I thought I'd give myself a little challenge and see if I could do a complete build video from start to finish in a single long take. As it turns out, the MDC/Roundhouse 0-6-0T can be finished in a very short amount of time, and even with some little issues here and there along the way, it only took 90 minutes to finish!
And for those who don't have that much time to watch, here's an edited version that's only 23 minutes long.
Most Roundhouse kits assemble very similarly to this one, so if you've never built a kit and want to give it a shot, they're a great way to go! Of course, none have been made in over 15 years now, but it's not hard to find unbuilt models on eBay or at train shows. Just make sure you're not being overcharged.
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Impressive! I honed my skills on a number of MDC kits. Easy to build, good runners and good pullers... It's really unfortunate that these kits are no longer available. My 0-6-0t is a good runner but stalls on my long switches. I've toyed with the idea of buying a keep alive decoder, but I think I will add an auxiliary tender instead (with 8 wheel pickup!).
Thanks for sharing
Simon
Cool little build! Kit looks very fun but the mechanism seems to be rather noisy huh?
Seems like the gears are poorly designed, and cause much noise.
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440
Instagram (where I share projects!): https://www.instagram.com/trainman440
I suspect that part of that noise comes from the open-frame motor. The Sagami motors were generally quiet, but this one sounds noisier than usual. I put a can motor in mine... makes a big difference. The gear noise should go down as it breaks in.
The gears are actually pretty quiet. The open frame motor makes about as much noise as I would expect, and part of that is resonance through the plastic shell since it isn't soft mounted.
Adding another pickup wiper to the front left wheel should improve performance over switches. My Tenshodo 0-6-0T actually had the same problem since it uses the same wiper setup, and when I ran one more to that last wheel, it helped quite a bit!
Always nice to see you in action Darth. I have a challenge for you, and can provide the basis for it. I dont know how to get PM to work. Dan
If you click my name to go to my profile, there will be an option to start a conversation somewhere near the top-right. I'll watch for your message!
I sent it.
My wife had an appointment this morning, so I finally had a chance to watch the long video.
It was interesting to see where some things were a bit tedious, and what parts you just breezed through.
I have an MDC 0-6-0 with a tender that has been stashed away for 20+ years. I wish my model desk was assembled, now I am inspired to assemble it.
Thank you for making and sharing these videos.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I purchased a 2-6-2 kit off of ebay a couple years back that I will use to complement a brass model I have. I have several detail parts that will allow me to make it a little more Santa Fe esque.
Then again, I have read that BLI might be doing another Santa Fe prototype steam locomotive; having recently released a 2-8-2. Seeing as how they have done 4-8-4s, 2-10-2s, 2-8-2s; maybe a 2-6-2 would be next. One can hope.
Always enjoy seeing your work, Darth! Please keep posting.
One of the things I look back on with a sense of accomplishment is the fact that I built a 0-6-0 Mantua Big Six kit when I was in high school; with very rudimentary tools (and even worse modeling skills). It actually ran quite well. For some strange reason, I decided to sell it at a swap meet in the 80s.