that tilted fire box door is an easy fix.
Sam
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Very nice. Wonder why it is so much longer than the other model, or,,,,,,,why is the other model so much shorter? Which model scales out to be the correct length?
Also, you might want to straighten the smokebox front.
Winter project:
Put classification/head lights on steam engines and caboose marker lights.
I've got 8 new engines to paint so they'll get updated before painting.
Found some good instructions online (see below) for installation.
Ordered some 0603 bright glow led's from Richmond controls company (1st picture).
The LED's are, I believe, .6 of a millimeter. For an extra $1.50 each, I got some #36 wires already attached to them (wasn't about to try soldering those on!).
Also, got some axle wipers from them for the cabeese.
From digikey, I ordered the necessary parts to make small circuit boards to provide the proper voltage to the LED's (2nd picture)
Steam classification light installation (2 pages):
http://markschutzer.com/Markers/Marker_page1.htm
Cabeese marker light installation:
http://ssandifer.com/Lay/Howar.../LEDMarker/Index.htm
For the cabeese, I'm using tomar's marker lamps as they are already drilled out.
For the steam, no one makes drilled out classification lights so I'll follow the below instructions on getting that done. I bought some extra marker lights (cal scale 190-280 marker lights)
Web site for caboose marker lights:
I use CM-63 (no lights included) but they also sell them with lights included.
https://tomarindustries.com/up.htm
LED pre-wired from Richmond controls company:
LED's GW0603-DL06: pre-wires and want both wires coming out the same side(ditch lights wiring). Cost any extra buck 50 for them to solder the wires on but I think it's worth it.
EZ61-WPRS: truck wipers.
They don't take credit cards and have to send them a check and list of items to order from them.
http://www.richmondcontrols.com/
Sam
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part 2:
The #55 drill bit is ideal for drilling out the marker lights.
The drill worked perfectly on drilling out the marker lights from cal scale.
I also was able to drill out the original marker lights on a GN mike (see picture). The marker lights have to be removed, first, before drilling them out. I found the small hobby drill press best for doing this. A resistance soldering set is also, probably a must to remove/re-solder small parts to keep other parts from falling off due to too much heat via conventional soldering methods. I also drilled a hole in the front fire box to route the wires. I'll be using the inside hole of the marker lights (see picture) so only the front and outside will have colored lights as there really is no room to drill a hole in the back or bottom of the marker light. I'll be spraying the LED's and wires with some clear lacquer thinner to seal the wires in case they touch the brass engine components, thus preventing any shorts.
The ready made LED's with attached wires from Richmond controls gives a nice yellow glow good for the headlights.
I also got some LED's from digikey that are a white light that I'll use for the marker lights since they will be colored, anyway. These have no wire leads. No one sells 30 gauge wire in reasonable lengths so I took apart one of my old open frame motors (they are good for something!). The LED's are extremely small so it took some time to solder the wires to the LED's. Flux and a very small pointed soldering iron is needed with only a split second touch to solder the wire to each side of the LED (I have ruined 2, so far but, since they were so cheap, I thought I'd try it). Some pointed, self closing needle nose tweezers were used to hold the LED. If I need more, I'll get more glow LED's with the wires already attached as, for only 3 bucks apiece with wires attached, it's worth it.
For the cab forward I used Tomar's caboose marker lights. These have a brass tube access from the back and worked best for the cab forwards, eliminated have to route wires through the cab front. I cut the top and bottom off the caboose marker lights so they match modern steam marker lights. The marker lights are too small to solder so I used thin CA to secure the marker lights to the cab front.
A hole was drilled in the boiler front to route all the wires.
In the picture, the cab forward has the yellow glow in the headlight and the white LED's in the marker lights.
I diverted from the previously attached instructions on providing the proper amount of current to the LED's. I found just 1.5 volts bridge across two diodes sufficient to light the LED's.
Sam
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Part 2 (cont)
Finished doing the remaining engines.
I was able to use the existing marker lights that came with each engine but it was nice to have the cal scale available as 'back up'. A couple marker lights broke free when drilling and I had to re-solder them back on. Also, from drilling holes in thicker brass, ie head lamps, I went through 3 of the #55 bits so buy them by the 'dozen'.
I drilled a small hole in the fire box front to route the wires.
This cab forward was done the same way as in the previous post.
The tender lights also go drilled out. I noticed some tenders have slots where it appears that marker lights are hung (ie, big boy, DM&IR yellowstone) so I'll have to research and see if the lights were on the back of the tenders.
A caboose got the tomar marker lights. A couple holes were drilled in the bottom plate so wires can be run to the trucks.
I was thinking it would be cool to drill out the number boards but that would, probably, be difficult to do and I've never seen any hollow ones (save O gauge).
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Picked up another Milwaukee EP-2 electric. This one is factory painted but it has foam damage to the paint. I got it so cheap that I couldn't 'pass it up'. I'll have to strip it but it won't take much more to paint two versus one, anyway.
I drilled out the headlights for the new LED's.
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8 engines to paint.
Began disassembling the engines. Each will be painted twice with a base coat of black. After all engines are painted, I'll go back to each one and mask off for appropriate other colors.
GN O-8 mike open cab.
Had to drill out the tender bottom for speaker holes and cut an opening in the driver retaining plate as a cam had to be added to one of the drivers for chuffing sound.
The sand and steam domes were removed (held on by a screw on this model) to save on masking, later on, since the boiler will be painted GN green.
After cleaning all parts with water, dish washing liquid and some white vinegar, the parts were dried in the toaster oven for an hour (save the wheels that have insulation).
Used scalecoat #10 black to air brush the parts and then cook at 200 degrees for 2 hours while the wheels will be air dried.
The tender wheels were hand painted as it quicker than masking them off, including the axle ends and the parts are too small to notice any brush strokes, especially since the truck side frames hide the bulk of the wheel.
Sam
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UP 4-12-2:
Nice detailing on this engine.
The cab is removable so it will be painted green along with all the gauges/valves, etc being painted white/red.
See through walkboards and lots of piping:
Nice motor/gear box setup with both attached to each other via brass stock to prevent racking.
A functioning 3rd cylinder where piston is connected to the 2nd driver plus the offset for the cylinder cutoff has the 3rd cylinder offset mounted to it. (going to be fun putting that back together!).
First coat added. Black always gets 2 coats whereas the masked off, other colors only get one coat.
Sam
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Good day at the Div 4 (Dayton, Ohio) flea market
1. Lights 4 models: These LED's are even smaller than my 0603's. All wired and have resistors and bridge rectifiers for 3 bucks each so this is definitely my new source. 5 per package for $15.50. Got 3 warm light packages (UP0), 2 green (UP5), 2 packages of wire connector (master pack) for multiple connections, wired connectors , 2 packages of wire connectors. (WC10) and some telephone wire that stretches is bumped.
Here's what the contents looks like for the connectors. Left is 2 prong connectors and the right is a 'package' deal consisting of a variety of connectors: will be nice to hooking up the marker and head lights to one connector. At $10 and $12, respectively, prices are very reasonable.
Picked up two nice all wood buildings. At 40 bucks apiece, I thought that was cheap! A passenger station painted to GN colors and a lumber company. Found some temporary space on my layout.
Last was a Sunset SP AC-9 2-8-8-4. Been looking for one but they are hard to find and they go for a lot of money. I got this for less than 1/2 of what I saw one go for last week on a web site. I prefer Key or PSC models but those are 3-4 times more than what I paid for this baby. The front is broken off but an easy fix with some soldering. I'll probably strip and re-paint her after drilling out the marker lights (OK, they should be called classification lights!).
Sam
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Key Big Boy.
Disassembly for painting.
After removing the boiler from the running gear, interesting in that the back lead weight was just 'snug' fit into the boiler so I was able to remove it, along with the front weight. A couple loose wires (piping) had to be re-soldered.
The cab was screwed on so it'll receive the green interior.
Since these are handmade, which means all parts may not be universally interchangeable, all moving parts are kept with their respective front/back drivers as well as the drivers.
Tomar marker lights added to the tender after the top/bottoms were 'nipped' off as they are caboose marker lights (or were!).
Two coats were sprayed on, today with the usual 200 degrees for 2 hours in the toaster oven with all wheels air drying.
Sam
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SP AC-7 by Key.
Disassembly for painting.
Removing the running gear from the boiler was a little 'tricky' due to all the 'super' detail added to this engine. I had to bend or move 'piping' on both sides of the boiler to remove the drive gear set under the cab and the same with removing the boiler front from the boiler.
They had a wire connector to easily remove the back drivers from the front drivers. A lot of piping on the back drivers.
I added another sound cam since the ones I use have plastic between the contacts and, thus, easier to set up the chuffing. The original cam is smaller in diameter so I had to make a new hole in the driver retaining plate plus move the cam to another driver where a brass rod between the two frames did not interfere with the cam. I find drilling multiple holes is the easiest way for me to make a square hole.
An 'X' is placed on the end of the driver that receives the new cam: saves time not having to re-quarter the driver.
A press is used to remove/install one wheel/cam.
After the cam/wheel added, side rods re-added and pushed over the track to insure no binding.
While using a tooth brush to clean all parts before painting, I, luckily, saw that I pulled two of the springs off the functional truck frames and, fortunately, they didn't go flying off into the unknown and re-inserted them.
I figured it would be easier to first paint (and mask off for the black) the cab interior on these cab forwards so the cab was painted with burlington green. Also, did the UP big boy and 4-12-2 cabs.
Tomar caboose lights added to the back of the tender: again, top/bottom snipped off to make 'modern' looking marker lights.
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Sorry but, none of your images shoed up.
Hot water,
I am seeing them. Try getting out and back into the web site and see if that works.
Also, we'll see if others are having the same problem.
Sam
Now only the first 5 photos are labeled "Image Not Found", while all the remaining photos show up.
Hot water,
Just noticed your comments on the Big Boy (I'm slow sometimes!).
As I mentioned in the post, the engine is built around the scale drivers so the engines length is longer, thus the Key is more accurate for scale length, but, when on the track, by itself, it's academic.
I also mentioned at the end of the post that the boiler front will be adjusted.
Sam
Hot water,
I did get an error on the 6th picture so I posted what I printed and then edited the post for the remaining pictures.
Even though they show up for me, I may have to delete those first 5 and re-post them.
Sam
hot water,
I just deleted the 1st 5 and re-added them. Try getting out and back in and see if that worked.
thanks,
sam
Sam,
Got them all now. Looks like a heck of a project. Keep 'em coming.
It keeps me off the streets at night!
SP AC-5 by Key.
Disassembly for painting.
Virtually the same as for the AC-7.
This engine had a fine spring and wire insulation connecting piping to the articulated set of gears. I had to use a the heat from a soldering iron to break free the glue (guessing AC cement) to remove one end of the 'hoses'.
I found no evidence of marker lights for vanderbilt tenders on cab forwards so I left them off the back of the tender.
Again, the cab was, first, painted green and then masked off for the black.
First coat for 2 hours at 200 degrees and then a second coat will be added.
The tender trucks came apart (unlike the functioning articulated 6 wheel trucks on the AC-7) so I hand painted the wheels to keep paint off the axle ends for electrical conductivity. Some loco black dries a dull color so no dull clear will be needed to coat them.
This engine will be getting the Sacramento grey for the boiler.
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What era are you modeling for the Southern Pacific (prior to 1946 or after 1946)? I'm not aware that SP EVER had any "green" on their cab forwards, except inside the cab.
hotwater,
If you look at the AC-7 pictures, you'll see that I've painted the cab green as well as for the AC-5, I also mentioned that I painted the cab green.
OK, thanks. I missed that. Will you be lettering the cab forwards for Southern Pacific Lines (pre 1946), or the large SOUTHERN PACIFIC (post 1946), or no lettering at all (post 1950s)?
All my decals are 'southern pacific' so I'll be using those.
I've also got Key's factory painted AC-4 and AC-6, the AC-4 with 'lines' and AC-6 has just SP.
I'll, also, be painting those Sacramento grey.
The AC-7 will remain all black.
The AC-9 was painted by someone. I need to strip it, solder a mount for the front drivers, drill out the marker lights and re-paint it.
I also have a painted GS-4 in daylight colors. That's it for SP.
Wouldn't there have to be brackets to support marker lights on any kind of tender used by a mainline engine? It's really hard to find photographs of the rear ends of tenders, but there are a couple of photos in "A Century of Southern Pacific Steam Locomotives" (269, 271, 272) that do seem to show markers on the Vanderbilt tenders of SP cab-aheads.
B Smith,
There usually are brackets. The big rectangular tenders on the cab forwards that I have, have a bracket so I put marker lights on them. I've not seen brackets on the vanderbilt tenders. If you have pictures of these, please post.
thanks,
Sam
Although I wish I had one of those early models (looks like maybe a AM-1) and it does look like a marker light, mine are later with the vanderbilt tenders, AC-4/5, and I haven't found evidence of such.
Yeah, I know this isn't a Vanderbilt tender but, to generalize from the example, doesn't it stand to reason that any locomotive in mainline service would have to be able to show markers on its tender? Otherwise it wouldn't be able to act as a pusher behind a caboose or to run light on its own, at least as I understand the rules ( I may be wrong, of course). It's one of those questions that you'd think would be easy to answer by looking at photographs, except that photographers over the years seem to have consistently ignored the back ends of tenders.
Beautiful paint work! Wanna do my All Nation F3 into simplified EB? LOL. Seriously though, beautiful layout and paint work. Helps me on getting the "GN" look to my little layout I am starting in 2 rail O. Mike
The vanderbilt tender has ladders on both sides where the markers would be located.
SP AC-5:
I masked off the boiler and sprayed on the Sacramento grey (actually NYC light grey).
Sam
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SP AC-6:
This engine was factory painted but the boiler was separated, water/soap washed, masked off and the boiler was painted grey. The sand/steam domes were easily removed to save on taping. This is usually not possible as the sand lines usually run down the sides and are soldered to the boiler.
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SP AC-4:
This engine was also factory painted with the boiler removed so it could, also, be painted in Sacramento grey.
Initially, I was not going to try to put lights in the marker lights since it was factory painted, fearing I would 'booger' (as the Brits say) the paint but I thought I'd give it 'a go'.
Surprisingly, the drilling of the marker lights went very well.
I used the usual #55 to drill out the sides of the marker lights using the mini drill press and supporting the marker light on some thin wood. I put some oil on the drill bit and drilled about half way and then, cleaned off the bit, re-oiled and finished up through the marker light, giving very little pressure on the bit so as to not grab the marker light when the bit' broke through' the opposite side.
I then used a hand drill to do the front of the marker light holding the marker light with some jeweler's nose pliers. After drilling the sides, there's very little brass remaining on the front so the manual drilling went quickly.
I needed some 'routing' holes in the face of the cab plus in the floor of the cab so I used a #62 drill bit and manually drilled those holes. I was surprised at how easy it was to drill out the holes in the brass sheeting. With #30 size wires on the LED's, these holes did not need to be very large. I had to drill the hole above the marker light as there wasn't much room below it, not scale but it shouldn't be noticeable.
One poppet valve was missing so I used the same #62 drill bit to manually drill the hole for the new valve that I happen to have a few spares of them.
The engine was then masked off and painted.
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SP AC-9 by Sunset.
Disassembly and re-painting.
This engine was painted by a previous owner so it was stripped, updates made and re-painted.
Unusual with a 'twin tower' power drive system to both sets of drivers. Motor is huge.
Not 'sound ready' so holes drilled in tender and cam added to one axle on back set of drivers.
Stripped all the paint off. Used lacquer thinner and it brought off the paint in sheets so it must have been some other paint base. Since I had to used a stainless steel brush to get off a lot of the paint off the boiler, I'm guessing it must of been a water base paint as neither enamel reducer nor acetone would dissolve the old paint. I even used my ultrasonic cleaner with no luck (you can see how it made the boiler lighter than the other parts). Interesting in what the builders use to preserve the brass as none of the 'cleaners' removed the base coat (I always assumed they used a lacquer base). After I used the stainless brush, I was concerned that I might have scratched the brass but I 'lucked out': next time, I'll use a brass brush.
'you get what you paid for'!
There were a lot of things to fix but at half price and an 'afternoon', it was worth it.
1. One end of tender base (end bumper) was loose: resistant soldering needed.
2. Whistle needed soldering : same picture has new drilled out marker lights.
I had to replace them with cal scale. Able to remove old bracket from hole and solder new marker lights in their place. Drilled a hole below them on the boiler for the wire access.
3. One of the steam pipes going to the back piston cylinders had a broken solder joint. Used the back cylinder heads to align all the pipes before resistance soldering it.
4. Tender missing part of plate used to screw base to top.
5. Piping on both sides needed soldering. Soldering iron fixed this.
6. One mounting stud broken off that holds the back of the rear drivers to the boiler: resistance soldered.
7. Front drivers a little too wide. Used wheel puller and NMRA gauge to correct it.
Trimmed Tomar caboose marker lights added to rear of tender.
Two coats of scalecoat # 10 added:
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Milwaukee EP-2 bipolar electric by custom brass.
Compared to a steam engine, the electric is a pretty simple 'break down'.
I checked which wheels are ground versus hot and made a label so I assemble it correctly versus a steam engine is standard on ground/hot.
Of the two that I have, this one will be yellow/grey paint scheme.
I always paint the yellow first but, this time, with a red separation line, I should have done the red, first. Hope I can put the stripe on 2nd or 3rd, before/after the grey: will decide on that, later.
With today being 76 and tomorrow's high of 46, and painting in the detached shop, I'm been 'humping' to get as much painted as possible before I have to use my kerosene heater. First time that I've painted 4 different colors at once. Besides the EP-2, I did the DM&IR caboose and put the GN green on the GN O-8 mike's boiler.
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DM&IR M-4 yellowstone by Westside.
Masked off the boiler for the grey. Unusual boiler in that the boiler lagging covers the smoke box, thus the front also gets the grey.
Taping around the sand domes usually requires about 1/16" wide masking tape to get accurate positioning. Lately, I've been also masking any large piping and the steps along the boiler to save having to touch paint those parts black. Takes a couple hours to mask off the area.
The masking tape is immediately removed after painting and cleanup of air brush:
1. Any over spray, like on a sand dome, can be easily removed with a toothpick and some water (saliva works well) and some gentle rubbing.
2. removing tape after the paint has cured will likely result in tearing off paint from the boiler.
3. the longer the tape is on, the more likely it may remove some of the paint underneath it. Tape is removed at a sharp angle to reduce stress on the previous applied paint (in this case, black).
Milwaukee EP-2:
Bad news, good new, bad new, good new!
There was no way that I was going to be able to mask off for the red stripe but it was easy to add the red since little time was lost since no masking was involved.
After adding the red paint and cleaning up, I noticed that the center section has no removable base that gets a red stripe versus the two ends that have removable bases for the red stripe so I had to add red to the bottom of the center section. Glad I caught it now.
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Milwaukee EP-2:
Final painting:
Shot the red and masked off the stripes.
Re-did the yellow.
Final mask for the grey.
I like the bright colors.
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Painting the smoke boxes.
Prevent 'over spray' around piping.
First, about an 1/8" wide masking tape is aligned with the back of the smoke box over the boiler jacket. Then a 1/4" wide is put over the previous tape for additional protection.
Then a 3rd layer is wrapped around the two 'running rails' to 'close up' the area.
The rest of the smoke box is taped off. A lot of work for such a small area!
The results are worth it, though!
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Finished up the smoke boxes on the AC-5/7. The AC-7 also has the front painted silver. Another 2 hours in the toaster oven. The aluminum foil in the tray works well in keeping fresh paint from sticking to it.
Started to put stripping on the walk boards. I found paint pens to work well. I pick them up at Michael's craft store. Trying to paint them with a brush can be tricky without getting paint on the top of the walk board. I've also used chart tape but it can come off when handled plus, when baked after putting a dull coat finish on, it can come loose.
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Finished up the smoke boxes on the GN O-8 and SP AC-9. Like the DM&IR yellowstone, little of the smoke box shows on the AC-9 so only the sides and front are painted.
Started hand painting the fire boxes and piping on the multi-colored boiler engines.
'Shot' the maroon on the DM&IR caboose and cab roofs of those that are Sacramento gray.
With the yellow, had 4 spots where there was some overspray that got by the masking and onto the yellow but able to easily remove it with water and a tooth pick, before baking.
Should be no more masking and air brush painting: just a lot of hand painting, then add decals, then dull coat all parts and finally, install all those marker light LED's, sound and assembly.
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samparfitt posted:Finished up the smoke boxes on the AC-5/7. The AC-7 also has the front painted silver. Another 2 hours in the toaster oven. The aluminum foil in the tray works well in keeping fresh paint from sticking to it.
Started to put stripping on the walk boards. I found paint pens to work well. I pick them up at Michael's craft store. Trying to paint them with a brush can be tricky without getting paint on the top of the walk board. I've also used chart tape but it can come off when handled plus, when baked after putting a dull coat finish on, it can come loose.
Interesting. You do realize that the SP no longer used the gray boiler jacketing by the time the "silver" was applied to the fronts of the cab forwards?
hotwater,
I see what importers did back in the 80's and 90's on their factory painted models and I follow that. I'm pretty strict on my main railroad, ie GN but I follow what I like on other roads.
I'm partial to multi-colored engines so if the rules are bent, I don't mind. I have a friend that says the Sacramento gray was not a 'standard' for SP but the builder's colors. I like the color scheme so I use it. I also model 1938 on my GN so other railroad's engines that I have are not really from that date: so be it. I 'bend the rules' for my own GN, as a lot of colored engines and electrics that I have painted did not exist in 1938.
I also build RC airplanes and 'bend the rules' on those, also.
I treat this hobby as a hobby.
Sam
Usually, the importers are pretty accurate on what they do. I'm speaking about the brass importers. Lionel and MTH do what they want on paint schemes.
I double checked my AC-4,5,6,7's and the only one I put the silver on was the AC-7, which I didn't paint with a gray boiler, so I'm 'factual' on that engine.
What I try to do is get a picture of an engine that the manufacturer has painted and copy that.
My SP friend has THE cab forward book and, looking through it, I believe he is correct as I didn't see any, although most of the pictures are black and white, reference nor saw any that looked like they had a Sacramento gray boiler. For some reason, I love cab forwards so I like modeling them (probably because they are so different).
I like NP also and have the northerns painted up with gray boilers, including the Z-5 and Z-8. I found no evidence of NP ever having a Z-8 in Gray but I do. I also painted one of my GN Z-6's in glacier park green: highly unlike that they ever did this, but, in my GN empire, they exist!
Hotwater,
You're right on my AC-6. This morning, I noticed that the FP engine has the silver on the front that I painted with Sacramento gray. Not being my main railroad, I didn't know about that. Such as it is!
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Cab/engine detail:
Spent the morning using white, red and gold painting up the cabs gauges , handles and knobs.
Also, did the boiler piping, poppet valves and knobs, and adding a 2nd coat of white to the walk boards for side trim.
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Hotwater,
You're making me feel guilty on the SP lettering so I bought new lettering on ebay for the 'southern pacific lines' for the AC-6 that has the large 'southern pacific' decal. I'm going to try to remove just the decal but that probably won't work and I'll have to strip it and re-paint it. That won't be a big deal since it's just the tender and no masking will be needed so it will go fast. Thanks for the info that I didn't know about.
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Decaling.
Started to decal one of the cab forwards and big boy and, in both cases, the decals dissolved in the water so I bought some micro decal film solution on ebay (should be here, today), which covers the decals and prevents them from falling apart.
Better luck with the new decals (just made) for the DM&IR 2-8-8-4 yellowstone.
I've found cutting a 45 degree corner on all the corners help keeps those 90 degree corners from 'folding on themselves' which is really hard to correct.
Also, did the caboose.
Been using this same bottle of solvaset for probably 20 years and it still works great. Not sure if they even make it any more. I used a nice soft paint brush to add the solfaset.
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Decaling:
SP AC-9.
Using microscale decal sheet 87-75 SP steam locos- heavy. These are very nice decals, thin and able to conform to rivets, etc. They also give an instructional sheet with pictures and engine classes and numbers that the engine has.
When putting the decal on the side of the tender, the rivets are pretty pronounced but, using a folded tissue, I can press down on the decal and they conform to the rivets so no bubbles are under the decal. Some solvaset and soft brush finished the job. The solvaset works quickly to soften the decal so, one can't be 'playing around' with the decal, once the solvaset has been applied.
Regular water in a bowl is used to free the decal from the backing paper. The water needs to seep into the backing paper enough to easily remove the decal without the decal still sticking to the paper. Also, best to remove the decal from the water before the decal separates from the backing paper so the glue on the back side doesn't wash off (I'm assuming there is glue on the backside, but possibly, not). Even if no glue is present, it's a lot easier to slide the decal onto the surface from the backing paper, as the decal may 'fold' on itself.
With white lettering on a lite colored backing paper, I needed my magnifying glass to see the small nomenclature that goes under the numbers on the side of the cab.
The final coat of scalecoat satin clear was applied to seal the decals and extra protection to the paint. A final 2 hrs at 200 degrees in the toaster oven so next is electrical and assembly.
ps: there is cab detail but, without the cab being removable, there's no way to hand paint gauges, valves, etc.
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Decaling:
SP AC-4.
This engine was factory painted but the Sacramento gray was added to the boiler plus painting the cab interior a light green and the cab roof maroon. The cab roof was masked off for shooting the green and maroon. The cab interior was hand painted: being an interior and not much surface area, a nice soft brush worked fine.
Some additional nomenclature was added under the cab numbers and on the front bottom of the tender that were not added at the factory.
The satin gloss was shot over the entire engine to get a uniform look and baked for 2 hours at 200 degrees. The wheels were removed from the tender trucks as I never bake wheels.
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Decaling:
Milwaukee EP-2 bipolar electric.
Had to get the decals from a Milwaukee historical society member as there is not a large selection of Milwaukee electric decals available. A lot of the decals were 'double' layered as one decal was laid down and then another on top of it, ie, Milwaukee road sign (white over red), danger signs (white over black) and builder plates (gold over black).
After all decals applied, the usual coat of satin gloss applied and baked.
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Decaling:
Finished up the AC-5 and AC-7.
Interesting in that the decal set had no 'AC-7' to go on the side of the cab. Fun cutting single numbers to fabricate it.
Didn't notice until I started decaling that all AC-5/6/7/8 are all number engine specific labeled on the end of the box, as such!
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Sam:
That is some mighty fine work you are doing. You have accomplished more painting in a month that most modelers accomplish in a lifetime.
Great job Sir !
Regards,
Jerry
Yo Jerry.
Thanks for the compliments and all the 'likes'. Hey, it keeps me off the streets at night. Ya' gotta' do something when you're retired
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SP AC-9.
I think this is the first engine that I've had where the number boards are open and not a solid piece of brass. Of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to light them up!
I used some thin plastic for windows, applied the engine numbers to it and used Kristal klear to secure them to the number boards. Close up, the clear plastic sticks out but, under normal viewing, you really can't see it.
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great work, thanks for sharing. Someday I will try a lowly caboose with my yet to be unpacked air brush.
A caboose was my first project, back in the 70's (hey, it matches my age!).
Decaling:
UP big boy by Key.
Again, another model that specifically has the 4020 on the box label so the engine was decaled as such.
I found this web site that says the lettering was never white or silver but aluminum and they never used white for the main lettering. They said it only looks white due to black and white pictures plus aluminum oxidizes to white.
http://utahrails.net/up/up-steam-paint-index.php
This took awhile to research as my Tenshodo big boy and all the factory painted engines that I was finding looked white. I see the web sites point in that even the colored pictures of the tender look white as the 'union pacific' lettering is aluminum and the 'fire hose only' is white yet they look the same in the picture.
My references showed '25,000 gal' at the bottom of the tender with some nomenclature under it which I was not able to read. Fortunately, the decal set had some nomenclature under the '25,000 gal' , which I also was unable to read, but I added it anyway!
It took some research to find what that writing on the air tanks was but I found a picture of it and the decal sheet had copies. (pressure tested and the date).
The front UP emblem was a brass, raised lettering so I used a 'dry brush' approach to getting paint on the very shallow raised lettering by dipping a piece of paper in the cap of some aluminum paint, wiping the excess tip off and gently touching the paper to the raised lettering.
Some brass owners plates were on the tender, again with raised lettering but suppose to be in brass, so I used a woman fine nail sander and gently rubbed off the top layer of black paint.
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Decaling (cont).
Got the UP 4-12-2 done. There were only 8 of these engines that were numbered 'bald face', ie compound air pumps moved from the smoke box front to the under the 'walk way'. I like to choose numbers that already occur on the decal sheet but that doesn't happen too often so I choose 9012.
Also, finished the DM&IR yellowstone.
It's nice having high quality decals and a good decal softener to make the 'work' go quickly and easily.
Two engine left to do: the SP AC-6 and GN O-8 mike.
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Decaling (cont)
SP AC-6.
This is the factory painted engine that had the late model large SP on the tender that I had to strip and re-paint for the earlier smaller 'southern pacific lines' logo.
I tried using solvaset to just dissolve the decal but the factory must of put a clear coat on so the shell was stripped.
Two coats of black and in the toaster over for two 'cookings'.
New decals added and all parts clear coated with satin gloss.
I just noticed that the SP tenders have number boards so those got 'numbered': always fun putting on those microscopic nomenclature!
FINALLY: Except for the GN O-8 mike tender that needs decals (waiting for those to arrive), all the engines are painted and decaled....yeah!
10 engines and one cabeese:
DM&IR 2-8-8-4
SP AC-4,5,6,7,9
GN O8 mike.
Milwaukee EP-2 bi-polar electric.
UP 4-12-2 and 4-8-8-4
DM&IR caboose
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Cool.
Once in awhile, one stumbles across something new!
I happen to find that the smoke box door opens on my Key UP 4-8-4 FEF-2 engine.
This engine is 'super' detailed with movable sand hatches, access doors open to steam piping on top of boiler in front of cab, cab roof hatch open, cab doors open, hatches on tender open and coast drive. Very nice model that is factory painted.
The headlight also works.
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Whitewalls:
I find Tamya paint very durable for such purposes. I connect the drivers up to the power supply and operate the wheels slowly, first cleaning them with some alcohol and cue tip and then touching a paint brush to the edge as the driver turns, resulting in a nice whitewall. The truck wheels have to be done manually.
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Springfield, Ohio train show.
60 miles from my home but worth the drive as, since going to this show since 1979, I've found some of my best buys at this show and only a modest 5 bucks to get in.
It's on the county fair grounds with two large buildings with a 'connecting' building between them.
Being a GN modeler, there's usually not a lot of GN stuff to buy in Ohio but, this was a good day
I'm a sucker for the old silver streak kits and there were 7 of them, all at one table. Four GN cabeese, one GN auto car and an NP reefer; all for 50 bucks.
With modern adhesives (ie, CA) they go together pretty quickly and are comparable to a nice brass caboose (3rd picture). They include trucks, though I'll put in new wheels sets, cast ends and cupola, and the rest is wood, plus a lot of cast parts to be attached. A couple even had some paint bottles, although I'll use my scalecoat paint.
I like looking at some the original prices, a whole 2.98 back then: of course that was about twice as much a 'shake the box' athearn kit!
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Soldering wires to the LED's.
As mentioned, previously, it's easier to just buy the LED's ready with resisters, etc already attached from lights4models.com but I, previously, bought these LED's so I soldered wires to them and will probably use them in the cabeese.
I found putting the two wires in a pin vise worked best to twist the 2 wires together, before soldering them to the LED. A fine needle nose tweezers were used to hold the LED and liquid flex seemed best to solder the wires to each end of the LED. A 'third' hand with two alligator clips was used to hold the tweezers and wire. While testing, the positive side wire was painted for later install.
Out of the 25 LED's, I was able to make 16: some flew off into 'never land' and the rest was destroyed due to too much solder or heat or both! A 15 watt, fine tip solder was needed with very little solder and heat applied only a fraction of a second to the parts.
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Marker (classification) and head lights installed.
After much frustration and time, I finally got the marker and head lights installed on one boiler front.
I forgot to clear, lacquer spray the LED's, before putting them in the marker housings and they grounded out, and I already added some Kristal Klear to seal the lights in the casings so they got destroyed when removed. I have some warm LED's so I can solder those onto the small electronic components provided with the LED's.
I cut the shrink tubing off so I could see the 'guts': Looks like a bridge rectifier, a capacitor and a resistor.
Each LED comes with it's own electronic components. I thought I'd save space by soldering my extra warm glow LED's in parallel with the original LED to use up my spare LED's and save space on extra electronic components but that ended up as a failure. Evidently either/or both capacitor and resistor can only handle one LED and when I added two more LED's, the lights started to blink.
I'm surprised that the electronic components don't get hot without a motor but the components stayed cool. The boiler front LED's can be in series with the motor but, in the tender, I'll have to run a wire to the engine. To be safe, I'm adding a 12 volt bulb in series with the lights as a 'heat sink'.
Each LED with it's electronic components are $3.10 each so, just doing a headlight is pretty cheap. Some of the engines will get headlight, front marker lights, cab light, tender marker lights and tender head light so they will cost $27.70 but worth it to have everything lighted
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Milwaukee EP-2 bipolar assembly.
I installed the warm LED's for the head lights. Since there are two motors and separate drives, I connected the LED wires to to each separate motor and used a 2 wire connector so I can work on the engine assembly separate from the super structure.
I taped the wires and electronics to the top of the cab and also added clear plastic to all the windows. Scotch tape worked great giving a 'frosted' look to the windows since there is no interior detail.
SOMETIME'S IT PAYS TO BE LUCKY!
The engine ran great on the bench so I put the one end on the layout and it was hesitating. After about 30 minutes (or so, more 'or so') of checking for shorts, etc, and not finding the problem, I put the other EP-2 on the track and it did the same thing.
Luck #1: found out it was one of the cabeese on the cabeese track that was causing the problem. Those cabeese have been sitting there for years and one decided to short out!
Then I had more problems with the 2nd EP-2. One set of drive engines would not run (more time investigating): turns out to be a broken wire to the motor.
Then the other drive engine wouldn't work. Found that one of the plastic axle gears was split and, thus, slipping. Tried to CA it but didn't work.
Luck #2: I haven't had any diesels since the 70's (HO wise) but I remember some hobby town (?) wheel sets with gears in my parts cabinet. What's the chance that not only is the gear an exact match but the ends of the axles were the same small diameter for the wheels! Well, almost, the axle diameter was just a 'skoch' too narrow. The wheel was pretty firm on the axle but I could turn it. A pair of dikes worked great to put several marks along that part of the axle, causing some of the metal to be raised. That fixed that problem.
Of the 4 sets of wheels in the drive train, only the end two sets are powered. Unusual as usually, I find that all wheels are powered, giving more traction.
Back to the layout of testing and the mechanism was slipping. After spending another 30 minutes, or so, checking the drive train, turns out the front free wheeling truck wheel was binding and causing too much drag on the engine. The retaining plate was filed and bent a 'skoch' and, finally, all's working again.
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Milwaukee EP-2 done.
With 2 open frame motors in each engine, running one engine with 2 motors is OK but double heading with two EP-2's and max speed is about 30 MPH (which was probably prototype, anyway!).
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Sunset GN O-8 mike, open cab assembly.
GN had the largest mike ever made and done in their own 'shops'.
Tender:
Tape was removed from all electrical contact points and cleaned with a 'bright boy'. The speaker and components along with a tender rear light were installed.
The usual for power and ground: tender facing left on back, insulation side towards the viewer. On the engine, insulation side on the far side.
One wire for the sound (far wire) and one for the tender light. Pin for the tender light made from RC airplane connecting pins: just using the metal pins, they can be made very small (plus cost effective!).
Engine:
Drive train:
Checked each driver for insulation/power side for proper install and one driver set has a bad insulation side. Tried using the tip of an Xacto blade to clear any foreign objects along the insulation but no luck. Heated up the 'tire' and used some needle nose pliers to pry the tire from the rim. Moved it about a 1/64" out and, using the NMRA gauge, I found the original setting was too narrow and the new location correct. The tire wasn't moving and it was still on very tight to the rim so I left it 'as is'. I've noticed on previous drivers where the tire has an inner lip and it can contact the rim, shorting out the wheel.
Springs installed for each journal and drivers installed. Good time to install the brake shoes before the side rods are added.
Side rods then installed. I tried using some hex head screws over the original slotted screws but they, eventually interfered with the push rods so I had to put the original screws back in, save the back set where nothing moved over them.
Push rods and offset crank installed last. The offset crank gets set just forward of center.
After each of the above 3 installs, the mechanism is placed on the track to insure all is moving freely, limiting time and effort on finding any binds.
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Amazing, everything works!
Tender:
I realized that the tender only needs one wire to the engine as both wires in the tender go to the engine frame.
Engine:
Made a brass tab for the ground as the manufacturer only had a piece of wire wrapped around the screw.
Hooked up the contact for the sound cam and used two sets of 2-wire connectors from lights4models.com: one to disconnect the boiler from the frame and another to separate the boiler from the front boiler cover that has the marker/head lights and electronic components for ease of maintenance.
Sound and lights are all working
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GN O-8.
Lead weight added over motor and gear box. No glue needed over motor as the lead is easily pushed into the sides and friction holds it in place. The lead over the gear box had to be cut in half to get into such a small area so some wood glue used to 'spot' glue the lead to the boiler.
Back on the road!
Tender:
Made by Samhongsa, this engine has an incredible amount of detail.
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Very nice. I'm curious however, about why you put green in the class lights? The O8s were freight engines.
Most of the GN class lights were clear, but, I like the green.
samparfitt posted:Most of the GN class lights were clear, but, I like the green.
Well actually ALL "class lights" had the ability to display "white", "green" or "red". Most freight trains on GN would have carried the "white" class lights, indicating "extra train". Green class lights indicate that a "second section is following", i.e. in passenger service.
SP AC-4 assembly.
Marker lights.
The holes that I drilled are very small and will only take the thin wires so the LED's are, first, mounted into the marker lights. Some Kristal Klear used to hold them in place. The wires will, then, be cut and routed to the bottom of the cab. Prior to installation, I painted the green/red lead wires black. The LED's are so small, I keep them lighted during the install to insure proper placement.
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Sorry Sam but, those are NOT "marker lights". On the front of a locomotive they are "class lights".
As mentioned at least a couple times in previous postings, I put marker (classification) lights. It's shorter just to use 'marker'.
samparfitt posted:As mentioned at least a couple times in previous postings, I put marker (classification) lights. It's shorter just to use 'marker'.
Well, OK but, there are only 5 letters in "class" yet there are 6 letters in "marker". If you would rather be short instead of correct,,,,,,,to each his own.
SP AC-4 assembly (cont)
That took a couple hours just to route 4 sets of wires from the cab to the inside of the boiler! The wires are so small that they don't bend easily so one needs to make sure there are no 'loops' when 'fishing' the wires through the holes. The marker light wires had to go through a hole on the face of the cab and then into a hole on the floor and then bypass all the detail under the cab to get to the boiler interior. Additional wires had to be added to the LED wire leads to reach the boiler. Plus, the wires tend to snag on the small access holes: drilling those small holes, I'm sure there were some burrs along the edges.
The marker lights that came with the engine are on this engine and I was able to drill them out, in place. I opted for this method as the markers are the old style and I only have brass copies of the modern style. One other AC, the original markers were kept but the Tomar markers were put on the other 2 AC's.
The headlight and cab light was much easier to install. All the small electronic components were scotch taped to the top of the boiler and all the wires were routed to about the center of the boiler as the motor is huge and takes up a lot of room.
I added some lead weight but it was minimal due to the motor, virtually, taking the entire width of the fire box area. Normally, there is a good 1/4" on both sides of the motor but not in these engines.
Along each step of connecting the wires back to the electronic components, the LED was checked to insure I didn't 'hose' the connections. On the final check, I ran a lead from the hot and ground side to the boiler frame to insure none of the LED wires were grounded out to the boiler: better to find out now rather than after final assembly!
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I agree that they are called classification lights but all the stuff I buy says marker lights. People looking on the manufacturer's web site will be able to find them if they put in what the manufacturer calls them. It's like the railroads call them turnouts and the modeling world calls them switches. At crossing 7 decades this year, I could care less what they're called as I'm more interested in working on my hobby. A rose by any other name is still a rose. A lot of stuff for me is 'good enough'.
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SP AC-4 assembly (cont)
Tender:
Speaker and electronic components installed. This is the first engine where I have tried the new 'sugar cube' speakers. I've only got about 7 of the old PFM edge speakers left. The 'sugar cube' speakers give a good quality sound; being steam, it's important to have the low frequencies. They are not as loud as the PFM speakers but one usually doesn't need the sound to be too loud.
Engine:
Pre-test of sound before assembling engine.
Had to solder one of the small valve linkages as it was broken in the middle.
Some 1/16" thick lead sheeting rolled and installed for the smoke box area. A hole drilled in the lead and a small screw used to secure it.
With the lead added to the smoke box, the spring was a little weak to support the extra weight so a spring was put over the existing plunger and a black plastic washer was CA'ed (thick stuff) on the plunger to secure the spring.
First, the front engine drive assembly was attached to the boiler. It takes a little 'fiddling' as there are 4 steam pipes that aligned into the steam chest cylinders plus 2 screws in front and 2 more in the back.
The back engine drive assembly has a male/female connection between the two engines(for motor power transfer to each gear box) plus a sliding steam pipe to be connected.
Everything was bench tested after each procedure.
Had trouble with the lead trucks coming off on the layout (railroad!): found some burrs along the slot that needed to be cleaned up.
To be safe, I ran an extra wire from the motor to the back of the engine that connects to a wire coming out of the tender. I figure that this wire, which normally connects to the rigid engine frame, but in this case, connects to the pivoting frame, which probably doesn't have as good electrical contact to the motor as the pivoting frame only touches the boiler via a small piece of brass and the plunger.
A nice quiet runner, with the sound off. Difficult for me to get clear pictures with the engine moving.
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SP AC-4 assembly (cont).
Tender shorting out:
While testing the engine on the railroad, the engine was hesitating every once in awhile. Key used blackened tender screws and draw bar and pin so I thought, for sure, these were the culprits. After about an hour of 'fixes', I finally turned up the throttle to full and the circuit breaker 'went'. These motors are so efficient that the low voltage/amps don't trip my CB's. Using a voltmeter, I found one brake shoe touching the insulated side wheel on the tender. A jeweler's flat edge screw driver prying it away from the tire fixed it.
SP AC-5 assembly.
Engine assemblies.
To get good electrical contact between the axle/journals and frame, the slots where the journals fit have the paint scraped from those surfaces.
The journals are oiled and the springs put into the journal recesses.
Before assembly, checking each driver, one insulated tire was shorting out.
Putting on a new cam must have pushed the tire too far onto the rim (hub) and the lip along the inside of the tire touched the counter weight on the rim (hub). A soldering iron heat used to expand the tire (just like the prototype!), the tire was removed, a little filing on the counter weight and inside rim, plus some paint for insulation, and the parts were re-assembled. The red strip is the insulation. I moved the rim in a small amount on the axle and left the tire a small amount off from the rim to insure the two did not touch each other.
Drivers mounted on the frame with the springs mounted in the journals.
Before lunch, inserted LED's and glued them in place with Kristal Klear.
The original marker lights were replaced with the tomar markers on this model.
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Always like hearing the UPS truck!
UP 4-12-2 just arrived.
Very nice model from KEY.
factory painted
coast drive
working geasley valve: bar across the front steam chest oscillates.
functioning smoke door, sand dome covers, cab hatches and tender water hatches.
Nicely detailed cab.
deck plate.
working tender/engine head lights
see through walk boards.
Either the factory made a mistake or tenders got swapped because the numbers aren't the same. Will see about re-numbering the tender.
The marker lights are indented quite a bit so it looks like it would be easy to drill out the markers to add LED's.
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SP AC-5 assembly (cont)
As with the AC-4, checking for binds were done along each step of the assembly of each drive engine set. Some side rod screws can have longer shoulders than others. The shorter shoulders are used on the ends of the side rods where the longer shoulders are used for the center drivers where two side rods over lap.
The tops of the side rods always have 'grease points' so they should always be pointing 'up'.
Usually, I find it easiest to take the support mechanism off while installing all the linkages. With all the linkages being plated, it is usually best to remove them so the other parts can be properly (easily) painted.
The offset crank is usually secured with a small set screw but, in this case, it is soldered onto the crank shaft.
The same with the screws that hold the linkages to the support mechanism: usually screws are used but this model had them soldered on. Some heat on the back will usually free the 'screws' and vise versa to get them back on.
Since the previous AC-4 needed an extra spring to hold up the added weight to the boiler, I added the same 'mod' to this engine.
Interesting brushes on this very large motor in that they are just two brass contacts.
Sometimes the manufacturer just uses some tubing to connect the motor to the gear box but, in this case, high quality universals are used.
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SP AC-5 assembly (cont)
Like the prototype where there was a light at the smoke stack so the engineer could see how efficient his engine was operating, I added a light to mine. The post and fake light was already there, I just drilled out a small hole in the boiler to route the wires into the boiler.
I was going to do the same with the AC-4 but forgot: old age :[]
I found the best way (at least for me) to roll the lead sheeting into a boiler weight is to use the vise to hold it while I bend the sheeting.
Having trouble with the chuffing on the sound; the other sounds are OK.
Tried different tenders, different contact points, etc but no luck. LED plug is not attached so I know it's not that. Spending too much time so I 'let it go' for now and will go onto another engine.
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UP big boy by Key assembly.
A few of the tender wheels gauge were just a little wide so they were adjusted.
Good ol' #5 kadee coupler added, electrical contact points cleaned and the base assembled. Oil added to moving surfaces during assembly.
Back engine assembly.
For the most part, once you've done one articulated, the others all follow a similar pattern for assembly.
The screws holding the linkage to the linkage frame has a scale hex head and Key gives you a screw driver to attach the screws.
Back engine assembled. Had a very small bind after final assembly: the piston drive rod was just touching the linkage framing: a brass shim used to raise the frame fixed it.
With added weight to be added the front engine assembly plunger was stiffened.
This plunger had a T top so, after a spring was added, an insulation washer was cut on one side and slipped over the shaft to retain the spring. The original spring for the plunger is in a soldered enclosure so this is the easiest 'fix'.
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LED's arrived from lights4models.com.
Had to buy red, green and warm LED's.
Key UP big boy assembly (cont)
This has been a tough assembly.
One of the drivers is shorting out. Normally, a little heat and the rim comes off fairly easy. I had to use two sockets, one to hold the tire and the other to hit the rim to separate the two. The builder must have super glued them together. This driver, I put a cam on the axle. I always remove the 'hot' side driver but, when pushing the driver back on, it also pushes against the grounded driver and must have pushed the tire farther onto the rim. Hard to believe the tire would move needing so much force to remove it from the rim! After filing the lip on the rim and applying some paint for insulation, the two were pressed back together using a small clamp.
I had some spare drivers from Tenshodo's big boy. The diameter and side view were identical but the hole for the hex head was off by about a 1/64" of an inch. I tried using it but there was a slight bind. I could have, probably, enlarged the holes on some of the side rods but, if it didn't work, I may create too much slop in the side rods and cause more binding. Needless to say, this took a lot of time (good thing it's a hobby and I'm not trying to make a living doing this!).
Found extra part in shipping box.
And comparing it with my Tenshodo Big Boy, the part was soldered to pipes under the cab. A little touch up paint finished it off.
Marker lights:
It's time consuming to install these LED's so I did a little mass production of them, doing several of the engines and tenders. Depending on the location, only one LED can be installed at one time as some Kristal Klear has to dry after positioning the LED in the marker light and not having it move until the glue dries. Each LED has to be installed with some power to get the LED positioned accurately and then , leave it alone until the glue dries.
An extra alligator clips and wire needs to be put on the brass body and touch each hot and ground to insure the wires on the LED are not grounding out on the brass body. I found using low voltage is best: After the glue dried, I turned up the voltage and blew the LED as it moved while the glue dried and ground itself to the brass body. The Kristal Klear (or white glue) seems to work well: it holds the light in place but makes removal easy, if needed.
I dip each LED in some clear water base paint to help cover the wires where they are soldered to the LED but, it must get scraped off, sometimes when shoving the LED through access holes and the marker lights.
Working with parts this small tries one's patience!
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New GN W-1 B-D-D-B electric just arrived on the railroad.
GN only had two of these electrics 5018 and 5019. Fortunately, the new one was the other number that I put on the first W-1! Kind of rare to see these already painted. Nice to say you have the complete roster of that engine class for a railroad (same for the Z-6)! At 101' long, they were huge, with all wheels powered, they were equivalent to a big boy.
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GN W-1 electric.
The foam was gone in this engine so I made some new foam inserts.
The screw that holds the lead weight came off in transit. There are lights installed but the wires are cut. Will check that out, later.
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UP big boy by Key assembly (cont)
Tender:
Sound and LED's were installed in the tender.
Had trouble with intermittent electrical contact. Turned out to be the draw bar pin base was loose and had to be re-soldered.
Engine:
I'm finding it best to install one LED at a time and gluing them as this is the only way to know which LED is shorting out against the brass casing. Like anything, I'm getting proficient at installing them without any problems. I found, when grounding the casing to each of the LED leads to only contact it momentarily: any reduction in light means the LED is shorting out to the casing, any longer contact and the LED is overloaded and needs to be replaced.
I found the water ejector part in the box and soldered it back where it belongs: under the rear of the cab. I found out why it was in the box. When assembling the back engine assembly to the boiler, the ejector was in the way. I had to re-solder it farther back of the cab.
When assembling the front engine assembly: I thought I screwed up on parts placement as there is a huge gap between the piston rods, linkage frame and the piston cylinder housing. Turns out that's the way it's suppose to be. All my other articulateds have a much closer attachment. Never noticed it, before.
While attaching the draw bar, the back plate on the frame fell off. Some more resistance soldering to fix it.
Lots of parts to get this engine back together.
I used sockets from the boiler to frame and from headlight assembly to frame for ease of maintenance.
video:
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D&RGW M-68 4-8-4 from Key.
For the most part, I have the bulk of what I want but when one can purchase a brass, Key, big northern for under 2 C notes, I can't pass that up.
A nicely detailed northern arrived today. Besides liking northerns, these engines had green boilers, which will be done. A well detailed cab. Difficult to take pictures on enclosed areas with my camera but some of the detail can be seen.
Cab is removable so will be able to light and paint it, properly.
Number boards and marker lights a little crooked. Those are easy fixes.
Marker lights are hollow: will still have to drill out the bottom for a larger hole for the LED's.
Put the engine on the track to test run and it shorted out. Found one of the tender trucks were on backwards. In addition, one truck is insulated and brass wire is used for contacts to the insulated wheels. No other wires so I'm not sure what it's intended purpose was!
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UP 4-12-2 (bald face) by Key assembly.
With all those drivers, it looked like the frame was a little narrow compared to other engines. Got the dividers out and compared to another engine and, sure enough, a good 1/16" narrower that other frames. Obviously, to allow more lateral movement on our unnaturally sharp curves. Did the usual test on the track to check for binds and the drivers were coming off on the curve. Double checked the track and the gauge was actually wider than normal 'specs'. Put one of the enclosed blind drivers on and it didn't help. The track is entrance to the turntable and probably 36" but not good enough. Tested the other 4-12-2 on my minimum main line 48" and all's good.
Not sure why the end driver axle has a section that is narrow. It just occurred to me that maybe that driver goes on the other end where there may need to be some clearance for the rotating cam for the 3 cylinder. I've bench tested and no binds but will have to double check.
Left the original sound cam on the axle as it's a 5 point contact for the extra cylinder. Put some insulation paint on the flat ends so the contact wiper doesn't touch it.
Fun putting the valve gear back on the frame. I had to double check my early pictures to insure that extra crank for the 3rd cylinder was properly installed.
Motor installed and all's good!
Tender.
Sound installed. No lights on this tender as the backup light was way to tiny to try drilling it.
Sound worked great on the bench using a 'known' functioning engine.
Not so good on the railroad. Turns out one insulated wheel was momentarily touches the truck frame. A little filing of the truck frame fixed it.
One tender done: The wheels on this tender are extremely free rolling. The axle ends are pin sharp and the truck indentations are perfectly conical. One small push and the tender will roll about 2 feet.
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UP Key 4-12-2 assembly (cont)
Boiler:
A line scribed along the center of the screw holes on the supplied lead weight makes it a lot easier to put the screws in via the boiler holes.
Two more layers of 1/16" sheet lead along the back and center of the boiler will make those journal springs more functional! A little carpenter's glue holds them in place, plus pushing the lead against the sides of the boiler. The small motor allowed more room for the additional layer of lead.
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UP 4-12-2 bald face (cont)
Had to cut the LED wires and re-solder them to route them through the small hole in the boiler front.
Some Kristal Klear inserted in the routing hole to keep the wires from rubbing and grounding out to the boiler.
Had to re-solder the valve gear frame. On assembly, I think I may have had the piston push rod to close to it.
This engine is very sensitive to the track. In a curve, the front drivers moved to the far right and the rod screw caught the piston push rod assembly. Some fiddling fixed it. I've got all #10 turnouts (also in the yard) with 48" minimum and she still is touchy on some spots. The new edition 4-12-2 from Key operates better over the layout.
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DM&IR 2-8-8-4 yellowstone by Westside assembly.
Things are going much smoother and faster after the 'learning curve' using these new LED's with my sound system.
Tender:
Sound and light components installed. Bench and layout tested. The backplate for the enclosed cab had to be made.
Engine.
The two engines drivers were assembled and all works smoothly.
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A set of nice passenger cars.
I just got delivery of five very nicely painted and decaled roundhouse passenger cars. These are probably from the 70's but they look like they were just done.
Fine wire handrails on each end, kadee couplers and the roofs come off so the interiors can be completed. The interior partitions have been added. Some old walthers interior detail kits came with the cars.
Someone did a lot of work to get these looking this good.
I doubt if they are scale for GN but they are too nice not to run on the railroad.
They'll look nice being pulled by the GN H-5 4-6-2 pacific.
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More motive power for the logging railroad.
A United (PFM) 2 truck shay just arrived. Made in 1961 but runs like it was just made. Presently I have a 3 truck shay so this makes a nice addition to the logging railroad. Still looking good for a 54 year old engine!
Logging railroad.
I haven't posted any pictures of the logging railroad.
It has two switch backs to get into the valley. The valley has a passing siding and a small logging yard plus houses and industries.
The grade is steep at 10% but the shays can handle it: slow but sure footed.
Coming out of the valley, the logging railroad interfaces with the GN mainline.
There is a pretty good size yard at the interface plus a John Allen's 'time saver' next to the yard which serves several industries.
The turntable is an 'armstrong' turntable (more like a 'fingerstrong' one!).
When I used to have monthly operating sessions, one fellow always took the logging railroad. He enjoyed being by himself, having a good time.
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DM&IR yellowstone assembly (cont)
The LED was installed in the headlight and a 2 prong connector was soldered to the end for ease of maintenance.
The male connector was run back to the motor via the two engine frames with some very small heat shrink tubing used to protect them.
Two more wires were also run to the front engine assembly: one for the sound cam and the other attached to the engine frame to insure good continuity of electricity between the front set of drivers and the motor. A small brass tab was made for contact with the frame.
The male end for the headlight. There's plenty of room under the 'front porch' for the connectors.
The brass bar which, I believe, supports the fire box was too wide and made it difficult to assemble the engines to the boiler so I cut off about an 3/16" off each side. The bar got too hot and fell off the frame: more resistance soldering! There's a lot of piping, water injectors, etc that was interfering with the assembly.
More weight added to the boiler.
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DM&IR yellowstone final assembly and test run.
While installing the extra weight, I hit the walk board and broke the solder joint.
Decided to try resistance soldering it very quickly from the bottom and it worked with no bubbling of the paint above the walk board.
Connected all the lights and got her back together.
With the flash on, I got some better pictures so I'm posting a bunch of them.
Video:
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DM&IR caboose assembly (cont):
Routing electricity to the LED's.
Contact wipers for trucks.
Both sides of the supplied truck wheels on this model are insulated.
I used kadee's #5 brass insert to make the contact wipers.
The two side 'whiskers' were cut off and one used for one wheel contact by soldering it to one end of the contact base. The other contact was just the end base bent straight. A hole was drilled in one end of the base for the truck screw that holds one side frame together. Obviously, each truck will be different so attaching the contacts to the truck will vary.
A very fine wire was also soldered to one end.
The plastic collar for a draw bar was used to insulated the hole in the truck, along with a fibrous washer. Both trucks were insulated with wires running into the bottom of the caboose (yes, I drilled holes BEFORE painting the model!). A loop of wire was left next to the truck to allow free movement of the truck. A 12 volt bulb was soldered, in series with the LED's for interior lighting.
Ta Da!
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SP AC-9 2-8-8-4 by Sunset assembly.
I'm always amazed that people can make such fine looking engines by hand. All those 1 MM (or so) screws that go into tapped holes, everything in perfect alignment, no excess solder and they run great. I understand that the Tenshodo people were jewelers.
...and a lot of parts to assemble!
Drive engines:
It took awhile to assembly the back drive engine. I replaced the straight slot side rod screws with hex ones.
That didn't work well as there was a bind on the side rods.
The first one was the hex head's rubbing the piston side rods. There's little tolerance for any slop between those two. I put the original screws back in and still had binding. After all else failed, I thought I'd swap the two end drivers, since they are identical. Finally, no binding. First time that I remember having to swap the drivers for binding.
Front drive engine .
I had the same bind again and had to swap the two end drivers to resolve it.
Both drive engines functioning.
Tender.
Speaker parts with LED's done and tender assembled and all works.
This engine has hollow number boards so the engine number was put on some clear plastic and the internal LED makes them visible.
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Cool bit of history concerning those 5 GN passenger cars that I recently purchased. I got an email from his son:
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Hi Sam,
Yes these were built by my dad who passed away several years ago and this was one of his projects he was working on at the time. These have been sitting in his layout room, and the family decided that they would be much appreciated by other collectors / modelers. I included the interior kits that I believe went with them. His name was Larry Hoffman and was a member,(38763) of the NMRA for many years as he truly enjoyed HO scale railroading and a member of the Great Northern Railway Historical Society. All of the items I have been selling are from his collection from many years of being in the hobby which many pieces he had added details or complete custom work such as those pieces. Please enjoy them, and if you happen to complete them please send photos.
Thank you and happy holidays,
Ted
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Whenever I run or see these cars, now, I'll think of him and appreciate all the work he put into them.
Sam
The grandkids under the layout with the Lionel:
They always seem to like to be under or in closed areas!
That table wood is from a coal bin from my first house that I bought in 1973 and was a 100 years old, then.
Not running, we'll just push it:
Let's see, which one of those handles should I move?
Happiness is seeing them run!
Let's get this track back together and the cars back on the track.
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My version of the movie 'Christmas story':
I was seven years old and mom and I were at the local department store in Cleveland (probably Higbee's).
Back in 1953 the department stores always had great Lionel and American flyer layouts (most likely made by Lionel and American Flyer).
That year there was the Lionel's new Santa Fe's F units with 4 great looking all aluminum passenger cars.
Mom asked what I wanted for Christmas and I said; 'THAT'!
She said they couldn't afford it.
At 90 bucks, and my dad working at Midland Ross steel (43 years), I doubt if he made that much in a week ($800 in today's market, average salary back then was about $4100 a year).
Spending that much on a 7 year old for a toy!
I'll always remember waking up that Christmas morning and seeing that huge rectangular box under the tree and knew exactly what it was.
That was the best Christmas I ever had, or will have (as Ralphy would say).
And, it still runs like it was made last year!
When I was older, probably 13-16, I was allowed to go downtown by myself via the rapid transit and check out all the layouts in all the downtown department stores (Higbee's, May co, Halley's, etc). They all had great toys floors back then, usually the top floor and the entire floor was strictly toys. Of course all the department stores always had great window displays: usually animated and, hopefully, trains included in the display.
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SP AC-9 2-8-8-4 assembly (cont)
Boiler:
Able to add 2 layers of lead in the boiler.
This engine had several parts that were loose and I missed one of them. The plate that holds the 'front porch' to the front drive engine was screwed to the 'front porch' and not attached to the front drive engine. I didn't notice this until after painting and while assembling.
A little removal of the paint and a couple sprung tweezers and resistant soldering fixed it.
Test fitting the 'front porch' found the plate very slightly tilted so I added some solder along the front of the plate to level out the 'porch'.
All better!
The previous motor was too long (ends taped to keep it from shorting on the boiler) so a shorter, cannon motor was installed.
Usual wires and connectors used to power lights in the boiler and headlight.
The cab wasn't removable but inserting a light in there added a nice touch to illuminate the cab detail.
One more engine done.
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SP AC-7 cab forward by Key assembly.
Assembly of the two sets of engine drivers went smoothly. Added another spring and retaining washer to the front engine plunger to help hold up the boiler due to adding additional lead weight to the boiler.
Not much room around the firebox with the large motor so strips of lead, each a little shorter to allow for the motor shaft and universal were glued into the center section of the boiler. Plus, a 2 1/4" long (7" wide and rolled) lead weight added forward of the previous weight and about 1" back from the smoke box door. Some holes were needed in the bottom of the boiler to secure the front piece of weight. Let the glue 'cook' overnight and finish up, tomorrow morning.
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SP AC-7 cab forward assembly (cont)
Got everything together and all lights work, including the two lights behind the smoke stack for the engineer and fireman to check their exhaust. The chuffing works at the bench but not on the layout. After an afternoon of futile effort, I went on to another engine
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SP AC-5 assembly (cont)
Previously, I was working on this and spend several hours on the chuffing not working but I figured it out and all's good save the LED behind the smoke stack. It shorted out against the brass boiler so I had to replace it.
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SP AC-6 4-8-8-2 assembly.
Finally, the last cab forward to be assembled.
Tender with lights and sound went together easily.
Engine.
This engine was factory painted but a Sacramento gray was added to the boiler.
After gluing in the LED's into the marker lights (and allowing to dry), the wires were cut from the 'electronic' end and routed through the cab face and into the cab floor. Always fun re-soldering those tiny wires. Some Kristal Klear added in each of the holes to prevent contact with the boiler. Had to wiggle one of them as it was shorting out in the hole: As mentioned previously, only a very quick touch of a separate alligator ground wire to insure they are isolated from the boiler.
Some black paint needed to touch up the red/green wire colors.
With all the separate moving parts on these engines, they run like a Swiss watch and are very quite.
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GN W-1 B-D-D-B electric.
Re-attached the headlights to the running gear. Glad I first checked to see if they were 1.5 volt bulbs! Used a bridge rectifier to get the needed voltage to the bulbs.
A 2 wire connector was used to easily service the motor area.
The ends have about 3" of brass sheeting along the bottom so it would be difficult to replace the bulbs with LED's, plus, trying to remove the bulbs may have damaged the paint around that area so all was left 'as is'.
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NOTHING WORSE...
than having a fluorescent light bulb fall on one of you prized buildings! (at least it wasn't an engine)
Three different viscosity's of Zap glue used. I like the narrow tips supplied by Zap to apply just small amounts of CA. Also, used accelerator (can't wait 5 seconds!).
Some small clamps helped hold things in place while gluing.
All's well again in the HO world! Amazing, I had no parts left over!
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Got 9 'cabeese' done with marker lights.
Found it easiest to drill/tap truck bolsters to attach wires. A plastic insulating collar (plus a fibrous washer) for drawbars was used to insulate the truck from the frame.
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Adding marker lights to a caboose that I already painted.
Used some masking tape to locate the holes and also reduce the chance of scratching the paint.
Drilled/tapped truck bolsters for electrical contacts.
Found it easier and quicker to use liquid food dye for the lenses. I've had this stuff for a long time and I don't think they make it in liquid form, anymore.
I used Tomar's caboose brass markers and I found that some clear LED's works on the electronic component from damaged LED's from the lights4models. I was able to connect two 'other' clear LED's to the electronic components and they didn't blink. Guessing the 'other' LED's used less wattage. I think I was able to use the electronic component from their 'clear', 'red' and 'green' with no problems. The LED's don't shine as brightly, but that's OK.
It also saves me a few bucks to be able to recycle several components where I burned out the LED's.
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Adding working marker lights to a vintage Ambroid GN caboose. ( Ambroid's old boxes, when they said 'one in 5000, they meant how many parts in the kit!). This car dates back to the 60's and 70's.
Since these cars are, virtually, all wood (save the end sills), the entire structure is glued together, hence, the bottom is not removable.
I used a diamond impregnated metal cut off wheel (nice and thin) to cut around the perimeter of the frame's bottom, leaving about a 3/16" around the outside to give the sides some rigidity.
After drilling the holes for the marker lights, this time, I glued the LED's into the marker light before mounting them on the caboose, which removed the difficult task of trying to insert the LED's from the interior of the caboose, after the markers are installed.
Drilled/tapped the trucks to secure the wires to each truck.
Fortunately, there are two pieces of wood across the bottom of the caboose so it was easy to re-attached the bottom via the 4 screws that holds the truck supports.
One more done:
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Don't know why it works!!!
I must have too many brain cells dead as I don't know why this electrical schematic works but it does ( and I had a minor in physics back in 68').
The LED's that I'm using requires 2.2 volts (2 volts and they don't light up) so I connected two bridge rectifiers in series and also connecting the +/- sides together (the bridge rectifiers have 4 tabs, the 2 +/- are connected and the other two are the input/output). Should get 1.2 volts across each bridge rectifier, thus 2.4 V across two of them. I get that but only in one direction: When I reverse the DC polarity, the LED's go out. It seems like I should be able to connect the bridge rectifiers in such a way that the LED's stay on in both DC current directions but no luck on that.
The puzzling part is why the LED's stay on in both directions of polarity when I connect two capacitors in series with the bridge rectifiers!
My schematic drawing has BR= bridge rectifier, C=capacitor, RF=RF choke (needed so chuffing works on my sound system).
I may have to post this as a separate thread to get some feedback.
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3 truck shay just arrived.
From Westside, made in 1979 and has a can motor. Lots of nice detail. At the most, it was only test run.
Goes well with the 2 truck and the other 3 truck (cherry river, both by United) with balloon stack that I've had since the 80's. I'd like to get a Heisler and a climax to 'round out' the logging railroad.
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SP AC-12 by Tenshodo.
This also just arrived. I thought I had enough cab forwards but I got this at a good price (plus I sold mine back in the 90's).
This model was made in 1976 and back then, this had an incredible amount of detail. Back then, I thought this engine was the epitome of deluxe engines and it would never get any better than this....but they did! I've got some Key engines with functioning sand dome hatches, generator access hatches, functioning cab roof vents, cab doors, tender hatches, boiler front doors, etc. Amazing they can make such stuff in such a small scale.
Sprung trucks.
Cab roof is removable.
Around 1975, Tenshodo started putting number plates on the engines indicating year and engine production number of the total (not sure if that total was always accurate). Also, nice in case of theft.
The fiber glass draw bar arrived broken. Sistered some thin circuit board onto the two broken pieces.
Put the engine on the track and heard the motor turning but not the drivers. That old black tubing needs to be replaced.
Good thing they had the plastic wrap around the engine as that deteriorating foam can do a lot of damage to finishes. I'll have to cut some new foam for it from the 4'X8' sheets that I bought, last year.
I'd like to get some of the early AM cab forwards, especially with the whale back tenders but those are very expensive. With a little luck, maybe I'll find one that needs work like the AC-9 that I got that needed work but got it really cheap.
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SP AC-12.
Cut new foam for the box.
Installed a kadee coupler. Amazing that one can buy 30, 40, 50 year old engines and, at most, they've only been test run.
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GN caboose by Atlas.
Several years ago, atlas brought out these nicely detailed cabeese. One thing for sure is I could never paint those window trims, etc like the factory paint job.
I wanted to install marker lights in them but couldn't disassemble them: the box had no instructions nor anything on their web site. Emailed atlas service and they called with a day or two and informed me how to remove the base from the super structure (nice, quick service). Glad I didn't try to force it as the end sills have tiny plastic pins that go into the end of the frame. After separating the two ends, the sides need to be bowed out from the side tabs to remove the base frame.
Used a Kadee #5 brass insert for the wheel contacts. Drilled/tapped the plastic truck frame.
Now have 13 cabeese lighted.
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3 truck shay by Westside.
Installing couplers, the coupler mount on the 3rd back truck was broken off at the solder joint. Fortunately, it was in the box. Some resistance soldering fixed it.
Amazing amount of detail work to get one of these working properly, and all this was done before CAD!