Hey guys, I remember someone asking to see my Western Maryland M-2 4-6-64 Challenger. Who wanted to see it? Let me know, and if anyone else wants to get a good look at it let me know at my e-mail address: yellowstone10@hotmail.com And I will e-mail a picture of it or as many as I have avalible to send being I just the first few pictures of it online. And also if someone can help me understand how to post it on the board will be appreciated for doing so, or even if I e-mail it to someone if they can post it for me! When everyone gets to see it let me know what you all think!
I'd love to see it if you can get it posted. I have been quite interested to see your work since I joined the Board. Must see a fellow Rivarossi fans work!!! By the way, in the steam section I posted some more EM1 photos---one in color, but it's freight--the others are passenger stuff.
bnsf, How do I post pictures on the board ???? I don't know how to do this. I don't have the pictures with a site like photo point or anyone I just have them that I can send them VIA e-mail to anyone who wants to see... I'm not computer illiterate or anything just never done any picture posting thats all so I have to learn how sometime or other....
web page This is the Western Maryland M-2 Challenger. Just click on the link and you'll get to see it! I hope this works for everyone! [ 16 June 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
EM-1 guys not the greaest one but the EM-1 in B&O paint. Let me know if the link works for it. I'm still learning how to post pictures so..... HE! I'll get the hang of it sooner or latter....EM-1 here [ 16 June 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
This may be a better picture of my EM-1.... Better EM-1 Picture [ 16 June 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
Thanks for posting the pics.. They look pretty good. I was interested in seeing how you had designed things. Great Job!!! Look forward for more from you.
bnsf, The EM-1 is close for now being I modeled that at young age I didn't really notice things as much as I do today. The domes aren't right and the wheels aren't the correct size for the EM-1. where the big boys had 69 inch drivers the EM-1's had 64 inch drivers. The domes should be round and blunt on top no square and flat. I have some reworking to do on that loco. Its the EM-1 #7600 I talked about. As for the Western Maryland Challenger, Thats as close as it gets! The only not scaled out part of the Challenger is the fact that the Western Maryland had "all weather" cabs on their Challengers and on my model being its an old AHM/Rivarossi The motor sticks out the back and prohibitted me from modeling the "all weather" cab. So I ommitted that part from the model being at the time I had no other choice till I got it done. Once I get what I need to repower it and get the motor in the boiler somehow, being theirs not alot of room inside the boiler to really put a motor, I will have to machine out the lead somewhat to fit a new motor in it. Then I can go and finish the job on the all weather cab. The first priority is doing the EM-1 though, the Challenger is good enough for me for awhile to run at the shows and display.....The EM-1 is no where near good enough yet, even though I did customize the front of the boiler on the EM-1 and I totally retooled the pilot in the front. Its got a EM-1 boiler front made from brass that I had a friend machine out for me at the time and I built the pilot. So that is done and its correct but the domes are way out of scale to be correct, so they are the next things I plan to try to retool onto the boiler to make it correct. So I have alittle work to do yet........ But it will get done, HA!
Man, that's alot of work! I am just happy if I can get the whole train to stay connected for a couple of runs around the track!!! Hopefully, one day I will get up enough skill and courage to do reworking like you have done. When you get done make sure you post before and after pics. I have to see the finished product. That Challenger sure looks nice! Very impressive. By the way, I got some hear-say about the Riv Allegheny price---looking at about $485. So I guess we can take about 30% off of that when we pay up? I hope!
bnsf, I have a lot of work in every steam or diesel I build or customize! If I have the right materials for a diesel I can pump like 2 diesels every other day out of the shop to its owner or put it on my display case if it belongs to me! Thats fully detailed and painted to a finished model. Steam loco's are a way different story some might take a week some maybe even a month! But a months worth of work is the best to do the job right on steam engines being they varied from one steamer to another of the same class they were never completely the same, and sometimes hard to match up to what the real one was. Like my EM-1 as it is on those pictures, the domes on top the boiler are very apperent that they are UP Big Boy domes compared to the EM-1 pictures you posted look at them, and you'll see exactly what i'm talking about the domes on the Em-1's in reality had rounded and blunt domes, not square flat tops but round on the corners like the big boys had! I am going to make some more detail parts for both the Challenger and the EM-1 I customized that are not made by anyone to give its own personallity like their proto-type loco's had, and for the parts that all had on the proto0-types I will buy and install on the loco's, in due time. Bowsers super detailing kits will be handy for the detailing part of that customization, but still their will some parts that i'll have to make myself to do it right! The way I do this type thing is take and rough in the basic loco like you see now were its good enough to be run and all but in time i'll collect detail parts and go back and super detail it till its completely done, that way its not the big wait and all the edgyness of running it right away to keep from getting anxious to run it... Well being its roughed in enough I can run it and be happy with it till I get the rest of the detailing parts needed so the wait isn't as long and the anxiaty doesn't build till I bust! To do a steam loco acurate is something to do... A regular job! It takes alot of time and alot of money if your willing to sink a few dollars into one! Which I have done! I got my Challenger for $125, and already have like an extra $100 in it to customize it to what you seen on the picture link I posted. As for the Rivarossi Allegheny, I hope it is alittle cheaper to buy when it gets here! Hopefully Walthers runs a sale on it for the first time in the US when they get it, like a promotion for it, I may have enough saved to get one if not they'll be around awhile! So... I do like Rivarossi and they have some of the nicest articulated steamers I think. Specially for the money. And the train shows you can pick up one or 2 for the price of one brand new one most times. I bought my Challenger from a personal owner from Seatle Washington from an online friend that sold his HO scale trians to get into O scale, so I got into buying most of it from him. And for what he wanted for the Challenger I couldn't go wrong for $125! But I bought it just to do what you seen what I did to it. It was originally a UP Challenger numbered 3777, with the smoke deflectors and "Centapede" tender. But I changed all that and replaced the tender with a Bershire tender made by Rivarossi for the Western Maryland tender it needed. And being it dates to be a 1972 model of AHM/Rivarossi model it runs like new and has the original motor and head light in it till this day.... It was very well taken care of! The Big Boy I really got for a stealing price of $50. So it didn't bother me what shape it was in I bought it from a fellow model railroad from the club i'm a member of that pasted away like 6 months latter. He never got to see it as it is now.... But he knew what I had planed for it, He took care of it and all but it has alittle motor trouble it get warm and slows down but being it dates to be made in 1960, I guess its allowed to! So....... One day it will get remotored with flywheels and all when I find a motor for in it that i'm happy with....... till then it gets run but not as much as the rest do......
Thanks for explaining further about what your approach is to detailing your steamers. I believe that one day I will get as detailed about my stuff. I can get pretty picky about detail---even if nobody else sees the inaccuracy I know its there and that will bother me. For years I specialized in military modeling and became good at the craft. The weathering part was what I loved the most and I got alot of kudos about my technique, so now the challenge is transfer that technique to HO steamers. I will have to make some adjustments because the types of weathering and the degree to which it shows are different from military stuff. I will have to purchase some cheap stuff first and work out the technique before I go messing with my RIVS!!!!! I look forward to enjoying the hobby in the same way you seem to. By the way, the Riv webpage has the Alleghenys on it now.
bnsf, Technique is the most important thing. You will get a better job and better looks depending on how to go about doing the work and how much time you plan to spend at one time to do it. This all is the basic idea of the model customization process. Once you get your differences figured out between military modeling and model railroad its all home free from that point! Thats about the time you'll be having lots of fun and maybe even some head scratchin to do thinking of different things to do or change in ways of doing things or modeling things.... Belive me i've done alot of head scratchin at times to think of other things i could do or have done .....Many, many, many times i've done this and after awhile you'll start to catch on and then its fun time and you'll look at first and have 3 loco's and some cars done, not realizing the time that past and look again and their sets like 40 loco's or cars done and actulaay only took like a month or so to do.. if you have the parts on hand at your finger tips....... I'm headed out of the board here and right over to the Riv site i have to see the Allegheny! HA!
Heres some more pictures of the same loco's in different possitions.... The front of the Western Maryland Challenger....WM Challenger And another picture of 3 together the EM-1 is in the back, the Challenger, is in the middle and the EL-5 is first... EM-1, M-2, EL-5 Lineup If they both open let me know what ya think of the small collection that I got pictures of... All are Rivarossi loco's... Theirs more where these came from though!!!!! HA! [ 20 June 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
Now I am kicking myself for not getting more stuff from Modelexpo when they had their final sale. A 2-8-8-2 would have been nice, but I really wish that I had gotten a SP Cabforward for the price they were asking. Hindsight is always 20/20 I guess. I wasn't modeling NW, SP or BO at that point and didn't think I could make them fit on the layout correctly, but after seeing yours I am quite sad indeed. At least I got my FEF, Challenger, and Bigboy before they closed the Riv stuff. I am already thinking about how I am going to deal with the Allegheny. I was able to get a P2K Y3 new for $100 but it was in VGN livery. I wanted an ATSF because I model ATSF and UP from the 50s to modern times, but couldn't find one at a price like that. For $100 I couldn't care less about the RR--if you know what I mean. Riv is not going to release a VGN version of the Allegheny (officially known as the Blueridge) and I don't want to add a different RR to my set. I guess I will have to figure out how to change the thing to VGN livery after I get the thing. I just hate messing with good stuff!! Either that or I will have to find a way to make my Y3 into a CO loco. I think that will be harder than making the CO into a VGN. Those CO Y3s don't anything like the VGN ones to my eyes. Well maybe I will learn a few things from you and your photos along the way that will help me get the results I want. I am really impressed with what you have done with your RIVS!!!! That WM is just awesome!!! Now if we could just get P2K to make a 2-6-6-4 I would scrap the western theme and work out an eastern section to the layout. Time will tell. [ 20 June 2001: Message edited by: bnsf4354 ]
Hey EM1: How do you go about removing decals from the RIVS? If I am going to convert the Allegheny to a VGN Blue Ridge I am going to have to remove the numbering on the cab and the road name on the tender. Actually I guess these are painted on! How did you get yours off to make the Western Maryland? Any suggestions?
BNSF, To remove the lettering and I mean all of it till the loco is completely flat black which the loco is molded in black plastic so don't try to remove any of the black that you may think is paint because its not! The only paint on it is the lettering!!!! Get a bottle of ELO (Easy Lift Off) from polly S and use a q-tip and apply some to the lettering and numbers. Don't worry about the black coming off being thats never going to happen, but anyway let it start to make the paint runny on the body. Then take a paper towel or the other end of the q-yip and gently rub on the lettering keep that up till all the lettering comes off...... I do this and then disassemble the whole loco and repaint the whole thing black to get rid of that "New" shine that will destroy a picture of it, and them decal it to what ever I want. I can do both your loco's in about 3 weeks to do the job properly and accurately. 3 weeks, and you'd have a brand new loco.. Its hard to believe that my EM-1 (ex UP Big Boy) was made in 1960, and the Western Maryland Challenger was mande in 1972!! They look new huh?? It took me awhile to do the EM-1 being I was like 14 or 15 when I done it!! I never touched it since, but to run it. But being I didn't have the right information when I did it i'm going to redo it once again....CORRECTLY! The Challenger as you see it in the picture is only 3 weeks to a month old I just done that one. It was UP with "Elephant Ears" smoke deflectors, and had the "Centapede" tender which I replaced with a Rivarossi Berkshire tender. The UP number for the Challenger was #3777 on the cab. The Ex Big Boy has an Ex N&W Y6b Tender on it. If you noticed I do my customizations and keep everything the same brand name. Say my Rivs, and after Customization they are 100% Rivarossi I don't like to mix and match, specially the Rivarossi stuff...... Besides Rivarossi tenders are some of the most detailed tenders i've ever worked one or owned!!!! At the moment I have, in progress to do up a Athearn SD-45 in CSX, a Rivarossi 2-8-8-2 Y6b thats going to be something that I haven't decided on probably a EE-2 B&O, and also a GP-38 thats a Life-Like El Cheapo thats going to look like their P2K's Diesels. I'm in the looks for parts of an older AHM/Rivarossi 2-8-8-2 or an old AHM 2-8-8-0 to get the parts I need for my 2-8-8-2 that i'm customizing. It don't have to run but I need the one top gear box in it, and one bottom gear box in it as well as a few body detail pieces and i'm set to make it run..... My Grandfather had given me that loco and I want to restore it to running condition and customizing it to what he engineered in... He was an Engineer for the B&O and ran the EE-2's #7316, and #7317. Also one of the B&O's big guys a EM-1 #7603, and a EL-5 #7156. So I guess I can thank him for the railroad blood born in my veins! HA! But I love the hobby..... [ 22 June 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
BNSF, Also I forgot to mention..... THANKS for the compliments on my Challenger. That gives me just the more of reasons to up another one. Not saying another Challenger or something just a steamer in general any of them wether its B&O or Western Maryland It just gives me that boost to do up another....THANKS! Whats that called?????....Ummmm........Enthuiasum correct??? I don't know if thats spelled right.....But THANKS!
By the way, did you know that Rivarossi made a grey Big Boy? The whole body is grey and the smokebox is black. I have only seen one and it is sitting in my hobby shop's display. I trust the owner and he said that it came from the factory that way. I have never seen anything like that before---Have you heard of such a version from RIV?
