Hi all,
I am embarking to get my final preparations done to superdetail an HO scale Consolidation, from an IHC kit. I chose the kit specifically for the wiring, so DCC and Sound will luckily be easy changes to make, but I find myself struggling with some of the rarer prototype-specific details that I haven't seen covered in any superdetailing books and guides, so I figured I would ask for suggestions on them.
Firstly, I'm wondering about building this access ladder for the turbogenerator. My prototype has one, as seen here
and it seems a few others had them, such as Nevada Northern #81
My initial thought was to use a plastic ladder kit as a base, such as one on a fire escape, but that seems fragile and not the most prototypical. My second thought was soldering brass rod into shape, which also seems like an unideal proposition. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Secondly, I got a Cal-Scale headlight casting of a Northern Pacific type headlight, which luckily is the same as what the prototype used when they swapped their kerosene lamps out for electric lights. I am wondering, firstly, about the feasibility of drilling through the back of the casting in order to run wires for an LED headlight - I have not worked with brass castings before. Secondly, I am wondering if anyone has tried making illuminated number boards using a brass casting. It seems potentially feasible - I have a plan in order to actually make the boards themselves, but the illumination seems more sketchy.
Any thoughts on this - or general advice for superdetailing - is very appreciated!
If I were you, I'd invest in the materials to etch parts from brass sheet, make your ladders that way, then file them if you don't want 'excessively square edges'.
If you do try with brass wire, make a careful jig to hold all the pieces in alignment, and use a higher-melting-temperature solder (with appropriate no-clean flux) than you use to mount the result.
Drilling a brass casting in any direction is feasible to insert appropriate LED(s). Fill in with epoxy and sand/file to shape.
Note that you can turn a reflector from aluminum rod chucked in a drill, with a 'pilot' hole in the center, then cut off the 'dished' end to have the centered hole over the tip of the LED. Then make a proper thin lens...
There was a series of articles in MR in the early '70s about how all the piping systems on a steam locomotive were arranged; there might have been more since then. This provided information on a great many different things in one place. If you have access to back issues you might want to check how much of these details you want to include.
I did not know that IHC made loco kits... Anyway, Precision Scale sells brass ladders. These can bent into shape fairly easily and glued using CA. Drilling holes on the boiler will make a stronger bond.
Simon
Maybe look into caboose ladders. Or boxcar ladders. They have a similar rod stock look
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
The ladder is easy. The number boards will take some work from a brass casting.
What is that thick riveted dome behind the steam dome? Does this locomotive have 2 steam domes? Those are some large rivets.
Pete.
wrench567 What is that thick riveted dome behind the steam dome? Does this locomotive have 2 steam domes? Those are some large rivets. Pete.
Edit: I figured out the answerThe central dome is the cover for the steam dome, removed in that image for servicing. You can see on these other photos that the steam dome has the rounded cover.