It all started on my birthday, 1950. My dad bought me the John English kit of the PRR 0-4-0 Yard Bird. I think he wanted me to build something besides airplane models. The next issue of MRR had the article on detailing the engine. I needed the valve gear kit. I put it together best I could and it was my only motive power for 20 years, in and out of the hobby. As the years went by parts were lost. When I quit the hobby on 1984, this old engine was one of the few things I kept. When I started up again in 2005, I found what was left of the old engine, now beyond running again. It became the centerpiece of the “Last Kiss” diorama. Last year I decided to finish the job. It took 9 months to find another Yard Bird Kit. It took another month to find the Valve Gear kit. Other parts also fell in place and I started the detailing. It is not done but I now have something to take a picture of. My dad has been gone a lot of years now, but I think he would be pleased. The sound chip comes next and then a paint job. Here is a partial parts list and some pics.
John English Yard Bird Kit – 1950
Central Valley Valve Gear Kit - 1950
MRR - June 1950, Super Detail article by Bill Smith
Bowser Super Detail kit for PPR 0-4-0 - current
Can motor by Dan atYardbirdtrains.com - current
Kaydee couplers
Digitrax sound chip
Special thanks to the Yardbirdtrains.com Yahoo group
Northeast.railfan.com for dozens of pics of the prototypes ( No two engines were alike)
what a wonderful little loco ! and the kit is older than i am !!!
great job on the detailing and photos , you must update us when you paint it
Hello Talk about taking your time. Well it was worth it that is one fine looking loco. How well does it run ?
Frank
Beautiful work Art. It's a real tribute to that classic old kit. It should look great painted. Somewhere I have one assembled and heavily weathered that I got at a swap meet or auction, but lacking the motor and worm gear. Did you regear the entire engine, use the old worm gear on the new motor, or find a worm gear that matches the original gear on the axle? If the latter I might well investigate powering mine up again although between when I bought it and now I ceased to be a PRR modeler. Remember when Hobbyline offered one in plastic for just a buck or two?
Dave Nelson
Dave. I used the gear on the drive wheel that came with the kit. I tried the old Pitman motor and it ran fine on DC but would not run on DCC. Dan at Yardbirdtrains sold me a new can motor with wormgear and mounting bracket that dropped right in. I have added pickups to the wheels but not yet installed the decoder. It runs fine at address 00.
Great work art. Looks a sweet little loco . And it is WAY older than me.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Great looking locomotive, great job, can anything be better than an 0-4-0 or an 0-6-0 ladderback switcher??? forget those "big boys'' with too many wheels that take up too much room. There is never enough coverage on this forum for these "goats"