My slowly improving MTH PRR H3

Great job so far, Ed, I'll be following your work on this.  Love the slow-speed control.  May I suggest also lowering the cylinders, which are too high above the driver center.  I did this on mine, and it wasn't too difficult but does involve re-engineering how the pilot piece attaches to the frame, and you'll have to build up the saddle a bit.  Well worth it, if you ask me.

Ooh, I'd love to see pics of how you did that!

I guess I'll add it to the list.

I posted a similar thread to yours, showing how I turned this engine into a Southern G-2: https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/...ilway-g-2-2-8-0-bash  You'll find pics of the mod there - as long as you can forgive it being 3-rail!

Oh man, that is a beauty!

It hurt to see one of these cut up but I think there outcome was worth it.

I think the lower cylinders may be in her future. Someday.

Nice work!

Nice work.  That is certainly one of MTH's best small steam locomotives.  Your additional improvements are only making it better.  An H3 would be a nice find in 2 Rail someday.

@GG1 4877 posted:

An H3 would be a nice find in 2 Rail someday.

Hard to find the 2 rail version!

Did not see that when you were doing it.  Nice work!  MTH has done some very nice locomotives over the years.  I have a Hudson, and two PAs converted to metal, and am quite happy.

@mwb posted:

Hard to find the 2 rail version!

I almost hate to say it, because I've been thinking about getting it myself, but there's one on eBay right now.

Very nice Ed!

Simon

Very, very nice, Ed...although I'm not surprised, judging by the job you did on that Red Caboose P:48 GP9...

Mark in Oregon

@Ed Kapuscinski posted:

I almost hate to say it, because I've been thinking about getting it myself, but there's one on eBay right now.

It's more than I paid for mine, but then again it's only money....

With the arrival of some Precision Scale parts, work continues.

First: I filled in rear pilot beam. This is some strip styrene cut to fit around the coupler box.

Then I took a Precision Scale coupler pocket (part #40166) and performed major surgery on it. I used some brass scrap to gribble in another bracket, mounted and painted it.

Here you can see the original part and then what I ended up with.

And here we are all painted up. Not too bad!

Now, you might notice the air hose there. That's another precision scale part (#56201) with some Canuck magic applied.

You can really see my brushwork from covering the striping here so I think stripping and repainting the tender is moving up the priority list.

This model looks GREAT and the video is fantastic.  I am planning a very similar conversion of my N&W "H-3" (round boiler not Belpaire).  Did you have to change out the light bulbs when you swapped the DCS for DCC?  If so, what did you use?

Many thanks, keep up the wonderful work!

Mike

I'm glad you're enjoying the progress! Here's a bit more.

First, the air hoses at work. Pretty nifty!

Next, speaking of the headlight: I did not need to change the bulbs, luckily. I DID however swap out the headlight lens made from Bubbles Glasses for a new one. I hand shaped it from a scrap of a  Woodland Scenics tree package (about the only thing they're good for) and used my chrome pen for the inside of the headlight. I want an MV lens but my search for the appropriate one has been fruitless. The old lens just popped out with some gentle convincing.

It looks good all lit up (although, given the era, that wouldn't be the "default" the way it is today).

I also added a train line to the front pilot. It's odd that it's on the wrong side of the engine, but I was told that was probably to make it easier to see the brakeman when switching. The pipe is still just "set in place" until I get some proper pipe hanger hardware. Trying to find the right way to route it and where it goes was a challenge since I had to rely on photos from the web. When we can leave our bunkers again I might go see the real 1187 and see how this works (so maybe the pipe will remain loosely attached for now).

The good news is that it did make attaching the air hose really easy (it is just a press fit).

She's definitely coming along!

Coming along very nicely indeed!