Hey guys. I picked up the Spectrum 2-8-0 from Wayne Reid and whilst awaiting its delivery found a photo graph of this specific engine. I found of all things the tender to be most intriguing feature of the engine and was wondering if you folks could help me find one or a least some info on how I could scratch build my own?

Thx.

The Proto tender for the 0-6-0 and 0-8-0 looks about right, might need to be shortened. The trucks will need replacing and the coal bunker kitbashed or scratchbuilt.

Dave

Dave hit it the proto tender would be close .
jim

Yup, the Proto tender would be a good starting point. With a little work, you could also start with any (Athearn, Bachmann, or Broadway) USRA short tender:
[album]749[/album]

You'd need to remove the "bump-up" at the coal bunker area, and probably remove some height from the bottom of the tender body, too, but very do-able. The one in the photo has been shortened by about 3'6", an easy task.

The small tender for the Bachmann Ten Wheeler might work, too, and MDC had a short, low tender that would need only the addition of the "clear vision" coal bunker. The latter one isn't seen much, though, and I don't think that it's currently available.

Here's the Proto tender:
[album]1378[/album]

A suitable CPR cab is available from Miniatures By Eric.

Wayne

Wayne-
Love that tender on the #27.

Dave

Thanks guys!

You probably also noted that the domes on the top of the boiler are in different positions as well. Is this something that could be carefully modified, or should I just leave it be and take a little modellers license on this one?



Hope Wayne R. doesn't mind me borrowing his photo...

Got your pm too Doc Wayne. Thanks for the tip.

Hello Tetters---heres another shot of the Proto 0-8-0

tetters Wrote:Thanks guys!

You probably also noted that the domes on the top of the boiler are in different positions as well. Is this something that could be carefully modified, or should I just leave it be and take a little modellers license on this one?

The domes can be removed from these locos, although it will leave a hole in the boiler shell under each. New domes, in various sizes and styles, are available from Precision Scale and you can also make your own. The existing steam dome looks to be fairly similar to the sand dome of the prototype, but it's of a smaller diameter than the sand dome (on the model), meaning that you'd need to fill the hole where the original sand dome now sits. The position of the existing steam dome is about right, while the sand dome should be moved slightly forward to match the prototype.

There are several approaches to take when trying to make a generic model look like a specific prototype. It's always a good idea to start with photos of the real thing, and dimensional information (driver size, wheelbase, tender capacities, etc., etc.) if you can find it. A possible resource might be CPR Steam Database, although I've not personally visited this site. Other useful places are Richard Leonard's Steam Locomotive Archive and Old Time Trains Most models will require compromises and it's up to the individual modeller to decide which are acceptable and which are not.

Your tracklaying abilities leave no doubt in my mind that you could do a full-blown conversion job on this loco, although that may not be something which would be of interest to you. An acceptable alternative is to change certain key elements that identify a loco as one belonging to a specific railroad, and the CPR's locos could seldom be mistaken for those of any other North American road.
For the prototype you've chosen, CPR identifiers include the all-weather cab style, the fairing on the sides of the running boards, including the style of step down to the pilot deck, the flared stack, and the number board, although the latter is more typical of those used by the CNR. The tender style is one of several used by the CPR, but is specific to this particular locomotive, so should be matched, if possible.
The cab, as mentioned, is available and easily changed, and by altering the steps at the front of the model's running boards, the fairing could be easily constructed from .010" or .015" sheet styrene. A suitable number board is available commercially, or could be easily built from styrene. The Proto tender is the simplest conversion of the ones suggested, and may not even need to be shortened - place it behind the loco to see if the proportions "look right" - the coal bunker sides will have to be shortened, but the cistern....maybe, maybe not. If it does need to be shortened, I'd cut it so that the section between the two vertical lines of rivets (on my picture of the 8414) is removed, along with one of the vertical rivet lines - this would shorten the cistern and the coal bunker in one operation. Make the cut to shorten the tender frame so that it occurs somewhere that doesn't coincide with the joint in the re-assembled superstructure. (You'll also need to take into consideration the circuit board in the tender - it may need to be altered or replaced in order to fit into the shortened body shell - for us dinosaurs still running DC, not a problem. ) As for the stack, there's nothing in the PSC catalogue that looks exactly like it, even though they show over 50 different ones. Miniatures By Eric probably has something suitable - they specialise in Canadian-specific details. If you're interested, PSC does offer a spoked wheelset for the lead truck. I don't think that altering or moving the domes would be worth the effort for this type of conversion, though.

Of course, it's possible to carry such modifications much further. I modified a Proto USRA 0-8-0 to match photos of a real CNR loco -
[album]1384[/album]

[album]1383[/album]

In addition to internal modifications to increase the loco's tractive effort, the front frame was extended to accommodated the CNR-style front end, and the rear frame was modified to match the profile of the prototype. The running boards were lowered, all of the piping re-done with brass wire of the proper diameter, re-routed as required, and new air tanks fashioned from brass tubing and lead, and relocated farther inboard that those of the original model. A new headlight, number boards, handrails, front-end throttle, top-mounted check valve, and bell were added as well. The cab roof was modified, as was the generator and a turret cover was added, as were extra grab irons. The front and rear stepboards were also rebuilt to match those of the protoytype, using brass bar. On the tender, I opened up the coal bunker by removing the cast coal load, then built an open bunker to allow for the use of loose "coal". The bunker handrails were modified, and new handrails added around the top of the cistern and at the rear of the tank. I also added a new back-up light and stand, and replaced the ladder with a new one, scratchbuilt from brass and placed on the opposite side of the rear of the tender.
Quite a bit of work, and there are still compromises.

Here's an example of what I mean by changing only key elements of a model to give it the "feel" of a particular prototype.
My good friend Mister Nutbar wanted his Proto USRA 0-8-0 to appear more like a CNR loco, too, but to make the job easier and cheaper, not to mention more practical for his particular situation, we decided to change only those details that would make it appear similar to a typical CNR 0-8-0. This involved re-working the front end in a slightly "condensed" version that didn't require lengthening the frame - this included moving the headlight to the centre of the smokebox front, adding a CNR-style number board and number plate, and the distinctive CNR-style front handrails. On the tender, only the signature extended handrails around the coal bunker were added, although I did build an open coal bunker to allow loose coal loads. Since the model was already factory-painted and lettered, some touch-up to blend in the modifications and a little weathering completed the job.


I'm sure that your modified loco will turn out well. The degree to which you rebuild it, though, is up to you.

Wayne

Holy crap Wayne!

Thanks for the info. Man I love this board. You guys are just awesome.

Lots of things to consider and I haven't even received the little chooch in the mail yet.

The three things that stand out the most for me is the the positions on of the domes, the tender and the running boards. I had considered modify the exisiting cab, however if there are other available which will make the conversions easier, then I'll be tempted to go with that.

Once again, awesome post Doc. Greatly appreciated.

Hmm. I just went back to the original picture which you posted, Shane - I wanted to take another look at those domes, which I wouldn't have thought necessary to change. I still wouldn't bother, unless doing a full blown make-over, but it's your loco. Make sure, though, that you've got suitable replacements before starting the work.

Here's a loco, similar to yours, but more-or-less "undressed":
[album]1386[/album]

I've since plugged the holes where the domes were, and have made new domes, but no other progress, as other projects take precedence for now.

What I did notice is that the cab is not an all-weather type, as I had originally thought. The giveaway is the canvas gathered at the rear of the cab - the picture was likely taken in the Spring or Fall, but in the Winter, that canvas would be drawn back over the sides and top of the gangway between the loco and tender, in an attempt to seal-out the cold and snow. Another clue that the cab is an open-type is the overhang of the roof at the rear. You can simply use the stock cab - remove the vent on each side, then add a sheet styrene fairing to match that which extends below the sill of the cab.
I've seen the canvas modelled in the folded state, as shown, but never in the "in-use" mode. One modeller used tissue, while another opted for suitably-folded brass shim stock.

Wayne

No problems here with using my picture again. If you want to give the Spectrum 2-8-0 more of a CPR look Athabasca Shops makes an etched brass cab kit that fits the 2-8-0. The cab kit also includes a set of brass running board skirts as well as some other details. I used one of the cab kits on a Spectrum 2-8-0 a few years back for another modeller. Athabasca shops also makes a etched brass oil bunker kit for the Spectrum tender.

I am not sure where I got this picture but this in an example of what the Spectrum 2-8-0 looks like with the cab kit and oil bunker kit.
[attachment=2839]


Wayne Reid

Yea! It came in the mail! I took it out of the box to take a couple of snapshots then put it back into the box. I need to install a decoder and lay some track down first.







I was playing around with the flash settings.

Wayne R, that really captures the look of the photo posted by Shane! To me, the distinctive skirting under the cab is what really sells the model. If I was trying to capture the look of that engine with just a single step, it would be to add a styrene skirt under the cab.

You can also consider the Riverossi clear vision tender as used on first the very old 2-8-0. Then later on the Indiana harbor belt ,2-8-0.
The same tender was used on both locos.
old Riverossi 2-8-0.
[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]
Riverossi Indiana Habor Beth 0-8-0.
[attachment=2844]

Tetters: I have an old Rivarossi tender like the one shown, but the coal bunker looks a bit longer. The frame has suffered from ZinkPest.
[attachment=2850]

(PM me if interested)
The old Tri-Ang pacific had a similar tender (before they replaced it with a Flying Scotsman tender) that looks good repainted in CP.