LOTW January 10 - 16, 2016

My loco of the week is an MDC Box Cab on a Bachmann GE 44 Ton drive mechanism that I just completed following, for the most part, instructions from Geared Steam's web site. My Bachmann was the two motor version so some adaptations had to be made to his instructions. The bell and stove pipe were missing from the Box Cab body. I made a stove pipe from some parts sprue and a trip to the hobby shop will get me a bell.

I might have posted this when I first got it several months ago... Previous owner did a decent job dressing up the boiler valves and details along with the cab windows, but just this afternoon I finally got around to adding the full valve gear from an earlier 2-8-0 'nooga.   Unfortunately that donor was already missing the pilot truck and details, but it still yields an improvement.   I might go ahead and swap the smokebox doors too.  

But still, sigh... it took me months to finally get back around to this and while the valve gear upgrade is straightforward, in that time one of crosshead bolts (which must be obtained from the donor loco) vaporized off the bench, d'oh.   So I have to use a screw for a temporary holder; it's too sloppy to run but at least it's all together and I can get it off the bench.  

Found this UP F9A hanging up inside a plastic bag at my favorite thrift store Friday, only the 3rd time I've found model trains there. Snagged it at $4.90, plus a UP caboose and a hopper car. Turns out it's a fairly nice Bachmann, DCC-able with can motor ( no flywheels ), heavy chassis. Tested it at my train shop today, it ran great, very smooth. I'm thinking of swapping bodies , and using something else other than UP for this one. I already have ideas, and it involves my Obama train project, similar engine chassis.  

Jerry 

Great job there Jerry! And not as far from reality as you might think. The paint scheme isn't "correct". But it certainly looks good to my eyes!

I suspect the Santa Fe would have removed the steam equipment and used the resulting loco for freight service. But I don't know that for certain. My books are all in the shed and I am not ready to brave the 25F temp to find out

U Boat on a bridge.

Steve,

Meet your guy's older brother.



It's an early 60's model with sprung trucks. It's also notable that until 1963 or so they used black Delrin for the trucks and wheel centers before switching to the later silver-infused gray plastic that became their trademark.

Excellent paint job, Jerry. You're like a one man production line.

Very cool. I had no idea Rivarossi used delrin originally.