Well I built up the nerve to start kitbashing the 2-8-0. I could not wait to see if any PRR conversion kits come out on the market. Plus I just bought a new digital camera, so pics of my conversion effort make for a good camera test. Still more to do but the relocation of the headlight, generator done. PRR round number plate and footboard added to smokebox front. Belpaire firebox added, still some touchup to do. Small amount of frame work added under cab. Tender received a rear light, side markers and steps. Looking for white decals but may settle for the gold decals that I have. Would also like to replace the front pilot steps with support rods? Still a nice running engine. ...Eddie
OUTSTANDING! It really has me thinking of doing one myself. How did you build the Belpaire firebox? Also, Is the front headlight still operable? Kudos! Russ Hoffman Valley RR
The headlight took some thought. Getting in off all in one piece took patience, same with generator located on boiler roof. Gentle pulling! I drilled a small hole in the bottom of the light casing (inside is hollow except for front plastic lense), drilled small hole on boiler roof inline with light inside. Then insert (glue lightly) 30 mil fiber optic line into light hole and run same down through roof hole till it touches the plastic light defecter inside. I may do some more work on the light to make it brighter? The belpaire firebox is a chopped off firebox from a TRIX K4 shell. I bought a box of shells and workbench parts a few years back at auction. The tender light and markers were also junk parts. The junk has had it's value many times. Tender steps were brass parts ( not sure why Bachmann didn't put steps on tender?) . The firebox still needs some edge filler work and painting to match current shell. Well still some fun workbench tasks to do. I'm also trying to finish my PRR S2 Turbine project. Old Bachmann 4-8-2 totaly bashed with tender trucks to make the 6-8-6 and madeup steam piping. Working on it for several months. All part of a plan to get most Pennsy steam from A to T. Got a T-1 in brass . Grand plan to build a yard layout with nothing but steam operations. Dream on! Current S2 tubine under construction..... .....Eddie
All I can say is awesome! I just might have to hack up my old Trix decapod shell and attempt one........first I must get up the nerve and patience to start hacking up my yet as new consolidation! Russ Hoffman Valley RR
I salute you my fellow N scale steam modeler!!! Do you happen to know of anyone that makes a standard style smokebox front, such as what's on the Kato Mikado? How about a flat front with oval door in the center? I've got a couple detailing projects to do... detail a Kato Mike into a C&O K1/2/3 with the pumps up front and light down low, and an old Atlas/Rivarossi 0-8-0 into a C&O C class yard switcher. Only thing I'll have to do to my Spectrum Consol is couplers and lettering.
That looks really good Eddie. The digital camera seems to be performing ok as well I suspect a lot of people will be converting these locomotives to other versions. (I may do one myself)! I can always invent an excuse to run a steam locomotive
Great job Eddie, It's good to see others bashing themseves a fleet from the limited steam offerings available. I'm in the middle of turning mine into NP G-2 class 0-8-0's myself. I just got my casting rubber from Micro-Mark to make some steam domes, and I have to move the headlight up like yours. I had to shorten the tender, and I added a coal pusher, and tender light so far. I'll post pics when I get done. I hear Model Power has contracted Ajin Precision to make some all metal pacific's. I just put my advance reservations in at BLW.
Thanks guys for the good comments. Makes the modeling effort worth the time spent. Still wishing Bachmann would have made the front dome removable? The back one is but it's in the correct place for PRR. I would love to move the front dome forward and put the bell between the domes. No such luck......would take far too much work to trim the front dome off the shell! "Ridgerunner" , the smokebox with pumps arrangement was on the Atlas 2-8-8-2 Mallet and looks close to the C&O K3. Not sure if Atlas has parts or shells. Pumps are easy to find on most steam shells. My smokebox doors (after cutting off centered light) are made from MT plastic wheels finely sanded down to make thinner and then place number plate over center axle point. 3 foot rule applies! I can find almost any part for a diesel but steam is few and far between. ...Eddie
I call that a brilliant smoke box cover. Wish I could do something like that for some of my HO...Wait a second, larger scale wheels from some of the junk christmas sets! You have possibly saved me a great deal of pain! Thanks!
Benny, Did you ever get that pilot steps/cow catcher for your I.H.C. ? And what exact boiler front/smoke box front you needing? I just may have it or can get one to save you some time, and a headache. And maybe even some money...
.......Also, nice job ob the Pennsy S2 6-8-6 Turbine! I'm not awhole lot on Pennsy but thats one nice loco you've bashed for yourself! Sadly i'm HO but still for N scale that is a sweet loco! Good work! What exactly did you use for the base to it? And what did you do to modify the existing basic loco you gegan the bash with? I wouldn't mind doing one in HO.
John - A man from Pa. not too keen on his home road? Aren't there laws against this? (Just kidding of course LOL) Alan - Why not a steam powered intermodal? Would look nice behind a set of mallets Russ Hoffman Valley RR
Sorry to be the baerer of bad news but before you go to compitition with that lovely S2 of yours, you'll need to relocate the forward turbine on the engineer's side you've got it located one drive to far back. The turbine gear box was located on the middle two axles. That being said, I wish it were me building that brute!
squirrelkinns, Oop's .... I see the turbine gear box location error, thanks. I was even looking at several photos to get it right!!? Still have much steam pipe work to do on fireman's side, so time to fix the engineer's side as well. Most of my time was spent getting the 3 axle trailing and pilot wheels to track correctly. I had to get just enough spring tension and sideways motion to keep the lead axle from lifting up on curves without lifting the drivers up off the rail. Also lots of work building clearance between the pilot and first drive wheel. I also added electric pickup on the trailing trucks, thin wire to allow movement plus small spring to put downward force on truck. I wouldn't have started the project if I hadn't seen the 3-axle tender trucks and had the old Bachmann 4-8-2. ..Eddie [ 14 January 2002: Message edited by: eddelozier ]
Yep Russ, A man from PA thats not into Pennsy! HA! I'm all the way Die Hard for the B&O! And the existing B&O lines, The family that all included in CSX before the Conrail/Norfolk Southern deal! In my entire collection, I have one lonely Pennsy diesel. An E-8 "A" unit. In the green (Brunswick Green???) and 5 yellow stripes! And I'm soon to change that! To the B&O Blue, Gray and Black with dulux gold pinstriping.... I do however like the Pennsy S2 turbine 6-8-6 and also the GG-1's. I have a few of the GG-1's so... But they will always be Pennsy and all so. I'll keep them factory and if nothing else paint them over, exactly how they are to be proto-typically. Also I got a Bowser T-1 "4-4-4-4" That I edited this post that I totally forgot about thats not completed as of yet. I got the running gear complete but I still have the body to work on... And its tender.... But anyway, It B&O'in for me..... [ 15 January 2002: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
Russ, About 10-15 years ago, UP ran a double stack train behind 3985. I think American President Lines paid for it to make a promotional video. There was a photo of it in Trains. Unfortunately, all my magazines are in storage right now so I can't look up the details. Dwight
Couldn't resist the request! (must slow down on testing my new camera) PRR steam powered intermodal behind a set of mallets 2-8-8-2's making the grade. PRR T-1 passing down hill with 6 heavy weights. Steam everywhere. ...........Eddie
I am jealous Eddie. You have a fine stable of PRR steam! John - Please keep us posted on your T1. I would love to see pics of it completed. Is that the brass one that I have seen in model railroader? Russ Hoffman Valley RR
Eddie, a cool intermodal train there I will have to get going on model kits for Truc Train vehicles and trailers! I have been gathering information, as you know. A surprising number of people ask me about 50's era intermodal items, and with more steam locomotives appearing in N scale, earlier stock will be needed for them to haul I now have received some good details, and drawings of the trailer photos you sent me.
