Schraddel Wrote:Yeah Matt!

When you are finished with this switcher, nobody will presume a Bachmann USRA 0-6-0 ist the base behind it.

Your P2K 0-8-0:
Is this the first edition with the lack of pick ups from the tender wheels?

Lutz

Thanks Lutz,

Yes, it's the first edition without tender pickup. Surely it would improve the reliability to add them. But still, the locomotive pickups will have to bbe cleaned.

Matt

Final countdown: rewiring the entire thing (a first for me)!

Tender with its new pickups and IDE connector. Steel weights were slotted and insulated with tape.




Original factory decoder and wiring:



Motor reconnected to the new NCE Z14SR decoder (made for Z scale locomotive, but strong enought for HO). All new soldering done in the boiler were protected with shrink tube.



Decoder installation completed:



Notice the headlight LED is directly connected into an IDE connector. Saves a lot of problem when disassembling the model or needing to replace the headlight: push and pull. For stability but possibility to adjust its height when the shell will be on, I used Blu-Tack to keep it in place.




Tender connectors:

We could have used these small connectors, they are nicer and smaller. In a next project, I'll use them:



The idea was to use the feeder wires to tender to represent hoses connecting a real locomotive to its tender. I've never seen people doing it this way, habitually we try to conceal them as much as possible. But I guess the idea isn't new. It makes pluging and unpluging a tender an easier task. It's also stronger than small connectors we often see on steamers nowadays.

Wires from the locomotive go through holes into cab floor:




Cab was then replaced using a screw and shell replaced on the boiler.



Headlight inserted in its IDE connector:


Tender with its IDE connectors ready to be plugged:




Feeders to tender pickup trucks. We soldered them to get a more realistic look (downward).



Connector to tender headlight:




The final result:



The maiden trip with Bil's LS&W double-sheated boxcar:

At Villeneuve's crossing:


Meeting big sister CNR 2500:




Emerging from Bld. Ste. Anne overpass at Giffard:


Now, I need to touchup the paint and mask headlight backlighting. Performance was good on track. But the engine is too light to perform well (I means, pull enough cars). I'm seriously thinking about adding weight in the domes, cabs and smoke unit cavity.

BTW, not shown, but I had to cover the entire motor with tape ton insulate it. Brass parts added to the boiler made shorts.

More to come in the following weeks.

Matt

Matt, that's an incredible job in a fairly short time. My Bachmann 0-6-0 is on order, and I aim to follow in your footsteps!

Matt, wonderful work and a fine result. Congratulation!

Great-looking results, Matt. Now you've got me wondering if I really do have all the locomotives that I need.

Wayne

Thanks all!

It's been a fun project that hars a slow start but finally paid off.

doctorwayne Wrote: Great-looking results, Matt. Now you've got me wondering if I really do have all the locomotives that I need.

Wayne

There's a correlation between needs and number of locos owned? hock:

Silly question, you know the answer!

Matt

sailormatlac Wrote:

doctorwayne Wrote: Great-looking results, Matt. Now you've got me wondering if I really do have all the locomotives that I need.

Wayne

Silly question, you know the answer!

Matt

You allways need eaxctly the number of engines you want to own :!:

Lutz