I recently had this fall into my lap:

I believe it's the MDC old-timer 2-8-0 and I'd like to rebuild it. Not so much as to make it run (though that would be nice), more for display. It is however missing a few parts.

From what I can tell it is missing the front pilot truck, 1 crosshead, 1 crosshead guide and one main rod.
It was missing the cab but another modeler gave me a Bachmann cab that fits fairly well.
It is also missing the motor/worm gear but that's not as important. My next job is to clean everything up and start mounting the cab to the boiler.

I spent some time this afternoon stripping the engine down

The tender steps were broken so I glued them back together and spent some time figuring out the cab/boiler fit. it looks like they will go together fairly well, the opening in the front of the cab is the same diameter as the boiler so there's just a bit of cutting and trimming on the running boards.

While I was disassembling the engine I also found that I'm missing the yoke that holds the ends of the crosshead guides.

I hope to track that down as well. I'm sure someone out there has a few parts in their stash.

I have, 1 crosshead, 1 crosshead guide and one main rod, that I can send you, from a kit I used for a loco "bash" some time back. PM me an address, and I'll send them to you.

Thanks to Sumpter's generosity I have the Main rod, crosshead and crosshead guide that I was looking for. Still looking for a yoke. Bowser has one but I am contemplating building one myself. since it's not really a structural or moving piece.

Well I started fitting the new cab to the boiler and frame.


It looks like the spectrum cab is the same size as the MDC one so I only need a few minor modifications to make it fit


First I need to 'channel' the cab over the running boards to drop it. the boiler is pretty much the same diameter as the hole in the cab . I'm wondering if I should cut slots in the running boards or trim the front cab walls down.



The other issue is the tab on the rear of the frame that was supposed to go in a slot in the MDC cab. Once the cab is dropped I have to cut a slot in the back for this tab but the everything should fit right.
The other thing I'm planning is to sand the cast-in hatches and details from the roof. I think it makes it look a bit too modern of what I'm going for.

I would suggest to slot the running board and keep the cab intact. It will be easier to adjust the correct cab height and less chance to mess up things.

Matt

Either way would work, but I'd opt for cutting the front wall of the cab. This would be easier to repair if you made a mistake, but it would also allow you to position the cab further forward (or rearward) if you wished. Sometimes, re-positioning it even a few scale inches can improve the appearance and apparent balance.

Wayne

Nice start , I have one that I am planning to turn in this <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/lne/lne-s26o.jpg">http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/lne/lne-s26o.jpg</a><!-- m -->.
Just one of about 80,000 things on my to do list.

Thanks guys.
I adjusted the height of the cab this afternoon

Just a bit off the bottom so that the boiler nests in the cab

Now my next step is to lower the boiler on the frame to give it a more low-slung look. I'll probably trim the firebox down so there isn't a step up in the frame, then section the boiler saddle in the front to match.

I spent some time this afternoon lowering the boiler

I determined that the step in the firebox is 2mm which works out to around 6-7 scale inches so that was my allowance for sectioning the saddle.

I cut the saddle off the cylinder block and used my bench sander to remove material from both sides, taking care that everything was square. I finished off the sanding by hand. I use a piece of 220 grit self adhesive paper attached to some hardboard as a sanding platform. Sanding in a figure-8 is a good way to keep your sanding square.

I used the bench sander to remove the steps in the frame. Then I glued the cylinder block/ boiler saddle back together with epoxy.

After test fitting I found there was a lip on the rear of the boiler that also needed to be trimmed away. After that was taken care of everything fit back together straight and level.

Now the next project is fabricating a new yoke. I'm using one from an MDC 0-6-0 as a guide. Unfortunately it's just a bit too large to work on this project but I can use it's basic shape to figure out how to make one myself.

After this I still need to fabricate a new front pilot truck. Can anyone give me a picture of the components with a ruler beside so I can get some dimensions?

Very nice looking project!

Thanks Kevin

I finished fitting the cab today

It needed a slot cut in the rear for a tab that is on the frame.

I see I will also have to add a filler piece to the bottom of the cab to cover the hole in the rear of the frame. The cab isn't attached yet, just hanging in loosely.
While I was at the computer today I used trains.com's magazine search engine on the MDC 2-8-0 and found allot of articles on the engine and it's many kitbashing and detailing possibilities.

I'll go through my magazine collection to check out the articles in the next couple days, I'm pretty sure I have all the issues listed.

Oh boy! I didn't think you would lower the boiler that much. Do you work with a particular prototype/reference material on mind? I'm just curious!

Matt

Hi Matt. I don't think it's that low. Here's a quick picture of the engine on the layout:

As for a prototype, I'm not really aiming for anything in particular, maybe that 'narrow-gauge' look without going narrow gauge?

I took a look through my model magazine library last night and came up with two articles that deal with building one of these:

March 1986 issue of Model railroader has an article on modernizing this engine and the December 1996 issue and Model Railroad Craftsman has an article on backdating one. I took a few ideas from both. I did hit real paydirt when I found the MRC article had a scale drawing of the yoke in it which will make my job of fabricating one a lot easier.

The MR article has some detailing ideas like sand and air lines.

Re: MDC 2-8-0 rebuild - " I'm not really aiming for anything in particular, maybe that 'narrow-gauge' look without going narrow gauge?"
Interesting in that the MDC Narrow Gauge 2-8-0 seems to use the same boiler casting. (( :oops: or is that what the kit was )).
I'll have to go check my library of MR/MRC, to check out those mentioned as source material for your conversion. This is getting 'more' interesting.
Here's a shot of the MDC Narrow gauge 2-8-0, as an "outside frame" 2-8-2, before painting.
[attachment=23675]
I used an MDC narrow gauge tank car kit, to modify the kit tender to a Vanderbilt tender for this loco.
[attachment=23672]
Yes, I am enjoying seeing your progress on this project.......kind of from a "been there-done that" perspective.
Signature lines 1, and, 2 appliy

Yes, MDC used the same boiler for the HOn3 and the Standard-gauge. They used the same boiler for the 2-6-0 and 4-4-0 as well. As for a prototype... your build is reminding me of some Mexican locomotives, such as: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0301/bl105.jpg">http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0301/bl105.jpg</a><!-- m -->

N de M had a bunch of low-boilered small locomotives, in both standard and narrow gauge.