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Key Model Imports AC-12 Cab Forward #4294

A unique way to present such an amazing replica?

How do you represent the Mona Lisa of model railroad models? I can shoot studio shots all day and never command the emotion and the feel of this incredible model; only seeing in person can you truly realize how profound this project is. I decided to concentrate on making one look as real as possible in a natural environment. I've been told by the aficionados and the lucky few owners of these incredible replicas that she's too clean in these images. They are correct; however let's keep it a little faux, after all it is a 1:48 scale replica! 

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These images are licensed to Key Model Imports, if you repost them please be polite and provide credit to either me or Key Model when doing so. 

 

I hope you guys enjoy them as much as I did making them. 

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Last edited by Erik C Lindgren
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SANTIAGOP23 posted:

Amazing captures! I also enjoy the bare brass close-ups on Key's website. I bet they run like heaven.

Would love to see a Youtube review by  Gary Schrader.

HO crowd be drooling!

Gary is the one that did all the building on the corrected models for the builder. They were 7500.00 each and are all sold out. On ward for other importers. Any one know what the status on the big boy is?

Bob

SANTIAGOP23 posted:

Would love to see a Youtube review by  Gary Schrader.

HO crowd be drooling!

Gary did a YouTube review of the pilot model a few years ago at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3Uk1xiheao

Video here describing the scale wheel profile... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVptvhy_AS0

And working flexible pipe joints here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoosaBMGLQM

...gregg

Bob Harris posted:
SANTIAGOP23 posted:

Amazing captures! I also enjoy the bare brass close-ups on Key's website. I bet they run like heaven.

Would love to see a Youtube review by  Gary Schrader.

HO crowd be drooling!

Gary is the one that did all the building on the corrected models for the builder. They were 7500.00 each and are all sold out. On ward for other importers. Any one know what the status on the big boy is?

Bob

These tend to be long term projects for serious investors. JMO

Just noticed Gary's review on Key's website. It seems to be an alternative mobile only site, but he goes through all the road number details and time frames. It really gives you a sense of the complexity in his research and Key's ability to deliver. What a  project! Mind blowing  really. Wow! This really makes me want to order a GS6 in WP... maybe they are next after the big boy?

Erik C Lindgren posted:
AGHRMatt posted:

Beautiful model. Great photo work, Erik. Is that bridge shot the module project you guys were working on?

Yeah Matt!

CB88FD93-1D39-4CDA-9D17-23053086E98E

In this view I still needed to add smoke pellets...  

...

Nice.

I decided to dust off some bridge drawings I have to build a photo platform module. The bridge was built by Pacific Electric in 1913 and I can remember when trains ran under then backed across it to serve a steel plant on the north side (left) of the bridge. The City of Torrance had issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to rehabilitate/retrofit the bridge. It actually appears on the city seal and was deteriorating. The RFP included  a very good set of drawings which I downloaded. I contacted the City yesterday to find out how the work turned out and they sent me this photo.

Bridge Lights on western face of bridge

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Erik - the technical side of that is the eccentric crank is probably loose, and will cause great grief during an operating session.

Eccentric cranks aim more or less at the axle center bore.  They are about 15 degrees off to impart motion to the eccentric rod.  A loose eccentric will ultimately wind up in an over-center position, bending the rod or worse.

Shaft Loctite is your friend.

I agree - your photographs are works of art.  If production runs can be considered art, then this model qualifies.

mark s posted:

The eccentric crank is not loose...that's how it was positioned on those locomotives.

I don't think so, Mark. The position of the eccentric crank should not have any bearing on either forward or reverse movement of the engine. The position of the block within the link, determines valve position and length of valve stroke, no matter the direction of movement. 

 Recall, it is a locomotive running backwards (perhaps someone with a greater mastery of valve gear can explain why the eccentric crank is lagging, not leading).

 

Well, Mark is partially correct - some locomotive operators wanted the radius rod to be down in normal operation, so Baldwin rigged the cab forward engines for reverse running.

But look again at that photo - the crank is a quarter turn away from any reasonable setting, forward or reverse.

Somebody help me on this - this crank is way, way out of normal position.  Plenty of prototype photos exist to back me up.

Last edited by bob2

Well, I keep forgetting to hit the "post" button after I hit the "add photo" button.

Here's a photo.  Note that, in addition to being set up to run backwards (crank set toward front of locomotive, not front of engine), the crank bolt that holds the rod is completely contained by the driver center.  That is, it is roughly 15 degrees from a centerline from crankpin to axle center.  image

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Check the prototype cab forward photos on Key's website; the eccentric cranks are angled away from the cylinders, as opposed to the much more common posture of pointing toward the cylinders.  http://www.keymodels.net/id16.html                          Today's Soo Line #1003 2-8-2 has the eccentric crank pointing away from the cylinders, too.   This was a bit more common on the locomotives built in the approximate 1913 era, such as #1003. See photos of articulateds built in the 1913 +/- period......lagging eccentric cranks, not leading.

Eric's photo just above does portray the eccentric crank being in a rather extreme position; perhaps it is loose. But then, all of Eric's other photos look just the way cab forwards looked in operation, in photos of the period.

Have never heard a satisfactory explanation on why the eccentric cranks on some locomotives lag,  and on far more locomotives, they lead.

Last edited by mark s
Number 90 posted:

Nobody does smoke better than you do, Erik.  My hat is off!

I agree, it's some of the better photoshopped real-life smoke effects on a model I've seen. I have noticed plenty of people in magazines (especially RMC) are doing it, but most do it very poorly. The lighting doesn't match the smoke at all and there are usually very well-defined borders between the smoke photo and the real model. These shots don't have that look (thank goodness).

This one, looked a little odd to me until I realized that I wasn't seeing the drafting from the end of the stack you'd expect from a locomotive at speed (not to mention the angle of the smoke for something that's supposed to be moving at all):

Thought not perfect, it's still better than most post-shot smoke digital effects I've ever seen.

I look at this shot and think back to when I heard that Phillip Anschutz was looking over the real loco at Sacramento in the museum one night, which led some to think he'd pondered maybe taking a page from UP's playbook and pulling that AC-12 out of there and getting her restored to operation. I'd rather have seen that happen than the 4014 restoration currently underway!

Me too!

Have never heard a satisfactory explanation on why the eccentric cranks on some locomotives lag, and on far more locomotives, they lead.

My explanation above was not satisfactory?

The other possible reason is Walschaerts gear on slide valve cylinders.  The intake ports are different, and a different motion is required.

Erik - Gary will spot it quicker than I did.  It will take him 30 seconds to fix it.  The guy is a genius with this stuff.

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