Well just bought my first HEAVY brass steam loco the other day

[ryeguyisme]

Just for a frame of reference, check this out:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=316963&nseq=15

interesting picture of 643 with the modern  number board  attachments, even though I don't like the way it looks thank goodness that beastie is in good condition and a model railroad museum in ohio is looking to buy it and restore it for tourists runs

Atlas used to make a crossing that was meant to go with a couple of switches to make just the configuration you are looking to build.  I'm not sure of the crossing angle, but I seem to recall it being something like 17 degrees; I'm afraid I don't remember the switch frog numbers at all.

Update: Atlas crossing links, looks like the angle is 12 1/2 degrees, will need to look up what switches go with it:

https://secure.atlasrr.com/mod1/items.asp?Cc=H46&iTpStatus=0&Tp=&Bc=

https://secure.atlasrr.com/mod1/items.asp?Cc=H56&iTpStatus=0&Tp=&Bc=

I'll try and look something up in the next day or so for you.

[ryeguyisme]

I'm going to try and solder a straight and a 22 inch radius curve together into a crossing

[J3a-614]

I'm going to continue looking to confirm this, but it looks like the 12 1/2 degree crossing is meant to work with Atlas' regular No. 4 (not Snap Switch, and really a No. 4 1/2 or 4.5 frog) turnouts.  This looks like what would give you the double-tracked junction you want.

http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=62056

http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6504

http://www.modelsbuzz.com/ho-turnout-radii-and-curves-891626.html

Hope this is helping out.

[ryeguyisme]

Wellllllllllllllllllllllllllllll i gave in and bought a Proto 2-10-2, which i thought had sound but its no biggie at 150, turns out the guy selling it lived right up the road from me



anywho I plopped my russian decapod decoder in and it ran just fine with it, so I'm satisfied to say the least(knock on wood) Still anticipating the delivery of my 2-10-4 but in the meantime, I've been working away at the modules











Thats two 2.5 foot by 10 foot modules together, I managed to squeeze in everything I needed at the interchange okay with easements and replaced the switches with #6's and a lower degree crossing and I tested my new proto on it, and it ran over beautifully, so no complaints so far....


now working on the mining tipple tracks I was debating on using my threeway switch but if I can get those tracks 2.5 inches away from each other for a cornerstone new river mining kit, I should be golden. After doing the trackwork for that I'll move onto making corner pieces and a couple interurban city modules. Debating on buying a 130 foot walthers turntable, but I'm not sure as to if it will fit.

For those wondering I've been using a bit of XtrackCAD for reference as well as drawings and cardboard mockups



^now looking from the picture, the 130 fits in with about an inch or so to spare on each side, now to do a roundhouse  and other engine facility addons i would need about 2 modules as a sectional to do it.  and I haven't a clue as to add a yard into this either haha I will say if I keep the system in the basement I should be fine

[ryeguyisme]

Well just an update for you guys, I recieved the brass engine in about a week ago and tonight I just ordered a DM&IR 2-10-2 with sound, and I'm currently posting the brass tender on ebay. Now using the old gear parts from Guilford Guy's Engine for reference, I started milling away at the brass boiler shell, so in turn I can fit the 2-10-2 chassis in. Doing it this way will eliminate a bunch of problems down the road, the fact the locomotive cannot make less than 23 inch radius, the spectrum chassis can definitely do this, plus on top of that DCC and sound and the clear vision tender I want.


This is not for brass collectors with weak hearts:





I am debating on if I should attempt to switch over the cylinders and the valve gear, and sell the mechanism as is, and I'm also wondering what to use as a four wheel trailing truck, or maybe I'lll use the brass one who knows


the module has been on standby at the moment, but still being worked on plan-wise, and thanks to Craig from the B-man forums, I now have a 130' tuntable and some really helpful roundhouse walls and as promised I will post what I will do using those parts on a planned module


comments and suggestions welcome

[ryeguyisme]

just got my DM&IR 2-10-2 in Today, and I love the detail on it and it looks great!!, and I especially love the tender

[ryeguyisme]

Here's some work done, almost all the basic steps I need to create this behemoth of power is complete







for a project as complicated as this one, everything is coming out exceptionally good, due to lack of a spot to screw in the brass rear trailing truck, I decided to install a Rivarossi Hudson one instead, and now the locomotive has 2 franklin boosters, think of all that tractive effort!

Pretty soon I'll have to finish the cosmetic detailing and test run this locomotive and then will be the paint job, everything is coming out great

[Craig]

Rye, that looks fantastic. I hope I get a sneak preview when the loco is painted.

[ryeguyisme]

Rye, that looks fantastic. I hope I get a sneak preview when the loco is painted.

Craig you always the frist to see things as they come out as well as an exclusive insight to some of my construction so of course

[ryeguyisme]

Well I just did some wiring/painting on the brass locomotive and it came out great


Just barely makes the 90 foot turntable:



Now as far as paint is concerned the next step for this locomotive would be the DM&IR gray paint livery:


and then I would like to share some of my locomotives that have not been seen on these forums:

Old Sleepy Valley 596 here was a switch engine on the last railway she ran, scratchbuilt brass boiler on a shortened varney sprung driver frame which due to age disintegrated, so for now she sits on a new old stock varney heavy consolidation chassis until further decision as to whether to turn her into a 0-10-0 or a 0-8-0 with a newer chassis to restore her former glory


this engine is a recent addition as it's boiler was bought at the springfield show earlier this year and already work has begun on it, it sits on a pretty good  IHC chassis(newer version) she was tested on the club's front end loops and shes an outstanding runner and puller pulled 26 cars without trouble at all on a 2% grade, have yet to add more cars to fully test it, eventually she'll become a primary road engine hauling reefers and coal.

any comments would be great.



and PS- I managed to buy a really good 8 x 21 foot layout from someone who's done a really good job on it for a really good price, I cannot wait until I pick it up wednesday I'll be sure to share with you all on how it comes

[J3a-614]

Howdy, Rye;

Been a bit busy lately, and haven't had the time to write too many comments here, but I have been following the progress.  I can't say I would have done what you have with the B&LE/DM&IR 2-10-4, but then I'm in the "keep it pretty original camp," so just consider that a difference in opinion.  

I'm glad the new crossing and the junction layout came out as well as it did, although you may want to consider moving that huge turntable somewhere else, maybe onto its own module with a new yard.  Part of that would be to give it room for the roundhouse you want to go with it, part of it would be to make things easier to handle, and part of it would be to allow it to get its own share of viewing attention, along with the locomotives that would be in it!

The "new" engines you have are interesting, particularly that Varney 2-8-4 boiler on a modern 2-8-2 running gear.  The Varney 2-8-4 was something of a freelanced job (not unusual for generic engines when it was introduced, as Mantua's 2-8-2 doesn't quite have a prototype either), although in some ways it has a Baldwin look similar to that of L&N M-1 2-8-4s.  The firebox doesn't look oversized to me for a two-wheel trailer, but overall the engine looks too modern for the fabricated trailer that came with the IHC mechanism.  Change that trailer out for a modern Delta type, and the engine would look closer to "right" in my eyes.

As to that engine with the homemade boiler, the proportions and size suggest an 0-10-0 to me; let us know what you plan to use for a mechanism for this beastie. . .

Good luck, keep it up, you're doing some things I haven't been able to do myself yet. . .

[ryeguyisme]

Hey J3a,

yeah it's been a while hearing from you, but you do get the cogs running in my mind on the things you mention, the 2-10-4 needed to be able to barely negotiate at least an 18" radius which it will but I won't plan on doing it often, my sole purpose in buying this ungodly beast was to kitbash it into one of my style road locomotives, if you hadn't noticed the trademark roof hatches yet I hope to obtain some large Union Pacific mountains and mikados as well as some D&RGW freight styled 4-8-2's all of which except the UP 4-8-2 is only available in brass(broadway limited made a release on UP's MT-7). I just like the style and modern look to them not to mention their size and unique-ness in comparison to the non-brass market, I don't like much anything that looks massed produced in the model world, which drove me into the kitbash realm.


the junction is still rather a basket case BUT I have a plan that just might work where I rip it up and actually modify the  crossover by cutting out the plastic in the curved direction and relaying it curved.

In the mean time tomorrow I'm on a road trip to pick up that good sized layout I bought 2 hours from here so I might just hold off on the modules until I see what exactly I'm dealing with as far as space/practicality

I love those varney engines, I must admit you're right about that trailing truck, I have a couple delta's in my parts somewheres


You're right on the sleepy Valley engine, and right along what my original thought to have it become a 0-10-0(been wanting to get a few of these) So I plan on picking up another russian decapod with sound and use that as a conversion

[ryeguyisme]

welll here it is guys, the final product after lots of tweaking:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u36ySftq04U

still some work to be done on it but it runs and can handle 18 inch radius without a problem, something the brass engine couldn't handle requiring a 24 inch radii

[Doneldon]

Rye-

Well I'm impressed! Looks super and runs great. When are you coming over to fix or finish all of my projects?

                                                                                            -- D

[ryeguyisme]

Rye-

Well I'm impressed! Looks super and runs great. When are you coming over to fix or finish all of my projects?

                                                                                            -- D

whenever I finish mine D:, i still have a lot of mine to do, just bought two spectrum class J tenders for some D&RGW freelance steam lookalikes