This ugly duckling came to me gratis (along with some other locos) with no boiler front, most of the side rods missing, smoke unit corroded beyond repair and in a generally decrepit condition. So! Let's look at the transformation, shall we? Alas, I neglected to take a happy snap of the loco when it arrived, as it was too depressing...
With side rods and boiler front installed, but otherwise still rough looking:
Dismantled and ready for prep and painting:
One nice thing about the single life: I can run engine shells through the dishwasher and nobody objects. ;-)
I've found Valspar Satin Finish spray paint to work quite nicely for tinplate locomotives and tenders.
New smoke unit from Olsen's Toy Trains installed:
I chucked the aluminum bell in a drill and polished it with a Sandflex fine grit block:
Upper shell assembled and ready for the motor! Don't that bell look nice? Also polished the handrails with the block.
On the test track, smoking up a storm! :-D
Norma Bates Kitteh, shop supervisor (also known as "Inspected By Number 12") drops by to make sure everything is progressing properly:
The assembled consist, ready for decals:
Decaling is like riding a bike. Even if it's been 20 years or more, you never really forget:
And the completed consist! Contrast and compare:
Not 100% thrilled with the tender decals; I'm probably going to redo them in future with a more prototypical set. Still, 'twill do for now... :-D
Another before and after comparo:
All in all, not bad for a free locomotive and about $50 in parts and paint! ;-)
Mitch
Very nice work. A neighbor gave me a 2055 in much worse condition. After some TLC it runs like the day it was made. I love the old PW Lionel.
Looks great! Yeah, that pennsy name sure jumps out at you! But so did the real pennsy!
Becky
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month