Steam Engine Rosters

CCT70

Member
Hey Doc, I've said it before and I'll say it again... I LOVE that EGE 501 model. I don't know exactly what it is about that particular engine, but if you EVER decide to sell that engine, PLEASE let me know. I'd LOVE to give it a new home and run the wheels on that thing to the moon and back! The only change I would make is to letter it to my home road (the Class 1, not the shortline). That by far is my favorite steam locomotive, prototype OR model. There is just something about that engine... :thumb:
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
Thanks, Tom, but I'm not sure that it would run too far: some time ago, the drivers slipped out of quarter. I repaired it, but I almost never run it, as it's not a great puller (pancake motor), and it's also pretty large for my layout. When Bachmann first brought these out, they were the first affordable Northerns that I'd seen, and while they weren't available around here, I got mine from Hobbies For Men, in Beacon, New York. Other than the scratchbuilt cab and a few added details, the loco is pretty much as she came - I did remove the stack extender. The front end was redone, now that I think of it: new pilot, pump shields, headlight, Mars light, bell and markers. The tender, however, got a bit of a workin' over: after shortening it, I used part of a Tyco covered hopper to fashion a new bottom for the tank, then built the centipede bed frames from styrene, brass wire, and bits of Kadee coupler boxes for leaf springs. These were cemented over the modified original trucks, which I cut and spliced together, then shaved all the detail from, except for the journal boxes. The front tender truck is from an Athearn passenger car, I think. I also cut out the oil bunker and made an open coal bunker, for loose coal, and added some details to the tender deck.
Here's an older photo:
100_5555.JPG


And here's where the original pilot went:
GRN_NLE_26_2.JPG


Wayne
 

CCT70

Member
Ok then, *IF* I ever got my hands on her, I'd probably have to re-power her with a Bowser (or is it English Model RR supply now??) re-power kit. I think it'd be worth it still.

Now that I think about it, I did buy a Bachmann 4-8-4 in the UP Overland Scheme with Vanderbilt tender to try a similar rebuild to yours, and figured I'd modify one of the spare Monogram Big Boy Centipede tenders I have in the parts box for it. Alas, it is sitting on the work bench, still. When I got it it had a damaged front pilot (which was ok, since I planned to change the pilot out anyway), but the drivers also suffered from the very same "Bachmann Driver Disease". I re-quartered them the best I could and CA'd them and cleaned and lubed it really well, and even for an old Bachmann pancake motor, she still runs pretty well actually, but doesn't pull much. So, I figured on getting one of the Bowser kits to re-power it. So, in retrospect, I would still love to aquire EGE 501, but I do have one to build if you decided to keep it. Can you by chance recall some of the part #'s you used to build it? Mainly the pilot and headlight and MARS light castings?
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
All of the commercial parts are by Cal-Scale.

GSC pilot - #298
Loco radiator - #226
C&NW-style headlight bracket - #279
Pyle headlight with visor - #201
Twin Mars light - #263
Angle bracket front-mount bell - #299
Class lights - #280
Nathan top-feed check valve - #251

Wayne
 

CRed

Member
I'm actually in the process of changing back to the late steam era right now and am selling off my modern diesel roster.As far as what I like?A lot.I like big steam so I have purchased a BLI SP Cab Forward and a PCM N&W Y6b so far.I'm not really into the eastern roads,but for $225 I couldn't resist and I don't know if you can have a steam collection without one of the N&W's famous steamers.My next steam engine will be a smaller one like a GN S2,UP FEF ,AT&SF 2-10-2,4-8-4 or something like that although the Blueline Big Boy looks good.

Chris

Chris
 

nkp174

Active Member
That GN S2 looks beautiful and rather unique. There are enough UP locomotives out their that I'd definitely go after the S2 first...and maybe pick up a UP engine later.
 

CCT70

Member
Say hi to John Fogerty from me. :p ;)

Wayne

Will do!

Funny you mention that anyway, I went to school in nearby Lodi and trust me, if you've ever been to Lodi at least once, you'll somehow manage to get stuck in town. I have. One time I missed the bus, another, my car broke down there. Lodians will tell you its the curse of that song. sign1
 

pgandw

Active Member
Those of you who model in the steam era. Did you consciously build a roster to have a diverse variety of locomotives, to represent a cross section of the railroad you model, or just buy ones that looked cool and were available at the time? :mrgreen:

I ask because, as you know, its difficult for steam modelers to get specific types of locos even if you go the brass route. :confused:

I've done a little of both. Also, the era for my free-lanced Oregon short line has shifted from 1920s back to 1900. The narrow gauge line (also set 1900) is a new addition to my vision. As a result, the typical Mantua/Roundhouse (before the Old Timer series) steam (what was available when I started) no longer fits very well.

But I just had to have an AHM/Rivarossi Heisler shortly after they were introduced in the '70s. It was a Christmas present. Never mind that it's an oversize model, and way too modern. It was the first non-brass geared loco available, and I had to have it.:mrgreen:

Most of the rest has been planned. My Roundhouse box cab diesel was converted to a Climax when the structure kit came out to better match my era. I bought a Model Power Baldwin 2-8-0 that is beautiful to look at. When I put it on a new chassis, it will probably be my primary freight power. I do have a Tyco 4-8-0 kit - no idea why I bought it - that might just work as a chassis donor.

Likewise, a Tyco General kit will get a new boiler (either Cary Pittsburg or a rumored resin more accurate General boiler), and become the primary, if aging, passenger power.

Either the Climax, a Roundhouse Shay, or a Keystone Shay will become the grade conqueror to haul the freight up to the narrow gauge interchange. I guess I'm a sucker for geared lokies.:mrgreen:

On the narrow gauge side, I have a Kidder 0-4-0T, a Keystone Shay, and a Roundhouse inside frame 2-8-0. The latter doesn't make much sense until/unless I figure out to get more than a shelf switcher for HOn3 track. If I do get a continuous HOn3 run, then a 4-4-0 as an FED rebuild, or a new MMI would be in order for passenger and other duty.

Given that I have a 10.5ft x 10ft space for my new layout (aisles, window access, and modeling bench have to fit in the space too), 3-5 narrow gauge and the same number of standard gauge locomotives are probably all I need and should have.

An enjoyable thread.
 

spitfire

Active Member
Hey, Val, I haven't forgotten your request. ;) However, the CNR had a lot of Mikados with open cabs, especially in the various sub-classes of S-3s, which were USRA locos or USRA copies.

Wayne, I know that both CN and CP did have open cabs, but from photo's I've seen in books like Ian Wilson's excellent series, the vast majority were the vestibule type. I can certainly justify leaving some open, but I still would like to mirror the prototype, by having open cabs in the minority.

You may remember that I bought a Miniatures by Eric vestibule cab casting when we did our "steelfan" tour. I'm hoping to be able to make that fit one of the BLI Mikes that I have.

When you say build over the existing cab, what do you mean? I was planning on replacing the exisitng cab, using the forward wall as a template for the replacement part so that it sits snug against the boiler. If this works, I'm in business as MBE makes several CN and CP vestibule cabs. :)

Val
 

nkp174

Active Member
The narrow gauge line (also set 1900) is a new addition to my vision.

On the narrow gauge side, I have a Kidder 0-4-0T, a Keystone Shay, and a Roundhouse inside frame 2-8-0. The latter doesn't make much sense until/unless I figure out to get more than a shelf switcher for HOn3 track. If I do get a continuous HOn3 run, then a 4-4-0 as an FED rebuild, or a new MMI would be in order for passenger and other duty.

Given that I have a 10.5ft x 10ft space for my new layout (aisles, window access, and modeling bench have to fit in the space too), 3-5 narrow gauge and the same number of standard gauge locomotives are probably all I need and should have.

An enjoyable thread.

Look forward to hearing more/seeing some of your railroad...especially the narrow gauge side.

EDIT: Val, I can recall seeing some fine scratch building on your part for structures. I'd love to see you try your hand at the cabs on your locomotives. You have the skill.
 

doctorwayne

Active Member
You may remember that I bought a Miniatures by Eric vestibule cab casting when we did our "steelfan" tour. I'm hoping to be able to make that fit one of the BLI Mikes that I have.

When you say build over the existing cab, what do you mean? I was planning on replacing the exisitng cab, using the forward wall as a template for the replacement part so that it sits snug against the boiler. If this works, I'm in business as MBE makes several CN and CP vestibule cabs. :)

Val

That vestibule cab should be pretty easy to make fit the BLI Mike. If you're not in a rush...... ;)
Sometimes, you need to remove material from either the front of the cab or the rear of the boiler, while other situations require filling or covering gaps.
To build over the existing cab (I doubt that the MBE one is suitable for this) you need to remove all protruding detail from the existing cab's sides. I usually try to use the existing roof, so the main parts that you need to scratchbuild are the two sides, and the rear of the cab. Make one side to match the dimensions of either your prototype or your model, then copy it for the second side. Cut out the window and door openings, then hold each side, in turn, over the existing cab. Mark the openings in the new cab onto the sides of the old cab, then use whatever means necessary to carve away any part of the original cab that's within the marks. It's a good idea to cut these openings even wider, as it will allow you to laminate door and window frame detail onto the back faces of the new sides. Once everything lines up, you can then measure for the cab's back wall, sized so it fits between the two new sidewalls. I prefer to use styrene for any of this work - .010" or .015" will be plenty heavy enough, as what's left of the original cab will provide the strength. If you require rivet detail on the cab sides, use .010", with an overlay of .005" embossed with the rivets. If you have to make a new roof, try to form the curve before installation, rather than during. I've heard that immersion in hot water while the plastic is held in place on a former works well.
If you're going to use a MBE or other cab, usually the biggest problem is not getting a proper fit, but finding a way to mount it securely.
This plastic cab from Kemtron was epoxied into place on this old John English Pacific; luckily, the boiler diameter was very close to the opening moulded in the new cab. In the area above the short steps, at the lower front of the cab, you can see the different colour on the boiler, right above the walkway. This short piece is actually a piece of the new cab front, moulded on to make it easier for the modeller to match the sloped cab front to a straight cut boiler.
2007-01-10_211.jpg


This one is the same Kemtron cab, in brass. Rather than screw around too much trying to get a good fit, I simply used a cut-off disc in my Dremel to slice a slot through the sides and top of the firebox.
Train_Brain_238.jpg


The newly assembled cab was then soldered in place, although I had to make up brass brackets to span from the existing floor to the new sides, and from the top of the firebox to the front wall. This cab is a very close match to that used on the prototype CNR T-3-a, which is what this old Akane is destined to become.
Train_Brain_239.jpg


This one is being built for my good friend Mister Nutbar - when I finally get it done, I'll be posting a series of photos showing the various stages of completion, but it certainly won't be a "how to". ;):-D

Wayne
 

CRed

Member
That GN S2 looks beautiful and rather unique. There are enough UP locomotives out their that I'd definitely go after the S2 first...and maybe pick up a UP engine later.

Well,that was my thinking also which is why I have the Cab forward and Y6b and not a Big Boy although I'd still like one and an FEF.

I was actually saving up for the GN S2 when I came across the Y6b and couldn't pass it up,but I really want one so it may be my next purchase after I sell my diesels.

Chris
 
Top