Old Steamers

[doctorwayne]

Many years ago, I ordered an MDC Santa Fe Atlantic from Hobbies For Men, but they sent a Pennsy Atlantic with a Belpaire firebox. I used a mill file to remove the "shoulders" from the firebox. As long as the boiler is thick enough, it should be easy to do. Mine turned out fine, but I don't have a photo.
If you want to use a brass pilot, Cal-Scale (Bowser) and PSC both have several types. Soldering it to some sheet brass should allow you to use a screw to affix it to the loco's frame.

This modified Bachmann Northern got a Cal-Scale GSC cast pilot, which comes with an integral deck. This allowed it to be attached using a screw...




...and the same for this Bachmann USRA Light Mountain:



I re-worked this Athearn Mikado for a friend to more closely resemble a CNR locomotive, and he supplied a PIA (PSC) CNR-style pilot. It, too, had a deck cast as part of the pilot, making installation both easy and solid...



Same friend's locomotive and same pilot on this one, but I modified the cast deck and soldered it to a piece of sheet brass. The whole works was then soldered to the frame...





Wayne