It runs so well I look forward to finishing some more steamers.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
18 class finished for now
The 18 class is earning its keep. Until I equip it with a sound decoder there is little I wish to add to it for the moment. Now I have returned the pickups to my normal method it is reliable shunter.
It runs so well I look forward to finishing some more steamers.
It runs so well I look forward to finishing some more steamers.
Friday, September 14, 2012
CPH Lives!
After just 18 years since starting this model while away working in Sydney it finally moves under its own power.
It does have a driver, but no passengers yet. I guess lack of seating would not encourage much patronage.
The Athearn universals have gone hard over the decades of use and parts broke off them as I installed them. A temporary fix with sticky tape and heatshrink saved the day. I'll have to check what spares are still available. Otherwise I will adapt another universal system to the Athearn drive trains.
There is probably just as much work to be done inside and out to finish it as has already been done but it is a pleasure to watch it rolling up and down the test tracks.
Total cost including decoder would be less than $100 if I had to purchase all new parts. As it was I only had to buy 4 off Slaters rolling stock wheelsets and a decoder. I would never have imagined when purchasing my first HO Athearn diesels many years ago that they would be recycled into O gauge power units.
It does have a driver, but no passengers yet. I guess lack of seating would not encourage much patronage.
The Athearn universals have gone hard over the decades of use and parts broke off them as I installed them. A temporary fix with sticky tape and heatshrink saved the day. I'll have to check what spares are still available. Otherwise I will adapt another universal system to the Athearn drive trains.
There is probably just as much work to be done inside and out to finish it as has already been done but it is a pleasure to watch it rolling up and down the test tracks.
Total cost including decoder would be less than $100 if I had to purchase all new parts. As it was I only had to buy 4 off Slaters rolling stock wheelsets and a decoder. I would never have imagined when purchasing my first HO Athearn diesels many years ago that they would be recycled into O gauge power units.
TE wagon rake progress
Somehow I thought this was going to be quick way of getting wagons.
Here is a picture of progress so far.
So far we have used cardboard, pop sticks and some old wooden Venetian blind slats. All coated in shellac before painting.
Buffers are scratchbuilt from styrene (8 pieces per buffer)
Yard brake handles are a mixture of card and metal.
Brake hoses are just phone wire.
Couplers are American Models dummies with a Kadee 802 for each end of the rake.
I have had some Athearn Symington bogies in stock for a decade or two. They look close enough so I will equip the whole rake with them.
Some more detail to be added, lettering and some loads to be made then they will be ready to earn their keep.
Each wagon will cost less than $20 including paint and glue.
Here is a picture of progress so far.
So far we have used cardboard, pop sticks and some old wooden Venetian blind slats. All coated in shellac before painting.
Buffers are scratchbuilt from styrene (8 pieces per buffer)
Yard brake handles are a mixture of card and metal.
Brake hoses are just phone wire.
Couplers are American Models dummies with a Kadee 802 for each end of the rake.
I have had some Athearn Symington bogies in stock for a decade or two. They look close enough so I will equip the whole rake with them.
Some more detail to be added, lettering and some loads to be made then they will be ready to earn their keep.
Each wagon will cost less than $20 including paint and glue.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Rolling stock needed
With the construction of the outdoor layout now started there is a pressing need for some more rolling stock to be available when the loops are in. I decided on some flat wagons to start with.
First off the rank are some TE wagons. Given there were only 6 ever built I thought that was a suitable number to make. They are being constructed of card and other wood products. I have created my own kits of the basic structure and am in the process of assembling them. The wood top deck is made of some thin pop sticks available at one of the local variety stores. Each stick is approximately 12'' wide in 7mm scale so I score each stick down the centre after being cut to length.
Bogies will be Athearn Symington, perhaps fitted with some NWSL wheelsets at a later date.
They will be run as a rake so only one working coupler needed on two wagons and the rest will have dummy knuckles fitted.
While the TE's were originally created for transporting army tanks, they were later used in general revenue service so mine will need some suitable heavy loads fitted.
First off the rank are some TE wagons. Given there were only 6 ever built I thought that was a suitable number to make. They are being constructed of card and other wood products. I have created my own kits of the basic structure and am in the process of assembling them. The wood top deck is made of some thin pop sticks available at one of the local variety stores. Each stick is approximately 12'' wide in 7mm scale so I score each stick down the centre after being cut to length.
Bogies will be Athearn Symington, perhaps fitted with some NWSL wheelsets at a later date.
They will be run as a rake so only one working coupler needed on two wagons and the rest will have dummy knuckles fitted.
While the TE's were originally created for transporting army tanks, they were later used in general revenue service so mine will need some suitable heavy loads fitted.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
CPH mechanism
I have had a part finished CPH , started about 18 years ago (can't rush these things).
I also have had a idea to make use of some more of my HO scrapbox for some time.
The CPH needs a mech. Take one Athearn SD mech in said scrapbox, a set of Slaters rolling stock wheels, remove HO wheels, cut back steel bearing mounts on at least one side of bogies to prevent shorts, take out the gears at each end and drill out to 1/8" , insert O gauge wheels, add pickups , make and mount new sideframes and voila.
The photo above shows the drive bogies before addition of pickups and sideframes. Photo of that stage to come later.
The wheelbase is 6'9" instead of 6'6" but I won't complain for the price.
Another set might make a 79 class mech which is 6'10" w/b.
More has been done to the 18 class and photo's to come when the couplers have been added.
I have also tarted up an Atlas F9 to vaguely look like a 42 class. I have had the model for about 18 years and have failed to find a satisfactory use for the mechanism. It has been languishing in Mount Newman colours for some time.
I also have had a idea to make use of some more of my HO scrapbox for some time.
The CPH needs a mech. Take one Athearn SD mech in said scrapbox, a set of Slaters rolling stock wheels, remove HO wheels, cut back steel bearing mounts on at least one side of bogies to prevent shorts, take out the gears at each end and drill out to 1/8" , insert O gauge wheels, add pickups , make and mount new sideframes and voila.
The photo above shows the drive bogies before addition of pickups and sideframes. Photo of that stage to come later.
The wheelbase is 6'9" instead of 6'6" but I won't complain for the price.
Another set might make a 79 class mech which is 6'10" w/b.
More has been done to the 18 class and photo's to come when the couplers have been added.
I have also tarted up an Atlas F9 to vaguely look like a 42 class. I have had the model for about 18 years and have failed to find a satisfactory use for the mechanism. It has been languishing in Mount Newman colours for some time.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
18 gets new chimney and dome for xmas in July
A new chimney and dome gifted by a friend were attached to the 18 class this week.
Certainly starts to look the part.
Some more work soon.
Certainly starts to look the part.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
FS and 18 class progress
The FS is finished for now. I might do some further detailing once it gets some brothers and sisters.
The 18 class will get a new chimney and air compressor at some stage as well as other work but at the moment it has done quite a few scale miles, now running very smoothly. The experiment of the solder filled pick-ups initially gave me a model with poor electrical contact, unable to complete a lap of a friend's layout. I applied some powdered graphite to the wheels as a temporary fix and the model has not hesitated since.
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