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 Posted - November 24 2021 : 10:15:24 PM
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I purchased what was claimed to be a "like new" Boston & Albany Heavy Hudson from an ebay seller back in January, 2021, for a fair price ($110 or so). This model isn't common as it was only available in 1993 and 1994 and was a "mix and match" using the standard Mikado boiler on the standard Pacific chassis, with the standard Mantua 4 wheel rear truck screwed under the firebox. What I received was not what was advertised, however. A complaint to the seller resulted in a refund of half my money, and then after sitting in my garage for 11 months, I spent the past few days refurbishing it. I used a Pennsy-style brass headlamp from Precision Scale to replace the broken original and simply used a headlamp jewel instead of repairing the light. The smoke unit in the stack that should have come with the loco was missing so I just glued on a spare stack cap from a Tyco Mikado kit that I've been using as a source of spare parts. The plastic pilot was replaced with an older diecast one, as was the cab. The boiler, cylinders, cab, and pilot were all primed with Tamiya fine primer and then painted with Tamiya Nato Black (which is a very, very dark green, similar to Pennsy's "dark green locomotive enamel," because I really don't like black engines!), Tamiya Red Brown, and Tamiya Silver Leaf. The tender didn't need priming but otherwise got the same treatment. Everything (except for the coal load) was then given a coat of Tamiya Semi-Gloss Clear. The handrails and bell were then re-fitted. The result turned out rather elegant looking IMHO and I think I will repeat this color scheme for models I refurbish in future.
The picture of the loco that was advertised on ebay:
The loco I actually received:
Finally, the same loco after I repaired and refurbished it:
Edited by - Bring Back British Rail on November 25 2021 12:06:36 AM
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Posted - November 25 2021 : 01:42:24 AM
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| The finished result looks great! What's all that fuzzy stuff in the second picture? Did the seller cram foam in to the crevices in an attempt to protect it during shipping?
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Posted - November 25 2021 : 03:58:15 AM
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BBBR,
Looking at the first two photos, I wonder if the seller used a stock photo to advertise the loco? I too have a Boston and Albany and it comes in the dark red box with dark grey foam inserts. The foam in mine is starting to disintegrate, but only particles here and there. Nothing like the excessive "stuff" in your photo. I'm glad you got a partial refund. As I was reading your comments, I didn't think the colors sounded right, but when I saw the final, restored engine, it looks GREAT. Nice job!!!
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Posted - November 25 2021 : 08:36:41 AM
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What a vast improvement! Nice job of restoration.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - November 25 2021 : 12:54:47 PM
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Brian4321,
Yes, I think a stock photo was used as the loco in the "advertised" picture has a smoke generator in the stack whereas in the loco I received the smoke generator had been removed.
As for the foam in the box, it had completely disintegrated; see pic below. The seller had not wrapped the loco in any other padding inside its box for shipment so it's possible the headlight was fine until it was broken during shipping. The ebay seller was not the original owner (it was a "used train dealer") but whoever the original owner was had also replaced the light bulbs front and rear with LEDs and rewired everything like a Christmas tree - see second pic. The loco actually ran the "wrong way" so all of that wiring was redone. I removed all the lighting in the refurbishment, mostly because I didn't want to make a new headlight bracket - I've done that twice now for other similar locos and it's fiddly work that I didn't want to do again.
A final word on the foam in the box - when it disintegrates like here, not only does the loco have to be disassembled to thoroughly clean out the the little flecks (which get everywhere), the flecks are actually corrosive. The wheels and bell of my loco were all slightly pitted from it and I have seen pictures of such disintegrated foam pitting the boilers of other locos badly and beyond practical repair. So please keep and eye on the foam in your box and when it stops being "springy," replace it with something else.
The loco in its original box after I'd cleaned off some of the disintegrated foam off of it:
Wired up like a Christmas tree by a previous owner:
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Posted - November 25 2021 : 9:23:39 PM
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Awesome restoration and paint work!
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - November 26 2021 : 1:05:07 PM
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how did you clean out the foam?
air gun? 
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Posted - November 26 2021 : 7:15:30 PM
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BBBR,
Thanks for the tip about the foam. Hard to believe that the flecks pit the existing loco, but then again, there must be some chemical in the flecks to produce the unwanted reaction.
I really hate when the seller, eBay or auction house, advertise something as new or nearly so, but when the item arrives, you say WTH is this? The you have to deal with the seller. Too bad there wasn't more transparency.
I try to keep my engines in original, or as close to possible, as when from the factory. I've seen demos at train shows where the operator uses a hot wire to slice through foam. I wonder if that tool, or something like it, would be enough to replicate the existing foam housing for these Mantua locos?
Edited by - Brian4321 on November 26 2021 7:17:05 PM
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Posted - November 27 2021 : 12:07:57 AM
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Brian4321 - The seller was actually OK. I sent them pics of what they'd advertised and what I received and they immediately offered me a couple choices to make it right without any hassle - though having said that I doubt I will ever buy anything from them again!
I also doubt you would be able to closely duplicate the original cut out in the foam that was shaped to exactly fit the loco without some sort of specialized foam cutting device. For another B&A Heavy Hudson of mine the foam had also perished so I went to my local foam packaging supplier (such specialized businesses do exist; the one near me is called "Foam Mart"), bought some sheets of 1/2" thick grey foam, and then cut strips to fit with a pair of sharp scissors. For me personally protecting the loco is far more important than keeping the original packaging and this solution has really worked out well. See attached picture.
mircrobusss - Essentially, yes. I dismantled the loco and then used a bottle of pressurized "air in a can" to clean it out. That, along with a lot of lung power!
Replacement packaging made by cutting sheet foam to fit:
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Posted - November 27 2021 : 08:43:38 AM
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I think some people put plastic wrap or tissue paper between the foam and the engine if it's going to be in the box for any serious length of time. No need to rerun the mess you had from the last foam.
Carpe Manana!
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