Your project is coming along really well. Out of interest, what model is that Sagami motor? I have some of the old MDC/roundhouse 2-8-0 kits to build myself and the stock motor they come with is pretty noisy. I'm looking for alternatives and suggestions, so any info you have would be much appreciated.
Hi, I agree that the older style motor makes more noise then the newer "Can" motor. After I milled the inside of the boiler to get more space I think the older style motor would have worked. I will check that to make sure one way or the other. If it works then someone that wanted to make a model such as mine could use the older motor if they could not find one of the "Can" motors. If they added DCC and Sound to one of the older motors they might not hear the motor noise. The "Can" motor I am using came with a later?? MDC (HOn3) 2-8-0 Inside Frame Kit that I bought off eBay. Someone had started the kit and didn't finish it. I bought it cheap. I have several other MDC kits that also came with that "Can" motor or one like it. The pictures shows the two different MDC Motors and the gears necessary to mate them with the chassis. You can see that the old style motor needs three gears and the newer Can motor only uses two gears. The worm gears on the motor shaft are also different. You need the set that comes with that Can motor to make it work. After having said all the above I think that NWSL makes or made a kit to re-gear the old style motor to a two gear setup. I have several of these re-gear kits and just tried to call David at NWSL about them. He is not in yet, time zone difference between me and him. I will call back later and ask about the gear kits and if they sell a "Can" motor that might work with them.
I was able to talk to David at NWSL this morning. He said they can supply all the gears etc that the old company had. You will need to tell him how many teeth the gears have so he can get you the correct worm gear. So what is new? K27 number two - or I might say #460 and friends. K27 Locomotives numbered 450, 451, 457, and 460 were still equipped with slide-valve cylinders when they were scrapped in 1939. K27 #460 also was one of the ones with the extended smokebox so this model should go fast. This cylinder type looks like the style that comes on the MDC 2-8-0 so I will use the stock cylinder arrangement.
The second K27 is moving a bit faster then the first one. I decided to go ahead and cut the front end of the boiler off tonight. The prototype distance from the center line of the stack forward to the front end of the boiler is 2.5 feet. That went easier then I thought it would. The length of the boiler to the end of the cab (30' 3") is correct with the prototype drawings for the number 460 K27.
I decided to go ahead and cut the front end off a boiler tonight to see how that would go. I did it to an extra boiler I have in case I messed it up. I didn't want to try this first with a boiler I had milled out. Cutting the front off the boiler went easier then I thought it would. The prototype distance from the center line of the stack forward to the front end of the boiler is 2.5 feet. The length of the boiler to the end of the cab (30' 3") is correct with the prototype drawings for the number 461 K27. I will mill out the inside of this boiler and it will be used on the my first K27. It is just sitting on the chassis for K27 number two. [/QUOTE]
GV, your thread is much more interesting than a "how to open a Blackstone box" thread :tb-biggrin: Definitely a cool way to get a K-27! Keep up the great work! I have one of the later model HOn3 2-8-0s. It has an open frame motor, but it is one of newer variety. I don't recall the proper name for it, but the practical difference is that the gap in the core isn't straight but diagonal. The result is performance on par with can motors...smooth performance at low speeds. This is the same motor used in the new Athearn/Horizon/Roundhouse 2-8-0s. Mine ran noisy because of the running gear, but with the main rod removed...it was marvelously smooth and quiet. Michael
I finished the boiler for K27 number 2 so that one has caught up with K27 number 1. I am installing one of my All-Trol Radio Control Systems in the Tender of each of my HOn3 Kit-Bash K27's. To give me room for the RC Receiver and my Battery it is necessary to modify the Tender. I had to cut open the top of the Tender and mill most of the metal used for weight on the Tender chassis. 1a. Before and after shots. Looking through the top of the Tender. 1b. Looking through the bottom of the Tender.
2. To make the Radio Control Receiver easier to install I organize the wires. The gray and orange wires go to the motor on the engine. The red and black wires go to the Battery and the white, yellow and blue are for the front and rear lights. The blue wire is the common wire for the lights. I will solder tiny connectors to all wires and use heat shrink on the ends of all wire. 2. Everything ready to go into the Tender. 3. Ready to connect the wires. 4. The different wires that go forward to the motor and the lights. 5. I will add small connectors to the ends of all wire, plug it together and this part is finished. Using the All-Trol Radio Control System makes installing Radio Control in your trains very easy.
Playing the "Hide the Battery" shell game: 7. I have several of these Bachmann Ballast Vehicles that I use for "donor" power units for On30 Rail Trucks. The "ballast loads" where saved along with the other parts not used - yet. 8. I wanted something to cover the battery and got one of these out to look at. It was a little long. My razor saw took care of that. 9. The inside was a little small. My "mill" removed the necessary extra metal. 10. Now the Team Lois Battery fits like it was made for it.
The modified "ballast shell" is a perfect fit and hides the Battery. 12. 13. With the weight removed from the chassis and then adding the weight of the modified ballast load, I got a Tender weight increase of 7 grams.
K27 number 450 had a Slope Back Tender. I don't think I have ever seen a Slope Back Tender made for sale in HOn3 so I decided to scratch build one. I started with this card stock pattern model. The Tenders in the background are in HO and S scale. The pattern model looks good and so I am going to build a Slope Back Tender like this model. If it turns out good enough I am thinking about using it as a "Mold Master" and cast some in resin. 1. 2. 3.
Did they retain the slope back tenders after they were converted to simples? Of course, they all lost them eventually...but I don't know when...and they were progressively rebuilt over a 20 year period to correct the many faults in Baldwin's design/construction. I've always liked the look of slope back tenders behind them, but I dislike vauclain compounds. Michael
Michael, According to Dennis O'Berry, in his "Mudhens" pictorial, conversion to simple began in 1907 and finished in 1916. #458 was the first. The pictorial shows that #450, converted in 1908, was still sporting the slope-back tender after the conversion as of 1910. After that all of the pictures are from the 1930's and they have all had the tenders replaced. It was interesting to re-read about all of the mechanical troubles they had with these units as the engineers never had the necessary training to deal with all of the "improvements" from the rebuilds (admission valves and valve gear, etc.) as well as the initial use of the Vauclain compound system. The units sent to the RGS were all listed as in "poor" condition with the running gear being broken and worn out. As such I get the picture that the issue was not necessarily with the Baldwin design but operator error.
Great work. I've recently got an old box with a Roundhouse C kit. But I'm curious about pick up problems. All wheels are brass. Is this usual? Wolfgang
Starting with an MDC (HOn3) 2-8-0 Tender I have Kit-Bashed a Slope Back Tender from it. The base dimensions of the stock Tender is about the exact dimensions of the Prototype Slope Back Tender from K27 #450. I have a little more work on the Tender but I am getting very close to having it finished. 4. 5. This morning I found 4 or 5 K27's with the Slope Back Tender's listed at Caboose Hobbies in their "consignment" section. This picture is of the Slope Back Tender used with a Westside Model Company K27 model #451. The Tender looks about as close to the MR Magazine drawings for the K27 #450 Slope Back Tender as I expect to find. I will use this picture to refine the details on my model.
The building part of my Slope Back Tender Kit-Bash is more or less finished. My plan is to send it off and have it used as a mold "Master" and cast a few resin models. When making the mold all the detail parts such as the air tank, back tender steps and all wire detail parts will come off. Those parts are attached in a temporary way so they are only stuck on or glued with a water base glue. The coal storage area is covered over to allow the Tender to be molded as a one piece model. That part will get cut out on most of the Tenders I make. The steps will get glued back on along with all wire, detail parts and a back light will be installed. 6. 7. 8.
GV - Looks great. How did you make the rivit details seen on the strips next to the steps? Many years ago I did a similar project with a Tyco 2-6-0 and scratchbuilt the tender for it. I used a compass point to emboss all of the rivits seen on the tender wrapper. It took hours! I recently found the tender in a box of stuff while moving things for my basement remodel. I've attached a picture of it. Many of the smaller details like the rear ladder, steps and taillight have broken off. I still haven't found the loco. :sad:
