Kitbashing Small Freight Loco

MTH did a 2-8-0 with a Belpaire boiler, so that won't work

Not so fast there Grasshopper

here's a RailKing 2-8-0 that had a Bellpaire firebox:

A Dremel tool with a sanding drum, a few files, and something to backup the inside of the boiler ( piece of plastic superglued inside) and you can have what you want.

There's a couple of gutted ones on the For Sale forum I believe and these things are in a load of starter sets.

Here's another, this boiler was extended to fit onto a 4-6-0 chassis from a Weaver steamer I got from a fellow forumite:

The extension is just forward of the front dome, I used a plastic medicine bottle and fastened it to the where I cut off with a couple of small screws, before putting the smokebox front in.

The removal of the Bellpaire boiler went even better on this one, so it can be done.

I'm currently working on a Williams USRA 2-8-2 that will receive the Vanderbilt tender, the Ten-Wheeler will get the USRA tender.

The 2-8-0 even got PS2 installed and sounds/runs great.

Oh, if the entire boiler hump is Dremeled off round, chances are you'll cut thru the boiler (or at least make it mighty thin).  Once it's removed, the piece of plastic used for a backup will work and then you can sill in any spots with JB Weld.

Interesting...I had thought MTH did a non-Belpaire 2-8-0, but maybe not.  They and

Wms. have a 4-6-0 (this last I have)....and I wonder if one of those Wms. shells will

fit some existing 2-8-0 chassis, to create a family resemblance, and the Wms. freight

loco that was once rumored to be forthcoming?