Kit Bashing 290

Francine posted:

Since my 290 Pacific has been in the shop for requartering and cleaning, I took the opportunity to begin the refit into a Reading G1 or G3 Pacific.  I am beginning to think it will be easier to do a G1, as the G3 looked like a mini T1 and that's way different the the old flyer shell.

So far I have removed the water tank on the top of the boiler, which is difficult as it is mostly solid and has detailing around it.  Next would be to use body filler to fill the hole, then actual details.

I am hoping to have this complete by early summer.

The engine will pull 2 Reading (American Models decaled) passenger cars and 3 AF old cars cut and lengthened to scale size.  It should make a cool train.

Photos, please!  What color scheme on the AM cars?  What colors on the AF cars?  Which AF cars?  so many questions, so little time...

Hi Jerry,

They are the standard 4 wheel truck (prototypical for Reading) pullman green coaches.  I got LBR to make custom decals for them, which I will also use on the AF cars.

The AF cars are the old Green or red passenger cars (New Haven) that I cut, at about the 3/4 mark using directions from another site. 

I'll try to get some shots of everything this weekend.

I only have 2 metal bottoms for the passenger cars, but 3 tops - so York here I come!

Francine posted:

Hi Jerry,

They are the standard 4 wheel truck (prototypical for Reading) pullman green coaches.  I got LBR to make custom decals for them, which I will also use on the AF cars.

The AF cars are the old Green or red passenger cars (New Haven) that I cut, at about the 3/4 mark using directions from another site. 

I'll try to get some shots of everything this weekend.

I only have 2 metal bottoms for the passenger cars, but 3 tops - so York here I come!

 

Francine,

Cool project!  I've had a similar one "in the pipeline" for a while now.  But with different motive power, and different livery.  My cars will be New Haven Pullman Green (not grey primer).  Eventually...LOL

I may have some stock length metal bottoms in the Stash.  I'll look.  I had to gin up much longer frames for the longer cars.  Not overly detailed since they're not for a contest, and nobody can see underneath anyway!  AM truck and wheels.

In any case, keep us in the loop, OK?

See you at the Spree?  My club is bringing our display layout there and I'll be trying to get rid of excess inventory.   I'll be at the Nationals too.

Nice cars Jerry!

Francine,

I found 7 New Haven frames in The Stash.  5 are die cast and two are stamped sheet metal.  They're yours if you want them.  I'll be at the Spree.   The frames are in fairly good condition complete with trucks, couplers and wheels.

If you haven't filled in the hole on the 290 shell yet, I'd recommend using JB Weld.  It bonds very well and can be shaped with files and sand paper.  Once primed and painted, you'll never find where the hole was filled. 

Tom,

Thanks on the cars.  Their frames are now thick styrene with wooden blocks for the under body details.  I scoured York last year and found 10 cars, some were shells only.  There was someone else looking, and that's all I could find, but that's OK since I was able to make 7 full length cars with enough small pieces to make one more if I wanted to stitch together a LOT of small pieces.  They were in sad shape and would have been trashed otherwise. 

poniaj posted:

 

Cool project!  I've had a similar one "in the pipeline" for a while now.  But with different motive power, and different livery.  My cars will be New Haven Pullman Green (not grey primer).  Eventually...LOL

I may have some stock length metal bottoms in the Stash.  I'll look.  I had to gin up much longer frames for the longer cars.  Not overly detailed since they're not for a contest, and nobody can see underneath anyway!  AM truck and wheels.

In any case, keep us in the loop, OK?

See you at the Spree?  My club is bringing our display layout there and I'll be trying to get rid of excess inventory.   I'll be at the Nationals too.

Great work as always, Jerry... like the man said, "more pictures, please".

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

Don't want to hijack this thread.  It's Francine's.  So, Francine, pictures of YOUR project, please.  As long as you're not too much like me.  I've some projects that have been "in the works" for YEARS!

Francine posted:

Since my 290 Pacific has been in the shop for requartering and cleaning, I took the opportunity to begin the refit into a Reading G1 or G3 Pacific.  I am beginning to think it will be easier to do a G1, as the G3 looked like a mini T1 and that's way different the the old flyer shell.

 

Many G-1s have the skirting in common with the T-1s.  If you haven't already, check out this bash of an S scale AM 4-6-2 and  the cab of an ACG Atlantic into a G-1sb:

http://www.lanestrains.com/S_S...eading_G-1sb_204.htm 

poniaj posted:

Don't want to hijack this thread.  It's Francine's.  So, Francine, pictures of YOUR project, please.  As long as you're not too much like me.  I've some projects that have been "in the works" for YEARS!

You are quite right Jerry, I hope Francine posts some 'in progress' pictures.  So maybe I should start a thread for 'Jerry's in work projects'?  I know you take lots of photos.

Tom Stoltz

in Maine and still a Reading Railroad fan

It seems to me that kit bashing a plastic Atlantic boiler to go on the Pacific chassis would be a lot easier. It already has the Wooten fire box and the Reading style cab.

Ok Jerry, I did it.

The engine shell needs a lot of work.  The passenger cars need bondo to fill cracks, cut bottom frame and insert filler, add trucks and repaint.  The passenger cars have been fiberglassed on the inside for strength with 20 minute finishing epoxy and lite aircraft cloth.

I plan to use American Models 4 wheel trucks and Hennings LED lighting.

That's my retirement plan, among a ton of other stuff.

RoyBoy posted:

It seems to me that kit bashing a plastic Atlantic boiler to go on the Pacific chassis would be a lot easier. It already has the Wooten fire box.

I agree with RoyBoy. The Atlantic boiler would be a great starting point. In addition to the Wooten firebox the cab would be plus too. 

Hi Tom,

That's Bill Lane's work, I've spoken to him and was supposed to visit him with Hugh Sinn (current owner of Frank Titman's T1).  By the way, I met Frank at one of the S Gauge meetings and he was going to tell me how he made the T1, only his memory failed.  DRAT!!!

The 290 was an engine I picked up for $30 and beside the DCC unit with sound, new motor and upgrade to the training truck - I don't want to spend more money on it.

The only other upgrade that I want to do is the get the tender bottom for the bakeolite shell, and replace the tin tender.

Francine posted:

Ok Jerry, I did it.

The engine shell needs a lot of work.  The passenger cars need bondo to fill cracks, cut bottom frame and insert filler, add trucks and repaint.  The passenger cars have been fiberglassed on the inside for strength with 20 minute finishing epoxy and lite aircraft cloth.

I plan to use American Models 4 wheel trucks and Hennings LED lighting.

That's my retirement plan, among a ton of other stuff.

Francine,

Great start!  For a filler of cracks and gaps, most guys use Squadron Green putty.  It's good stuff and I sometimes use it.  I also use my own mixture of styrene dissolved in MEK (rather bad stuff, so use with GOOD ventilation).  It shrinks when drying, but I apply two coats with many days between them.  It sands like the original material because it IS.  For primer to get rid of minor imperfections, I use automotive primer-surfacer.  A very thick lacquer primer, probably not available any more.  I have a can left over from building my street rod.  I still have those die cast passenger car frames if you still need them.  Let me know.  And you can't go wrong with AM trucks and Henning LED lighting!

Master Model Railroader, Dick Karnes, wrote an great article on stretching those New Haven cars.  I hope the link comes through:

https://sscale.org/volume-4-no...lyer-passenger-cars/

Keep us in formed!  I'll probably bring my train to the Spree, and we can compare notes! 

Hi Jerry,

I have done scratch build 1/96 scale ships for quite some time, so many of the techniques are applicable. 

I used Dick Karnes instructions to modify the cars to Reading.

I will be there Saturday, are you set up?  We are in black hall (I think). 

By the way, let's get all modified engines and passenger cars in this post, we need to attract attention to S, the "Superior Scale"

Hi Francine, you are quite right that is Bill Lanes G-1 site.  I have a collection of his Reading projects that I keep for reference.  Too bad about Frank, his info would have been top drawer.  I like the start you have on your G-1 and coaches.  Way further along than I am... I'm waiting for retirement, however I actively collect the parts and pieces I anticipate needing.

I wanted to share this site  with this forum before, so now seems like a good opportunity.  Perhaps you have seen some of his work, I only know of him from the Reading Railroad forum.  He models the Reading in H0 but what he does is for good for all scales:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/60361449@N02/

I am really blown away by how easy he makes it look... enjoy.

Tom Stoltz

in Maine 

Francine posted:

Hi Jerry,

I have done scratch build 1/96 scale ships for quite some time, so many of the techniques are applicable. 

I used Dick Karnes instructions to modify the cars to Reading.

I will be there Saturday, are you set up?  We are in black hall (I think). 

By the way, let's get all modified engines and passenger cars in this post, we need to attract attention to S, the "Superior Scale"

Hi Francine,

Sorry to take up space on this thread, but I don't have your email to contact you directly.  My club will be arriving Thursday evening then setting up the display layout then and finishing up Friday morning.  I'll be setting up my table nearby.  In what hall is up to the CVSG guys, but I requested the table near the layout.  Jim Futules (registrar) assured me it will be.  They're having a pizza party on Friday too, and we work for pizza...

I haven't contacted Stumpy Stone, but he's the Mad Butcher when it comes to modifying Flyer things.  I usually do restorations of junkers and scratch building.  However, I have a series of "what ifs" I might bring for display.  Two dome tank car, 50' gon, double door boxcar and an RDC I built LONG ago in Gilbert style.  Hey, why not?  Since I did those models long ago, it's now become it's own category in contests.  There have been some VERY cool things presented.  We S gaugers are quite an imaginative lot!

Hi Jerry,

I've just been informed that we may be in either white or black hall, and it would be decided upon NPS arrival Wednesday for setup.  I wish they would get their stuff together, it makes planning to meet people insane.

If you are not nearby, stop by our layout and leave your cell phone with one of the members to give to me.  I will call you when I arrive Saturday morning.

Two of our members have RDCs, I thought they were Flyer, but maybe not.

See up Saturday.

Francine posted:

Two of our members have RDCs, I thought they were Flyer, but maybe not.

 

The only S RDC's I know of are either scratchbuilt/kitbashed, old Omnicon brass, or American Hirail "inflated" Athearn HO clones:

Rusty

Rusty Traque posted:

Francine posted:

Two of our members have RDCs, I thought they were Flyer, but maybe not.

 

The only S RDC's I know of are either scratchbuilt/kitbashed, old Omnicon brass, or American Hirail "inflated" Athearn HO clones:

Rusty, I had a Hi-rail RDC -- I'm pretty sure it wasn't American Hi-rail.  It was maybe '00 or '01.  It didn't like AM turnouts and a sideframe fell off.   Too much trouble for me so I returned it.  I really don't remember the company -- maybe America Heritage?  I was aware of Am Hi-rail so I'm sure it wasn't form there.  It was a Reading RDC and I'm sure it was less the $400, I believe a trailer was available also.

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

Tom Stoltz posted:

Rusty Traque posted:

Francine posted:

Two of our members have RDCs, I thought they were Flyer, but maybe not.

 

The only S RDC's I know of are either scratchbuilt/kitbashed, old Omnicon brass, or American Hirail "inflated" Athearn HO clones:

Rusty, I had a Hi-rail RDC -- I'm pretty sure it wasn't American Hi-rail.  It was maybe '00 or '01.  It didn't like AM turnouts and a sideframe fell off.   Too much trouble for me so I returned it.  I really don't remember the company -- maybe America Heritage?  I was aware of Am Hi-rail so I'm sure it wasn't form there.  It was a Reading RDC and I'm sure it was less the $400, I believe a trailer was available also.

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

Tom, I think the company was Pennsylvania Heritage Models.  I completely forgot about them.  There's mention but no photo's on the NASG S products page.  I think they were resin, but don't think they were inflated Athearn RDCs.

Rusty

Mine is from Pennsylvania Heritage and they are resin.

Rich

I regret I did not buy one of the Pennsylvania Heritage RDC models. They also made an S gauge chassis for the Corgi street cars which I did buy and they did a variety of repaints in PRR schemes of Gilbert cars. I have several of these.

Here we go again, NPS will be in BLACK HALL at York next week.

Jerry, you can stop by and have someone call me from the club. I'll get your number and call you.

Francine posted:

Here we go again, NPS will be in BLACK HALL at York next week.

Jerry, you can stop by and have someone call me from the club. I'll get your number and call you.

I guess we got our signals crossed.  My club isn't going to York, and neither am I.  Too many events, not enough time or money.  We WILL be at the Spree in Cleveland with our layout, and I'll also have a table.    I'll also be at the NASG National convention in Cincinnati as a participant without a table (depending on how much I sell at the Spree) or layout.  Looks like your club may be too away far to make either or both.   If you need to contact me directly, my email is in my profile.

Sorry Jerry,

I am disappointed that we will not be meeting at York.  I am an admirer of your kit-bashing and the work that you do.

Hopefully one of these days before my last sunset.

Tom Stoltz posted:

Many G-1s have the skirting in common with the T-1s.  If you haven't already, check out this bash of an S scale AM 4-6-2 and  the cab of an ACG Atlantic into a G-1sb:

http://www.lanestrains.com/S_S...eading_G-1sb_204.htm 

Tom Stoltz

in Maine and still a Reading Railroad fan

Mr. Lane sure does nice work...

Mark (formally in Maine, now) in Oregon