Mantua/Tyco 2-8-2

[nachoman]

JB weld works good for filling holes in metal boilers. It cures harder than most other fillers, but files and sands easily. For detail parts, I would recommend filing/cutting off all cast-on details and replacing with wire piping and brass details. Your best bet is to find a prototype photo that is from the era and appearance you want to achieve, and then copy the locations and types of fittings that you see. It doesn't have to be a 2-8-2 photos, and it doesn't have to look remotely close to the Mantua - it just needs to be something to show what types of fittings go together, and where. For example, you don't want to put two injectors on a locomotive that has a feedwater pump. As far as I know, all steam locomotives had two methods of getting water into the boiler. they would either have two injectors, or one injector and one feedwater pump. Another option - if you can still buy the detail kit for the bowser 2-8-2, you may want to go that route. The details will be basically the same, and you will ahve a diagram to show where they all go.