Lets build a camelback,, or two.

[e-paw]

To start this off ezdays started a few threads on your likes & dislikes in the hobby,, Well I got to say that track work is the thing that I really don't like to do, but doing Steam builds has got to be my #1 favorite of all the model railroading activities. That being said I was looking for a signature locomotive for my freelanced road, something unique to SH&D. Almost all steam era roads had at least one locomotive type that personified the character of that road; the NYC had it's Mohawks and Hudson's, the PRR had K-4's, and when you hear big boys you think UP. The CNJ had it's 4-8-0's, Reading it's T-1's, N&W J's & Y-6's; So I did some thinking and came up with the idea of a decapod camelback, As far as I know no other road had them. I wanted something that could be of 1880's/90's vintage that through several rebuilds would have survived till the end of steam, like the CNJ k-1's, witch this steamer will be loosely based on. Over the last year or so I was able to acquire two Spectrum Russian decapods at reasonable prices, so I didn't feel bad about cutting them up . The drives were the selling point of the model, they are smooth runners, with low drivers, exposed valve gear, and decently proportioned cylinders. That is the overall look of what I am going for. That will be the basses for this build. The first step was to remove all the parts that i didn't need for this build, witch amounts to most of the model. I will mainly just be using the drive and probably the tender frame. I may salvage some of the detail parts from the boiler and tender as needed.     One of the models was a DCC version, so the decoder and sound board had to go, as I am a DC hold out.

I will have a lot of leftover parts when I'm finished so when It's completed let me know I you need any of them.     In this pic you can seethe boilers and tender shells along with an out of production BCW firebox casting, perfect for camelbacks that will be used in this build.. As long as I don't get held up at work tomorrow, I'll start on the boiler and fireboxes.