Hi, I’ve been tempted to build a steam loco kit. Are there any suitable models available, preferably complete. I’ve never done anything like this before so it can not be to complicated. I need to be able to make it into DCC.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Magnus
If you can get one, I would recommend the old MDC/Roundhouse 0-6-0. It is very simple, and will help you get familiar with how locomotive kits go together. You will probably have to get a can motor to make it DCC compatible. (I believe North West Short Line has a re-motor/re-gearing kit for this engine.)
Magnus
Bowser is the main (only?) producer of HO steam engine kits left standing. They bought substantial chunks of the Varney and Penn Line dies and tooling, and have upgraded and reissued these kits, in addition to the original Bowser line. They are all die cast locomotives, in need of detailing compared to plastic RTR. Bowser sells super-detail kits for virtually every locomotive kit, which consists of Cary and/or Cal-Scale detail parts (both firms also bought out by Bowser). The kits take some care, but build into smotth running, very powerful models, and with the super-detail kits, very nicely detailed. Darth Santa Fe has posted reviews of his Bowser kit builds on this forum.
Also readily available on eBay, and in some hobby shops, are Mantua/Tyco and Roundhouse steam engine kits. The older versions generally have die cast boilers, the newer ones usually have plastic boilers. These are considered slightly easier to build than Bowser, but being out of production, parts can be an issue. Few of the Roundhouse or Mantua/Tyco have a specific prototype, whereas most of the Bowser line is designed to model a specific prototype.
Building a kit for DCC is particularly easy, since it is a matter of isolating the motor from the frame and running the decoder wiring during construction.
I prefer kits because of the ease of modification. Taking a perfectly good RTR model apart to bash it into something else is pyschologically a lot harder for me than modifying a kit as I go.
hope this helps
Fred W
Where can I get Bowser kits, I checked both Walters, first hobby and Caboose but couldn’t find any?
One of the reason I want to build one is that I want to learn how these things work so that I can fix my own locos in the future.
Magnus
D’oh!
Why didn’t I think of that. But are there any retailers that sell them. I would like to get one as I order something else you see to keep the cost of shipping down.
Do they come with good instructions? Is a motor included?
How is the light Mike to build?
Thanks
Magnus
I’ve been looking at bowser site. What a mess! I can not say I like the way the list their prices.
Still, beautifull stuff there. I’ve also been inspired by Darth Santa Fe challenger, I’ll admit that. So what do you need to build such a kit from there website?
Magnus
Nothing special. Sand paper, small screw drivers, files, hobby pliers, paint. The only special tool you need is a swedging tool for the valve gear rivets.(basically a center punch) I think Bowser sells them.
I built a Mantua Mike which is very similar to the Bowser kit. The hardest part is the rivets on the valve gear. Order extra rivets when you order your kit. You’ll probably need them.
Just take your time and read the instructions. They’re fun. I’ll definitely build more.
For first time steam loco building you may try a Mantua 2-8-2 or 4-6-2 (out of production) if you can find one on ebay. Talk to some experienced modelers if you wish to upgrade them. There are some parts for old Mantua engines available on the internet for upgrades. Mantua also made kits for other types of steam locos including “old-timers” (ten-wheelers, and twelve wheelers).
buy the correct tools at www.micromark.com they sell sets of dies and taps, screw drivers, miniwrenches. so far i have 2 models in the making a pacific K11 and a heavy mountain both by bowser
these models are fun and challenging to build, but the hard part are the valve gears in these models
About the simplest kits available right now, I’d say, would be the “Old Lady” 2-8-0 and “Casey Jones” 4-6-0 from Bowser. Most of the detail is molded on, assembly is pretty straight forward, the instructions are well detailed, and all Bowser kits include the proper hex-wrench and riveting tool for the valve gear (if you don’t want to build the valve gear yourself, Bowser sells the full assembled valve gear for $20). Really, about the hardest thing (for me anyway) is removing flash from the metal castings, which is mostly just time consuming. I have now built four Bowser kits, and my best tip is take your time, and don’t rush through things. If you do that, you’ll be just fine.[:D]
Oh yeah, and the newer Bowser motors are DCC friendly. Just go with a 2-amp decoder incase it stalls, which I’m sure it never will.[:D] A well built Bowser steam engine will only draw 0.2 amps average; less than many P2K diesels.[:D]
One place I know of to get them from is Standard Hobby Supply, who has good prices, but I didn’t get very professional service from them last time. Another place is Susquehanna Hobbies, who’s a little more expensive than Standard Hobby, but still has a 10% discount off retail. My last time buying from them went very smoothly.[:D] http://www.sushob.com/home.php?cat=271&sort=productcode&sort_direction=0&page=2
Doc’s Caboose is where I order most of my Bowser stuff. He doesn’t carry any kits in stock, but will order them from Bowser for you. Doc’s a cool guy. He’ll ship just about anywhere, even to Sweden [:)] Drop him an email at docscaboose@yahoo.com.
I don’t think Bowser kits are tough if you follow the directions and like using files. They give you extra rivets and a riveting tool in the kit. I don’t think I would start with a Challenger though. Articulation adds several twists to the basics. You can get better motors et al, but they give you everything you will need to build a good model that runs very well. The Super Detail kits really add a lot, but they ain’t cheap.
Learning to do your own repairs is a great move. One of your first steps is going to be to get to know these guys and buy a Puller and a Quarterer. Some of the articles on their web site are also very informative. No bad dope from these guys. They are top drawer in my book.
Good luck.
I think I will end up trying the light Mike. If I don’t misunderstand their homepage it’s just a 135$ dollar and everything is in there. I think that is a cheap way of learning a skill that I will need in the future.
Magnus
I looked at the instructions for one of them and they look like they are very straight forward. I’m going to have to try one of them sometime.
I have built 1 Mantua 2-8-2 and 2 Bowser 4-8-4 kits. I thought they were pretty easy to build, mainly attention to detail. Take your time and you will be fine.
Mantua is out of business but Model Power has purchased the dies and has many spare parts. Yardbirds http://yardbirdtrains.com/index.htm trains has outstanding support for the Mantua line as well.
Bowser is a very good company and will help out if you have any missing or damaged pieces. The Bowser has a different bearing design than Mantua so the Bowser takes longer to break in. The foam cradle from Bowser is a good investment.
If you are a builder and not a buyer this will be a very enjoyable project. Wait until the unit is broke in and runs well before you paint it.
Jim
Not bad, in fact good fun. Start by inspecting all the parts and matching them to the instruction sheet/parts list. This is partly to make sure everything is there and partly so that you the know the name of, and can identify, each part. Beware of rugs, they eat small dropped parts. Give some thought to prevention of loss and droppage of tiny nearly invisible bits and pieces. Inspect the castings and file off the mold flash and the mold parting marks. Use fine tooth files to avoid leaving scratches that can show thru the paint. Beware of binds and stickiness in the mechanism. Old timers give the mechanism (less motor of course) a test roll to check for binding after installing each wheel, rod, cylinder, crosshead or valve gear. This way you know which piece is doing the binding. Once all the bits and pieces are installed, figuring out which one of the little devils is sticking ain’t easy. (Impossible actually).
Take care to get all the wheel sets installed the right way round. One wheel is insulated and the other wheel conducts electricity to the frame of the locomotive. Just one wheelset installed backwards makes a short circuit. Pay great attention to the mesh of the worm to the worm gear. Too tight and the friction stalls the locomotive. Too loose and the worm will skip teeth under load. This can chew up the gear teeth, especially with a
You can still find the old Mantua Mike kits on E-bay for around $50. Yardbird Trains still sells all the stuff for them if you mess anything up.
dstarr, all I can say is Wow!
Thanks a lot for all of your help guys, thanks.
I’ve contacted Bowser and is looking at getting a light Mike, it seems like a sensible thing to do.
Magnus
I built a Bowser K4 in 1973 - it was my first locomotive kit and went together nicely. I highly recommend it.
Enjoy
Paul