Hi everyone,
A lot of thing have been said about the Selkirk recently. Canadian Pacific engine always had a esthetic charm that caught my eyes when I was reading my 1927 Youth Encyclopedia when I was a kid (I'm not that old, just read everything that was available in the house in the mid-90's. BTW, I'm sure someone remember the Do It Yourself Encyclopedia by Mechanic Popular, 1957 edition showed an O layout!)
Anyway, no Selkirk never ventured in my layout prototype, only smaller steamers. So I started working on my new X'mas steam project earlier than I thought: kitbashing a Spectrum 2-8-0 into a Canadian Pacific N2c engine (built in 1914). Last year, I used another Rock Island Spectrum to make a CNR stand in. The CPR project needs less reworking thant the CNR counter part. Mainly a cosmetic make up.
I'm not trying to get everything by the propotype, but still will make efforts to get a good result. Most hard work will be on the tender. It needs a severe shortening and reshaping which shouldn't be too hard to do. If I were a rivet counter, I would probably move forward the sand dome, but this involves a lot of works I'm not skilled enough to pull out decently. Except for the cab and few castings (whistle, headlight and stanchions), most things will be scratchbuilt from styrene and electric wire.
This project involve reusing and reworking a Miniatures by Eric CPR resin cab I got for 1$, moving some piping, a new injector, a new headlight and adding the characteristic runningboard skirts. I hope this project will inspire a few people how you can make yourself a quite decent looking canadian steam engine under 100$ including detailling pieces. I'm always amazed how Spectrum engines can mimick a lots of different real locomotives from different roads.
The prototype:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2548124
Two models of tender seem to have been used with in this class. 3757 has a more classic tender, 3759 has one with very short wings... Don't you which one I'll do.
The model:
http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt111/sailormatlac/Hedley%20Junction/3759002.jpg
Matt
Proudly modelling the Quebec Railway Light & Power Co since 1997.
http://www.hedley-junction.blogspot.com
http://www.harlem-station.blogspot.com
Question: Does anyone knows the tender lenght (or where I could get this kind of info). It would be better than guess it from a distorted picture! ;-)
Thank you!
I can't give you an exact number, but looking in Omer Lavallee's book it seems the short tender (5,000 gallons) is about 20' long. Exact dimensions seem to depend on the type of frame. The trucks have a 6'-0 wheelbase and are on 12'-0 centres. The 10,000 gallon tender seems to be about 30' long, with 6'-1" truck wheelbase on 17'-8" centres.
John
Thank you John,
Your infos match what I can see on pictures. The more I look at pictures, the more I think N2b and N2c were almost similar in appearance.
From what I've seen so far,the short tender existed in two different styles for N2c/N2b: one with small wings, one more stylish with larger wings. Both type seems to fit the 20'-0" length and 12'-0" centre-centre dimension between trucks. Vey few pictures show the longer tender style for mainline. I'll work something out of these numbers from Lavallée. I just need to chose which one I'll kitbash. Probably the one with large wings, it's so stylish!
Regards,
An interesting kitbash. Look forward to seeing more photos as you progress.
Isambard
Grizzly Northern history, Tales from the Grizzly and news on line at isambard5935.blogspot.com
A little update about this project. Engine is about 90% completed. Tender is about 60% completed.
Good work, the engine looks great. You have given me the inspiration to tackle a similar project. I also picked up a few of the CPR enclosed cabs from Eric recently. It was my intention to update a brass CPR engine I acquired and also convert a couple of Spectrum 2-8-0's
The tender measures 20' in length
Glad to hear that Don,
I used this very same brass engine as reference for many parts. A fine looking engine.
The tender is the hardest thing to get correct. Spectrum tender is too high. I'll have to shorten the water tank by at least 1/8".
If you don't mind, it would be useful if you could provide me some dimensions from your brass model. I feel like my tender is too much high.
What is the exact tender height if you take the measure from top of rear platform to the water hatch deck? And to the wing (bump) top?
Thanks,
don7 Good work, the engine looks great. You have given me the inspiration to tackle a similar project. I also picked up a few of the CPR enclosed cabs from Eric recently. It was my intention to update a brass CPR engine I acquired and also convert a couple of Spectrum 2-8-0's
Don, the nice thing about Miniatures by Eric's cab is that it sit at the correct height when inserted over a Spectrum boiler. It fits so well that up to now, I didn't need to glue or use screw to keep it in place (though I'll probably attach it in some way when modification and painting will be done.
Excellent work, I'm impressed that you've also taken to time to modify the tender to match the vestibule cab. I've seen far too many kit-bashes that retain the original tender which completely spoils the effect. Not in your case however.
I would ask for more details on the tender kit-bash as it would be really helpful in converting some of my tenders for use behind vestibule cab engines.
Cheers
Roger T.
Home of the late Great Eastern Railway see: - http://www.greateasternrailway.com
For more photos of the late GER see: - http://s94.photobucket.com/albums/l99/rogertra/Great_Eastern/
Hi Roger,
Thank you for your kind words. Since you have interest in these details, I'll post more pictures of the kitbash. There's still a lot of work to do to make it correct though.
Here are some WIP pictures for the tender.
Thanks again Matt.
See also my reply to your message to me.
Really inspirational work.
I saw a kitbashed Spectrum 4-6-0 which had an enclosed cab added. While it did look fine, I do not think that CNR or CPR ever had an enclosed cab 4-6-0.
One a number of CPR and CNR engines there is a very pernounced roof overhang which semi protects the steps/ladder to the cab.
The only enclosed cab on a 4-6-0 steam locomotive I have seen was a GN engine.
Almost completed the tender this afternoon.
Now, it's getting harder to notice the Spectrum heritage!
Gotta dig out those boxed 2-8-0s and get started.
That is absolutely wonderful. You're tempting me to do one in HO...
I have a question for anyone here: Does anyone know where I could get a similar cab for N scale? Bachmann also has an N scale consolidation, and CP steam is near non-existent in our smaller scale.
Go here for my rail shots! http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=9296
Building the CPR Kootenay division in N scale, blog here: http://kootenaymodelrailway.wordpress.com/
trainboyH16-44 That is absolutely wonderful. You're tempting me to do one in HO... I have a question for anyone here: Does anyone know where I could get a similar cab for N scale? Bachmann also has an N scale consolidation, and CP steam is near non-existent in our smaller scale.
Than you for your kind words.
I did a quick search, but couldn't find any in N scale. At this point, one could scratchbuild it in styrene. All weather cabs have a simple design than wouldn't be too hard to reproduce.
Hey, I absolutely love what you're doing here.
I did the same thing 10 or so years ago with the Spectrum Consolodations and the brass Athabaska kits. Their kits had a photo etched cab, running boards, valences, steps, etc, all you needed to make a reasonable representation of a typical CPR Consolodations. They also had an oil bunker for the tender and kits for the proper tender trucks. Everything was an easy build except the trucks were a bear.
These kits were still available last I looked.
They also made a cab kit which worked for the Spectrum Mountain but worked even better with the Genesis Mikado. Add the appropriate feed water heater, lights, and stack, and you were all set. Not exact, but real darn close.
Athabaska may even make them in n scale...not sure though.
Van Hobbies H1b, K1a, T1c, D10g, F1a, F2a, G5a. Division Point: H24-66 Hammerhead, Alco covered wagons A-B-B-A, C-Liner A-B-B-A, EMD FP7A A-B-B.
H1b modified to replicate modern day 2816. All with Tsunamis.
CP guy in TX Hey, I absolutely love what you're doing here. They also made a cab kit which worked for the Spectrum Mountain but worked even better with the Genesis Mikado. Add the appropriate feed water heater, lights, and stack, and you were all set. Not exact, but real darn close.
Have you check Erich's cab kits. He has a few CP and CN later enclosed cabx.
I bought a couple of the cabs for the Spectrum mountains.
Did anyone check the Spectrum 2-8-2, looks like a good candidate for a box cab swap and add the appropriate feedwaters.
I think I still have a Genesis 2-8-2 somewhere,
CP guy in TX Hey, I absolutely love what you're doing here. I did the same thing 10 or so years ago with the Spectrum Consolodations and the brass Athabaska kits. Their kits had a photo etched cab, running boards, valences, steps, etc, all you needed to make a reasonable representation of a typical CPR Consolodations. They also had an oil bunker for the tender and kits for the proper tender trucks. Everything was an easy build except the trucks were a bear. These kits were still available last I looked. They also made a cab kit which worked for the Spectrum Mountain but worked even better with the Genesis Mikado. Add the appropriate feed water heater, lights, and stack, and you were all set. Not exact, but real darn close. Athabaska may even make them in n scale...not sure though.
Yes, I saw the Athabasca kit recently. But since I already had the Eric's cab, I decided to go the hard way.
II bought the Athabasca trucks... I'm near a serious breakdown just looking at them. I'm a total clutz when it's time to solder!!!! What did you do with yours?
Miniatures by Eric doesn't make the cab in N, at least according to his online catalog. Asking him directly may be the right thing to do.
Hey Sailormatlac,
As far as soldering the trucks, I just sucked it up and did it. Not the answer you wanted to hear, I'm sure, and I lost a lot of hair and sanity doing it, but I just did it, cussing the entire time.
Those journal boxes almost drove me to drink!
I used their oil bunker on my USRA tenders, and they look OK, but not perfect.
I prefer the brass kits just because they're thin walled, and you get all the running boards, steps, etc, all with the kit.
They are a well kept secret, in my opinion.
I knew John Trotter, the man who designed the kit, very well, and ran with him and Rev. John Marlor on Rev. Marlor's Rogers's Pass layout in the 90's.
He also produced a cool NYC 10 wheeler kit, based on the MR article... Very nice, and it builds into a nice loco.