This is a photo of the heaviest weathering I’ve yet done on one of my steamers, it’s a Colorado and Southern 2-10-2 that is ‘on loan’ to my Rio Grande Sub to help with a motive power shortage for the duration of WWII. Normally I use a light weathering, but I figured that this lady was far from home for a while and the Rio Grande shops wouldn’t be too concerned about her ‘cosmetics.’ It’s done with Bragdon self-adhesive chalks, a Q-tip and a toothbrush. And it’s done AFTER I’ve sealed the model with Dull-Cote, not before.
I really prefer to keep my locos ‘lightly’ weathered. The Yuba River Sub is a ‘good housekeeper’, even though the locos are on the road most of the time.
Thanks, Mark. To tell the truth, I’m undecided. [%-)] The loco was NYC when I got it, and saw a couple of versions of CPR (one involved using a mill file to remove the “coal” pile from the tender, for a conversion to oil burning), before ending up in the grey and green version. The scratchbuilt tender followed, as the original was no longer suitable.
If I stay with the last roadname (my original free-lance road, but no longer modelled beyond a couple of locos and quite a bit of rolling stock), I may do it up in a style similar to this Bachmann Mountain:
I’d forego the modern-style front end, though, and skip the feedwater heater. The engine will become the primary passenger power of my current free-lance road, and will represent a loco handed down from the original road, which I’m modelling as the “parent” road. The tender will be the same as that of the Mountain, and a similar-style cab, a boiler tube pilot and the NYC-style turret shrouding, along with similar appliances should impart a “family” look.
Another option is to style it to more closely match locos of the road which I currently model:
This would probably entail most of the changes of option one, but with a cab similar to the one shown on the Consolidation, and perhaps the modified tender. I’m currently modifying two Bachmann Ten Wheelers with the same cabs, along with bigger boilers and piston valves, to more closely match the 2-8-0s, and I also have two Moguls that will get the same cab, plus piston valves. With so much other loco conversion work to do, I’m hoping that my choices for the Pacific will become clearer as time goes by. [:-^] There are also two CNR N-2-bs and a DW&P N-2-a, a
That’s a FABULOUS kit-bash on the Bachmann 4-8-2! Can I ask you a question? Where did you get the trailing truck casting? I don’t seem to be able to find one, and I’m in the midst of up-grading one of the Bachmann 4-8-2’s.
Thanks, Tom. [:)] The trailing truck was out of my scrap/spare parts supply, and I think that it’s from a Rivarossi Pacific. It neeed to be modified slightly to fit. As Peter notes, PSC has several types of trailing trucks available: the Delta one, with plain bearings and a booster engine is Walthers Part #585-31556 and with roller bearings and a booster, Part # 585-31557. I’m pretty sure that the booster engine is a separate part, although I don’t see a listing for the truck without the booster.
Thanks for the information on the trailing trucks. Wow, you’d think that after all the castings I’ve ordered from PSC over time, it would have dawned on me that they also carry trailing truck castings![:I] Besides that, they’re a really GREAT company to deal with.
Thanks again, guys.
Tom [:D]
PS: Peter, if the Blueline AC-5 is anything like the original BLI AC-5 I’ve got, you won’t be able to FIND enough PFE’s to put behind it, LOL! That locomotive is just one POWERFUL puller! Hope you get it soon.
have to disagree quite a bit. If you are speaking of older brass you are correct. Most of these show that unfavorable frame cut-out above the trailing truck, but there were always exeptions.
But since around 1990 you would have a real hard time to find ANY brass model without a fairly prototypical rear frame section - with ash pan or without. The ash pan is almost invisible on most steamers - it’s placed between the frame secions.
I could give plenty of examples but would have to make photos especially for that reason. Tom White’s wonderful D&RGW F-81 from PSC is a great example for a fairly completely detailed H0scale model (but Tom, I would highly recommend to paint at least all the unpowerd wheels [:P] I always do - it adds greatly!) - perhaps he could provide a photo.
The CAL-SCALE description of “ash pan sides” is somewhat misleading because these are not supposed to close that daylight at the height of the frame cut out. These pieces are no ash pan side walls but belong to the lower end of the fire box sides to simulate the mud ring and the air intakes.
Well, I have to disagree with you as well, Vapeurchapelon. The ashpan on narrow firebox locos is hard to see since it is entirely between the frames, but anything with a wide firebox is a different story. The outside edge of the pan will at the very least line up under the outside edge of the foundation bar - mud ring to you - if it doesn’t project out past it. Here 's a photo taken at random from the 'net. Are you really claiming the ashpan is almost invisible?
The effect is even more pronounced on centre-cab/Mother Hubbard locos. Even on an oil-fired loco the firepan is highly visible…
I’m not familiar with the CalScale parts you mentioned, but your description is also misleading. Anything below the foundation bar is part of the ashpan, not the firebox.
Ray’s simple addition of a “view block” under the firebox makes a tremendous difference to the appearance of his locos, and is a mod I’d recommend to anyone looking to increase the realism of their steam fleet.
lube the wheels and siderods first. whatever streaking or whatever happens adds to the effect, but protects moving parts from the paint, besideds movement will just bust any paint solidity.
Here’s a photo of the PSC F-81 as you requested. You’re right, I should paint the wheels, but somehow right now I can’t bring myself to touch that baby with a brush, LOL! Probably later.
And yes, if you click the photo to full size, you can see the detail of the frame above the trailing truck–PSC did a remarkable job of ‘filling’ in detail, IMO, WITHOUT compromising the ability of the loco to take scale radii (30" ABSOLUTE minimum for this baby).
However, I kind of agree with Mark about ash-pans being visible on some steam locos–the Rio Grande 3-cylinder M-75 4-8-2’s had VERY visible and rather deep ash-pans. The two Key models of these locos that I have replicate it quite well.
But never fear, I’ll paint those wheels–someday. [:)]
I’ve used that Cal-Scale casting on a brass kit-bash 2-10-2 also, and it does a great deal to ‘fill up’ the space between the firebox and the trailing truck.
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