Lately I have been reading, and rereading, the many threads here with such magnificent steam locomotive builds. The 4-8-0 and 2-10-0 Camelbacks built by E-Paw are I think what motivated me most, though between the rest of you I have enough to read here to really get me going.

Today I dug up my steam fleet from the various places I had them tucked away. There are enough projects here to keep me busy for quite some time.


Original cast metal Varney Dockside. Needs a motor, superdetailing, valve gear, basically everything.


Mantua 0-4-0. Needs a motor and decoder.


Old 117, a Spectrum 4-6-0. Needs a decoder.


B&P 801, Pre Walthers Proto 2000, needs a decoder.


Pre Walthers Proto 2000, needs a decoder.


And the loco that got me started on this path, an old Bowser PRR K4 Pacific. Will need to be completely gone through, including repowering, with decoder, lighting, and possibly sound.


Closer view.


The tender.

The loco is numbered 1737, which was the very first PRR K4. The tender is wrong for an as built model, I will likely change it out to the style shown in this photo

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This style of tender was commonly used behind K4s early in their lives, but is more commonly known paired with E6 Atlantic locomotives.

I also purchased an additional K4 from ebay, so I plan on building a pair of similar, but not identical, K4 commuter locos. The one I bought from ebay also has an incorrect tender. It will likely get the tender from 1737, as it is correct for a K4, just not for the 1737 as built.

If anyone has suggestions on any of the locos in the first post for repowering, please post them here.

Thanks!!

Dave

I'm glad you enjoyed my work Dave, I'm a fan of your posts also. Make sure you post some in progress pics to keep us up to date. I'm going to the Northeast fallen flags prototype meet this weekend with some other Gauge members. There will be lots of models on display, I'll bring a few to show off too. While I'm there I'll grab a bunch of pics of anything interesting to post, so hopefully I'll find some inspiration for the both of us.

e-paw Wrote:I'm glad you enjoyed my work Dave, I'm a fan of your posts also.

Your work is very impressive. Eventually I want to built a 2-8-0 or 4-6-0 cross-compound locomotive, either kitbash or from scratch. Actually a 4-8-0 like the N&W one at Strasburg would be awesome, the 465 is my favorite active steam locomotive, but the 4-8-0 wheel arrangement is very difficult to find in HO. I want to use these more simple projects as a way to gain experience. Especially with valve gear and repowering. I have been communicating with doctorwayne about techniques and he has been very helpful. I hope all of you steam builders will chime in and give me your opinions, tips, and criticism, as this is the only way for someone like me to learn... listen to those that "have done", and then "do".

Quote: Make sure you post some in progress pics to keep us up to date.

I plan of posting each step, that is the best way to get input from all of you.

Quote: I'm going to the Northeast fallen flags prototype meet this weekend with some other Gauge members. There will be lots of models on display, I'll bring a few to show off too. While I'm there I'll grab a bunch of pics of anything interesting to post, so hopefully I'll find some inspiration for the both of us.

That will be great! Have fun at the show and definitely get pics to share.

Dave

Puddlejumper Wrote:

e-paw Wrote:I'm glad you enjoyed my work Dave, I'm a fan of your posts also.

Your work is very impressive. Eventually I want to built a 2-8-0 or 4-6-0 cross-compound locomotive, either kitbash or from scratch. Actually a 4-8-0 like the N&W one at Strasburg would be awesome, the 465 is my favorite active steam locomotive, but the 4-8-0 wheel arrangement is very difficult to find in HO. I want to use these more simple projects as a way to gain experience. Especially with valve gear and repowering. I have been communicating with doctorwayne about techniques and he has been very helpful. I hope all of you steam builders will chime in and give me your opinions, tips, and criticism, as this is the only way for someone like me to learn... listen to those that "have done", and then "do".

Quote: Make sure you post some in progress pics to keep us up to date.

I plan of posting each step, that is the best way to get input from all of you.

Quote: I'm going to the Northeast fallen flags prototype meet this weekend with some other Gauge members. There will be lots of models on display, I'll bring a few to show off too. While I'm there I'll grab a bunch of pics of anything interesting to post, so hopefully I'll find some inspiration for the both of us.

That will be great! Have fun at the show and definitely get pics to share.

Dave

Dave...

You might want to take a quick look at my 2-8-2 build....It's a lot of work, but well worth it...
Particularly with the very helpful advice of our friend Dr. Wayne...

http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=17&t=3713

Lots of luck, and don't hesitate to ask if you get stuck...(As I often did.... :oops: )

Steamtrains Wrote:Dave...

You might want to take a quick look at my 2-8-2 build....It's a lot of work, but well worth it...
Particularly with the very helpful advice of our friend Dr. Wayne...

http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=17&t=3713

Lots of luck, and don't hesitate to ask if you get stuck...(As I often did.... :oops: )

Thank you sir for the link, I will read through it very carefully!

Dave

It was a Pennsy K-4, pulling the "Cannonball Express" to Montauk, that scared the ( :o ) out of me as a child of about eight years age, when it pulled into Bridgehampton, and "scarred " me with a lasting love of steam locomotives.
Hope the K-4 project goes well.
They were, to the best of my knowledge, the only steam locos on the LIRR, that were never lettered other than Pennsylvania.

Puddlejumper Wrote:

Steamtrains Wrote:Dave...

You might want to take a quick look at my 2-8-2 build....It's a lot of work, but well worth it...
Particularly with the very helpful advice of our friend Dr. Wayne...

http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...=17&t=3713

Lots of luck, and don't hesitate to ask if you get stuck...(As I often did.... :oops: )

Thank you sir for the link, I will read through it very carefully!

Dave

Dave,
Got a question, you a B&O'er? I just noticed the picture for your avatar.......I know Pete is, or just likes the B&O's EL classes!

EM-1_7600 Wrote:Dave,
Got a question, you a B&O'er? I just noticed the picture for your avatar.......I know Pete is, or just likes the B&O's EL classes!

Actually, no. I am a member of the enemy team, PRR. I am a huge PRR fan, but only recently got into steam. I have been slowly backdating over the last several years. The B&O C16 in my avatar is one of my favorite locos though, and I have an old Varney that I plan of rebuilding, superdetailing, and DCC. I also have a PRR A5s that is comparable in size, except equipped with a tender, and they will be used to switch industries in the Spring Hill Industrial area (unbuilt as of yet) on my layout.

I admit I have recently become interested in B&O history. I believe it stems from all my PRR research, noting that the B&O and PRR competed in the Richmond, Va-New York city corridor, and got quite cut throat at times.

Dave

Yes, those 2 railroads were quite bitter with each other over time and the avent of the B&O getting into Pennsylvania was adding salt to injury back in the day with the 2 roads....

As for your PRR A-5, the B&O had some C-16a's that were the Docksider like in your avatar, that was rebuilt, like the A-5 class in Pennsy! So yes, they were very comparable!

EM-1_7600 Wrote:As for your PRR A-5, the B&O had some C-16a's that were the Docksider like in your avatar, that was rebuilt, like the A-5 class in Pennsy! So yes, they were very comparable!

Yes, I have one of those too, but it is not a particularly nice model. It may end up getting rebuilt and detailed as well. I love those little "Swallow Tailed Dinkeys"
and "Puddlejumpers".

Hence my avatar and screen name.

Dave

Dave,
Which model of the rebuilt B&O do you have? The Rivarossi B&O C-16a is a nice model if detailed, I've got one of them and I've replaced the motor with a can motor and it runs quite well for its size!

I'll have to post some pictures of the little 0-4-0!

Yes, it is a Rivarossi. I just went up and dug it out, and it doesn't look too bad. It appears the tender is not correct and will need to be replaced. Here is a pic of B&O 96 with tender



I found that in a google search, from this thread here on the gauge

http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3223

Dave,
Yeah, the Rivarossi is as close your gonna get for the 0-4-0T BUT the 0-4-0, with tender, you would have better luck to make the tender from a Mantua 0-4-0 tender, as its much closer to the real thing. BUT if you had 2 of the Rivarossi 0-4-0 tenders, you could make it a replica!