Garden and railway complete re-hash

Hi Guys, well absolutely nothing to report on the O gauge garden line front, as winter approaches I ain't gonna be gettin anything fixed now before next spring with the re-wiring of the live frog switches. However as the G scale line is up and running I have got a wee up date on that front. A good few years ago I scratch built a body shell for a little known type steam loco ,a B&O  K17. These were heavy switch engines mostly used in the stockyards in Chicago as far as I'm aware. Well I had no tech drawings so I just "guess"timated the dimensions from photographs. Anyway the body shell lay out in the shed gathering dust for years doing nothing as I didn't have the skill to build a working chassis and I couldn't see a suitable ready to run chassis that would suit it. However I recently got  the chance of a little used PIKO US outline "Christmas" 2-6-0 and I thought "wonder if that would fit the old K17 body shell. Well long story short it did . The PIKO 2-6-0 is already fitted with sound and smoke and decoder so she's almost ready to roll. Just needs a repaint  and some detailing. I'm just leaving the PIKO tender as is but will re-detail it and repaint it. I also have one remaining Aristocraft pacific which is getting re-hashed ,so that will give me a coupla G scale US type steamers to keep each other company on the G scale line and an alternative to my German outline collection. 

Looks good Davy! Keep us posted on how things go! Would love to see a photo when your done!

@mike g. posted:

Looks good Davy! Keep us posted on how things go! Would love to see a photo when your done!

Hi Mike , here's a photo of the K17 type . 2-6-0.  Have never ever seen this type modelled in any scale before. Apparently they were very powerfull engines. certainly looks powerfull. Love it. Looks like a steam loco should to my eyes!!

Hi Guys ,in the process of  extending the PIKO chassis cylinder housing forward a tad so I can get the steam pipes lined up properly with the stack on the K17 bodyshell. 1st I wrapped the Piko cylinder with fine plasticard glued in place with cyano-glue. Filled the new space with a couple of bits of thick balsa wood. Last job will be to finish off with body filler and sand the whole lot to shape. 

already lookin better

Both cylinder housings now ready for final finishing, detailing and painting

That is a nice project, Davy!  Your method looks like it will work out nicely!

@Mark Boyce posted:

That is a nice project, Davy!  Your method looks like it will work out nicely!

Hi Mark , aye, am lookin forward to seein it complete and up and running. Just been to the local model shop to get the stuff I need to complete it. Luckily theres not an awfull lot left to be done.

Next stage, cylinder housing ends filled with body filler. Note the big heavy weight on this Piko loco. Will haul !!

Hi Guys, well made the mistake of using a bit too little hardener in the body filler on the cylinders so it took about 3 days for the filler to harden enough to sand. Now it needs another skim . Meantime I cleaned the loco body and primered it along with the PIKO tender body. I wasn't sure if the decorative Christmas stuff would re-act and blister with the primer and if the tender sides would need re-sheeted but luckily it seems to have taken the primer OK , it will still need the bunker sides re-hashed with new sides and a coal load. The loco body shell needs a couple of small repairs done but otherwise the project advances well.

Helllloooooo DAVY!

I thought for sure we'd lost you to the OO scale live steam!

By way of an update to you: The K4 shell and tender you bashed and sent over here years ago is finally getting the attention from a proper PRR fan; my neighbor!

For those who don't know, Davy used to be a super crazy G scale guy!  And by way of a minor intro to me; here's my update for our virtual garden railroad open house: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...RaAEA20Ig&t=159s

@Mark Oles posted:

Helllloooooo DAVY!

I thought for sure we'd lost you to the OO scale live steam!

By way of an update to you: The K4 shell and tender you bashed and sent over here years ago is finally getting the attention from a proper PRR fan; my neighbor!

For those who don't know, Davy used to be a super crazy G scale guy!  And by way of a minor intro to me; here's my update for our virtual garden railroad open house: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...RaAEA20Ig&t=159s

Hi Mark, long time no hear ! Often wondered if you did anything with the Pennsy bash. Look forward to seeing it when its finished. Pretty much everything Ive been up to the last few years in G and O scale garden stuff is posted here on this and other threads.

I see that! And it is like a novel to read and review!!! LOL! 

I've really gotten pretty good with a Cricut vinyl cutter.  Been doing all sorts of custom decoration for the trains.  Most recently, I've been redoing the wedding train locomotive, the LGB 2-8-2 mikado.  Trying to sort out the chuffing synch with a phoenix P8 board.

Did you get the BR-50 with the coal load that drops as the engine runs? That's pretty cool.

Hi Mark, aye the PIKO stuff is really well made and rugged. Pity that some Aristocraft stuff was never made to a similar standard or maybe they'd still be in business. But hey ho, all history now. Gave the K17 loco body and tender a repaint yesterday. Still have some minor things to fix ,otherwise its nearly ready for re-assembly

Hi Guys, well finally got the cylinder housing filled and sanded flush. Just about to head to the model store and grab some bits and pieces to get this loco finished . Not so much to do now

It is looking great, Davy!

@Mark Boyce posted:

It is looking great, Davy!

Hi Mark, a wee bit more progress today. Beginning to look how its supposed to...

Looking sharp Davy! I sure hope you will post photos when it done and on the track!

@Davy Mac posted:

Hi Mike,still need to re-hash the tender bunker and repair the front drawbar and add a coupla small details here and there. Also although you can't see it in that picture some of the green and red original Piko colourscheme is showing thru so more black paint required here and there. However once thats finished she's ready to roll. I think ??? I have a suitable decal sheet (somewhere in this house !!) to letter her authentically for the B&O.  The good thing is the original Piko engine has a pretty good American style sound decoder etc already fitted.I just have to fix the smoke unit in the stack and plug in the forward and rear lights and she's good to go. Hopefully I'll get her out in the garden for a spin this week some time. I might actually get round to building another one of these ?? ,but next on the agenda is gettin my Aristocraft pacific re-hash finished.

Hi Guys, well gave the tender bunker my attention this mornin.Just guestimated the height. Just some paint / a coal load and some handrails required now

K17 bash nearly finished, tender bunker fixed just needs a coal load and handrails, Loco front drawbar now also fixed. Sand dome still needs a sand filler lid. Now ....where are the decals ? In this house somewhere but "where!" is the 60,000 dollar question !!

Looking great Davy! I hope the weather there holds out long enough for you to get it on the tracks!

@mike g. posted:

Looking great Davy! I hope the weather there holds out long enough for you to get it on the tracks!

Good morning Mike, will be hard pushed this week Mike ,wet today and forecast ahead...wet wet wet !!  If I get a dry hour at some point I'll hopefully get her out for a spin. Before that I need to pull the loco body off and re-hash the wiring loom a bit and fit the smoke unit. Unfortunately in this case its not a pulsed smoke unit like my German outline engines.But I suppose its better than no smoke at all.The sound unit is pretty decent though.

It looks very nice!!  You are almost there.

Hi Guys,well can't find the decal sheet for the K17 so not much more I can do with it for now.However while am in G scale bashing mode tonight I started to the next project which is converting my Aristocraft basic B&O P7 model to Engine number 5309 as she was in her later years of service. Have done one of these before .Involves rehashing the walkways and the front steps etc., and quite a few other bits and pieces of detail. However I'll get there ! Started on the walkways .

Hi guys, well have made new steps for one side of the P7. Aristocraft made these P7 models more or less in their original build format. However for the P7c and P7e rebuilds the front ends were modified.I've used ordinary sheet plastic for the walk board extension but it will get a layer of chequerplate plastic on top which should bring it pretty much level with the original Aristo walk board.

That is certainly a nice looking job!

@Mark Boyce posted:

That is certainly a nice looking job!

Hi Mark, doin these steps has to be the most annoying fernickety pain in the butt job I'll do on this whole loco . They ain't perfect but they ain't bad . Cuttin out the holes on the sides of the angle plates was a real pain. Just used a sharp pointed scalpel. Then tryin to glue the ****ed steps in place while the glue stuck to my fingers more than the steps........however its done !! No pain no gain Well I'm doin no more tonight. My patience and concentration reserves are all used up for this day !

Davy, just looking at them, I know I would have had as tough a time doing them as you did.  So I'm not the only one who has trouble with things like that. 

@Mark Boyce posted:

Davy, just looking at them, I know I would have had as tough a time doing them as you did.  So I'm not the only one who has trouble with things like that. 

Hi Mark, why couldn't the B&O shops just have built those steps with ordinary solid plate sides ?? never mind , everything else that needs done will be (famous last words !) plain sailing !

Morning guys, next job is straightening out the rear walkboard. |This was another alteration applied to the B&O  P7c and P7e sublasses. One side done , one to go !

Hi Guys, well the B&O P7 progresses.  yesterday I managed to get the rear walkplate modified as per prototype. Also made a start to the air pump shield up front. Still have a bitta work to do on that and also need to make a couple of convincing air pumps for under the smoke box. Once thats all done not really that much to be done in the detailing department ,just fix new handrails at the front etc. Then the loco is off to get a sound decoder and smoke unit fitted. Once I get it back it will then get its final paint and decals.

Hi Guys, well had a look at westinghouse pumps and thought oh oh !! ain't even attempting to reproduce that mechanical concoction so took 8 bits of plastic pipe, two plastic straws and 4 bits of plastic sheet. Cut and shaped and glued to look sumthing vaguely like pumps. Behind the shield and painted I'm sure they'll look sufficently business like and will fill the necessary space .

Davy, I don't blame you!  I wouldn't even attempt it either.  Your rendition should be fine considering paint and a shield.  Looking good!!

@Mark Boyce posted:

Davy, I don't blame you!  I wouldn't even attempt it either.  Your rendition should be fine considering paint and a shield.  Looking good!!

Hi Mark, as long as the finished article captures the essence of the real thing than I'm happy with that. Just took this last picture for tonight. Got the pump shield put together and primered. The loco is booked in to go to Scottish Garden Railways in Stirling to get decoder and sound etc fitted on Sunday. I've also got lettering decals ordered from the states and a pal has printed me a sheet of B&O roundels for the pump shield. I was gonna do the loco in black as 106 (ex 5308) ,as P7 106 was supposed to be the only P7 ever to have carried black livery at the very end of her working days but I might just re-do her in all over royal blue as 5309 or 5317 . we'll see. Anyway ,bed time. catch you later  D

Hi Guys, well last bit of detail done this morning before the loco goes for decoder fitting. I believe the gadget forward of the stack is a feedwater heater ?? ,anyway again a guestimated  approximation dimension wise. I made and shaped  the basic box in balsa wood then faced it with thin plastic buffed to shape. well that'll be the last progress report till I get the loco back from getting the electrics fitted .

IT looks great!!

Hi guys ,well the pacific loco is away to get the decoder and sound unit fitted. However I managed to get the K17 2-6-0 out into the garden for a quick run between showers. So heres a very short film. Was just using a 12v DC controller . Quite pleased with the wee loco though. The decal sheets arrived from America this morning so am just about to get her tarted up in her B&O lettering. Then all she needs is a coal load in the tender and a couplka handrails fitted.

Very nice Davy! Congratulations on the maiden run!