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Flyer's 350 Royal Blue-The Way It Should Have Been

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Flyer's 350 Royal Blue-The Way It Should Have Been
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 18, 2010 2:22 PM

I always wanted a 350 Royal Blue, but the lack of a smoke unit bothered me.

 

This is what I started with:

I had a 322 chasis with a smoke unit, so I transferred the original motor to this chasis.  Because the 350 didn't originally have a smoke unit, I had to drill out the false stack on top of the boiler.  After that was done, I found that the hole in the smoke unit didn't line up with the hole in the boiler.  To remedy this, I cut down the brass tube that screws into the smoke unit and attached a short piece of aquarium tubing to it.

Here it is after I got it back together. 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTvSFrDff_w 

 I was nervous to do this upgrade at first, but I am really glad that I did.

I'd like to thank Jim S. (SturgeonPhish) for his help through this project.

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Posted by Timboy on Friday, June 18, 2010 2:52 PM

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 18, 2010 3:58 PM

Tim,

       Thanks.  The fact that Gilbert didn't give the 350 a set of matching passenger cars is the other thing that bothers me.  If I can get a deal on three or more 650 New Havens, I plan to fix that issue as well.

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Posted by RockIsland52 on Friday, June 18, 2010 4:39 PM

JimmyT......you are a TRAINIAC!!!!!!!!!!!!!  WOW!  And thanks for the pictures of the project and the bench test video.

Jack

IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.

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Posted by jcolonbc on Friday, June 18, 2010 4:41 PM

I have some 3/16 "O" gauge Blue  passenger cars and a baggage car I plan to use if I can find a way to convert the trucks to "S" gauge. Any suggestions on the best way to do this?

Put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket! "Mark Twain"

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Posted by Sturgeon-Phish on Friday, June 18, 2010 8:48 PM

Jim - Fantastic job!  A set of Royal Blue 650's would be awesome.

Jim

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Posted by Mononflyer on Saturday, April 2, 2011 6:26 PM

I'm thinking of doing the same thing with my Royal Blue.  It used to be my uncle's train and it's been well used.  I have a can motor in it and want to put in an electronic e-unit and close up the slot in the boiler as well as add smoke.

Which kind of chassis can I use?  Am I limited to a 322 chassis?

 

Thanks,

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Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 3, 2011 5:02 PM

Mononflyer,

                      Welcome  Any six wheel steamer chasis with a smoke unit will work.  The 322 chasis is what I used because I had one readily available.

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Posted by Mononflyer on Sunday, April 3, 2011 6:10 PM

Thanks,

 

I'm looking to get one on Ebay right now.  I assume I'll have to use my original wheels though.

 

 

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Posted by sir james I on Sunday, April 3, 2011 9:00 PM

The 350 was always my favorite Flyer engine, smoke and chuff for that engine would have been great. I have a pretty decent later one with the molded handrails. And I changed it to a knuckle coupler.

"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks 

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Posted by wallyworld on Sunday, April 3, 2011 10:18 PM

Great conversion and I do miss that chuff that AF locos have. The Marx chuff as much as I like Marx sounds like a broken wheel bearing..That blue color is striking, some matching cars would be outstanding. If you get that far, post a another video..I no longer have S but I would really like to see that.

Nothing is more fairly distributed than common sense: no one thinks he needs more of it than he already has.

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 5, 2011 8:29 AM

Mononflyer

Thanks,

 

I'm looking to get one on Ebay right now.  I assume I'll have to use my original wheels though.

  

If you are referring to the six drivers, you don't have to swap them.  Besides the motor, the only other thing you'll have to swap over is the 350's headlight socket.

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Posted by Mononflyer on Monday, April 11, 2011 12:13 PM

Anyone have a chassis (wheels would be a plus) and smoke unit they're willing to sell?  The ones on ebay are in too good of condition to buy and only use the chassis and smoke unit.  I have a can motor for mine and I am planning on using an electronic e-unit as well.

 

Thanks,

 

 

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, April 11, 2011 5:27 PM

Monon,

               I don't have any extras at the moment.  You could always remove the motor and sell it to recoup some of the cost though.

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Posted by Mononflyer on Thursday, June 23, 2011 10:27 AM

I finally got a chassis to use.   Let the fun begin!

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