Progress so far on my current project: ATSF "6000 class"

Now that is cool keep up the updates

 

Lee, that is going to be one extremely cool engine. Yet again you have managed to amaze me with your ingenuity, and the speed with which you can produce these amazing models. 

Very interesting.  I look forward to the progress updates.

That is some impressive engineering.

That's Amazing, However, I still want to see pictures of your layout. Yes.

Very good Lee, what are you going to do for sound?

Wow

Awesome man keep up the good work

Go, man, go!!  Talk about a 'white noise' generator!!!...Lessee, 5X4=20 chuffs per driver revolution for the 5 engine sets???!!!  GOOD GRIEF, Charlie Brown!!  Synchronized smoke????....10 puffs per stack per driver revolution???  TURN OFF THE SMOKE DETECTORS, MAW!!!

 

Yep, too much 'fire water' being consumed in the ATSF engineering department, methinks!

 

So, Rich Melvin...how about a dose of reality on this prototype beast's ability to come up with enough steam under load/grade or to make it to the next water/fueling stop??   At ANY speed?? 

 

Any tunnels ahead???(God help the crew!)

 

And, I'm sure maintenance of a beastie like this would've kept a town or two employed!!

 

Hey, why not a 'lash-up' of TWO of these??????

 

(What WERE they thinking, anyway??  Maybe just something off the doodle-pad of the CEO??)

 

Lee, you've GOT to paint this in WARBONNET colors, too!!

 

holy moly.

 

KD

 

"Science has not yet taught us if madness is or is not the sublimity of intelligence."

-Edgar Allan Poe

Lee, amazing to say the least.  You have an imagination way beyond Star Wars, that is going to be one unusual locomotive for sure.  How many smoke units will it have?  Whistle steam?  Moving Bell?  You hold the interest of all here with this project.

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

Lee,

Dallee makes an e-unit that will handle 10 amps continuously.  I've used one before in a K-Line A-B-A E8 set with 6 vertical can motors and it worked perfectly.  It is half way down the page at the link below.

 

http://www.dallee.com/E_Units.htm

I am most impressed.

You Lunatic! Where is all that steam gonna come from? remember the triplex. Sweet keep the pics coming. And how are we gonna calculate the steam figures Think it would even crawl?

Wow. And how many cars are ya fetchin to pull?

I had the pleasure of visiting Lee at his home Friday.  He showed me his new project and it is an impressive start to a complex project.  It ran very smooth from a slow start up to speed.  I hope to see it in person when completed.

Amazing. Your talents never cease to amaze me.

After the applause dies down the Cos pauses for dramatic effect

 

and says....

 

 

Sorry man, I gotta' go with the Cos on this one. 

 

The instructions for the 10 amp unit.

Thanks Len.  The instructions look good, and it certainly can handle the five small motors.  I've ordered one. 

Lee, that's nothing short if insane!   I can't wait to see this completed, it'll certainly be one-of-a-kind!

You've done the hard part; now the fun part begins - the looks.

 

I am very impressed; read about that would-be loco in Trains magazine when I was a kid. The low-end Lionel 0-8-0 is really not a bad loco within it's limitations, and is an excellent choice for a project such as this.

 

I wish that it had been available when I scratch built my freelance Garratt a few years ago; I wound up using 2 Atlas IR 4-4-2's. Still OK.

 

BTW, Lee - have you decided what to call this type of wheel arrangement? You know: like

Hudson or Pacific or Berkshire. I know its "class" will be 6000, but what about its

"type"?

 

A 2-10-2 is already a "Santa Fe" type (except on the Espee), so in keeping with this

convention, as an ATSF loco, may I suggest either the "Atchison" type or the "Topeka" type?

 

Looking forward to seeing it. 

 

 

What brand of beer cans will you use for the boilers?  Or PVC pipe...

 

Am really impressed with your imagination Lee!

A very interesting question - what "type" would it be called.  After some thought, I will call it a "Raton."

 

I realize this is a misnomer in one sense, since the word means mouse in Spanish and this locomotive is hardly small.  But if this locomotive were to have had any purpose in the real world, it would have been to haul trains over Raton Pass. The track climbs 1,500 feet from Trinidad up over Raton Pass with an average grade of about 1.6%, although there were places where it was as steep as 3.5%, the pass is over 7500 boiler breathing and potentially less intense temperatures from coal combustion, etc. 

 

You are right about the fun part starting now.  I'm working this afternoon on the boiler, since that is the biggest challenge: I have to both get it to swing around curves, and make the two different parts of it meet halfway in the middle where the bellows are and play nice together.  Hopefully it will not be too difficult.  

Pretty Cool Lee!!
I like the“Raton”
Will you be able to use that 3D printer you bought your son for anything on this project?
I think Lionel used a 3D printer for one of their display models. 
Thanks for posting

K.C>

I like Raton!!  Having been over Raton many times I'd love to see this thing on the pass! Although there are a few curves that would be 'challenging' for sure!

Thanks guys.  It's a Raton, then.

 

I will report progress as I make it, but I hope everyone is prepared for a long slog here: this could take a year if I have to back up and try again, as I might at stages.  To be frank, I have little idea how to make a flexible articulated boiler.  I spent four hours yesterday making just a framework for the rear half of the boiler - arranging it so it would fit nicely and not interfere with running the train was difficult.  It runs, but I think the front section will be even more of a challenge, as will particularly the "pivot point" where they have to meet.  I expect this to not go smoothly, which is part of its appeal: a great project should be a challenge and this is.

 

In addition, this project is only one of several: I actually expect to finish another Santa Fe "almost-was" loco (the high-speed cab forward 6-4-4-4) first, as it is a simple body conversion of a T-1 I want it badly, to run), and more important still, the other person who lives at this house has quite reasonably pointing out that they projects I have promised her should occasionally, as today, go at the top of my list.  A gtruck just delivered two intimidatingly large pallets of paving stones and I am about to begin a 72 foot long walkway around the side of our house.  Fun in its own way - by no prpgoress of the Raton today, or I think, this week!

Lee, you just have to teach her to lay paving stones.

 

Yeah, well, she has volunteered to help todaym, which means she will stand over me and supervise.  It is a beautiful day, what my grandfather called a "Chamber of Commerce" Day, and a shame to stay in.  We will enjoy it, at least until it gets to 80 deg.

Lee. Absolutely  Amazing !!   Keep up this great work.

Nice work Lee.

You said your busy thinking of how to make a flexible boiler.  There is the obvious flexible rubber joiner options.

I was thinking, have you considered a solid inner joint cover similar to what is in between the passenger cars on the Zephyr models. In boiler black with the right kind of clearance that might look better than rubber.

Just a thought.

Can't wait to see more progress. I would add the request that you share the failures as well as the successes so we can all learn from them.

I definitely will share the failures - generally you learn more there than with what works.  But no progress today.  I just moved a ton (literanlly 114 at 22 lbs each) of stone slabs and am just tuckered out.  Going to go watch some Have Gun, Will Travel and just relax the rest of this afternoon.

Interesting Lee. I know you model the UP as well, maybe a "hugeboy" would have been a bit easier challenge and more fitting given all of the "hubub" of the bigboy restoration.

 

I imagine you could cut up 2 VL bigboys, and give us an impressive example of one.

 

At least it was a real locomotive.