Skip to main content

Reply to "Great Northern railway"

UP 4-8-8-4 Big Boy. Final assembly.

Imported by Key in 1987. Has many unique features: coast drive, 'see through,' walk boards, functioning sand hatches, turret hatches and cab vent hatch, glowing 'open fire box' door glow, functioning smoke box door with interior and tender functioning water hatches. A TCS 1517 decoder was installed including LED's for the headlight (engine/tender), marker lights, 'running board' lights, fire box glow below 'ash pan' and in the cab, and lighted cab.

Video: yard test plus 'coast drive' demo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdIXU5qePtM

Tender:

Had the wrong screw for the front trucks as the 'short' screw was for the tender...

UP big boy, Key, 1987 76

and the longer screw to attach the front engine to the back engine.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 77

Following my 'normal procedures, I attached the back engine and then tried to attach the front engine but it was too difficult to attach the 'sliding universal' while inside the boiler.  Both engines had to be 'connected' before attaching to the boiler.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 78

After attaching the the boiler I was getting a 'short' so 'disassemble' for diagnostics.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 79

Thought the problem was in the boiler but one of the brass brake shoes (rear) was contacting the insulated driver.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 80

Original screws were difficult (plus the screwdriver slot got 'butchered') for attaching the center steam pipe so 'new ones' were used.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 81

Screws used to secure the two outside steam pipes to the boiler and piston assembly.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 82

UP big boy, Key, 1987 83

Headlight and 2-pin connector attached to the engine.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 84

Unusual in that the front truck axles had to be 'press fitted' to the truck.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 85

It appears this engine had little, if any, 'run time'.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 86

UP big boy, Key, 1987 87

Usually, I don't have 'left over' parts but I had no idea what this piece was 'for'!

Normally, this kind of piece would be on the front engine.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 88

Large and small hex pin screw drivers.  Even the small screws for the 'valve gear' had hex screws.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 89

'Left over' wiring for the old incandescent lights.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 90

Assembled, finally!

Front coupler rotates.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 91

Fireman's side view.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 92

'Heavily' detailed engine.

Even has the 'chain' guards on the 'valve gear' assembly.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 93

UP big boy, Key, 1987 94

UP big boy, Key, 1987 95

UP big boy, Key, 1987 96

Deck plate.

Glad I used a lot of short pieces of 'heat shrink' tubing as it was 'tight' between the engine and tender!

UP big boy, Key, 1987 97

Fire box glow.

The cab has 4 screws securing it to the boiler so the interior roof could be painted green.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 98

UP big boy, Key, 1987 99

UP big boy, Key, 1987 100

Functional tender water hatches.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 101

Auger.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 102

Functional cab vent hatch and turret hatches with interior detail.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 102A

UP big boy, Key, 1987 103

UP big boy, Key, 1987 13

Functional sand hatches.

Back sand dome.

MMMM: that 'low stick' scotch tape that's been on there all summer needs to have that residue removed!

UP big boy, Key, 1987 104

Front sand dome with interior detail.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 105

'see through' smoke stacks.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 106

'See through' walk boards.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 19

Functioning smoke box door with interior.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 107

UP big boy, Key, 1987 108

Engineer's side view.

UP big boy, Key, 1987 109

UP big boy, Key, 1987 110

UP big boy, Key, 1987 111

=============

Next is the N&W Y-3 2-8-8-2 decoder install imported by Custom Brass in 1978.



N&W Y-3 2-8-8-2 custom brass 133

Attachments

Images (40)
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 76
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 77
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 78
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 79
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 80
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 81
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 82
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 83
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 84
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 85
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 86
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 87
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 88
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 89
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 90
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 91
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 92
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 93
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 94
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 95
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 96
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 97
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 98
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 99
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 100
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 101
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 102
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 102A
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 103
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 104
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 105
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 106
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 107
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 108
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 109
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 110
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 111
  • N&W Y-3 2-8-8-2 custom brass 133
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 19
  • UP big boy, Key, 1987 13
Last edited by samparfitt

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
×