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I am currently working on a Lionel Legacy B6 for my layout. After playing around with for a few days, I brought it to the workbench to see about setting it up for Kadees and other possible enhancements for a 'layout quality' 3RS runner. Before I rip into a project, I try to decide how much time I want to spend on it so it doesn't sit around forever. There's also a point where it's worth trying to figure out  if too much work just results in diminishing returns. In keeping with the spirit of what is basically a nice RTR model out of the box, some Kadees and some ride height corrections along with a bit of weathering will make this an acceptable 3RS model for my layout.

In any case, the first order of business was removal of the electrocoupler from the tender and to see if the ride height could be lowered using as much of the existing running gear as possible. At first glance, it looked as if it's riding at least 1/8" - 1/4" too high. Disassembly of the tender and removal of the trucks revealed a sort of 1/8" boss on top of the trucks, possibly to clear the electrocoupler. Upon examination, it was part of the pivot and was a separate piece. I drilled them out from underneath using a 5/16" bit. This dropped the trucks 1/8" which was good enough considering how much effort it would take to get it even lower. I kicked around some ideas for replacing the pivots and decided to use brass tubing. I used 1/2" sections of 5/16" tubing with 1/8" sections of 11/32" sleeved over the ends and soldered. If I was really slick, I could have put a setscrew in the top sleeve for easier disassembly if ever needed. I ground off the electroupler mount on the rear truck and rerouted the wiring to the bottom of the trucks. 

Here are some progress shots so far. I also got the Kadee mounted and repainted the handrails using Polly Scale Brunswick Green. I thought about reworking the pilot details but just thought it was way too much work.

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Last edited by Norm Charbonneau
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Thx Mario. I'm not sure I want to turn this into a longer project. It has too many 'diecastisms' to chase around. I think it will look good enough for what it is (and who it's for).

I finished the pilot two nights ago and will probably weather the engine and tender sometime soon. I yanked the LEDs out of the markers and I can turn the tender ones off with Legacy. Working on the engine pilot was pretty cool, the whole thing comes off the engine with a couple screws.

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Thx again! I was going to weather it last night but spent some time cleaning my airbrush instead while listening to Skyking EAMs. 

Here's an underside photo of the tender truck setup with the hollow pivots. I moved the power connections to the bottom. I got the tender as low as possible with the factory trucks. Any lower and I'd probably start scraping the flanges. 

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Norm,

Beautiful job of weathering!

I had 2 questions though. Regarding the brass tubing under your tender where the wires exit, would it help to coat the edge of the tubing with a little liquid rubber to prevent cutting the insulation at some point? Also, you mentioned you disconnected the LED marker lights, why did you do that? 

Tom 

1255 switcher

 

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Last edited by PRR8976

Thx Tom. I burnished the edges of the the brass tube a bit with some steel wool. I'm not that worried about it. I pulled the front marker LEDs because they don't look good to me. I'm not sure what color markers switchers would have used for most of their activity anyway. I'd imagine if they were lit most of the time it would have been for added visibility when moving around yards, etc. I'm more curious about the brake hose arrangements. I've seen quite a few photos of the larger hose shown in your photo above on the left side of the tender coupler. I'm thinking it was a steam line for keeping passenger coaches warm in cold weather. Maybe someone can explain. 

Last edited by Norm Charbonneau
Norm Charbonneau posted:

Thx Tom. I burnished the edges of the the brass tube a bit with some steel wool. I'm not that worried about it. I pulled the front marker LEDs because they don't look good to me. I'm not sure what color markers switchers would have used for most of their activity anyway. I'd imagine if they were lit most of the time it would have been for added visibility when moving around yards, etc. I'm more curious about the brake hose arrangements. I've seen quite a few photos of the larger hose shown in your photo above on the left side of the tender coupler. I'm thinking it was a steam line for keeping passenger coaches warm in cold weather.

Yes Norm, that is exactly what that is, i.e. steam train-line for express and/or passenger equipment. Some switchers even had the full complete Barco steam conduits, instead of the fully flexible steel-beaded hoses. You might want to add that steam train-line on the front also.

Maybe someone can explain. 

 VERY nice job on the little PRR yard switcher.

Last edited by Hot Water

Any of you that belong to the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society, I have an article that should be coming out in one of the upcoming editions of The Keystone specifically on #5244. If you are not a member and love the Pennsy, consider joining. It is well worth it...The Keystone comes out quarterly and by itself is worth the price of membership, in my opinion. 

Here is a shot of 5244 crossing Evergreen Road in New Egypt, NJ in its final years. 

Tom 

5244 new egypt

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The smoke vapor isn't that much of an issue. It is the unvaporized and/or partially heated fluid that tends to creep everywhere. Not sure why guys can't understand the fact that a person wouldn't want to dump oil all over his paint job. Even worse is when you miss the smoke hole and put a few drops directly onto your paint. 

Now creeping oil on running gear doesn't bother me too much in the case of normal lubrication. 

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