Over the weekend I decided to swap my Russian Decapod to a Vanderbilt tender. Came out great. had to do some wiring as the engine ran in the wrong direction but I think she looks great with the tender.






What ya guys think?
Emily

So I've had a NYC Niagara for a while, but I repainted it kinda half-butt attempt.

So here it was after its initial repaint



Really Ugly don'tcha think?

So I started repairing this tender






So I came up with the Niagara and the vanderbuilt tender I was repairing, some other modifications and some paint and......




There is lettering on the tender, sunglare from the window makes it hard to see,

Changes I did
Engine Work:
Added Classification Lights (To be replaced, just trying to justify S&H)
New Headlight
Changed to LED
Removed smoke unit
Shaved off NYC Number Plate detail on front of smokebox
New Headlight Location
New Bell
Working front coupler
Window Glazing
B&O Capital dome on Sheild.
Paintwork


Sooooo How did i do?
Emily

so I did some modifications to a Bachmann Kanawaha(since the undec i used was the C&O Version)

Right near the end of steam the B&O Had a 2-8-4 engine drawn up, and even gave it a class, but it was never built. they were to be built using old Mikado boilers, you'll see below my first attempt to "B&Oize" and now my latest and more succesful attempt at it. During this last time of working on her, i spilled my plasticweld and some got on it(very minor damage to the shell) but the trucks will need to be eventually replaced, the damage to the shell really isn't bad at all, looks like i got gloss coat on it by accident.

1st Attempt


This attempt,  looks more like a B&O Engine wouldn't you say? I remounted the bell from the back of the boiler to up near the chimney like on the P7 Pacifics.

I did this kit bash a while ago, but looking at it, just didn't seem right so i'm redoing it. Some steps won't be shown as they have been covered before but this will be updated as work progresses,

Before work.


I neglected to take a pic with my camera before starting the surgery but here is one i took with my phone of the above engine disassembled



For removal of the domes, its hard to remove them without destroying them.

Will post more pics as work progresses.

to Yardmaster and Mr. Bach-man,

Why is it all the new releases coming out or atleast on the flyer come with DCC Sound Value? I mean I can't see spending $400 on an engine with molded on details because it has sound, something I don't use and I'm sure others don't use. I really wanted a Mikado in B&O but it was released with sound only. I really wanted the C&O 4-6-0 but it was released sound only(and even with retail discounts it was still more then double the price i paid for the spectrum 4-6-0s i have!) Maybe I'm dumb but I just don't get it. Only thing in the NMRA annoucements I'm remotely interested in is the Northern Central coaches. and thats because the old Northern Central tracks are right by me and I explore an old Northern Central branch. Why not make Maryland & Pennsylvania Coaches? we got 5 engines, but no passenger cars. Why not B&O Royal Blue coaches? we got the engine, but no coaches. I got 2 from another manufacture but Bachmann ones have body mounted couplers and all. Why not do everything DCC Sound Ready like you did the EM1s(even though I had to take the bored out and put in a DCC Ready PCB)

Forgive me for being dumb and not understanding the decision to do everything with DCC & Sound now

Well finally finished 4 of the 5 cars, still debating on what to do with the 5th(might get more modifications then what is done on the other 4) all 4 cars are freelanced numberes and names.


a after and before

two of the cars with a factory painted coach. the red could be a little lighter but close enough.


The other two of the 4

Still need to dullcoat it.


Prototype is in the book East End Page 162.

Bought two of em last weekend, B&O 1400 (which I noticed has a different boiler/dome arrangement) and an Undec, turned the undec into Strasburg 98 as seen below. I know its not 100% accurate, but well i'm not a nit picker and I needed another engine to pull some of the Strasburg Coaches i have.

I have a pin vice and drill set, I've used it to drill plastic but not metal, is it possible or do I have to use my Dremel to drill through the boiler to mount the bell? I also noticed the dome placements are different then on the B&O one that I got as well.

Thanks.

Is it possible, to turn a 50t 2 truck climax into a Forney? I'd leave the tender truck in place and remove the drive shaft and get em free rolling.

I have 4 of the older Climaxes and all have internal cracked gears so thats how this project has came up in thought. I'll convert all 4 of em to Forneys and my plan is to take some IHC/mehano 0-4-0 chassis and install them under the exsisting frame to create an 2-4-4 Forney. using the Climax motor and boiler and what have you. I can't figure out how to open up a climax to see what the inners look like to see how possible the idea is.

Suggestions on this idea?

Trying to get the answers I need from the parts department is making my head spin. I e-mailed them before about when the parts department will get the newer upgraded parts for the 2 truck climax now that they were re-run. All I got was "Yes the parts are interchangeable with the older runs" But I didn't get an answer if or when they would be avaliable. I got 4 of these things, all 4 need the same parts, Front Truck(will the 70 ton 3 truck front truck work?), rear truck and the complete drive line from the gearbox to the trucks. I'm getting ready to re-decorate the models and I get sick of seeing them on the sidelines. so thanks for any help.

I bought 5 of the Jackson sharp open air cars(not knowing they'd produce another version later on) and I haven't had the foggiest idea on what to do with em...until yesterday.  


B&O Switcher pushing the cars into the shops


So far so good

After getting some other manufactures coaches with working diaphragms, i want my fleet of spectrum coaches to have them as well. I have some questions...

A) has anyone done this before with the ones made by American Limited

B) how hard is it to put them together and install them

C) can anyone scan the instructions on them, i can't find them on the web.

I've added a short line to my layout and really can't decide on the engine to use for it. I was thinking a 4-6-0 or 2-8-0, maybe even a 2-6-0. No matter what one I choose i'm gonna have to do some kind of modifications to it. I've even thought of using a Russian Decapod.

I picked up some Strasburg Railroad cars, 2 Coaches and 2 box cars, and it would run point to point, the engine would not be turned at each end, just swap between ends of the train. some of the trains would be mixed with a LTL box car added(2nd box car is for interchange traffic)

BLW 9700 filling in temorarily until I can letter up an engine for the Strasburg


Testing a GP7, decided against using this engine, may get a SW9 though for freight duties

I was wondering if anyone had this problem with these engines. The problem is the gear box gears don't mesh with the drive line gear. or that appears to be the case.

Anyone know if the 70 ton climax drive line parts are intermixable with the 55 ton climaxes?

Welp I just got done modifying 3 more of the Bachmann 2-8-0s, and just a couple of changed details really make a difference.

I'm also including the 4th one that I first modified.

Before:

After:


and Maryland & Pennsylvania 43



Since Bachmanns bored reduces image sizes, for those that want to see better pics, here is a link to my collections facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Balto-Ohio-RR-Fans-Model-Railroad-Collection/558701444163328

Just bought an EM1 today and its acting funny, I need to put it up to 80-100% throttle before it will move and then it takes off like a rocket. in reverse the front headlight flashes like a strobe. I'm running it on DC.

Is that correct behavior or is something wrong?

I'm working on building a walthers shop building for photo ops for projects, etc to use on my test track, however i want to beable to remove it after i'm done with the photos. the buiding has track slits in the floor...should i cut em out so the rails can come through or is there another way?

its got three bays inside

can supply photos of the floor if needed.

Welp, shes finally close enough done to post.

The 2-8-0 started out as a NYC that I got when the shop I worked at the time broke up a Spectrum train set,  I painted her up into a C&O 2-8-0


About 2 weeks ago I decided to turn her into Ma & Pa, and after the train show and getting parts I started on her,


And earlier today I decided to swap the tender out, and thats why in the pic below the tender is not been decaled yet(waiting on the gloss coat to dry) I changed the trucks as well.



And yes I already fixed the number on the smoke box.

So hows she look?

And this is a Bachmann Spectrum model,

I changed the headlight position on a 2-8-0 and am adding details to it for a specific road, and I'm not sure what happened but when i wired up the new LED light and all, it works if i apply power to the new wiring, but when I place it on the track the light doesn't work. I'm guessing there is a break in a wire somewhere and was going to hook up the headlight to the motor leads...will this cause any problems on DC operation?

Here is how she looks so far....she will not be C&O anymore.