Spectrum Mountain to a B&O T Class (with video!)

[OldTimer]

Jonathan, I recall reading somewhere that you can paint a blue-white LED with translucent yellow-orange paint and warm up the light.  Never have had occasion to try it, but it sounds like a reasonable tip.
OldTimer

[jonathan]

Thanks, OT.

I may have to try your tip to match the second Mountain.  My locos must be from two different runs.  #5501 has a warm-yellow LED!

Did the #5501 break-in this morning.  It is smooth and quiet, just like #5500.  Again, it took a minute or two for it to smooth out.  This afternoon I did a quick pull test on #5501.  It pulled 18 cars up a 1% grade like their was nothing behind it.  My dastardly plans are coming together.

Next I'll perform a speed-matching test.  Gotta double-head 'em in a long train in order to call this project a success.

Should have the camera back tomorrow, followed by some pics on Tuesday.

Regards,

Jonathan

[Michigan Railfan]

Jonathan, I may be misunderstanding you, but if I'm not, then for the speed matching, you can just set them on the same track uncoupled, and turn up the power. Again, I thought with what you said to test speed matching that you would double head them. If that's not the case, then disregard everything I said. Also, it's looking good. You do good work on layouts and trains themselves. Do you have a YouTube account? You should and make videos of your layout and all of the projects you do 

[jonathan]

Blink,

You are correct... setting them apart on the same line is how I check for loco compatibility.

Thanks for the compliments.  I'm afraid at my age, I will never be comfortable with all the electronic forms of communication available (youtube, facebook, farmville, etc...).

It was all I could do to set up a photobucket account, which provides what I need:  a way to share.  My current career requires me to spend an inordinate amount of time in front of a screen.  Don't want to do it at home.  If my wife didn't check my personal email, I wouldn't know anyone was trying to reach me.  I saw my first office computer at age 23.  It was a monster with plate-sized floppy disks.

However, I have discovered the joy of finding a communication forum, 'talking' with friends who are passionate about a common interest.

Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

Here's another progress update.



I made a jig to hold the bells in place while I mounted them on the smoke box.  Everything was good so I went to bed.  The next morning, the bell on #5501 had shifted and then dried.  I used epoxy.  #5501 has given me fits from the beginning.  Oh well...  

Blow-off cocks:



I felt I had to compromise on the pop valves.  A precious few B&O T Class Locomotives had pop valves in front of the steam dome.  My two were among the few.  However, since two pop valves were already mounted behind the dome, and I only had a couple pop valves left, they ended up in back.



Also my two locos should have a Nathan Top Mount Check Valve on top of the boiler.  Cal Scale is out of them at the moment.  So these locos will have side mount check valves until I can get the proper piece of brass.

Can I get an "Amen" for the Brakeman Hooches?!  Seriously, that was hard...



Working the Vandy Tender issue.  These two locomotives look pretty good, run fantastic and have been a lot of fun to customize.  Will probably weather them just a bit when I get the right tenders.  Soon as I get around to a full pull test, I'll make a video for your enjoyment... I hope.

Just picked up a pack of #158 scale head, whisker couplers.  Going to test them out in front and rear on these locos.  Will probably look good.  But will they hold?  We'll find out soon enough

Regards,

Jonathan

[ABC]

On a lot of the larger Bachmann steam I had to put long shank couplers in the front because the regular ones wouldn't fit. I don't remember if the mountain is one of them though, but I know the 4-8-4's are.

[jonathan]

Good tip for future reference, thanks.

I found I had to file out the front gear boxes just a bit (the Kadees are a little thicker than the EZMates), but the #158's fit eventually.  They are a visual improvement in my opinion.  I liked it so much that I did it to one of my Connies as well.  They seem to line up and center OK.







I am a little concerned about the small size of the head.  If my trackwork is a little too bumpy, ucouplings galore.  Will be testing soon.

Regards,

Jonathan

[ABC]

I am a little concerned about the small size of the head.  If my trackwork is a little too bumpy, ucouplings galore.  Will be testing soon.

That is why I don't use scale couplers, too many things get uncoupled one way or another.

[J3a-614]

I think you'll be OK.  The vertical range of the coupler is just as high as the regular Kadee's.  "Gathering range" (side-to-side swing and coupling ability, as when on a curve) are somewhat reduced, but coupling on curves, especially if they even resemble being sharp, is always problematical anyway.

[pipefitter]

... but coupling on curves, especially if they even resemble being sharp, is always problematical anyway.

That's the one good thing about the much maligned talgo truck mounted coupler. On my small layout the talgo equipped cars will couple even on 18" curves. The couplers are aligned with the trucks which are at an angle which is the tangent to the curve at the center of the trucks. The two centers may be only a couple of inches apart so the two tangents are very close to alignment.

With body mounted couplers, the couplers are aligned with the curve tangent at the center of the car. Those tangents are two half car lengths, i.e. one car length apart and the angles are significantly different so the couplers are not aligned.

Robert

[jonathan]

Thanks, I'm feeling better about the scale head couplers now.  Don't plan to do any coupling on a curve, especially with my big locos.  The scale head couplers will be on the pilot, not the tender.  These babies will be on 24" radius curves (minimum).  I haven't had any uncoupling issues so far.  Pretty much all my equipment has a #5 coupler or #148.  There are a few outliers (Protomax or EZMate II).  They usually run at the back of the train... just in case.

Regards,

Jonathan

[RAM]

As ABC stated "On a lot of the larger Bachmann steam I had to put long shank couplers in the front because the regular ones wouldn't fit. I don't remember if the mountain is one of them though, but I know the 4-8-4's are." On the Santa Fe most (if not all) road engines, you could not couple them together pilot to pilot.
 

[jonathan]

Key music...
"It's beginning to look alot like B&ooooooo, everywhere you gooooo....."







Regards,

Jonathan

[ABC]

The tender looks good, but does the loco run correctly with it hooked up?

[rogertra]

The tender looks good, but does the loco run correctly with it hooked up?

As has been mentioned here numerous times, the easiest solution to the tender circuit board incompatibility issue is to ALWAYS keep the circuit board with the locomotive.  

In other words, swap not only the tender but the circuit board(s) as well.

Yes, you may have to do some minor kitbashing to the tender but so what?  It's easy.  Been there, done that, far too many times.