Lionel 2055/2065 Backhead

@Scott Jackson posted:

Has anyone had success installing a backhead into one of these small Hudsons?  I am looking at the possibility of installing a U.S. Hobbies backhead, if it would fit without major surgury with my Dremel.

Thanks

Scott

@Scott Jackson

Scott:

Your post intrigues me. I have, for years, been interested in creating and installing back heads in my postwar steam locomotives. Where did you get the back head in your photo?

Thank you.

My post with link got deleted 'cause I linked to a certain auction site.  Drop me an email (in my profile).

I have a 2055 (my childhood engine). Your idea sounds intriguing. I am sure that some surgery (on the back head, I would hope) will be required, but, as the 2055, etc, has a fat, scale-ish-girth boiler, it's worth trying. That husky boiler look on Lionel's PW small Hudsons and Berks comes from them using simplified versions of the 700E scale-diameter smokebox front tooling on these locos.

Hi Scott, I found a backhead on ebay a couple years ago and had put it in a PW Lionel K4 that I bought in bad shape. I also put a light in and painted red and yellow. I also drilled out a few holes so you can see some glow. Thought I had a better picture with the glow will take a shot tomorrow and add it to your thread, Glad I seen this thread I have been looking for a couple more backheads. I used JB weld to keep it in place. Good luck with your project. Mark

Took a shot of the K4 with backhead in a tunnel, hope that helps

@Scott Jackson posted:

My post with link got deleted 'cause I linked to a certain auction site.  Drop me an email (in my profile).

You can’t post links to eBay auctions, per TOS rules, but you can post the item number. And you can say eBay. eBay. eBay. eBay. See, the sky didn’t fall.

Regardless, with trimming or shims, plus strategic use of JB Weld (lots of info in the archives about how to use it), I’m sure you can make it work.

Here are some updates.

Scott, in some of the pics the backhead had open space around it. In other pics it didn’t. How did you do this?

I think it is the lighting.  There really is a gap at the top of the backhead, where I am going to place turret valves.  And maybe a throttle on the right side of the cab.