Latest venture is building a mini single boggie heisler with the realization that the one I’m building doesn’t look anything like the real one and only 1 ever built. Found the picture on Pinterest of a On3 one that is listed as being on the roster of Rio Allosius Mining & Co and it’s look and stature just struck me as being cool and being as I pretty much have everything for the build I decided to do it. Started with a LGB powered tender chassis, cut the sides down to a desired height and then with a flat 1/4" composite plate I cut out the length and width needed before proceeding with cutting a square section in the middle out so that the chassis would sit flat and secure it to the tender housing using 2/56 machine screws. I removed the bearing journals and springs for an old etech tender chassis and glued them to the side of the tender housing at the wheel location and finally added truss rods to the sides. at this point I am deciding on type of cab and have started on building the boiler using PVC fittings and a Lionel 0-6-0 sand dome, More to come 
Is the current tab an LGB 2015D?
Well got the boiler size decided and partially constructed, rivets installed using 1/2 sided 2mm beads and now just starting to band it. Found a water regulator screen that fits the stack and caped it with a hole plug. Still undecided about the cab but leaning toward one from a aristocraft Rogers. V cylinders built out of old stanza ones and secured to the boiler. Will be making a smoke box door out of a hole plug and styrene strip. More to come*
The picture that is of a cab it is from a 2015 but I was just using it for sizing the motor chassis is from a powered tender like you have, BB
Found a smoke box door that fit so decided to use it, fitted the smoke stack and it is held in by a screw from the bottom and you can pick it up by it, makes a nice handle. still need to add a short piece to the rear of the boiler so there is room for the steam dome which will be in the cab like a Porter. Still using the old 2015 cab for fitting purposes but going to use the one from a 2-4-2 rogers. Getting time to mount the boiler to the chassis, more to come, BB
Sort of worked myself into a dilemma by finding a generator and thought I would use it although the model doesn’t show one but sports a electric headlight so thought why not, by adding the short piece at the back of the boiler and going with a horizontal boiler instead of the large vertical one wound up with enough room in front to the cab. Was pointed out how noisy they were and right in front of the cab would probably be impossible to hear anyone say any thing, so turned my attention toward the front which I have extra room in front of the bell that was crying for attention, so that’s where I placed it and it is in such a location that I have room for detailing conduit both to the head light but also back to the cab as well, pleased with the location, more to come, Bill
Love it, Bill! I am amaze by your creativity and the depth of your “junk box!”
- Eric
I know you probably keep parts in that aspirin container, but if I was trying something like this, I would be needing more than aspirin.
You are doing an amazing job!
Thanks for the pictures and the inspiration for an amateur like me.
Finally had a non humid day and was able to get some paint on the heisler just for some inspiration decided on red for the cab with the rest of the engine black and silver. The red is a combination of ACE bright red and then sprayed over with Krylon sea glass paint in a color of ruby it is sort of like a candy paint has a color tint but able to see through it hard to tell from the small amount in the sand dome but looks much different on a larger area, more to come, Bill
Got a little more done on the mini heisler, was able to secure the rear of the boiler by adding some “L” shaped supports to either side of the fire box securing them down to the deck using 2/56 screws and then threading them into the fire box with the same size screws. Secured the front using 1 # 2/56 screw that passes from under the deck into the front boiler support. I then added diamond non skid plate detail using hex net mesh fabric glued to the deck and then painted. Still have some minor detailing to do to the chassis but it is getting there, More to come, Bill
After much fitting, looking and soul searching, I have finally decided on which cab to use on my mini heisler and have picked the aristocraft 2-4-2 Rogers and the basic reason was it fit better. It was larger than the one from the LGB 2015 and will require less cutting and piecing hopefully making it closer to 1:20 scale. The cab required me to cut the 2 tabs off the back where the rear pilot was fitted and also 2 locating points under the windows but other than that not much else. The cab steps up on both the sides of the front corners and the front left to right in the center where the boiler is because of the Rogers design but that will be a simple fix using flat plate styrene cut to accept the boiler on the front section and the sides I found hatch covers from the top of stanza tanks that just fit the opening and will add detail to the side of the cab. While fitting the cab I discovered that the drive gearing mechanism isn’t set back far enough for me to add detail and rather than tearing everything apart I figured that it wouldn’t show up anyways so I’m just going to leave it alone. Now looking at mounting the cab along with wiring, lights and details so there will be more to come, Bill
Looking really goood, Bill! I agree with your choice of cabs relative to the LGB 2015. There is a lot of good things in this project - as always - in terms of reimaging and repurposing parts. Next year, I commence the “Rehabilitation of the Missile Sponges,” and Gordon awaits the “full Bill” treatment!
Eric
Been hot as the devil here lately so being as work area is outside only work getting done is at night so it has been slow, but got all the open areas filled along with the arch way in the front for the boiler. Still undecided as to shortening the cab roof but will wait and see after I get the tender section fitted, More to come BB
I didn’t know you were putting a tender on this build, Bill.
got to have some place for the water and wood
True! I had the impression for some reason you were going for side tanks and a bunker behind the cab.
It’s just part of the engine like a coal or water bin like my Mason Bogie
Got it! Thanks for clearing that up.
probably because at one time I had it posed with the cab from a 2015 LGB
Finally got some color and painted it with fire engine red then with some ruby that is transparent that is used to paint glass and it came out a very ruby red that almost looked candy but when is sprayed the Krylon Matt clear on it became very frosty think it was too humid, decided to leave it cause it gives it a dusty look and it is going to service the moral pits anyway so I don’t have to make it dusty, on to the tender section next, BB
