She's certainly not "box stock" any more!

[on30gn15]

As my wife will all to readily volunteer to tell you, I can't seem to leave a train alone 5 minutes after getting it home till something is getting sawn off, one or more holes are drilled in it, or its paint is getting changed. 

Got V&T "Silverado" set with my economic stimulus check, plus a bit more cash.
Something about the locomotive was really bugging me: being done up as a woodburner with spark arresting stack, boiler molding had extended smokebox a coal burner with built-in spark arresting screen would have. Not right.
It had to go.
Sawed it off this morning.
All was going fine till just about done gluing smokebox front on - got a glue drip blemish on side of boiler up by sand pipes.  Arrrrrr.

Well, hmmm, those molded-on sand pipes have been bugging me, if the paint is going to have to be fixed anyway, might as well carve of the sand pipes and add real wire - there holes for wire in the running boards, so why not!
A bit of work with a chisel blade in the craft knife, some wet sanding, and all done. Happy modeler :-)

Hmmmm, while boiler is disassembled and I'm hacking bits off, there's that turbogenerator for electric lighting up between cab and steam dome - it don't look right for an 1870 style painted woodburner.
Would be a bit of work to carve off molded base and fill hole in boiler top.
But . . .

Anyway, back to shortened smokebox - it really changes apparent proportions of the thing, a lot stockier.
Side effects of the shortening include:
1. having to make a headlight bracket. Am intending to replace dim headlight bulb with an LED.
2. needing to make a pilot deck. Have some Plastruct treadplate good for that job
3. smoke generator had to go, not enough room, but that's okay, couldn't be using it anyway.

There's some work to do inside cab too.

Passenger cars need a lot of green trim painted; roofs changed from grey to black; interior painted, especially walls from yellow to wood color.
Want to change interior lighting on cars as well.

[Dave]

What are you like with a new Car?

[Cody J]

What are you like with a new Car?

LOL

[on30gn15]

Well, Kathy won't let me near the car with anything sharper than its keys. 
But at least I get to play with the trains 

In progress:

locomotive roof will be covered with copper sheet, K&S .003in craft copper, as per prototypes of that era's copper or tin and then painted.

In progress:

I don't know what the real car's roof was covered with when during it's existence and have drawn conclusion it eventually was covered with sheet metal. However, the fabric texture is visually appealing so sections of Silkspan model airplae tissue are being painted on.

Combine on right is 'box stock' except for green platforms and green under baggage door. Observation on left is not


I'm not sure of the prototype for this rolling stock

[Dave]

I think the last pic is of a narrow gauge FE Line of unknown vintage.

[Jon D. Miller]

Your modifications to the 10-Wheeler and the coach really enhance the looks of both.  Nice work.

Don't dare to allow our Gracie to see that last picture.  Our "Pit Cat" will now want to camp out in the train boxes.  Great picture.  Dave picked the right name for that model.   

[on30gn15]

Here's Combine knocked down for rework, I like models which have some left for me to do.

[bnsonger47]

She's looking good.

I assume you'll post some photos of the work on the engine after your modifications are made. That plate between the engine and tender makes sense as do the other modifications you're planning. Some real nice wood in that tender would look nice.

So, where the heck are the passengers?

Changing the roof out looks great.

Need another V&T car? I'm considering messing up one out of my set since the engine bit the dust. That leaves one for another life at another place. (Two cars are too short anyway).

Byron

[on30gn15]

She's looking good.

So, where the heck are the passengers?

I don't have any yet! 

Need another V&T car?

Yes.    How do we work that out?

Any loco parts like stack and headlight available?

I'm considering messing up one out of my set since the engine bit the dust.

Sounds like you have a project going?

[bnsonger47]

Dear on30gn15,

Send me an email off the discussion board and we can work something out. I have extra locomotive parts and willing to let go of a car. Shucks, I'll even swap out the drum for normal railing from the combine so you have a passenger car. The car, by the way, has metal wheels and knuckle couplers. I'm not a fan of hook-and-loop.

My email is in my profile. But, for the sake of making it handy I'll provide it here.
mailto: bnsonger@mac.com

Byron