side rods

[union pacific 4014]

how do you make the factory blacken rods on bachmann up 4-8-4  look shiny sliver  like on bachmann atsf 4-8-4 ?

[jbrock27]

Matt, do you know if it is painted metal?

[union pacific 4014]

i don't think their painted 

[Skarloey Railway]

Aren't they blackened so the look more like the real thing?

[union pacific 4014]

yes for a two tone gray  up fef 4-8-4 but im doing a custom bachmann   up fef 4-8-4 with a bachmann atsf 4-8-4 boiler shell im going for this look http://www.steamlocomotive.com/northern/up806.jpg

[Irbricksceo]

I assure you, No UP FEF-1 (or really, any steam locomotive) Ever ran with shiny silver rods for long. What you linked to is a builders photo, taken fresh out of the shop. At that point, the Rods would be fairly shiny since they would have been cleaned up for the Photo (most Locomotives and Ships were painted special for their launch photos) but after running, that Locomotive would get filthy, and I promise, the rod would be pretty darkened. I actually feel that the Rods on these things are too light even after the factory blackening for some of them, I just don't know how to darken them.

[union pacific 4014]

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmzNj9__dhM still runs today  and this  is what i want  my model like when im done without smoke deflectors and different road number  and i know that link is builders photo

[richg]

Dampen a Q tip with MEK, not dripping MEK and carefully wipe the side rods. Might be just paint.

Rich

[union pacific 4014]

ok will try  but they do look  stained in the metal and what is MEK?

[ebtnut]

MEK is methyl ethyl ketone, a solvent often used for styrene plastic model construction.  It is the primary ingredient in Tenax, for instance.  Laquer thinner is very similar.  As for the rods, they may well have been chemically blackend at the factory.  I would go to your local hobby shop and ask for a product called Rub 'n Buff.  You apply it to the part and buff it up to a shine.  Auto and airplane modelers use it to represent metal finish.  It comes in several colors - you probably want something in a silver color. 

[uscgtanker]

Looking in my blue prints of the FEF class the side rods were forged out of silver steel. Theres on thing why diesels took over the rails because man power was majorly reduced, but they need specilaists to keep them going! With steam any black smith can keep them going and they will bring you home one way or another. On your model keep the bottom of the rods with a little dirt for realisim.

[electrical whiz kid]

On  steam...WHAT?!!!!
Rich C.

[richg]

Looking in my blue prints of the FEF class the side rods were forged out of silver steel. Theres on thing why diesels took over the rails because man power was majorly reduced, but they need specilaists to keep them going! With steam any black smith can keep them going and they will bring you home one way or another. On your model keep the bottom of the rods with a little dirt for realisim.

Today there are times when diesel is required to bring home a steam loco.

I have taken a tour of the back shop behind the roundhouse at Steamtown in Scranton, Pa where locos are maintained. Steam locos are much more complex to repair than diesels. Us old timers hate admit that. We live in the past.

Rich

[Irbricksceo]

My love of steam is due to the simple elegance. I missed steam on mainlines by a few decades but to me, there is little as amazing as watching one of them steam past with the rods moving in the "dance" that they do.

[RAM]

I can think of few things that was more enjoyable than watching Santa Fe's 4-8-4 pulling 80-90 car trains at train speed.  I also enjoyed the 2-8-0s and 2-6-2s on mixed trains.