I have in route to me a Bachmann 0-6-0 USRA locomotive. My goal is to make it look like a more plausible replica of B&M class G11 0-6-0 408 or 446 pictured here: https://sites.google.com/site/bostonandmainerailroad/home/boston-maine-steam-locomotives/b-m-class-c-d-and-e/b-m-class-f-and-g
I am looking for what i believe is the Air Resevoir on the right hand side of the locomotive above the first and second pair of drivers. The bachmann model's is about half as long as it should be. Does anyone know where i can find a part like this?
Sounds like a fun project. Try cal scale moldings from Bowser (or EBay). The old roundhouse kits had sóme as well. You can also make one using the plastic tubing left from kits. Good luck!
Precision Scale offers air reservoirs in several styles and sizes, but it's easy to make your own from brass or styrene tubing.I prefer brass, as it allows me to fill them with molten lead to increase the locomotive's pulling power. Measure the diameter of the existing tank, then buy a length of tubing which most closely matches that size. Use a razor saw, hacksaw, or tubing cutter to cut a piece of the proper length (make it a little longer than needed, then use a file to true the ends and bring it to the finished size). I prefer to pre-tin the piece where the tank bands will be attached, then, with the tube standing on-end on a metal surface, pour in some molten lead to fill it to overflowing. Use a file to clean away the excess, then form tank bands from strip brass (Detail Associates .010"x.018" or .010"x.030") and sweat them to the pre-tinned areas.I drill the tank ends to accept the airlines, and the backside of the tank is also drilled to install a length of heavy brass wire as a mounting pin, but you can also epoxy the new tank in place.
Here are some air tanks for some Athearn Mikados. These locos were very light and improperly balanced, so lead-filled tubing was one way of improving their performance:
This brass loco, detailed for a friend, also got new air tanks all around, including the one on the pilot deck:
If you don't wish to use lead, you can stuff the tubing with wadded tissue, then cap the ends with an application of epoxy. PSC's tanks come as a length of detailed tank (with bands, rivets, etc.) and two ends, in a choice of concave, convex, or flat, and flush or recessed, as well as riveted or welded. The additional detail is nice, but unless you're buying a quantity of other detail parts, not always practical, as their minimum order is, I believe, $35.00.
Wayne
You might also order a cross-compound air pump. The one on the model is too small.
My little brain pasted in P2K where the word Bachmann appeared. So my above comment quite likely doesn't apply. Though it doesn't hurt to check.
Ed
Update, received the 0-6-0 yesterday, fried after less than 2 minutes operating on DC (equipped with a dual mode decoder). Appears to be some sort of manufacturing defect, has internal electrical short. Sent it back to Bachmann, who hopefully will replace it. Also the front coupler on this model is fixed, buyer beware the misleading packaging stating plural "E-Z mate Mk 2 couplers" not true. So my detailing project is going to be more extensive, anyone know how to get these things apart? I couldnt get past taking the bottom plate off. There were 1 or 2 screws I couldnt access behind the cylinders. I'll look into the air pump.
BMMECNYC I'll look into the air pump.
I'll look into the air pump.
See my revised comment above. I've just compared the sizes of the air pump on the Bachmann model and the prototype, and the Bachmann is not noticeably smaller. It is a pretty clunky piece, though. So perhaps replacing it with a nice Cal Scale air pump might be beneficial:
Ive decided to head up to Lowell, Mass and measure the air pump on an actual B&M 0-6-0 and make a scale drawing from that. I will then provide those drawings to a fellow club member who has access to a 3D printer and have my parts made.
The Cal-Scale air pump would likely be a better choice, in my opinion. Since it's cast in brass, the associated piping can be soldered to it and the pump itself has a mounting lug on its back surface. With some easily-made pipe clamps (small-diameter soft brass wire) to further secure the assembly, it will stand up to all but the roughest of handling. The Cal-Scale pumps are to-scale and well-rendered, and a drawing to allow a comparable copy from 3D printing would likely require more effort than it's worth. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it or can't do it, but it seems to me that your time would be better spent spiffing-up the rest of the details on that loco.
Speaking of the rest of the details, anyone have any ideas about how to replace the front fixed coupler with a Kadee product. I have already ordered a spare underframe to play around with from bachmann.
Not much need to play around mounting a Kadee on that loco, as there's no lead truck to cause clearance issues. One of the Kadee "whisker" type couplers may offer a drop-in replacement, but otherwise, simply remove the Bachmann coupler and draught gear, and replace it with your choice of Kadee coupler in its own Kadee draught gear box. Drill and tap the pilot deck for a 2-56 screw to hold it securely in place.
Just an option - you might try to hunt down one of the Walthers/Proto USRA 0-6-0 engines; right now they're 'out of stock' at Walthers but you could find one online pretty easy (and for a lot less than the "list price"!). They come DCC ready or DCC/sound equipped. They're quite a bit more expensive than the Bachmann ones, but they're also quite a bit more accurate. The Bachmann ones are "OK", sort of on the border between a scale model and a "toy-train-grade" engine. The Proto ones are as good as you can get short of brass.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/press/2010/usra_060
wjstix Just an option - you might try to hunt down one of the Walthers/Proto USRA 0-6-0 engines; right now they're 'out of stock' at Walthers but you could find one online pretty easy (and for a lot less than the "list price"!). They come DCC ready or DCC/sound equipped. They're quite a bit more expensive than the Bachmann ones, but they're also quite a bit more accurate. The Bachmann ones are "OK", sort of on the border between a scale model and a "toy-train-grade" engine. The Proto ones are as good as you can get short of brass. http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/press/2010/usra_060
Except for that pesky air compressor. Compare:
Note, for example, that the bottom of the prototype's compressor comes down vertically far closer to the top of the ashpan than it does on the model.
The one I have has a fixed/molded in place front coupler that is part of the locomotive underframe. The space it fits in is a lot smaller than a Kadee coupler box.
I had an 0-6-0 with the same problem. I ended up glueing the Kadee coupler in the hole. Because the wheelbase is so short, it works fine. That, and every other coupler it mates with IS in a coupler box, and will supply some sideways wiggleicity for both couplers.
In the photo on Bachmann's website, it appears that the front coupler is a separate part. Pull or cut it out, then take a Kadee coupler of suitable length and remove the rear portion of the coupler 's shank - the part with the hole in it. Smooth the cut-off end and round its corners slightly, then drill a .020" hole in the centre (side-to-side) of the shank and near to the end that's been cut. Drill a similar hole into the pilot deck, and through the coupler pocket at a point suitable for mounting the coupler. Insert the coupler into the pocket, then push a short length of .020" music wire into the hole in the deck and then through the hole in the coupler and, finally, through the hole in the bottom of the coupler pocket. The top end of the wire should be bent (so the wire looks like an upside-down "L") to prevent it from dropping completely through.While the coupler will not be self-centring, it will pivot to accomodate curves and the wire can be removed if the coupler needs to be replaced.
Thanks Wayne I'll give that a shot.
doctorwayneIn the photo on Bachmann's website, it appears that the front coupler is a separate part.
Nope its molded on as part of the detail on the underframe.. very annoying. Im not giving up on this project though. I have received my spare underframe, ordered tender trucks to provide power pickup, and ordered a Precision Scale Co. switcher pilot (footboards) and air compressor. The footboards on the left side are going to get modified to fit the air compressor that i bought. I plan to cut off the offending section of running board, and replace it with one that goes over the top of the compressor. The current pilot sticks out a little too far in my opinion so I am going to adjust it.
BMMECNYCNope its molded on as part of the detail on the underframe..
That's quite a feat of die-making, but it should be removeable using an X-Acto knife (with suitable blades) and a pin vise (with appropriate bits). I've mounted Kadees on the pilots of brass locos with drop- and swing couplers. They wouldn't, of course, drop or swing, but they did work.
I dropped by Charles Ro Supply in Malden?, Mass. (near Boston anyways) They had on their shelf 2 Proto 2000 USRA 0-6-0s. Now they have one . Im not giving up on this project, just delaying it a bit. In other news I ordered a Precision Scale Co. air pump from my LHS.
More info on the Bachmann 0-6-0. The molded on gear cover on the bottom of the locomotive (covers the main drive gear between the middle set of drivers) is too big and contacts any object that sticks up between the rails that is rail-height (diverging turnout route rails etc.). The corrective action for this is to file down that cover so it clears (there is enough material there to file down without exposing the gear).
Why not get into doing your own modification? It is easy, assuming you can use brain-which we all can. It can also be one heck of a good time and a rewarding aspect of this hobby. Installing a working pilot-mounted coupler isn't rocket science; you should, with a modicum of ability, be able to jump into this project and learn along the way-OH... And we ALL have made mistakes here, I hav
e done some lu-lus so it is OK.
Well thought I already updated this, but it must have been on another post. The coupler is corrected, using a Kadee coupler and an extra underframe/pilot assemby that i modified. Ive determined that the locomotive is "good enough" from an operational stand point.