Skip to main content

Mods feel free to move this if I posted in the wrong forum.

I've been looking around the internet and stumbled upon Stevenson Preservation Lines. The sell some kits based on old Lobaugh kits. I found one based on a Southern Pacific Mikado I'm interested in: http://stevensonpreservationli...0&products_id=64

Now I know 3rd Rail produced a model of this locomotive several years ago and the cost to buy one is similar if not cheaper than the unassembled kit. I'm interested in the challenge of building the kit. I'd like to build the locomotive, paint it, and install PS3. Before I contemplate blowing $850 on a kit what skill sets do I need to possess to assemble something like this? What tools are required? I have a soldering iron and am decent with it and electronic repairs. Most of my mechanical experience comes from working on cars (I've done heavy engine repair and suspension work). As far as kits go I've built many plastic kits, but that's nothing like a brass steam locomotive. Plus there is the issue of converting the locomotive to 3 rail operation on tubular track. So thoughts? Am I crazy for contemplating building something like this?

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

 

Lou, there’s so many avenues to explore to 3 rail something like that model......it’s a Mikado, so you might find a 3 rail chassis from one of the big dogs and try to mod that chassis to fit that brass boiler....another option is measuring driver diameter, axle diameter and all the other pertinent measurements and see if you can adapt 3 rail drivers to that chassis....then another option still is to have tires machined to those drivers already on the model....there’s more than one way to skin a cat....of course, using a lionel, or even an MTH chassis, you may surrender ALOT of the fine detail that chassis has to offer, but it’s to your tastes......me myself, I’m dyin to do a 2 rail brass to 3 rail, and I have a KTM Hudson I’m getting ready to sink my teeth into, but I want to approach it cost efficient......it’s not going to be easy by any stretch, but the rewards will be cool in the end.....hope that helps!......

BTW, Pete (Norton) was working on a Sunset K5 brass he’s trying to 3 rail, he might shed a little more light too....

Pat

I have a Stevenson 0-6-0 kit I plan to do the same thing with. My plan is to get driver centers and machine three rail big flange tires for the centers. The only question mark at this point is if the frame ia narrow enough to accomodate the wider wheels?? Winter project.

If you don't have a lathe maybe you can get a set of wheels from an existing three rail egine and try and fit them to your engine.

Edit, you may find a three rail Mikdao that the Stevenson body will fit on. My Sunset NYC K5 Pacific would not fit on an MTH Pacific Frame but that doesn't mean yours won't fit on another Mikado frame.

 

Pete

Last edited by Norton

Some thoughts:
If you want a PS-4 kit, they show up on ebay from time to time at less than $850.
If it were me (it isn't), I'd go for a USRA Heavy Mike. I presume the kit price would be less than the current price for the Lionel version.
The 2-rail flanges will be problematic unless you have a) t-rail track and b) reasonably large (>O-72) curves. A friend of mine has converted a Lobaugh Berk to 3-rail by machining new flanges. But then, he has considerable metal-working skill and associated tools.
Here is the OGR thread on his project:
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...ugh-berkshire?page=1

Last edited by rex desilets

So it sounds like the easiest option, since I don't have machine metal working tools, is to acquire a 3 rail Mikado mechanism and adapt it to the boiler from the kit. So I'd be looking at the kit + a 3 rail Mikado mechanism + PS3 upgrade.  But I'd need to get my hands on the kit first and see if the mechanism from a 3 rail Mikado would even fit. At that point buying a 3rd Rail SP MK5 Mikado and adding PS3 to it ends up being the cheaper route.  I'm getting a bit leery of this as I could end up with $1k in parts I can't use. My idea behind this was a nice project for this coming winter, when it's too cold outside to work on cars in the garage. 

rex desilets posted:

Some thoughts:
If you want a PS-4 kit, they show up on ebay from time to time at less than $850.
If it were me (it isn't), I'd go for a USRA Heavy Mike. I presume the kit price would be less than the current price for the Lionel version.
The 2-rail flanges will be problematic unless you have a) t-rail track and b) reasonably large (>O-72) curves. A friend of mine has converted a Lobaugh Berk to 3-rail by machining new flanges. But then, he has considerable metal-working skill and associated tools.
Here is the OGR thread on his project:
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...ugh-berkshire?page=1

I have 072 curves, but tube track. I would ideally like the finished project to go around 054 curves without issue, with possibly 042 as a minimum, like most Mikados from Lionel and MTH. 

I have converted a couple of old All Nation Pacifics to three rail. Added a center rail pickup from a Lionel Diesel, converted the pilot truck with wheels/axles from AMT. Left the drivers and trailing truck wheels alone. Put modern three rail trucks on the tender.

It seems like a six coupled steam engine works fine with this conversion, even on tubular track. An eight coupled steam engine might be a different story, though. The wheelbase might be too long. Also, the All Nation drivers might have a larger/deeper flange on the drivers than more scale-like brands.

Last edited by RoyBoy
Lou1985 posted:

So it sounds like the easiest option, since I don't have machine metal working tools, is to acquire a 3 rail Mikado mechanism and adapt it to the boiler from the kit. So I'd be looking at the kit + a 3 rail Mikado mechanism + PS3 upgrade.  But I'd need to get my hands on the kit first and see if the mechanism from a 3 rail Mikado would even fit. At that point buying a 3rd Rail SP MK5 Mikado and adding PS3 to it ends up being the cheaper route.  I'm getting a bit leery of this as I could end up with $1k in parts I can't use. My idea behind this was a nice project for this coming winter, when it's too cold outside to work on cars in the garage. 

Yes Lou, it’s easy to get a **** ton of money tied up in a project with out at least some sort of pre planning, or an incredible deal that allows some flexibility to purchase other major components.......for what I model, I gobble up 3 rail chassis, boiler castings, wheels, trucks, you name it....if I get them on the cheap, it makes swap jobs a whole lot more feasible......if building locomotives is fun for you, and your cup of tea, start by becoming a hunter gatherer .....squirrel away parts you can scoop up on the cheap, so when a project idea hits you, you’ll be ahead of the game....I can’t speak for everyone, but that’s how I keep projects at least on a sane budget......( doesn’t always work out that way, but I try like heck) ...........Pat

 Spending $850 bucks and then who knows how much more to fix the drivers for 3 rail operation. This just to see if you can do it!  I believe if a person is very  determined they could probably do most anything.  

ANOTHER THOUGHT

How about picking up a Williams 3 rail mike and a Precision catalog. Strip the paint off the mike and re detail it to whatever R/R you want to model. You can hang a ton of brass castings from Precision and make that baby look super, you can put in a better can motor and add that PS3 your talking about. You'll get a lot of modeling time and plenty of experience.  Best of all you won't have to get the drivers machined and you won't spend the whole bank roll. And you'll have a few bucks left over for your next challenge. 

That's if its a challenge your looking for , Its not how much you spend but how much you do with your hands and mind.  I have seen some really well done rebuilds on Williams models.

Whatever you decide to do, have some fun!!

Franky-Ogee 

I should show you the 0-6-0 I did for OGR.  Myron did not like it - it stalled on his switches (one roller) and didn't have smoke or lights.

I don't normally do 3-rail, so did not realize what was really important.  The model remains 3-rail to this day, although I may have robbed the motor for some other project.

But if you want to hone your skills, do what the poster above suggests - start with a Williams!  Start small, and get a switcher - the B6sb is down to $150, and worth every penny.  The Mikados rarely bring $300, and they too are quite nice!

Norton posted:

Stevenson sells the MK5 tender as a separate kit.

Pete

I did notice that. If I can put electronics inside the tender it seems like a solid option. 

So far from looking at picking up a Williams Mikado and then the SP smoke box front, headlight, pilot, air pumps, sand domes, and tender from Stevenson. I believe that I can create a pretty decent (if not exactly scale) 3 rail SP MK5 Mikado this way for decent money, probably less than the cost of the 3rd Rail model. Plus it would be a nice winter project. I'm thinking if I look around I can probably acquire everything but the PS3 electronics for $500 or less. 

Bill DeBrooke posted:

How much is scrap brass going for now?  I have done pretty much the same things you have and would not begin to attempt this as a first project.  However, it come be fun.

Yes - start with something more modest - like a Williams brass upgrade (suggested above). If you are asking what skills you need for a 2RO to 3RO conversion, you don't have them (yet). Most of us don't. But - it has been done.

=======

One little thing (didn't see it above, but maybe I missed it) relative to a steamer conversion: I have seen a few guys wrestle with putting roller pickups on the loco frame. Don't. Put 3RO trucks with pickups on the tender. Most likely you will have the electronics in the tender anyway, and also will be using a tether to the motor in the boiler. So - feed the engine/motor from the tender. This is actually the only fairly easy major part of a 2RO/3RO conversion.

Lou1985 posted:
Norton posted:

Stevenson sells the MK5 tender as a separate kit.

Pete

I did notice that. If I can put electronics inside the tender it seems like a solid option. 

So far from looking at picking up a Williams Mikado and then the SP smoke box front, headlight, pilot, air pumps, sand domes, and tender from Stevenson. I believe that I can create a pretty decent (if not exactly scale) 3 rail SP MK5 Mikado this way for decent money, probably less than the cost of the 3rd Rail model. Plus it would be a nice winter project. I'm thinking if I look around I can probably acquire everything but the PS3 electronics for $500 or less. 

Realize there is a conventional 3rd Rail SP MK-5 on the bay for 600 bucks out the door, almost new.

If it was me I would be trying to build something not already done in 3 Rail.

Pete

Last edited by Norton
Norton posted:
Lou1985 posted:
Norton posted:

Stevenson sells the MK5 tender as a separate kit.

Pete

I did notice that. If I can put electronics inside the tender it seems like a solid option. 

So far from looking at picking up a Williams Mikado and then the SP smoke box front, headlight, pilot, air pumps, sand domes, and tender from Stevenson. I believe that I can create a pretty decent (if not exactly scale) 3 rail SP MK5 Mikado this way for decent money, probably less than the cost of the 3rd Rail model. Plus it would be a nice winter project. I'm thinking if I look around I can probably acquire everything but the PS3 electronics for $500 or less. 

Realize there is a conventional 3rd Rail SP MK-5 on the bay for 600 bucks out the door, almost new.

If it was me I would be trying to build something not already done in 3 Rail.

Pete

I've seen that. They problem is I don't have the $600 to drop on it right now, and I won't for several months (some house work/out of town trips are eating up my disposable income for pretty much the rest of the summer) so it will be gone before I have the money. This is why I was trying to figure out the feasibility of converting the 2 rail locomotive or, now in this case, converting a Williams locomotive to something pretty close. Plus it would give me a nice project that I can slowly work on over the winter. 

Add Reply

Post

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

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×