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First of all, thanks to LaidOffSick and John Sethian for working with me on this...  I hope that my modeling can live up to theirs!

 

Here we go...

 

I finally got the guts to cut the $24 plastic P&D Hobbies pilot, and it came out good.

 

I first cut in between the first and second ribs of the anticlimber with the Dremel.

 

Then I carefully started the cut along the top edge of the riveting, yes there's a faint mold line to help, and then once I had the ends where I needed, I cut it with a pair of scissors!

 

 IMG_0861

 

Keeping the flat inside edge of the scissors along the two ends where I needed to be, it came off easily and was nearly perfect. Some light filing and sanding on a flat surface (I use 8" sanding pads with adhesive back stuck to a piece of glass) and you can see it's perfectly flat.

 

IMG_0862

 

 

I did have to notch the shell to make a square edge along the sides at the end of the anticlimber because the shim that I'm making will fit in that slot between the pilot and the shell.

 

IMG_0865

 

With this pilot, it's not going to be a spacer, but actually a framework to hold the pilot in place and provide a surface to glue it.

 

We shell see how it goes. Sorry for the bad pun.

 

Mock up:

 

IMG_0863

IMG_0867

 

Thanks,

Mario

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Last edited by CentralFan1976
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Originally Posted by Ted Sowirka:

Nice job.  Who made the 1604?  That looks pretty good too!

 

Sorry, Ted.  I should have mentioned that I put it next to an Atlas F2 for comparison. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the P&D pilot matched the curve of the nose (I always thought the Lionel units were constant radius), and how closely it compares to the Atlas after reworking (lowering / pilot)

 

Thanks for the kind words!

- Mario 

Mario, I am really enjoying your progress on these parts. I think Lionel has some really nice diesel models but the conversion to fixed pilots, correct ride height, and Kadees is too time consuming to justify buying more of their engines, at least while I'm doing heavy layout construction right now.

 

Are you considering conversion parts for the FA-2s? Sharks?

Hi, Norm!

 

I will definitely be getting to the Legacy FA-2s, RS-11s, H16-44s and others, in addition to the GP30s and Legacy GP7s that I have already done...

 

Yes, the Legacy GP7s!  The designs are finished and if you'd like, I can send you a set for what we call "Beta" site testing (me being the Alpha site).

 

I still need to figure out how to lower the FA-2s and the others, like the F3s (They came out great, I think).

 

If you see LaidOffSick's work in "Lowering Lionel F3s", you can get away without a pilot spacer if you lower them the correct amount.  Because I used a P&D pilot (which is drop-in for the Atlas F2s, BTW) I needed not a spacer, just a frame to hold the passenger pilot in place.

 

The freight pilots on the F2s are correct for those, as FTs and F2s (1600-1603 and 1604-1605, respectively) were delivered with them.  It was not until the first orders of the F3 #1606 that the passenger pilot became standard until around mid production of the F7s.

 

PS - I got your email, as well!  I'll be in touch. 

 

Thanks,

Mario

Originally Posted by Norm Charbonneau:

I think Lionel has some really nice diesel models but the conversion to fixed pilots, correct ride height, and Kadees is too time consuming to justify buying more of their engines, at least while I'm doing heavy layout construction right now.

Man you are so right about that! I was going to sell my F3's because I didn't want to put all these hours into them to get rid of the toy train appearance with those issues. I decided to keep them because they were the 1st scale engines I bought as an adult, which got me back into this hobby, from my childhood days. So for about $100-$150, and 10-20 hours of time, I'll get them to look the way I want to and hang onto them

 

Now my Lionel F7's.... eh, they just might have to go, and no more Lionel F units for me either. Too much work to make them look right, compared to Atlas and 3rd Rail F's. 

I agree. The F3s were really simple to lower (although I think my first generation NYC units were a little easier than LOS') and relatively simple to attach a pilot, they are a cake walk compared to the Legacy F units. No simple washers there.

Now, one could purchase the Legacy Fs and then figure out a way to use TMCC1 F3 truck parts to lower them, but at that point, is it worth it?  We'll never know because I'm done with the Fs. I'm on to the GP7 conversions, after I finish mounting the side steps on this A, and then do the powered B.

PS - anyone have place at there house? My wife is about ready to divorce me as it is.  She thinks I have a girlfriend in the basement somewhere.

I also added a air line to the pilot. image

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Last edited by CentralFan1976
Tom Mohr posted:

What the heck are those things?  Are they weather shields for the hoses and cables?

I believe they were just to cover the coupler and maintain the streamline image. Earlier versions did not project in front of the pilot but required the coupler be hinged and dropped down to close the cover. Pictures and videos show workers struggling to raise the coupler. I guess the location behind the pilot made it harder than performing the same tasks on steam engines with folding couplers.

Here is how it looked completely covered.

 

Pete

Next step... a few details added. 

306FA47B-8C17-4D78-9691-6DB1EFE2D593

2F5E224D-0667-4BAC-B250-A46662E57111

Btw... if your wondering about the open coupler doors, that chassis got put under the 1607, converted back to Kadee (from Protocraft) and is the trailing unit. 

68AC2D6B-A2AE-4F9F-A083-C08EB1D0E3E4

This gives me two powered & sound-equipped A units.  For the record, I swapped out the sound from the 1607 for a different F unit sound file, hence they don't notch up / down simultaneously.

Thanks!

- Mario

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Last edited by CentralFan1976

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