The original Bowser design has each motor and two-axle subframe separate from each other, except the motor shafts are joined by a flexible tube. This is possible because the front motor points toward the rear motor (front motor is arranged magnet first, rear motor is arranged shaft-end first).
The two subframes carry the boiler on brackets above the motors, secured by two 2-56 flat head screws, the heads of which are visible on top of the locomotive boiler. The draw bar is secured to the cab floor, so the entire pull-load of the train is carried by the top-mount brackets. It seemed to be a goofy arrangement to me, as the drawbar pulled the boiler into a lean when pulling on a curve, and the front subframe lifted the front set of drivers off the rail when pulling on a curve or straight.
All this was easy to fix with the two subframes joined by the new plate underneath, and the flexible coupling between the motors discarded. I don't know what the minimum radius is, as I have broad curves on my layout. The first photo was taken on the tightest mainline radius.
So the motor/chassie artticuate from the factory? By putting that flat plate on the bottom help the driver wheels then? You done the ridget frame like it shouldve been done in the first place,like the real one is done..
Here's mine in its glorious natural metal finish. I bought the boiler for $20 at English's in PA, where the Bowser stuff is made. I got there on practically the same day that they announced they were shutting down production of all their steam kits, as well as spare parts. For some reason, this one has no pre-drilled holes for the handrail stanchions, which I will put there, in time. The old, heavier, lead-alloy boiler served for several years, but the detail was vague (at best).
Closeup of the stack, milled out and filed to shape, with a hand formed copper liner:
View of the underframe, showing the single-piece axle retainer I milled out of .030" brass sheet, to rigidize the chassis into one long unit, like the real ones. The two motors are decoupled, so they can slip independently. I found that the engine runs more smoothly with the motors running independently, and with the boiler mounts no longer articulated:
Ok enought with side tracks.. Ok the train I got is the newer version a #529kit..has the super brass detial kit with it..Robert livingston if you got pics of you Bowser duplex feel free to post them please...or any of you other guys too...I want to make this train awsom...been wanting one since 89...never had the time or money..wanted the lional version when it first came out in 89 big scale.but never had the money to get one..
Ya Love the QSI sound systems in the other trains...A friend who has a hobby shop in stmarys told me that Charlie bowser was a big PRR fan...Hay I found this one..A guy built one out of lego's..took him amost a year to build it...Dont know if any of you seen this..He even artticulated it too! I got the stuff to paint the duplex when it comes this week.." mce_src="">" mce_src="">
Almost forgot, as I said, in my opinion, the QSI sound system really captures the authentic sounds of these duplex engines, not matter what the scale.
Here is a video of a 3rd rail brass T1 duplex for O gauge. You are hearing QSI at its best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6JLcawmpG0
joseywales My proublem with the plastic body is light melting the plastic around them plus around the smoke unit too..Had a rossi big boy and the smoke unit melted the stack into an oval shape..I was raised around loinel trains from my grandpa..Boy if he was still alive he would drop with the new tech on the smoke and sound system in these trains today..I had MTH trains before.. like them better then lionals trains..What sound system is in the BLI duplex? I'm going to call QSI on the price on a DCC sound system..see if they make a small version setup for HO ..have the same sounds as MTH O version..
My proublem with the plastic body is light melting the plastic around them plus around the smoke unit too..Had a rossi big boy and the smoke unit melted the stack into an oval shape..I was raised around loinel trains from my grandpa..Boy if he was still alive he would drop with the new tech on the smoke and sound system in these trains today..I had MTH trains before.. like them better then lionals trains..What sound system is in the BLI duplex? I'm going to call QSI on the price on a DCC sound system..see if they make a small version setup for HO ..have the same sounds as MTH O version..
The paragon t1 has the QSI system whereas the blue line t1 has Broadways own sound system.
Here is a video of the paragon prr J1 2-10-4 with QSI sound. The paragon T1 sounds exactly the same as this video. (Personally, if you ask me, I think the QSI system on the Paragon wins hands down.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwXyLNw5qzQ
Here is a video of the Blue Line T1.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpC0bcttbgc
And here is MTH's O gauge T1 (with protosound2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdgRHPPhEhc&feature=PlayList&p=B9F7E316CB9DE228&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=30
rjake4454...The QSI sound on my T1 are very nice, however the blue line version is cabable of going at far faster speeds than the Paragon, and the Blue Line also has a better chuff sound, when the engine goes faster, the chuff follows, as soon the throttle is turned back ever so slightly the chuff returns to normal. Paragon doesn't have this, and thats disappointing as well....
My Paragon Duplex has the upgraded QSI chip, and it most definitely goes into drift sounds when I back off on the throttle. Also, with the Sound of Power and Regulated Throttle, you should get the chuff barking out when you apply throttle. Mine does.
-Crandell
joseywales Thats why I wasnt to thrilled about the BLI being ABS plastic body..If I'm going to spend 256-349 it better be all diecast.
Thats why I wasnt to thrilled about the BLI being ABS plastic body..If I'm going to spend 256-349 it better be all diecast.
Yes, I would have to agree.
I'm also somewhat disappointed with slow speed performance on my Paragon T1, it used to be good at first, but now it only starts at speed 4 or 5 (set from 1-28 on my prodigy advanced controller).
What impressed me about MTH's HO class j is infact the slow speed performance, it doesn't get any better than that. Its an all diecast engine with the best sound system available now in HO.
The QSI sound on my T1 are very nice, however the blue line version is cabable of going at far faster speeds than the Paragon, and the Blue Line also has a better chuff sound, when the engine goes faster, the chuff follows, as soon the throttle is turned back ever so slightly the chuff returns to normal. Paragon doesn't have this, and thats disappointing as well.
Anyway, overall though the BLI T1 duplex is a great engine, half of it is metal, its very heavy and I love it.
BLI should make a Paragon 2 brass hybrid T1 duplex.
The thing is I'm not a big fan of green accept lime green on the early 70's mopars..The train should be here I hope by fri or sat?..It's comming from FL by USPS first class priority medum weight mail..Hay Robert livinstion,Do you still have your Bowser duplex?..I like to see it.. Like to know what mods would work with mine..I know the guy told me it has one motor on it and it runs fine with it..Now If I remember some say I could install one bigger motor instead of having two motors? cant remember who said it..
Flynn Cuda, I think Nicholas Smith Trains has a couple T1's left. http://www.nicholassmithtrains.com/store/category/183/833/STEAM-LOCOS/page2.html As an aside, the T1 runs on an 18" curve but it's not pretty.
Cuda,
I think Nicholas Smith Trains has a couple T1's left. http://www.nicholassmithtrains.com/store/category/183/833/STEAM-LOCOS/page2.html
As an aside, the T1 runs on an 18" curve but it's not pretty.
I actually checked Nicholas Smith in person about two months ago looking for some of those blue lines, the person I talked to there said the website was wrong, that they were all of out stock.
Of course, they have the MTH O gauge version in stock. I look at it up on their wall about once a week
A friend of mine bought a Peterbuilt tractor and it had a large sleeper not a high top but a flat top. It was painted real close to DGLE almost black with just a hint of green. He was not into railroading and I showed him some pictures of GG1 and a couple E7 with the gold pinstripes. Two weeks later he showed up with the truck that had 5 gold pinstripes tapering from just behind the headlights that spread like the GG1 and E7. All the way to the back of the sleeper. He also had the roof painted a shiny red oxide that came down the sides about 3 inches. If he would have put a keystone on the side it would look typical Pennsy.
Tragically about six weeks after he was involved in a serious wreck that left him disabled and the truck was a total loss. He or I never had a chance to get pictures of the truck. He still has the train trumpets that never got put on.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Josey, you have a PM.
Thanks for the link on the Duplex, but no funds as of now.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
dont know how to post the link..its not letting me do it..http://www.historicrail.com/product_info.po?ID=16739
Ken, c'mon...we know you want one.
how much was the kit? If I do it in brunwik green it will have a high gloss to it..
Here's my Bowser T-1. I painted it solid Brunswick Green with a semi-gloss finish.
And here's what's under the boiler.
That's a Hobbytown universal between the motors. I replaced it with a universal from NWSL after that. It works way smoother than the flexible tube that came with the kit.
_________________________________________________________________
I've been playing with R/C nitro boats with my girlfriend and painting them..make them look fast and are fast..What year is your charger R/T? I still have my first car,68 Charger R/T prostreeted too...paint the train dark green?? I have to see when I get it this week..Time to get metal wash prep and some etch primer for it this week..I still think a black train with gold trim would look awsom.it comes with the super brass detial kit too..I could do it pittsburge steelers paint scheam???? Hay I was born and raised in PA..but now i'm in ohio...they run on 22"..that what it stated on bowser site..one site has them for 362.00..Hay we got this train for under 100.00..from what I was told it runs nice and clean with one motor..If I was going to spend over 200-300 in one shot?? I would by a used MTH S2 rail king .there selling for under 150.00 used..At times I dont have 300+ to blow at once.. So if I have 300 oralittle more invested in this train? I'll be happy with it..I rather have a diecast train then plastic fantaskic one..plastic melts around lights and smoke unit....
Viper Red Duplex, hum. I still have some from my Charger R/T! Funny thing about the train hobby, all my life was spent trying to make some thing old and ugly look new and fast! In this hobby old and slow is the way to go? Go figuer!
By the time the T1 was scrapped most had lost all their skirts. Please do not paint it black. DGLE was about five gallons of black to one gallon of hunter green. The top of the tender deck is freight car color (tuscan) and the cab roof is red oxide. DGLE should look black until the sun hits it to give it a hint of green.
There was a kit to transfer or change the two motor version to a single motor with drive shaft and universals. I think it was from NWSL but don't remember for sure. Converting to DCC and adding sound will take some work. Some Bowser tenders had no floor so you will have to make one. Newer Bowser DC71 motors are isolated from the frames but still draw a lot of power so you will need a decoder that can take up to 2 amps to be safe.
The prototypes had a slipping at speed problem that was never figured out. Some of the problems were engineers being disgruntled at the more powerful locomotives for taking jobs away from the helpers and feared that not double heading was taking jobs away. It is unofficial but some of the T1s were clocked at over 120 MPH pulling 14 to 16 cars on the flatland's. The recorder device in use at the time only went to 120 MPH. They regularly sped along at around 100 when times needed to be made up. High maintenance and diesels were their down fall.
Been doing autobody for 28+ years now.. The fun part is the painting..painting it white??LOL!! Ya black and dark colors show sins,dent ding and waves big time..We both know that..lol..It wouldnt look good in white anyways,,maybe a bright red???Back then they used lead as filling and man it would take gallons to hide those waves..lol.oh plus they were stick welded too=high hot heat=warpages.. If they had mig welders back they it wouldnt have had much waves to it...wonder way paint dulls quickly on those train.. lacqure paints require to much maintance..contence buffing to keep it glossy.plus if I remember wright they used harsh cemicals to wash the trains down with..Thanks for the pics,,I had that one too...The train is on its way...was sent out today!!!!!!!!!! By the way I must be doing somthing wrong.My pic I'd posted are dubbling on me..anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?
I was in Auto Body and paint for 25 years. Figures I finally get sick of cars and find a hobby where I am still sanding all the time!
I am a fan of the Duplex and hope to have one some day. I was close when Blue Line had them out, but I had on last 18 inch turn. It is gone now and so are the Duplex's. Here a photo you may like.
They should have paint the engine white! Look at the waves! (black shows more defect, white helps hide them)
All so
It will be done with automotive urethane paints.I I do autobody&paint work so this baby will be nice glossy finish on it..Like the first pic of the T1 from Baldwin loco plant..If the decial are to fragile,I'll get calli graphic to make me new and improve ones for it.. She does alot of R/C planes ,boats and cars decials...Once I get the decials on it ,I'll spray urethane clear coat on them and the train..
i'm still think going gloss black instead of green..Black and gold goes so well with eachother...I like all the PPR proto trains,like the S2 turbine S1 duplex Q1,Q2...I like the articuated trains..' mce_src=''>' mce_src=''>
Baldwin built the first two T1's with full skirts and a long nose, #6110 and 6111, in 1942. These two were followed by PRR-built 5500-5524, and Baldwin-built 5525-5549. The two groups were completed more or less at the same time, from November 1945 through August 1946.
The Q2 was the PRR's Duplex freight engine, but that was quite a different design with a 4-4-6-4 wheel arrangement, and smaller diameter (69") drivers. They were built during 1944, I think, before the bulk of the T1 fleet was built.The T1's lost their skirting and shrouding nearly as fast as they were delivered. Maintenance of the poppet valves was constant, so the valve gear covers on the sides of the cylinder housings were usually left off (impossible to simulate on the Bowser model, as it is a one-piece die casting). By looking at dated photos, you can trace the loss of shrouding through the years on individual engines. The general trend was that there was less and less. In the last years, when most of the T1's were in storage, the survivors were seen missing shrouding around the stack, which gave them a much rougher look.
joseywales how many T1 did baldwin loco made for PRR? I'd thought they keep one with the skirtting for passanger and took off/ditch the skirtting for the freight ones?
how many T1 did baldwin loco made for PRR? I'd thought they keep one with the skirtting for passanger and took off/ditch the skirtting for the freight ones?
I think it was actually for maintenance purposes. The early ones had the skirting, which covered up a lot of the pumps and mechanics, and the later ones had it removed to make maintenance easier.
Looks like you got one of the newer ones! The realistic color is DGLE (brunswick green), which is about 95% black with a hint of green. Spray that on, do the decals carefully (they're very fine and fragile), and give it a gloss clear laquer finish. It should look great when it's done!