I recently purchased my first order of brass parts from Precision Scale, one of which was a Franklin Tender Booster kit. I attempted assembly, and dismally failed at it. Everything was going fine until I started drilling the holes in the counterweights/rods for the tiny screws that hold the rods on the booster.
Has anybody ever assembled one of these kits successfully? What was your procedure for doing so? I've confided in another seasoned model railroader who said he'd purchased one once and ended up reselling it rather than trying to figure out the minuta of the kit.
I'd very much like to attempt the build again but would like some guidance.
Kadota Transportation SystemI recently purchased my first order of brass parts from Precision Scale.
Unfortunately I cannot help you with the assembly question. Hopefully someone will chime in soon to help you out.
How was your experience ordering from Precision Scale now that they are owned by PRF Trains in Washington?
I have a list to order from them, coincidentally including that same booster engine, and would like to know your experience.
Thank you.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I'll answer Kevin's question about dealing with Precision Scale first. I have recently purchased a couple hundred dollars of castings from them and the service was great! Almost everything I asked for was in stock, and they did me a major favour on the brokerage costs. I was dealing with a person named Colleen. Her service was excellent.
Kadota Transportation System:
As far as figuring out how to assemble the booster kit, I would suggest sending Precision Scale a note asking if they can provide any guidance and/or reference sources. They have to get their information from somewhere to build the parts.
You might also post your question in the Classic Trains forums. I have no experience with those forums but logic suggests that someone might be able to provide you with some information.
I also found this web page that talks about providing DVDs with detailed drawings for the manufacturing of scale Franklin booster engines. The last entry is from 2020, but it might be worth a try:
https://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=108173
Good luck!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critter I was dealing with a person named Colleen. Her service was excellent.
Dave, Thank you for this. Colleen is the person I have been in contact with. I will probably place my order this week.
Kadota Transportation System I recently purchased my first order of brass parts from Precision Scale, one of which was a Franklin Tender Booster kit. I attempted assembly, and dismally failed at it. Everything was going fine until I started drilling the holes in the counterweights/rods for the tiny screws that hold the rods on the booster. Has anybody ever assembled one of these kits successfully? What was your procedure for doing so? I've confided in another seasoned model railroader who said he'd purchased one once and ended up reselling it rather than trying to figure out the minuta of the kit. I'd very much like to attempt the build again but would like some guidance.
Attuvian1Were there no drawings whatsoever included in the packaging, or even on the backing card?
Hi John,
If I may answer based on my own experience with Precision Scale, they do not provide any instructions on the packaging. They don't even provide a written description, just the part #. There are some diagrams in their catalogues in the super detailing kits listings, but they illustrate so many parts in those diagrams that you have to have a reasonably detailed understanding of steam locomotive components to figure out exactly what goes where.
Without trying to justify Precision Scale's lack of instructions, I think it would be a monumental task to list every application for each of their hundreds of parts. They are a small company, and they deserve huge credit for keeping the Precision Scale parts lines going (and Bowser, and several other lines that they have acquired), but they can only do so much. Having said that, it would be nice if they were to supply some references to their source material, but I suspect that even that would be another monumental task given the number of original drawings that they must have gone over to create their parts.
Cheers!!
hon30critter Attuvian1 Were there no drawings whatsoever included in the packaging, or even on the backing card? Hi John, If I may answer based on my own experience with Precision Scale, they do not provide any instructions on the packaging. They don't even provide a written description, just the part #. There are some diagrams in their catalogues in the super detailing kits listings, but they illustrate so many parts in those diagrams that you have to have a reasonably detailed understanding of steam locomotive components to figure out exactly what goes where. Dave
Attuvian1 Were there no drawings whatsoever included in the packaging, or even on the backing card?
My impression of the Franklin is that it is a set of detail parts, no more a "kit" in the American sense of the word than some of those English locomotives that have you forming the boiler wrapper and bending up the chassis from sheet, or those live-steam 'casting collections' that have you doing all the machining. You will have about the success trying to make the Precision pieces into a practical running truck that Mel Perry has had with the detailed Buckeye three-axle trucks: visually stunning, but an ongoing operational nightmare. (That does NOT mean you shouldn't try!)
You will not drill the holes for the cranks or set up the frame 'square enough' without jigs and a good drill press that can work at this scale (among other things it will need either a collet chuck and collets for tiny drills, or a chuck that can be honed to true 'zero diameter' compatibility. Be prepared to file and shim and lather, rinse, repeat to get the frame trammed strong and square. In my opinion, this is at least on the order of an Arbour Models kit, although perhaps not with the same excuses Darth reported
This might at least get you familiar with where the pieces go:
Franklin by Edmund, on Flickr
Got a Bethlehem, too, in case anyone wants to scratch build one.
B_Booster_dwg1 by Edmund, on Flickr
I like the idea of the exhaust stack behind the cistern
Bethlehem_Booster_0009 by Edmund, on Flickr
I've been buying from Teresa and Joel Prantle for more than ten years now. Never had a problem. It is a good thing that they are keeping some of these small manufacturer's lines going. I believe they bought what was left of Tomar as well.
SeeYou190PRF Trains in Washington?
I've only known them dba TJ Model Trains. Maybe now they have other business entities?
Regards, Ed
In case anyone might wonder, Bethlehem had to call theirs an 'auxiliary locomotive' because Franklin got rights to use of the word 'booster' -- Ed knows the story.
Once you know how a trailing-truck booster is set up and operates (this is in many of the Locomotive Cyclopedias, in what used to be free ICS lessons on the Web, etc.) you will recognize how the different versions of a pivoted power truck will arrange all the 'stuff' that has to go on. I don't know if the late improvements to boosters (high speed, reversible, etc.) made it to tender boosters, which were discredited for much beyond hump service fairly early (for reasons you probably see coming early).
Southern and D&H had three-axle boosters with outside rods conjugating all three axles... the former in fact had some tenders with TWO of those. (Think of them as a less un-sensible version of Southern's 'motor tenders'...)
Rear exhaust is for the same reason Triplexes did. Some railfans complain that this 'wastes valuable draft' or some similar thing... note where most practical boosters on locomotives route their (considerable!) mass flow of steam exhaust, or more particularly where they do NOT route it.
Extra points to alert readers about why auxiliary locomotives are best on the leading tender truck, not rear as depicted in the diagram...
gmpullman SeeYou190: PRF Trains in Washington? I've only known them dba TJ Model Trains. Maybe now they have other business entities?
SeeYou190: PRF Trains in Washington?
Don't know where I got "PRF" from, the correct name is "PF&S Railway" in Pasco, Washington. They own TJ, Tomar, Stewart, Alexander, and PSC.
They are a family owned business, and they are doing a lot to save some critical companies in our hobby.
-Photograph from Internet
I was able to visit their hobby shop and showroom in 2018, and was given a your of the Tomar shop. I think they had just acquired PSC at this point, but production was not running yet.
-Photograph by Kevin Parson
I had to take a selfie with my phone that day.
The hobby shop was packed like nothing I had ever seen before with tons of long-out-of-production models. They actually had the legendary Floquil line of Marine Colors in stock, and I bought a good supply.
If their shop is still open to the public, this is a destination well worth finding.