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 Posted - December 05 2015 : 6:06:45 PM
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Those parts are looking pretty nice! It looks like you've got the colors down on the boiler and that shade of green looks classy, both on the engine and the car.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - December 07 2015 : 11:49:05 PM
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Getting closer. Had to order some long 2-56 screws today (to hold smokestack, and boiler, to frame). Otherwise, I believe things are progressing. Once again, photographs are showing areas that need work . . . not that I'm going to post the stuff I'm sweeping under the rug. Assembled the cab and seeing the assembly needs tightening up and some touch up do yet. I did end up touching up with green and cream. Since this photo, I'm thinking something different than the figure in the cab . . .
and working on the crew and passengers for an inaugural run . . .
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Posted - December 08 2015 : 12:05:48 AM
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Interesting project, Barry! Great colors!
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Posted - December 12 2015 : 1:59:47 PM
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One of the ladies that may be attending the inaugural run of this locomotive; apparently had some effect on one of the yard men?
Been lettin' some of the detail items (cab hand rails and sand pipes) give me fits. The following photos show where I'm presently at with those items . . .
You know, our elderly diabetic cat passed recently and I'm thinkin' I'm gonna be missin' those cat food cans.
I'm skeptical of the cab hand rails and maybe will be tempted to try another bend at some point. With this Belle model, the sand dome doesn't cover the superior end of the sand pipe which makes it a bit more imperative to do a clean mount . . . which I did not achieve to my liking, but I think will do for now. It also led me to a fantasy rationale that the design of the locomotive's sand delivery system is that the sand pipe stays under the boiler skin to start to help keep it extra nice and dry and easy to flow. Then, I'm looking at photos of sand pipes on boilers and seeing that even on some new (1900's) locomotives, the sand pipes are not consistently laid nice and tight against the boiler. I'm wondering if that's because they have to come off frequently to be cleaned? Don?
The 2-56 X 1 1/2 screws came; longer than necessary, but they can always be shortened. Instructions called for 1", but my measurements looked like longer. I should live so long to need all these screws, so if anyone needs one for a particular project, I should be able to fire one off in the mail.
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Posted - December 12 2015 : 7:23:54 PM
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quote:Then, I'm looking at photos of sand pipes on boilers and seeing that even on some new (1900's) locomotives, the sand pipes are not consistently laid nice and tight against the boiler. I'm wondering if that's because they have to come off frequently to be cleaned? Don?
Originally posted by Barry - December 12 2015 : 1:59:47 PM
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I don't know whether the sand pipes need to be removed frequently. I would think probably not, but it's still easier to route them outside the jacket than to pierce the jacket to run all those pipes through them.
If you look at pictures of Milwaukee Road 261, it appears the sand pipes are routed inside the jacket. That's a sleek looking locomotive, and it was probably done for cosmetic reasons. Any 4-4-0's I could find pictures of, even very ornate ones have exposed sand pipes, though, so I think they're typical.
Would it be practical to drill small holes near the bottom edge of the sand dome and insert the ends of the sand pipes into them for easier alignment?
quote:The 2-56 X 1 1/2 screws came; longer than necessary, but they can always be shortened.
Originally posted by Barry - December 12 2015 : 1:59:47 PM
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Baldwin's manual says that, when a connecting rod is too long, you should heat it red hot and drop it on end from up near the ceiling of the shop. I suppose you could do the same in shortening the screws.  
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Posted - December 12 2015 : 9:21:49 PM
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| Yeah, I didn't see any sand pipes running under jackets on photos of old 4-4-0's. Repositioning the upper mounting holes is a good idea Don. "Next time"; and who knows, if I screw something up good during the next few procedures, the next time could be pretty quick, hey?
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Posted - December 13 2015 : 08:57:03 AM
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quote:
One of the ladies that may be attending the inaugural run of this locomotive; apparently had some effect on one of the yard men?
Originally posted by Barry - December 12 2015 : 1:59:47 PM
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Don; She is one hard looking woman. It looks like she beat up on those guys. Not exactly the cuddling type.
frank
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Posted - December 13 2015 : 09:52:38 AM
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He probably tried to steal a cookie out of her basket.
Those are for the inaugural run and not before!
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Posted - December 13 2015 : 12:10:43 PM
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| "Baldwin's manual says that, when a connecting rod is too long, you should heat it red hot and drop it on end from up near the ceiling of the shop." Did you really read this in some Baldwin directive Don?
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Posted - December 13 2015 : 2:30:23 PM
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quote:"Baldwin's manual says that, when a connecting rod is too long, you should heat it red hot and drop it on end from up near the ceiling of the shop." Did you really read this in some Baldwin directive Don?
Originally posted by Barry - December 13 2015 : 12:10:43 PM
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I was at Monticello Ry. Museum, and they had a connecting rod that was just a little too long. The chief mechanical officer told me that's what the manual said, but he was a bit dubious about doing it, so to get better control, he built a very large hammer that swung like a pendulum from the ceiling. Then, he built an oven around the rod out of fire bricks and an acetylene burner. He was just testing the oven the day I was there, but later, he heated up the connecting rod and hammered the end to shorten the rod the needed amount. You use pretty delicate instruments on the railroad.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - December 13 2015 : 11:23:45 PM
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I guess then they just had to machine the end of the rod to fit again? I remember bangin' out the oil pan on my truck with a sledgehammer (pretty good steel in that '50 Chevy).
Did a bit more assembly using some third hands to help . . .
Don had commented earlier suggesting making the tender hand rails brass to match the stanchions and I considered that for a good spell before deciding to go with the steel; both on the tender and on the locomotive. Probably the biggest reason those rails aren't brass is that I didn't have the correct size wire, which since I've fooled around with this long enough, I could have easily ordered and gotten by now. I most certainly agree that brass would fit the era fine and add to the ambience of the Victorian era. I guess I've been thinking this is going to be more of a "basic model"; certainly in large part to my not wanting to mess with decals and not yet acquiring anywhere near enough skill to hand letter or scroll. Man, you gotta respect some dude who can look at a nice completed model and then risk it all by grabbin' a brush and hand lettering it. I guess after a spell they learn how to fix their mistakes well enough that it doesn't make 'em too nervous.
The brass on the ends of the boiler hand rails is a glob of JB Weld painted brass; my crew deserves only the best when it comes to safety . . . we want no crew member to impale themselves on the end of a handrail.
The tiny 90 screw that holds the bell bracket was pretty worthless. I needed to cut a 90 screw down to just a few threads so I drilled a hole and threaded into a piece of wood to secure it while I cut it with a jeweler's saw and held the other hand below to catch my prize . . .
So . . . gettin' closer.
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Posted - December 14 2015 : 08:17:02 AM
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The use of tape to align things while you're working or while glue is drying is a clever idea. For some reason, I never think of that and am usually trying to figure out some arrangement of clamps or rubber bands that I can't quite get to work.
If you wanted to use steel and have the railings look like brass, the brass paint you used on the knobs should do the trick. I have an engine with the railings and boiler bands both painted to look like brass and it's not bad.
I imagine that the people who hand-lettered models first practiced on something other than their magnum opus until they could get the result they wanted fairly dependably. I should do that sometime. I can see advantages in having that skill.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - December 14 2015 : 11:32:22 PM
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I went for it and assembled things today. All-in-all, certainly from six feet away, I'm fairly satisfied . . . just don't look under magnification. It needs more break-in, and likely some fine tuning with that, and maybe some touch up yet, but it is good to get it up and going. It seems to run fine at high speed (as it seems most model locomotives do), but acceleration is a bit clunky. Seems like these big-drivered 4-4-0's could benefit from some lower gearing. We'll see how this does over time.
So now I'd better get my butt busy around the house.
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Posted - December 14 2015 : 11:45:21 PM
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Very nice, Barry. Love the video clip! 
Edited by - walt on December 14 2015 11:46:35 PM
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Posted - December 15 2015 : 08:17:17 AM
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That's a sharp looking engine.
The Belle of the '80's is the Belle of the ball. 
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - December 15 2015 : 11:16:01 AM
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looking great Barry,decided on what railroad yet,love those flags
catfordken
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Posted - December 15 2015 : 2:08:53 PM
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Really great loco. Ya knocked it out of the park Barry. I love seeing
someone bring those "basket case" locos back to new life.
Edited by - oldtimer52 on December 15 2015 2:10:16 PM
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Posted - December 16 2015 : 12:51:29 AM
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| Thank you folks for your kind comments. It was a good learning experience for me. That Union Jack flyin' on the front, Ken, as you might guess is in recognition of your contribution to this locomotive. I have certainly appreciated all the comments throughout the past few months of messin' with this thing.
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Posted - April 30 2017 : 09:54:26 AM
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** I really enjoyed going through this thread . Watching a well done locomotive appear from the rebuild of the old one. Your choice of green was a common locomotive color back in the mid 1800's. It is about the same as Baldwin's olive paint applied to Passenger locomotives long age.
* Great work !
frank
toptrain
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Posted - June 22 2017 : 03:49:20 AM
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| In the first post, what did you use to clean the motor in that jar?
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Posted - June 22 2017 : 12:49:31 PM
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| "Rubbing" alcohol from the grocery store; the 98% one. That and some q-tips and toothpicks and elbow grease.
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