4-6-0 conversion / On30 Annual / build photos

[mmiller]

Hello guys...

I finally got something put together on how I put together my Henry based 4-6-0...hope it helps!

http://picasaweb.google.com/mransr/On30HenryBased460

mike
San Juan Pacific Lines
http://webpages.charter.net/mransr/trains

[ebtnut]

Hey Mike--Really nice work.   

[Kevin Strong]

Nice! Great proportions with very attractive paint and lettering.

Later,

K

[C.S.R.R. Manager]

Great work, thanks Mike.  I really like the "before" shot of the unsuspecting Henry, surrounded by painful looking tools.  I'm about 90% complete on my version of the same thing, and it's interesting to see how you solved certain problems.  Looks like I need to start experimenting with JB Weld.

[dto]

Thanks, Mike!  I appreciate your photos concerning the cut-down frame.  I agree that the cylinders should be larger, and my conversion will probably have piston valves instead of your squared slide valve boxes.  (They look more appropriate with Henry's Walschaert valve gear.)

I may have to scratchbuild the boiler, so I'm currently looking for appropriate steam and sand domes.

Again, thank you very much!  Your article and photos are inspiring!

[max (uk)]

That looks great! Finerley an exscuse to buy a bachmann thomas engine.

[Kevin Strong]

...and my conversion will probably have piston valves instead of your squared slide valve boxes...

Slide valves were somewhat common on Walschearts valve gear locomotives (The EBT, Tweetsie are two examples). The only difference is that the valve sat slightly outboard of the cylinders rather than directly overhead. That had more to do with the geometry of the valve gear than anything else, since the combination lever (the vertical rod that went from the crosshead to the valve rod) had to be able to clear the crosshead guides.

Later,

K

[mmiller]

thanks guys...glad to help...and don't forget to get your 2008 On30 Annual http://www.on30annual.com/ 

the valve gear and cylinders is the one area I'm really not happy with 

the design of the Henry parts caused me to make too many compromises...I think I need to toss out the cylinders and most of the valve gear and build new, wider spaced cylinders, with a Stephenson style valve gear...

making the cylinders wider (farther apart) should let me make the cylinders bigger and still clear the pony truck

mike

[C.S.R.R. Manager]

I discovered an old IHC Pacific in the parts box, and the plastic compound cylinders were hollow, and just big enough to slide over the Henry cylinders.  Once I filled in the edges on the backside, they look pretty good.  I did have to extend the lead truck by about 8" [8" in 1:48 scale, of course] so that the wheels clear the cylinders in turns, and I found a quick way to do that.  I think my first choice would have been to use the cylinders from the Mogul, but I didn't want to trash that mechanism.

Now I'm finishing up the tender, and then it's time for paint.  Maybe I should take some photos before I head to the paint shop, so some of the extra parts are easier to see.

[br549]

Mike your work is excellent! I read your article in the 2008 annual. (the best one in the whole edition . ).
I have started on a mogul bashing it into a 2-6-2 Prairie 30" gauge. Your work is an inspiration! Thanks for sharing.

[mmiller]

C.S.R.R.

I'd love to see some pictures of what you've done


mike

[C.S.R.R. Manager]

Hi Mike, these are really bad photos, but they get the general idea across.  I'm getting close to the point where I will have to take the train apart for painting, and that will be a good time to take it apart and shoot some photos.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Gresham.Media/On30460Bash

[mmiller]

that's coming right along!

Bachmann really aught to think about dipping into their "parts bin" and making there own On30 4-6-0s

mike

[C.S.R.R. Manager]

When you look at their UK and German lines, Bachmann really does have an impressive "parts bin," especially in terms of drivers and frames that would work for US locos.  And yet, I've never seen them take the easy route, and reuse parts that have already been used elsewhere in other models.  Every On30 loco seems to be mostly new parts.

The only thing I'm not fully happy with in this bash is that the motor and mechanism aren't up to full "Spectrum" standards.  I had thought of replacing the motor and gears, and maybe someday I'll find time to do that.  Or maybe it would be worth the cost to use a Bachmann HO 4-6-0 as a donor.

[C.S.R.R. Manager]

I finally got my 4-6-0 mostly complete.  At some point I may replace the stack and the headlight, and there are some paint issues that I want to fix later, but I'm pretty happy with the results.  The finished loco is slightly shorter than a stock Mogul, and being so short, it works on 18" curves.

There are more photos of the parts, and some larger finished photos here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Gresham.Media/On30460Bash