Large Scale Central

0-4-0 Bachmann Bash

Modeling Motive Power
#1

So I have decided to shelf the 2-6-0 for awhile. I am frustrated with it. I will take it to the RPM meet as is, its for completed or models in progress well this is in progress. But for know I need to give it a rest.

The 2-6-0 was going to be the loco I was going to take to Dave Goodsen’s for his op session with Steve. Then when that was no longer I was going to take my Geep, until Steve informed me it was Bachmann couplers and I was going to use a transition car but Sat he told me I would need to push and pull so a transition car was a no go. That means I need a new option.

So that little Bachmann side tank Porter I have with the new gear was a prime candidate. It will be the Sinsley Mountain Logging & Mining Co. #2 “Logan” and will be used for switching in town and as the prime mover taking stuff to and from the mine and mill until the #3 “Darcy” 0-4-2 2-4-0 Garratt can be built. I bought this loco in a box of junk for $20.00. I was gong to make this a 2-4-0 but the front pilot deck I put on it precludes it. So it will stay an 0-4-0. But I have made some mods. The most noticeable is the missing side tanks. They are replaced with side boards. It was also missing a pilot deck so I used the one from the B-mann lil hauler that is the little logger I am building. I needed a new support that attach the arms that hold the connecting rods (not sure what they are really called) and the slide so that all got fabbed in brass. The tender is a New Bright from the same box. It has been gutted and will hold the R/C and battery equipment from the 2-6-0. I used the plug and socket from the New Bright, I actually like the plug and socket. I made a draw bar and then body mounted a B-Mann coupler to the rear. Once I install the RC equipment then it will be ready to run. I will paint it up but I won’t be detailing it until later after the logger is done. This will give me a second running locomotive to play with.

This was one days work. I think I made good progress.

#2

Thanks for the reminder… I need to pull out one of my loco’s and charge up the batteries for Friday just in case I decide to take part of the day off.

#3

Another upgrade I will make pretty quick is to switch out the little New Bright wheels with a set of the Sierra Valley Wheels that match the New Brights for size.

#4

Craig Townsend said:

Thanks for the reminder… I need to pull out one of my loco’s and charge up the batteries for Friday just in case I decide to take part of the day off.

I need to pull the battery out of the Geep and charge it before Friday. I only have the one battery and ran it dead Sat.

#5

The engine looks great with the side tanks removed. I have a porter and now you have me thinking…

I like that you painted the “wood” to look like wood.

I was wondering the make of that tender and it is a new bright. It will look good with new wheels and a paint job.

I think you might have the body on backwards though. The curved part should be to the front but there shouldn’t be a shelf at the rear.

#6

Todd,

First removing the side tanks is a somewhat interesting but fairly straight forward task. The are an individual part that screws in under the shell. I cut off all the plastic tank leaving only the bottom. Then the “wood” running boards are actually real wood, cedar, glued on top. They need to be that thick because of a gap created when the tanks are removed. I scribed them to look like boards the scored them to give it grain. Painted them brown and then a wash of black India ink.

Yesterday the electronics got installed and, the whole thing was taken apart and is being painted. It will be flat black on the boiler, chassis, fire box, roof (with aluminum tape for a tin roof), and interior of the cab. The smoke box, stack, and side rods remain silver. The cab, steam dome, sand domes, and tender will be a moss green. For now the tender wheels will be painted black but will get upgraded soon.

As for that new bright tender orientation. Its on right I promise and I hate it. The way the new bright is made the rounded parts of the front tank are cut in half by the weird deck height. that deck needs to be dropped down to the bottom of the tank along with the two front parts of the tank. But it is on right. The weird shelf is the deck between the tanks where the fireman will shovel his coal. The shelf at the back of the tender has two funky tool boxes that are slots for tabs that are on the tender shell. That’s how I know its on right. Only one way it can go on. the tools chests should come off and an air tank put on but . . .

For the tender one of two things will happen. Either I will fix it by extending the deck down along with the tanks (I have another identical tender that can donate the necessary piece) or I will do the unthinkable and make this an oil burner. Dread the thought but I like this one

and may copy that tender in the future. One thing about the tender I have on now is that it will need to have the side filled in flat in order for me to fit the herald on the side. The current indentation is 1" wide and the herald is 1 1/4". So if I do keep that tender it will get extensive work done.

Pictures tonight hopefully of the completed ready to run loco.

#7

For your consideration, first time for everything eh? The SP ran a narrow ga. line in the Calif Valley and they too used the whale back tenders, but larger for ‘real’ railroading vs industrial as is a plantation loco.

This or something in between may off set the tall cab.

Just a thought and a chance to show off a true Valley Girl.

John

#8

That’s a good looking gas tank. I have never been fond of the idea of oil burners. For some reason it just doesn’t seem right. But I think this one will have to be an oil burner. I am kinda thinking all three of the SML&M Co. Locos will burn different fuels. Not practical but fun from a modeling stand point. The logger is going to burn wood. This one oil I think and the Garratt will burn coal.

One problem I have is length again. If this is going to fit in the engine house it has to be under 16" total length. ( I know here we go again). I haven’t measured it but I stuck it in the engine house and it’s about 4 inches to long. Trading out the BMann couplers for link and pin will save about an inch. So the tender needs to be shorter.

I like the talller tank and i think it will look better in a shorty version.

#9

Devon, a logging engine burning wood? You may want to reconsider that. Wood burners throw up a lot of sparks, and logging railroads are right in the forest, close to the commodity they are extracting, which happens to be quite inflammable.

#10

David, many loggers used wood burners. There would be bins of wood for them scattered about. Many of those loggers carried hoses to siphon from creeks…

Even though a loose log knocked the tender shell loose, you can see chunks of firewood.

John

#11

What better source of fulel than a forest full of logs. Coal had to be shipped in. Firewood was cheap and a readily available byproduct. Why so you think giant spark arresting radley hunter stacks are popular.

Though not a logging railraod the CR&N was all wood and in the middle of a forest.

I always wondered about the logic of wood burners in a forest. But they did it all the time. But with that said my line will burn it all. They might even buy a Mack diesel.

#12

I know why the Radley Hunter stacks were so popular, but I also know that even the best stack didn’t quench all of the embers.

#13

David Maynard said:

I know why the Radley Hunter stacks were so popular, but I also know that even the best stack didn’t quench all of the embers.

Nope, your right about that. They weren’t perfect by any means. Wood sucked in general, but when its all you have, its all you have. I can’t see a logging outfit shipping in coal when it has wood right there. Especially with an isolated line that does not have a mainline connection. Maybe thats more of a Eastern mentality where coal is more prevalent and easier to obtain (I am guessing, I don’t know). But out West at least in my neck of the woods coal is an import item. Our closest coal deposits are in eastern Montana and I don’t know when they went into production. So coal I am sure was rare until the railroad were predominately established.

#14

Well here it is after paint. At least for this phase. I was in a hurry and had some over spray and you can see that I did cover the old lettering on the cab. I am going to paint that part black anyway I have decided. I also over sprayed the windows on the inside by accident so they will get re-glazed. But I think it is ready to go. I have to actually run it but I think its good to go. I will eventually need to revisit that tender for sure. Either an all new one or highly modify this one. The battery fits but way to tight and puts strain on things. So a taller coal load is in order if I keep this one.

I like the oil burner idea more and more and have little to no hope of having this loco make it in the shed. I would have to shave off over 3" from somewhere and I don’t want to cut the loco anywhere ( I actually really like how it came out) so that would be a rather stumpy tender. So I will leave it alone for length. So likely will build a nice gas tank for it.

Before I leaves I take it this weekend I will blacken those wheels. Its still very much a work in progress. But this is where it will stay until the little logger is done.

#15

How about adding to the back of the engine house?

#16

Sean McGillicuddy said:

How about adding to the back of the engine house?

Eh. . . If anything I will add a lean-to on the side. I will have enough stuff to put inside. . .lol. I am actually liking the idea of making the engine shed more of a maintenance shop anyway. I already have a blacksmith forge in the works for going inside. So a lean-to or something like that for the long girls would be OK. Many place on these little lines the locos were left outside. I am not going to fret over it. I worked hard to make the logger fit but I like the proportions of this loco so if it doesn’t fit no big deal.

#17

Pssst …

Automobiles have Gas tanks, steam locos have tenders whether they carry wood, coal or oil (or cane waste) and dismals have fuel tanks.

Many round houses had extensions added as newer and bigger locos were made. It’s all about evolution. Far cheaper to adapt than start over.

John

#18

Its a gas tank. . .lol. That’s just my belligerent way of saying it ain’t right. steam locos shouldn’t burn a liquid. I don’t know why I have this aversion to oil burners but it just seems wrong. It the steam locomotives version of silicone body parts. Some people like them its just not my cup of tea. But I do think I am going to make one. Also like silicone body parts like it or not it caught my attention.

I actually could extend the longer of the two bays pretty easy. I didn’t put any windows on that side so it is a blank slate. Hmmm dang you guys.

#19

Is the pad poured yet?

#20

Sean McGillicuddy said:

Is the pad poured yet?

No but thats why this loco is as far as it is going right now. Steve and I are heading this weekend to western WA for train fun and hade to get a working loco with B-Mann couplers up and running. But as soon as we get back that work will begin in earnest.