That was a close one

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,
Working in the shed yesterday restoring power pickup to a Bachmann coach with spring brushes when I noticed my two LGB Mallet bogies that have been useless for yearsm, one being seized solid now. Being short of spring bushes I thought it was time to strip the bogies down and use the ones in there, 12 in total. It would also have given me some useful junk for railside. I bought these in the 80's and they never behaved properly, poor reponse to power settings and jerky. Anyway, started on them and removed the bottom plate, I now use a magnifying glass when working close and the first thing I noticed was 'extra' plastic on the gears when I scraped the grease off. Further cleaning and turning the wheels by hand revealed plastic in the gear grooves, using my sophisticated gear working tool - Swiss army knife - it was easily removed. Because of its position it wasn't allowing the gears to turn properly by creating a tight spot as the gears turned, hence the jerky running and stalling on low power. They where both cleaned, re-greased and lubed and let loose on the track, wonderful! I now have two powered units with great side rod action - building starts soon on some form of articulated loco. Keep you informed.
The moral of all this, always check it before you bin it and LGB is just like the rest, they have their bad days!
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Make a climax thingy,or a heisler thing.I'd really love one of those.
Every time I think about building an engine I think "someones already done that!" so I tend to do things that can't be bought.
What you going to build ????????
Tell me,tell me!

[Anonymous]

I love it when you're being bossy Troy. Right, it will be freelance, an oil burner cos I've already got the tender set up as that, Rio Grande might have something like it, somewhere, some time. And! it's already started, a couple of hours work this evening and the two are now one, electrically connected for trial running with some old lead weight thrown on. Those lights have never been on before.



Underneath the styrene is a 2" piece of steel bar so the unit will be very strong.





So, it will be something like that Troy but with a cab and a pretend boiler and bits sticking to it. Wonderful!!
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

how about a double farlie type thing?

[Anonymous]

Yes, mmm, John from oz mentioned that a while ago. It does get you thinking doesn't it!
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

It's going to be a cab forward! Always wanted one so the CC&TC are having one built by the Rio Grande mob, trouble is they are painting it up as one of their own...cheek!









I'll keep you posted as it grows, now where did I put that round thing..........
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[vsmith]

you ....MADMAN![;)]

Keep the progress pics coming! Looks good so far!

[ttrigg]

[#ditto][#ditto][#ditto]

[John Busby]

Hi Kim
[8D][#ditto][#ditto][#ditto]
That aside interesting, is the tender as small as it looks in the pictures??
Just a thought have you got a bit of PVC pipe for an oil tank top
The tender looks a bit odd to my eyes like it does not have the fuel capacity
to go any great distances.
regards John
ps you should have gone for the Farlie at least i know what one of them is
[:o)][:D]

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,
Thanks John, Had a look at the overall length etc and last night I shortened the wheelbase of the loco, this also allowed me to reverse the steel brace and the whole thing is now on a more rigid base. The tender is now more in perspective but I don't think it will change much. The Southern Pacific cab forwards had conventional shaped tenders but saying that I do like the look of the ones with the round tank, I might well end up with one of each! Bought some pipe on the way home from work so the boiler is now a 'go' and I'm about to go on the GRS site to order detail bits. Gail's going out with friends on Friday night so I will probably have a couple of hours in the workshop after Stargate Atlantis. Keep you all informed.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Another few hours work brings the loco along, at least the cab is now in front of something!

All the electrics connected up and the smoke unit works a treat.




Let me know what you think guys, all criticism is welcome.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[ttrigg]

Looking good! The sequential shots of different stages of construction are GREAT

[Anonymous]

Thanks Tom, decided the boiler is too narrow and makes it look odd. I wanted the rear facing windows but they will have to go to allow the bigger boiler. Ah well, off to the diy store, post some pics when that's done.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Should have done something like this Kim [:D]

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by troybetts



Should have done something like this Kim [:D]

Mongo LIKE!

Troy theres a guy over on MLS named Chris Walas who's done several double Fairlies. you should check his work out.

This is cool, is it yours? How did you build it and what radius curves does it take?

Speak up man! It been two minutes and I want answers![;)]

[Anonymous]

This is my Dad's one.I've stolen it for a week or two to see how it was done.Then I will build mine better[:D]
I really want a fleet of these.They will pull anything!

edit..
It's LGB.4 foot curves and looks good

[vsmith]

Troy

When you start your version, better include lots of pics, cause I want one too!

[TrainFreak409]

Man, I would love to build one of those, but I wouldn't know the first place to start!

Kim, yours should turn out to be a fantastic model. Will we be seeing it in Garden Railways when it is done?[:D]

[Anonymous]

Hey Scott, it will be on these pages - that's for sure. Nice job Troy, has dad missed it yet? I only had one complete stainz but I had another cab & boiler, I have no idea where they came from. The chassis went into the mason bogie and the cab is now on the cab forward, I'm pleased that one inspired one as the posh gits say! Any way, all the pipe bits off the stainz boiler will find their way onto the cab forward so in the end I will be left with 2 small boilers and a cut about cab. By the way did your dad make that or is it a GRS chop about, they were doing them in the 80's.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[John Busby]

Hi Vic And Train Freak409
My sugestion if you two want to build a double Farlie
would be to start with some pictures of the D&RGW one
so you can get the US detail diferences.

Hi Kim
How did the larger boiler go on the cab forward.

Hi Troy
You ask what people would like to build
me I would like to try a railmotor based on the Gulflander
Have not found a drawing yet

regards John

[vsmith]

John
Thats exactly what I was going to do, use either 2 Stainz or 2 Porters and build a version of the D&RG Mountaineer.

Kim
Have you considered a wider diameter boiler? seams to me Mallets always had huge boilers to make up for the extra set of cylinders.

[Anonymous]

Havn't been to the diy shop yet for more pipe, perhaps tonight. I was going for the large domes large stack look Vic but as you have noticed it didn't look right, so the back windows get blanked out and a stonking great boiler goes on, 3" pipe methinks, 4" would be to big. VIC, where did you get those detail parts for your backhead? little valves etc etc. send me those you have left!!
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[TrainFreak409]

QUOTE: Originally posted by John Busby

Hi Vic And Train Freak409
My sugestion if you two want to build a double Farlie
would be to start with some pictures of the D&RGW one
so you can get the US detail diferences.

I didn't know D & RGW had a double Farlie, I'll need to look that up, thank you. Now, I would just need to think about the best way to go about starting a model. That is what has always stopped me from kitbashing locomotives, I don't know where to start.

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by kimbrit

Havn't been to the diy shop yet for more pipe, perhaps tonight. I was going for the large domes large stack look Vic but as you have noticed it didn't look right, so the back windows get blanked out and a stonking great boiler goes on, 3" pipe methinks, 4" would be to big. VIC, where did you get those detail parts for your backhead? little valves etc etc. send me those you have left!!
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

Kim all my backhead details come from either Ozark Miniatures or Trackside Details (TD). Ozark makes white metal parts and has a great website where you can download their catalog, TD makes brass parts but only has a mailing address. I get my TD parts from my LHS, its really limited to whatever they happen to have in stock, usually not a lot. The steam turret and the reversing lever on my REA engine are TD, the rest, pipes and such are sytrene bits and peices, I also used small Phillips head screws as valve handles. Probably the best place for you to try is San-Val Discounters, they carry both TD and Ozark, but I dont know if they ship overseas. Might be better to canvas your side of the pond and see if any shops there stock them.

www.ozarkminiatures.com

www.san-val.com

[Anonymous]

Very sorry to intrude on your thread Kim.
Vic---I'm going to get the ingredience and do a pictorial disaster.
John----I've searched for your Gulflander railcar but cannot find anything!
TrainFreak409----there is a big difference between a rebuke and poetry.Please e-mail me and I will try and educate you.

[TrainFreak409]

QUOTE: Originally posted by troybetts
TrainFreak409----there is a big difference between a rebuke and poetry.Please e-mail me and I will try and educate you.

Okay, I have emailed you, and am ready to be educated.

[John Busby]

Hi TrainFreak409
First get as much information as you can about the prototype
that will tell you what you need to bash it from.
Then ask Kim and Vic lots of questions they can help you a lot
the rest of us can throw in our[2c] worth.
There are others on the group like Troy and Toenail Ridge that can help you no end if you find you have to scratch build large chunks of it.
Its making the first cut in a perfectly good locomotive I have never been able to do.
regards John

[John Busby]

Hi Troy
I have found the old one the newest one (its not that new) but not
the one in the middle somewhere
The old one I am not that keen on the half sides.
The newest one not sure how too develop the curved and angled front from card.
The middle one which I have on a train video has its problems but I think is manageble if I can find pictures and a drawing.
regards John

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that Vic, valve handles from philips head screws, ingenious and I would never have thought of it, worth its weight in gold that one, good sites - Ozark is going to be getting some of my money!
Scott, as John says it's taking that perfectly good loco and making the first cut. Once it's done the rest just follows on. You must have the right gear, a good hobby knife, drill, saws, steel straight edge, set square, files etc but most importantly have all the gear for making good what you do wrong. Styrene sheet is wonderful stuff, it cuts great and depending on thickness it will bend well, roll it over a former with a bit of heat from a hair dryer if necessary. It is also important to have the right solvents/adhesives, I bond styrene to LGB plastic without much problem by making the styrene a tight fit, I then use a small paint bru***o 'paint' on the solvent which then bonds the styrene to the plastic. The solvent doesn't really need to 'attack' the other plastic, the styrene will do the bonding. I eased into bashing by weathering rolling stock, a cheap second hand Bachmann is good for this. There's no secret to it, I have a piece of cardboard and 3 pots of paint (matt black, rust and clay) and a jar of turps substitute. Using a small model brush I drop 4 or 5 brushfulls of turps on the cardboard and a couple of brush fulls of paint and stir them together, be quick because the cardboard soaks up the turps. You want a very watery mix and then wash on the mix on the car. The clay colour does a good wood colour as well as splash up on the car body, the black will wash on to represent oil/tar/coal dust etc - the choice is yours by varying the amounts mixed together. By washing the mixture on you're not really painting the car, you're enhancing it and letting the makers decals etc still show through. Try it, it gave me the confidence to start sawing perfectly good loco's up and it's also very good fun.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

VIC, just ordered a shed full from Ozark, great prices & only $6 postage to cross the pond. Cheers mate.

[TrainFreak409]

Thanks for the tips everyone![:D] I'll have to try the weathering soon, Kim.

I do have a confession, though, I am not truely a G gauge person. I hope to have a garden railway soon, but as of now, I collect N and HO. But kitbashing, scratchbuilding, and weathering techniques can apply to multiple scales, so your information hasn't been wasted!

I have had some experience with kitbashing a custom Galloping Goose like vehicle; I can post pictures for anyone if you are interested. This is HO scale though.

What I am really interested in is working with steam locomotives. My most recent thought is to take three 0-6-0's and make a 0-6-6-6-0 triplex switcher, but I don't know how to build the frame to make it flexible enough to handle the tightest curves possible.

Just a though.[:p]