Living the dream.
Hello everyone. I sure hope the forum bugs are all worked out.
This was supposed to be my share for last week, but the glitches kept me from sharing. Late, but this is still a new share.
A couple of weeks ago I started a thread with a question about the valve gear on brass model of an AT&SF 0-6-0 steam switcher. After the helpful responses I decided to buy one.
What a little cutie-pie this locomotive is!
-Photograph by Kevin Parson
This is imported by Hallmark Models and was manufactured in 1977. It is in near-mint condition. There is no tarnish, everything is straight, and there is absolutely no wheel wear at all.
The front pilot, boiler weight, and smokebox cover have never been installed.
-Photographs by Kevin Parson
There is a provision to remove the scale draft gear box from the front of the pilot assembly and install a Kadee coupler. That is a nice feature for a switching locomotive model to include.
The model is powered by a tiny can motor, and it runs as smooth as you could wish for. It just glides along the rails in near silence.
The Stratton And Gillette uses mainly USRA locomotive designs, but I am not a fan of the USRA 0-6-0 locomotive. It just looks too modern for an 0-6-0 to me.
One of the other small locomotives I have is a Louisiana And Arkansas 4-6-0, and I like the look of that model. I actually think there is a bit of a family resemblance between the ATSF 0-6-0 and the L&A 4-6-0.
I think they can both occupy spaces on the SGRR roster.
Let's all keep the good stuff and helpful responses coming. I am looking forward to it all.
Hopefully the forum software holds together.
-Kevin
Thanks for starting WPF this week, Kevin. I have a special affinity for switchers - steam or diesel. In fact, yard & road switchers comprise over 50% of my NYC roster.
Switchers often get overlooked for the more prestigous locomotives. However, they were the backbone of any divison point yard and deserve all the recognition I can give them.
I'm continuing to work on my rolling stock projects, albeit slowly.
I decided to go with the embedded 1-72 nut for mounting the metal Buckeye trucks on my QCM 61' well-hole flatcar:
I'm using 2-part 5-min epoxy to secure the nut inside the pocket. I'm also going to epoxy a thin brass washer over the top of the hole. I'm hoping that, along with providing a smooth metal surface for each truck's pivot block to rotate upon, it will also hold the nut in the event it should inadvertantly pull loose after tightening the 1-72 flat screw from the underside of the truck.
I'll be testing the modification out this weekend with a spare truck that I have. If worse comes to worse, I can revert back to just epoxying the pivot block directly to the underside of the end, as the assembly instructions suggest.
Painting my Tichy 52' war emergency gondola has become more challenging than I originally anticipated because of the openings in the side metal framing:
The undercarriage, metal weight, and brake system is alreay primed & painted with two coats of Tamiya TS-82 Rubber Black. I had to individually cut & mask off each opening, being careful not to allow the tape to infringe into or upon any of the side metal framing. You can see the individual pieces of tape in the two photos below.
The above is after only one coat of Tamiya TS-33 Dull Red. And I can see spots where the paint didn't quite cover it completely - e.g. corners where the angle iron converges to a point.
In order to facilitate handling as I paint the gondola, I'm only masking & painting one side at a time. It's very time consuming to mask off the sides. And I want to minimize any overspray to the already painted undercarriage. Once the sides, ends, and interior are painted, I'll touch up any issues with the undercarriage with a final light coat of TS-33 Rubber Black.
The Tichy war emergency gondolas have some really nice rivet & brake detailing:
Earlier in the week I added the ratchet brake system (right end), which I absconded from a Proto 2000 52' gondola kit that I purchased last weekend for that very purpuse. The chain is a bit oversized and unrealistic so I may nip that off with a #11 X-acto knife and replace it with smaller and more realistic A-Line chain.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Hmm! by Bear, on Flickr
1st by Bear, on Flickr
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"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Good morning from sunny and mild Northeast Ohio, a big difference from the storms and wind from last night, ended up going to the basement with the tornado warnings going up around midnight.
Kevin, thanks for starting us out, nice looking engine, but Hallmarks of that vintage were not good runners and the smallish motors they put in some locomotives were not a good idea if you intend to weight the locomotive for pulling power.
Tom, good looking cars, I did one of those war gons recently but I just painted the entire car red.
Bear, nice toon and that will be a good looking load when it is done where did you get the pipes?
Here is what I finished this week!
First up another Tichy Panel Side Hopper car kit, painted with Scalecoat II Black paint and lettered with Mark Vaughn's Wabash decals. This was another USRA clone car originally built in 1923 and rebuilt in the late 30's with panel sides to increase capacity.
Next, an IMRC 50' DDR Boxcar kit, painted with Scalecoat II Boxcar Red #2 and lettered with Highball Graphics decals. The DT&I had several hundred of these cars in auto parts service for Ford. Essentially they were a warehouse on wheels and would be fished out of sidings when Ford needed the parts.
Finally, a pair of Athearn GP40-2's with an auto parts train running on the Strongsville Club layout.
Have a good weekend.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Good afternoon
Thanks for kicking off WPF kevin. I've always had a thing for those brass beauties, and you certainly have some nice looking ones at that.
Some great craftsmanship here to enjoy gentleman Thanks for the shares.
I've always been fascinated by the High Bridges going to the Ore Docks in Duluth.
Attempted to duplicate one of the steel bents as close as possible with the styrene that's available.
Still needs the crossmembers on the legs.
Didn't really feel it fits into the setting on bridge #2, transitioning to bridge #6, but could pin out some more to use for bridge #10 going to the Ore Tipple though.
Could be a bit less beefy/burly on the next build for sure.
Thanks for looking.
TF
dti406...where did you get the pipes?
tstageSwitchers often get overlooked for the more prestigous locomotives. However, they were the backbone of any divison point yard and deserve all the recognition I can give them.
Yes they do get all-too-often overlooked.
Switchers have always been my favorite. I have built up maybe a half-dozen custom switchers. These are boxcabs or center-cabs. I have WAY TOO MANY switchers, but I love the little work horses.
Most of my enjoyment from model railroading just comes from shuffling freight cars around in a leisurely manner.
JaBearHaving a laugh, 'cos a year ago the Stratton & Gillette management vowed and declared that there would be no more locomotive purchases!
My wife got a huge laugh from your post. She said she is psychic too, and she doubts this is the last locomotive as well.
It is the last locomotive!
This one will see service in Port Annabell where I was planning to use my old Tenshodo 0-8-0. The 0-8-0 is just too big for that area. Also, the Tenshodo locomotive, as reliable as it is, sounds like a mixer full of M8 steel nuts when it is running. It also has a slanted cab which I do not like.
So, it is replacing a locomotive, not a new locomotive!
dti406Nice looking engine, but Hallmarks of that vintage were not good runners .
This one runs as well as my Sunset models with the Canon can motors. It is silky-smooth and very quiet.
dti406The smallish motors they put in some locomotives were not a good idea if you intend to weight the locomotive for pulling power.
Pulling power has never been a concern of mine. Port Annabell is flat, and the most cars it will ever pull is 4 or 5. The longest freight train my layout will be able to support it 12 cars.
Track fiddler I've always had a thing for those brass beauties, and you certainly have some nice looking ones at that.
Well, there is this N scale brass NYC H10 2-8-2 up for bids on eBay right now...
You did just land that big Condo ReHab job...
Pyschic Bear by Bear, on Flickr
Kevin, Thanks for opening the WPF with another nice looking piece of brass. I've one piece of brass rolling stock, a caboose gifted to me 30 or so years ago by the kids, never could bring myself to decorate it for my fictional line, too pretty to paint.
Good to see Tom and TF's project progress, and liking those 'Bear pipes'.
Rick, Enjoying your models and the DT&I Ford history, btw, thanks for persevering last weekend in getting the WPF off the ground.
Made sure to wear a red jersey during my little bike ride this afternoon. Venga! Venga! Vuelta a Espana started today
Thanks to all the contributors and viewers. Have a good weekend. Regards, Peter
Always liked those bicycle ones
A few photos to add for the 61' well-hole flatcar project. Visible areas of the Buckeye trucks primed then spray-painted with Tamiya TS-29 semi-gloss black.
Used Testors Clear Parts cement to fill in the backsides of the journals so that primer and paint wouldn't collect in them. Once dried, I spray-painted those areas then removed the dried Clear Parts cement plug for a clean journal cone:
I'm hoping that extra steps will make the Buckeye trucks both look good and roll well.
Good Evening
Seems to me!
We just can't have this sort of thing over here!
Glad to see my best mentor back Wayne
The two 0-6-0's finished. The botom one is MDC. the top is a roundhouse. both have all factory parts. except the new motors, and dcc wiring. goes to an 8 -pin socket. right now it is just set for dc. Dont have a board for it. permanent hard wire together. The rtucks are now power pick up from both rails. The MDC needed new trucks. Should I extend the yellow catwalk boards to the bottom one?
The 2-10-4 before. I got this without a tender, and that is the brass tender I found that works well with this engine. no idea who made it. currently being rewired for dcc and paint since it is in bad tarnished condition. ran fine till it met my work bench.
current condition. that is primer. next week.paint.
Here is the 4-4-0. with its train it can actually pull.
shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
Bear: I need to be allowed one exception!
If a Key Models version of the Norfolk And Western Class-A 2-6-6-4 shows up for under $450.00, I just might need to buy it.
Other than that one possibility... NO MORE!