THE TENWHEELER IS HERE EVERYBODY! more pix are on page 2, here are instructions for how to make it: Hey everybody. I intend on using this thread to show some of my kitbashing ideas to the world. Got a Bachmann connie and MP vandy tender lying around? or a Model Power mogul that you want M-classed? Or do the new Bachmann 4-6-0 the SP way? Here's what you can do with 'em: Make an SP (or SD&AE) C-8, C-9, C-10, C-31, T-58 or T-31 (YES, A TENWHEELER FROM A CONSOLIDATION. LEAD TO GOLD! I CALL IT "N SCALE ALCHEMY"!) 2-8-0: This is fairly straightforward with only minimal changes to running gear, w/ the chassis left intact. start by removing the original sand dome and file a filler styrene piece flush with the boiler. Then sand off the original sandlines. Next, use another bachmann 2-8-0 steam dome (avaliable for $2 @ bachmann's online catalog) and file the inside for flush mounting where the bell originally was, but you may need to trim the metal frame nubs sticking up with 2 wires where the original steam dome was with a needle file. Drill a tiny hole for the bell on the styrene filler piece and add new sand lines. This will take care of the dome arrangement in SP connies. Next, remove the walschaerts valve gear so that only the main and connecting rod are left. Why? This is a way for me to reseamble having the stephenson valve gear. Then, use a styrene tube of the same diameter of the stack to extend it to a prototypical height, just taller than the lead dome. next, replace the stock headlight with a lowered Pyle national headlight (with visor) a bit below the boiler centerline ( made the pyle light by cutting and filing the stock light) , a significant spotting feature. paint the smokebox fron bright silver and add train indicator boards (I scratchbuilt them but they're available from Detail's associates) Then replace the front ladders with SP-style steps and smokebox support beams and add sp "wraparound" smokebox grabirons, also scratchbuilt. For a vandy tender, use a Model power Vanderbilt tender with Bachmann 2-8-0 tender trucks. I soldered wire leads from the front truck to the back truck, allowing for flawless all wheel pickup, plus they will pass for water or steam lines under the tender. Underside shot of tender is under attatchments 4-6-0( Here at last!!!): For an SP tenwheeler ( I'll use SP T-31 #2353 as an example, do all of the above first EXCEPT FOR VALVE GEAR REMOVAL!!! DONT DO THAT!!!!! Next, cut the siderods short @ the 2nd drive wheel, drill new holes for crankpins, and remove the first set of drivers. (You can drill a new hole in the siderod to use the crank pin from the first set of drivers that were removed.) Then use a dremel tool to carve out an opening where the first drivers were to make room for a 4-wheel pony truck (a bachmann heavy mountain pilot truck, also available in the parts catalog, modified with a widened wheelbase) Now you must devise a way to attatch the swivel arm of the truck to the chassis, the swivel of the pilot truck arm may reach back to a frame screw sticking up from the bottom of the chassis in front of the second set of drivers(now the first set) so if you can, hook it there like i did with a longer screw to provide a pivot point). Then, make a solid road pilot(optional, the footboard pilot would also suffice for 2362, 2360, and 2357) and your Heavy 4-6-0 will be complete! Now, if you want to model 2353's specific tender, replace the tender trucks with those from Bachmann's light mountain for they more closely reseamble the tender's almost alco-diesel-diesel-looking trucks, and move the running boards to OVER the tender lettering and you're ready to pull harriman cars on the SD&AE just like in the old days! Or use it as a tourist or museum locomotive on your modern layout! see pictures below for additional pictures for the 2-8-0 tender and side details. More pix of the 4-6-0 are on page 2. Enjoy!
Now for my idea for the Bachmann 4-6-0 coming out. I plan on making an SD&AE T-58. If you think the tender is too big for this engine, which I've heard a lot, cutting off the coal load and adding a short flat oil bunker helps. This will be a really simple bash: lowered Pyle headlight, Bachmann 2-8-0 cab, shorter stack, moved bell, train indicator boards, etc. Simple SP stuff. If you Don't model the SD&AE ( which that's a 99.999999999999999999999999999999999999% chance you don't) then you can maybe make a T-1 or something with an MP vandy tender! The possibilities are endless! And using Windows Paint ( under accessories) is a great digital kitbashing tool! If anyone wants more info, wants to try one of my bashes, or would like to see me draw up a digital kitbash for an SP steamer not listed here, feel free to reply!
Welcome to TrainBoard SD&AE modeler! That's some interesting stuff you're doing! I want to invite you to share this in the N Scale Steamers TrainBoard group as well.
Continuing in my endeavors in N scale, if you want an sp steamer but are afraid to get your hands dirty or if you want the easiest SP-type bash possible, here's instructions for making an SD&AE C-31. The bachmann model is nearly identical to it: Modify the stack to replicate a Roseville smoke deflector, basically a half stack with a hinged elbow. Next, relocate the bell to in front of the stack. Build the above mentioned SP steps and smokebox brackets and tack on a Vandy tender (see above, or for a post 1952 version build a whaleback tender) and you're done! plain and simple. BTW, a silver smokebox front, lowered pyle light with visor and red paint on injector pumps really give it that sp look!!!
If you don't already have these, I think its time to get one: SOUTHERN PACIFIC T-31 4-6-0 RAILROAD DRAWINGS I had to wait about 20 years to track down the Lima drawings for my pet 2-6-0 project from the California State Rail Museum, and some of the things I'd guessed and eyeballed on from photos were way, way, way off. So anytime you can work from the right dimensions, you should take advantage of it.
I've seen those t-31 drawings before. They sell them at the Campo railroad museum. I'll be going down there sometime this year and will pick one up there. ( I can't buy it online right now...I'm visiting relatives and don't have my mom or her credit card with me:tb-biggrin::tb-biggrin
I'm just getting started... Here is another simple bash: a Southern Pacific M-class 2-6-0 made from a Model Power SP mogul. On a prototype note, the SD&AE's lakeside branch used SP mogul #1629. First, you may want to modify the tender axle wiper pickup scheme. I would use bachmann 2-8-0 tender trucks with all wheel pickup with my own soldered connections to the wires in the drawbar which run inside the tender itself. Next, add a lowered pyle headlight with a visor, add a visor to the hender light, make 1 large window on the cabsides with a sunshade, wraparound smokebox fron grabirons, new marker lamps (optional, you could also repaint the existing markers molded on the smokebox front. These would have to be filed flush with the smokebox front to remove) and train indicator boards and That's it! keep coming back to this thread and don't be shy to reply! I'm always adding more!
OK, what's next? How about a bash for the athearn old-time 2-8-0. Let's make this steamer into a modernized model of San Diego & Arizona Eastern C-30 #50. I ALREADY HAVE BUILT THIS ENGINE AND WILL POST PICTURES ONCE I CAN. So here it is: This engine was built new for the SD&AE in 19-- (I subconsciously skim through my copy of Robert Hanft's San Diego & Arizona: The Impossible Railroad, flipping to the engine roster page to find a date...) --built in 1911 and used until 1950, so it can span any time period within that large range for branchline power. This is a fairly straight forward bash; do the dome & bell switcheroo (like in the spectrum 2-8-0 mod above, but in reverse so that it's arrangement from front to back is bell-dome-dome, not dome-bell-dome), add the auxilary dome, injector pumps, air compressor, and generator from a "scrapped" spectrum 2-8-0, the sunbeam-ish light from an equally derelict Model power mogul, scratchbuild train indicator boards, shorten the smokebox by half, and build an oil bunker in the tender to match the photo and there ya go. The fun just won't stop! BTW I'll add the promised photos of the #50 that I built ASAP, which under current circumstances is probably next week!!! Check this thread often! there's always more to come!
That's some outstanding modeling right there, and in N scale at that! I love those Athearn 2-8-0s and 2-6-0s. I have a few of the Model Power Moguls and American Standards on the roster as well. I have long wanted to get my hands on a MK-10 so I could give modeling a Mississippi Central 140 class Mikado a shot.
Well, if you can't get a hold of it, why not bash a kato mike? I ran one in a hobby shop and it blew my mind! If you have a computer that runs on windows, you can "digital kitbash" like I do before any big engine project: find a side view of the model engine you want to bash with a plain white background. Open it with Accessories "Paint" program , box the engine and make a copy of it and paste the copy of the engine next to it like in the above pictures, and use different drawing tools to see what you can do to modify it!
Here's an Idea for ya, an SP E-23 4-4-0. The San Diego & Arizona Eastern never had one, but I'm always game to respond to other people's posts with more kitbashes! Everything that needs to be done is described in this picture:
NOBODY MOVE! N SCALE TENWHEELER KITBASH COMING VERY SOON! I just ordered the stuff to model SP t-31 #2353 from a bachmann 2-8-0! I should get the items I ordered in less than a week and finish the project in about another week after that!! See the first post in this thread to see the details and kitbashing diagram for a T-31!
Wow Tom that's really cool looking kitbash job, and the pictures make it all come to light. Keep it up I want to see that 10 wheeler:thumbs_up: Glen
Here's another tenwheeler Idea: an SD&AE T-57 #20 (or maybe an SP T-28 for you non san diego modelers) from a MODEL POWER 2-6-0. The only engine parts you need are a pyle headlight with visor, a bachmann heavy 4-8-2 4-wheel pilot truck, styrene sunshades and number boards, and some metal to fill in the part of the chassis you extend to make room for the extra pilot wheel. The blue vertical lines are added to show that the boiler shell itself is not lengthened, just the stack, cylinder block, and pilot move forward. Here it is:
Here are more pictures of my new SP T-31 4-6-0 #2353 that I built from a bachmann 2-8-0! Here's the real thing @ Campo ( Miller creek actually)
Nice steamers! Where did you get the SD&AE decals? I need to get some for a loco. We should ask wheel of time to do the passenger cars for us!!
The SD&AE decals are just Microscale HO 4" roman condensed alphabet lettering, applied 1 letter at a time (a real pain in the rear, but do-able) and 6" on the cab, 8" on the back of the tender. BTW a wheels of time Harriman COMBINE for SD&AE #174 (70') & #175 (60') would be great, too!
Here's a new picture of 2353. my first attempt at smoke effects, too! Is anybody interested in building any of these engines? If so, send me a message and I can get you more info on how to make it!
Yes, Could you provide up close shots for the shortened tender on the SDA&E#20? I like how you did this!!! I have been wondering but not adventurous enough to try this to make the thender for the UP #423.
