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 Posted - June 23 2012 : 4:19:18 PM
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Hey Guys,
I have this Varney brass Berkshire (that someone made into a Mikado). Since i have ~3 Berkshires already, I decided to try and list it on eBay. No one purchased it or made me a reasonable offer over $100, so I decided last night to restore it myself. The locomotive itself was in excellent condition, but just the paint was bad. Well, as of about ~11:00 am this morning, it was rid of what remained of the paint. I have not assembled it yet. I need to finish cleaning all the parts. All I have left to clean are the tender (whole thing) valve gear/rods and the motor. I decided to convert it back to a 2-8-4 Berkshire by simply replacing the single axle rear truck assembly with a dual axle assembly. After sripping the paint off of the frame, I soaked it in TARNEX for about 10+ minutes. It came out awesome!
I have a flickr photo set dedicated to the restoration series here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9977705@N05/sets/72157630252153518/with/7426756370/
This is how it looked before I started:
/tyco/forum/uploaded/Mustangs_n_Trains/20120623161616_7426615712_b2c16998f0_b.jpg
Meanwhile, here is how it was and how it is now:
/tyco/forum/uploaded/Mustangs_n_Trains/20120623161751_7426616072_607e96735c_b.jpg
Any comments welcome...
Sean
"If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!" - Mario Andretti!
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Posted - June 23 2012 : 4:22:42 PM
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| LOOKS 100% BETTER,how i like to see them all shiny ken
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Posted - June 23 2012 : 4:42:21 PM
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I like it in black, myself, but it could use a repaint. Those keyed axles are a real godsend... I wish more manufacturers did that.
She really gleams now. Are you planning to paint it, or leave it au naturel?
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - June 23 2012 : 9:46:58 PM
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I'd love to find one in that shape! Sean, thats turned out nice!
I hope that was a good buy too! 
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - June 23 2012 : 10:49:37 PM
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Thanks guys!
I just finished cleaning the valve gear using a brief ~1 minute dip in TARNEX and then a wash and gentile clean using a stainless steel wire wheel on my Dremel.
I then lightly sprayed them with a clear coat to keep and preserve the clean look for a very long time.
I figure it should take me an hour or so to put it all back together from this point. Maybe a little longer if I have trouble adjusting it.
Sean
"If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!" - Mario Andretti!
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Posted - June 23 2012 : 10:56:54 PM
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quote:I'd love to find one in that shape! Sean, thats turned out nice!
I hope that was a good buy too!
Originally posted by EM-1Â -Â June 23 2012Â :Â 9:46:58 PM
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EM-1,
Thanks! It was a fair buy in that I paid ~$300 for two engines and a handful of cars total. I sold the other engine for ~$170 and only a handful of the cars so far for ~$30 total. Therefore I have ~$100 into it and I have a few more of the cars I am still trying to sell. If and when they eventually go, it will be looking a lot better.
Sean
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Posted - June 24 2012 : 12:35:16 AM
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Sean,
What cars might you have left? I'm looking specifically for 50 foot flat cars, and 50 foot gondola's......HO scale of course!
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - June 24 2012 : 07:22:22 AM
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Neat project and good work. It will be cool to see it once finished too.
Alco Fan
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Posted - June 24 2012 : 1:53:03 PM
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OK!
The chassis is now assembled. Dumb-arss me, I initially assembled it with the valve gear, pilot and steam chest upside down! I had to take the valve gear off and flip it over and re-assemble it. What fooled me is the Economy Pacifics (which I have sitting beside me) are assembled with the brass C-channel frame open side facing downward. I forgot that this one was different in that it faced upward. I realized my problem when I tried to replace the pilot truck. I had no where to mount it. Then it dawned on me.. DUH!
As an improvement, the old valve gear hanger rested only on the flange edges and it had a central screw which tightened it to the frame. There was no central support here, so as you tightened down on the nut, it would bend the central plate on the hanger. I then dug through my scrap brass tubing and found one that was a perfect fit. While standing on end, it sat just below the flange sidewall height. I added a washer to improve / increase the bearing plate surface area and the two combined were exactly flush with the flanges. I then replaced the hanger and tightened down on the nut until it was all snug. Perfect fit without bending the hanger base plate!
Took about 2 hours total, botched assembly and all!. After final adjustments and tightening everything down, I put a drop of CA / Super-Glue on the backs of the crank-pin set screws. I did not want them to work their way lose sometime in the future.
The rest of the assembly will be straight forward and easy. Had to get the toughest part done first!
Sorry, forgot to add the photo earlier...
Sean
"If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!" - Mario Andretti!
Edited by - Mustangs_n_Trains on June 24 2012 2:04:01 PM
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Posted - June 24 2012 : 2:02:05 PM
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quote:Sean,
What cars might you have left? I'm looking specifically for 50 foot flat cars, and 50 foot gondola's......HO scale of course!
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Hey John.
It really depends on what you are looking for. The cars that came with this batch were mostly vintage wooden / metal cars. About 4-5 were old wood & metal passenger cars with full interiors. Either Varney or Walthers, not sure. The rest were freight, like 40' boxcars, reefers, cabeese and two somewhat crude scratchbuilt bulkhead flat cars. I have listings all the time on eBay and I am contemplating starting a few on eBid and Bonanza. I try not to sell on forums and it is sort of a conflict of interests to me, but if you ever see something you like, contact me and we can work something out.
Sean
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Posted - June 25 2012 : 11:13:42 PM
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The locomotive has been re-assembled:
Now for the tender....
Sean
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Posted - June 26 2012 : 05:16:52 AM
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quote:The locomotive has been re-assembled:
Now for the tender....
Originally posted by Mustangs_n_Trains - June 25 2012 : 11:13:42 PM
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DAMN thats a lookin' good Sean! Tender made of brass?
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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Posted - June 28 2012 : 11:54:03 PM
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quote:
DAMN thats a lookin' good Sean! Tender made of brass?
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Yes John it is brass shelled with a die cast base & trucks:
It will look like the top right one in this photo when done (this is my stash of most what I have in these tenders by the way):
Sean
"If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!" - Mario Andretti!
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Posted - June 29 2012 : 12:36:09 AM
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Geez, they're multiplying.
Sean, continued from VHO, I cropped and sharpened your picture and I can see where the crosshead guide can be pressed further into the chest, and how the hanger should butt up against it.
Looks like they put some serious gearing on these, too.
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Posted - June 29 2012 : 01:21:14 AM
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quote: quote:
DAMN thats a lookin' good Sean! Tender made of brass?
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Yes John it is brass shelled with a die cast base & trucks:
It will look like the top right one in this photo when done (this is my stash of most what I have in these tenders by the way):
Originally posted by Mustangs_n_Trains - June 28 2012 : 11:54:03 PM
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Sean,
what would you sell me one of the spare brass Varney tenders for? I need one for a Western Maryland project, as those are really close to a WM tender that was behind the H class 2-8-0's.....
~John
Many have tried to, and failed, ya just can't repair stupid...
Do NOT try to Idiot-Proof anything!!!! God, will simply create a better......IDIOT!
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