I am no stranger to doing locomotive projects but this is the first project I am posting here, I mainly post builds on readingmodeler.com.
This was a project to use some parts that I had with a locomotive that never worked right. The start is a bachamann spectrum 2-8-0 that had a wire broken to the motor making it not run even being bought still shrinked wrapped. After some research I settled on doing a Lehigh Valley N-3 2-8-2 because I didn't need to change the valve gear and the engine needed to be rewired to it made it a good 2-8-2 conversion canidate. First to pictures are the real engine and the starting point.
First the wires got extended and a tender frame got built of .040 styrene.
The old pilot was cut off and there is a comparision of what is still used of the original boiler.
The boiler is then exteded and the wooten firebox is built.
After putty and sanding I made new cylinder heads, then did the pilot and the base of the smokebox front. I didn't finish the smokebox front until much later in the project, for no real reason its actually easier without the headlight in place.
Next the cab and large style ash pans were built mostly of .010 styrene.
Since the cab floor was set it gave me a height to make the tender gangway so I did the tender shell, which is mostly .040 styrene.
Then I did the domes.
Then comes boiler bands, then running boards, then airtanks in that order. The aircompressor was placed before the running boards so I could build around it.
The interior of the cab was painted a simple black then the cab roof was built.
With all the mojor styrene construction done, all the major detail parts when on, these are shots just before final detailing.
First I did the tender, rivets are micro mart decal rivets.
The engineers side ready for paint.
And the fireman's side ready for paint.
And then the final product.
A more detailed build can be seen at:
http://readingmodeler.com/index.php/forum/modeling-the-reading-follow-the-build/301-lehigh-valley-scratch-bash-n-3-2-8-2?start=6
Also here is a video of the engine in action with a lot of Reading traffic in the mix. All engines in the video are varios builds I have done.
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/60361449@N02/
Anthracite Modeler - YouTube
Some bonus info, the build took about 2 months working on it several times a week and a lot during football games on tv. The decals are caboose decals, a logo from a champ set found at a show and the numbers from a herald kind set left over from panting the caboose seen in the video.
Also here is a picture to give some insite on the variety that can be accomplished with spectrum 2-8-0s, these are the 2 2-8-2s I have made from the same base the Reading M-1 being a much older project that got a little update in detail about a year and a half ago, though I still need to change the valvegear out on it.
Wow! Thanks for sharing this project. Most impressive and interesting work. Inspiring for me to continue to take on new challenges in the hobby (I'm not ready for anything this ambitious).
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
The Lehigh Valley engine is most impressive. The RDG Mike was an extra bonus surprise. Was that an I-8 2-8-0 running around?
This shows graphically that you can convincingly represent any railroad in model form, even if your chosen prototype didn't use equipment designs that we would consider mainstream.
What's next? May I suggest a RDG I-9 2-8-0? The I-10's were more famous, but the I-9's were much more numerous.
Thanks for giving us a real treat.
Tom
To answer a couple questions yes there will be many more projects, the Lehigh Valley engine is just the latest, it is the 14th finished engine I have done since graduating college in 08'.
The kitbashed/scratch-bash roster is:
Reading
B-8 0-6-0 mantua redbox
E-5 0-8-0 proto 2000 USRA
L-5 4-6-0 spectrum 4-6-0, scratch shells
P-7 4-4-2 Bowser PRR E-6
(2) I-8 2-8-0 Specturm 2-8-0, scratch shells
I-9 2-8-0 Specturm 2-8-0
I-10 2-8-0 Specturm 2-8-0
M-1 2-8-2 Specturm 2-8-0
G-2 4-6-2 (semi streamlined) spectrum PRR K-4
G-3 4-6-2 Mantua Redbox
K-1 2-10-2 IHC/Mehano 2-10-2
Lehigh New England
E-8 2-8-0 Mantua repowered, scratch shells
Lehigh Valley
N-3 2-8-2 Specturm 2-8-0
Heres a picture of most of the roster the L-5, E-5 and LV N-3 weren't done at the time. My flickr has pretty much all the pics I have taken of projects.
Very nicely done.
Wayne
Excellent work, thanks for sharing.
Sheldon
Modelling HO Scale with a focus on the West and Midwest USA
Casey - Mighty impressive! I love seeing posts like this one. Excellent looking locomotive!
Very impressed with your work. Thank you for posting.
If anyone is interested there are other videos here of other finished engines. Its all floor running but I'm a renter at the moment and its hard to do anything perminate for a layout.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVGhlhG5y0JL__5Y-GnID5g
Great modeling!
Please share your technique for making the smoke box fronts and cylinder heads.
Thanks.
Jim
I have done smoke box fronts in 2 ways, really to fit 2 different styles. The first one I did was on the Lehigh New England E-8 I did which was also my first engine with totally scratch shells. The prototype has a big door and is the only part puffing out of the front. I made it by capping the boiler tube with sheet styrene and then cut a smaller circle for the door it's self. I covered the door piece with putty let dry and then shaped and sanded it in to a low dome shape. The hinges and latches are strip styrene, .010x.030 for hinges and .010x.020 for the little latches that go all the way around.
note the green face
The other way which I have used more is more layers of styrene to made the face protrusion then the door. I documented it well on the Reading E-5 build.
It starts with 4 circles at the different sizes wanted to match what ever spacing you are trying to get. 1.The bottom later is the size of the boiler i have done both .010 and .040 thickness. 2.Then the larger step out that is part of the face not the door which I make in .040 and shape the edges by sanding them to slope to a point. leaving a flat area on top the size of the door. 3.Then the bottom layer of the door itself made of .010 and should be just a hair larger then the top layer which is what the latches hold. 4.Then the top layer shaped by sanding to be a low dome shape trying to get rid of any flatness.
Layered on the front look like this.
Then the door hinge and latches are added with the strip styrene. This engine also called for hinges for the whole face which are made by tapering strip styrene from a small .040 styrene block which is at the half of the hinge attached to the face then 3 small squares are added to the block base splitting the face hinge pieces, hope that made sense.
Finished construction looks like this.
Then all finished up.
The cylinder heads are the same concept as the smokebox front. I used a dremmel to take some thickness from the molded head, cut a piece of .040 and sanded it into the dome shape. After gluing in place I cut a bunch of little squares from .010x.020 strip styrene to make the bolts and glued them around the edge.