This is what I did to that gear stripped Bachmann 2-4-2 Columbia I got at last BTS for $20.
Just add a pair of Aristo bricks, my leftover bunker from the CPH and an HLW flatcar. This one went faster and easiest of all by bashes so far!
I havent been painting due to the proximity of the sleeping area and my wifes dislike of paint fumes, but we finally got the bedroom back into the bedroom, so now I can start to rock and roll in the workshop again…'bout time. I got 3 engines and a mess of cars needing paint!
Um isnt it missing a shaft? Can’t wait to see what you paint it. Do you have a line or do you just build for fun? Wounder what those drivers will be turned into…
Sharp eyes! Yes I havent addressed the undercarraige yet, I usually provide an enclosure for the cranks & driveshaft, If I have any loose items I can depict the the shaft in detail wih I will try to add it in. The bricks do not allow for an actual driveshaft to be added, which is OK with me. The model is a depiction, a characeture of a Heisler not a proto scale model. I model to have fun so if I dont have a spinning shaft if doesnt bother me. Its getting the “big idea” across. That might be a big deal to some but , hey, my attitude is if they doent like my approach, get some stryene and they can built they’re own. I’m too poor to buy Bachmanns geared locos let alone Accucrafts, so once I found a way to modify AC’s centercab bricks and HLW’s flats, well, this is #4 I’ve built. Now I’m having too much fun building my own, and have stopped caring about whats going to get produced next. The one thing I like most about large scale is that unlike the smaller scales, I have yet to get ripped by a rivet counter, everyone enjoys everything others make. And if I ever did, it wouldnt bother me, cause I know I’m modeling for myself not for them. One of the reasons I post pics is to try to get others to give it a whirl, it easier than it looks.
Im with you, never mind the rivet counters, Most people that ever see my stock up close dont know one end of a rivet from another any way, Keep it up they do inspire, if only I had a bit more room. You are proving you dont need a large wallet for larga scale !!
Glad few care about protypical results. I’m still tring to guage what’s what in the loco world. It turned out great. It dosen’t need to be weathered, it is brand new and the crew should take pride in in there new workhorse. make them spit polish the thing for a few years.[:D] Say where do you get your “bricks”? Have fun on any new creations and hope you finish all you are working on. I’ll be watching!
Vic I have never tried kit bashing, but, I think it is about time. I also have an old Columbia that has seen better days. You have mentioned some parts you used. I do have a couple of questions;
What kind of trucks? ( I think you probably mentioned it in your post but not sure about the terminology used on the forium sometimes) Maybe we should have a definitions page.
Do you have a problem with the trucks operating at different speeds?
If you have a “step by step” it sure would be nice. Anyway you have done a great job. Your post and replies are always helpful. Thanks
Give me a little time to get it together, all the info is here in this forum, just search for my “Class A Climax” Building log will give 90% of the basic info needed in detail, but I’ll try to collate a “How to” guide as this one was a bit easier.
They work great. I used them for my Dunkirk. They also come with all the shay side gearing, parts of which I used for driveshafts. You do have to carefully cut down some of the gearing as they act as bushings for the wheels on one side. Their biggest down side is they are very tall. I wound up using a large rubber bushing cut down and epoxied to the bottom of the gondola. I then used a bolt up through the mounting yoke with a lock nut on the gondola floor. When I tried to use the bolster on the gondola, it sat up way too high.
on the bolsters
and after
I also used modified Hartland truck side frames as they are close to the right size (I glued on bits of styrene to lengthen them a bit). I also shortened the coupler shanks later on.
As you can see from Brians project above, looks like they work mighty fine to me. One thing for me though, if I ever get my hands on a set, I’ll take a crack at doing those spinny sidewinder parts on the engineers side[;)]
Yes they do. If you stick one down on the track it will run by itself. There are a couple of wires you can run out the top of the truck to wire the truck together and tap off of for a headlight (or even a smoke unit if you want). As far as I know all the Bachmann shay trucks are the same except that earlier versions had plastic cases and these are all metal. I’m not exactly sure what Robert was talking about.
seeing that it’s impossible to leave the valley to get supplies, I’ve been thinkin. Bachman makes an On30 shay and climax. I was thinking if I find a cupple of them, and some power trucks, I can disassemble them and mount all that on a custom flat to make like an eight ton shay or climax, like this.
Brian, I recieved my Shay bricks today. They came with something that looks like a contact. four brass post in a plastic holder and a contact board. Being new to all of this can you tell me what or how they are used?
Take a look at the instruction sheets. They are for an electric connection in the newer version of the shay. From what I have heard they did not work all that great. Mine are sitting in the parts bin. I just pulled the wires through the top plate as shown in the instructions for the old shay.
