USRA 2-8-2 Mikado Sound Value

[jonathan]

This one is done!





Deck Apron:


I followed JWhite on the engine primer for the pulls:


Worked pretty well.  For the next one, I may try the fishing line trick... I'm curious.

Also, for my next one, I'm going to upgrade the lights and the trailing truck:


Regards,

Jonathan

[West Bound]

I'm curious, how many man hours did you spend on this project and how much did it cost? By the way you tuly a professional. -John West

[jonathan]

First, thank you, John, for the nice compliment. Don't know about the professional part. I just like to tinker.

A rough estimate of hours... hmmm... It took about 12 days from receipt in the mail to completion of the locomotive.  That's about 24-30 hours of work.

I spent about $20 on detail parts at the last train show, and I already had some parts I'd collected over time.  The most expensive being the brass USRA trailing truck... which I haven't used yet.... Say another $20 worth of parts I had laying around, including Tichy wire.

That trailing truck cost somewhere around $20, so I hope I get to use it on the next locomotive.

I don't want to mention what I paid for the two USRA Light Mikados, except to say I shopped around for a long time to get the best deal possible.  I had been saving change ever since the 2-8-2s were announced.  That was quite a while ago.

Here's couple of recommendations, even if one doesn't want to modify their 2-8-2s:

1. The thin washer placed under the drawbar is a good idea to avoid running problems. I think a Kadee fiber washer would work just as well as a metal washer.

2. I had to adjust the gage on the pony truck and trailing truck.  They were just a pinch narrow.  So have your Kadee gage tool handy.  The drivers were perfectly in gage.

3.  The locomotive really needs a bit of extra weight. It's lighter than the Consolidation, though I couldn't say by how much.  I added 1.5 ounces, as mentioned earlier.  The motor is the same size as the motor in the USRA Heavy Mountain.  So, there's plenty of torque.  Don't think you'll hurt the motor with weight.

4.  This locomotive has a series of three delrin gears after the worm.  It's very similar to the Bachmann 2-8-4 gears.  I wish they were a bit wider, but they are probably fine.  I'm a strong believer in over engineering.  I am no engineer, however.

5.  Somebody finally did their homework in regards to the sound.  The chuff rate is more in line with the turn of the wheels.  Usually the stock Tsunamis' chuff rate is much too slow.  This is a big improvement.

6. Addendum.  Clean the wheels! All of 'em!  They really need it.  'nuff said.

I know many folks would like more detail. I understand. I'm weird that way.  I like less detail.  Gives me something to do at the work bench.

I give the locomotive two thumbs up. It's a great "value" compared to the purchase price.  I could see myself easily ending up with six of these babies, just like I did with the Connies.

Regards,

Jonathan

[JWhite]

Looks great Jonathon! I'm glad the primer on the wire worked for you.  I might have to copy your work, I have an interchange with the B&O on my layout in the town of Odin, IL.  So I can use some B&O power.

Jeff

[rogertra]

Excellent job on the finished product.

Cheers

Roger T.

[jonathan]

Thanks, guys... greatly appreciated.  Ready to move on to the next one.

I really wanted to put on this brass trailing truck. The detail is cool.  Even the journal boxes open up so you can lubricate the axles (graphite):


Well... to get it to fit took the following:

I had to increase the size of the hole to 9/64" so it would fit on the Bachmann mounting post:


But the brass truck is too thick to put the screw back on.  The screw would tighten on the truck and lock it.
Then I found a brass bushing left over from a former brass loco project as it would happen.  The bushing acts just like a journaled screw, enabling me to clamp down on the screw and the post without interfering with the truck:

OK, I've got to give up on photobucket tonight.  It's just not working well.  Anyway, here is the brass bushing sitting on the post.  You will just have to trust me that this works.



There... finally.  Truck swings freely with the screw tightened down.


Didn't expect to work this hard on the truck.  Now I've got to clean it up and paint again.  Oh well...

Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

I salvaged the LED from the reverse light.  My intention is to leave the LED (SMD) inside the tender and mount it, in order to shine through a light tube to my new reverse light.

I also salvaged one of those light transfer tube thingamawhatzitz from a Connie years ago.  Don't throw anything away... ever. 



Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

I made a reverse light from half an air reservoir (Tichy), half a brake stand (Tichy) and a piece of a centering spring (kadee):


This is a blurry shot, but this is where the light transfer thingy goes, inside the shell:


The light can is a bit oversized, but I couldn't find anything I liked for a commercial reverse light.  Perhaps a Pyle headlight would have worked:


Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

This looks a little closer to the Q-3 Tender at the B&O RR Museum:



Again, my reverse light is a bit oversized.  I can live with it.

A list of what was done:

Changed style and location of reverse light
Added scale-head coupler
Added cut lever
Added air hose
Moved ladder
Corrected capacity markings
Added water lid grabs
Added rear grabs
Added 1/4 oz of weight in dead space under coal load
Weathered

That's it I think...

I'm going to try to model the locomotive after #4530 or #4533.  There are pretty good photos of those two locos, and their various details are more in line with the Bachmann model.  

BTW, if anyone can recommend a better photo sharing website than photobucket, I would greatly appreciate it.  That site has become so corrupted with pop ups and weird goings-on, it has become practically unusable.  Driving me nuts every time I try to upload or copy and paste a photo...

Regards,

Jonathan

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

I use for Facebook for photos....and you forgot the Tender chassis ID....



Also forgot the engine number on the Tender frame....also looks like you have 16,000 gallons, they held 10,000 gallons


Sorry I just had to :-P

I started doing some work on my <other manufacture> pacifics, one has a dang short in it now, probably oil got somewhere so that hopefully be an easy fix, other has a loose wire i gotta somehow repair.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

also noticed your missing the tender foot plates, I'll see if i have a better picture of it, i know i do somewhere,



You can just see the on here....

[jonathan]

I never saw the tender class number before. That's a good one.

I didn't do the foot boards because I'm doing the road version. It seems like the locomotives that had road pilots didn't have foot boards.

My gallons are marked as 10000... Just hard to see at that angle.

I waffled about the rear loco number. It seems like some steamers had a number there, and some didn't.

Regards,

Jonathan

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

It was worth a shot haha. As for the engine number its there on all the clear images i've seen.

[jonathan]

Cab is done... very similar to last one, except for the figures and loco number:



On to upgrading the smokebox cover.  Appliances will be better placed this time... as well as the headlight being correct.

Having fun...

Regards,

Jonathan

[jonathan]

I like to test fit the pieces several times, as I continually add details:



Just finished the smokebox.  The glue is still wet around the lens:





Now on to the main event.

Regards,

Jonathan