Well that will be around for a long time, nice job, Bill
Update:
First, I hope all who celebrate had a Merry Christmas! “Rooster’s” care package came just in time to get us moving towards putting this project to bed and with enough bits and parts to get us thinking about the next projects (after the Mik, of course!). The relevant parts for this one should really add a finished look to Little Thomas.
First, I fiddled with mounting the after pilot. After trying to slot it in between the deck and frame, I abandoned that idea and simply glued it on. I will put in a small screw or two to reinforce the bond:
I’ll deploy Oldest Daughter and her paints to weather it and blend it in. As an added bonus, this masks my saw work on the chassis extension and the fact that the whole project is a bit off center!
I am still fiddling with the forward pilot. Originally, Rooster and I had discussed mounting a cowcatcher, but that would have precluded using the forward coupler, which is not that big of a deal. Then I saw Kid-zilla using our B’mann Big Hauler with its cowcatcher to push the Christmas train. The cowcatcher is best saved for a future project! As it is, the pilot has a coupler box, and I might be able to fiddle and file things to make it sit over the coupler mount on the repurposed STAINZ motor block. A rough fit is shown below:
You can see there is quite a bit of cutting and filing!
The other idea is to simply cut off the coupler box and mount this over the existing coupler as shown in the next shot:
This would be a lot easier, and I am not sure I would sacrifice much in terms of appearance. I plan to leave the holes that were to mount the cowcatcher, as I can imagine any of a number of reasons a plantation crew might need to run a chain or heavy rope around the pilot to pull something out or down.
Amongst the other bits Rooster provided were stirrup-style steps for the cab, a bell, and a steam whistle. I’ll get the steps mounted, but I am soliciting a bit of help on the other parts. Both are ubiquitous on all the photos I have, but the bell is large and, to be honest, I am not sure where to put it or the whistle. I had thought the bell could go on the sand dome, and the whistle on the steam dome. Both could go on the cab roof, but the bell would look, frankly, ridiculous there! The picture below shows the parts. The bell is wedged between the two domes.
If there is an alternative place to mount the bell (side tank on the fireman’s side?), I am all ears. Also, with the whistle bits, am I correct to assume that these are two separate pipes for a two-tone whistle? I am open to suggestions on correct placement for them, too.
Thanks as always,
Eric
Eric,
Remember that ringing the bell is the fireman’s job, so make sure that you mount it with the ringer arm on the fireman’s side of the cab. Bells are usually mounted on the sand dome on steam engines. The whistle is mounted on the steam dome and is the engineer’s (driver’s) responsibility.
am I correct to assume that these are two separate pipes for a two-tone whistle?
I am not sure what you mean by 2 tone. most whistles that I am aware of have only one steam pipe going to them, even if they are more then one chime (or tone). all of the chimes (tones) sound together, similar to an multi chime air horn on a dismal, um, diesel locomotive.
Eric Mueller said:
Sorry this is an incremental thing. “Rooster” warned this would be more than slapping on some detail parts. I had no idea how much more it would be!
Thanks for you patience and ideas!
Eric
Eric,
One is a whistle the other is a blow off or safety valve. Personally I like the front pilot that is on it now. I feel it’s more appropriate than the cow catcher you asked for so I agree you should save the cow catcher for another project. As for the bell once again I felt that the big hauler bell was going to be a bit large for that loco but another possible option is on the perch behind the front pilot in front of the water tank aside the smoke box?
The bell is nothing more than a warning device just like the whistle. Yes we hear a locomotive bell ringing at the station to warn the conductor and passengers the train is about to depart and also a warning at crossings. However Lil Thomas is a plantation locomotive and I have seen plenty of examples without a bell when googling. I ask if you can find the bell on Thomas the Tank engine or Percy? Did the original LGB loco have a bell?
Maybe go back to page one of this thread and read it from the start ( I did). Look at the pictures,links and ideas posted already and slow down a bit. “Skip the part on the tram loco”.
The project has come a long way so no need to rush and distress over detail items. If the bell doesn’t work out and you want more detail think about adding some piping or chains. Remember it’s a plantation “work” locomotive!
Keep up the good work!
(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Found this…the loco has a bell but I didn’t really hear the operator use it?
Just saying it’s OK not to have a bell (IMO) and it could be saved for another project as well.
Eric, first of all I would leave your front beam alone, it fits the style of the engine, think the engine would look funny with a cowcatcher, second the notes or chime of a whistle is determined by how many pipes are in it and usually the were mounted on the boiler, funny thing though European engine many have the boiler in front of the steam dome un like American engines. Bell on the sand dome works but usually not found there as the top had to be opened to add sand. Joe is correct it was the fireman’s job to ring the bell, on old Joe I have it on engineer’s side as he was both engineer and fireman, funny thing a lot of the models put it on the engineer’s side. I have for years just thought that was the way it was. I put my bell on old Joe of the front cab wall as there was no room on the boiler and had no sand dome, it’s your engine put it where you want, Bill
Hi everyone. Thanks for the thoughts, and Joe thanks for the tidbit about who operates the bell and whistle!
As for some of the detail bits, I’ll get the front pilot painted, fitted, and weathered in as I re-read this thread end-to-end. The loco has a stock pressure relief valve just forward of the cab, so the new pop-up relief goes into the “future project box” with the cowcatcher (@David M. Thanks for the overview on how those worked!).The original LGB model did have a small bell, now long gone, mounted forward of the stack. My operating m2075 has one, and it is much, much smaller than the Big Hauler one. I could, in fact, mount the Big Hauler one just forward of the side tanks, but that would require a line to the window for the fireman to ring it, but line that would last about 15 seconds. I am leaning towards “detail too far” on the bell and enjoying the re-born Little Thomas “as is” once the pilots are finished.
Updates to follow as progress occurs!
Thanks again!
Eric
Eric,
Have you checked out Doc Toms Haitian cane cars
Rooster ’ said:
Eric,
Have you checked out Doc Toms Haitian cane cars I think they are in the link below.
Rooster, no, not yet. That post directed me elsewhere, but I’ll hunt around. I sent you an e-mail with some of my musings, but, to summarize:
- I am going to take proportions from the local prototype, which matched the proportions of plans and photos fo the Australian prototypes you shared.
- I am going to let my LGB “Feldbahn” series dictate wheel placement. These handle my 4’ radius curves well, so I figure that should serve as a good guide.
There are a couple of detail points I shared with you, but the “Mik” is looming!
As for Little Thomas, the pilot is sanded and prepped for painting and installation. “He” should be done by week’s end. All the handling, however, did knock some of “his” internals loose, and my father-in-law and I spend the afternoon chasing breaks in electrical continuity. We ended up slightly bending the buses to make a firmer contact and polishing the brushes. Also, something must’ve knocked the motor out, as I heard the lovely sound of reduction gear reduction. Opened him up, cleaned out some plastic fuzz, and bolted him together. All is well, but lessened learned about correct re-assembly!
Eric
Eric Mueller said:
Rooster, no, not yet. That post directed me elsewhere, but I’ll hunt around. I sent you an e-mail with some of my musings, but, to summarize:
- I am going to take proportions from the local prototype, which matched the proportions of plans and photos fo the Australian prototypes you shared.
- I am going to let my LGB “Feldbahn” series dictate wheel placement. These handle my 4’ radius curves well, so I figure that should serve as a good guide.
There are a couple of detail points I shared with you, but the “Mik” is looming!
As for Little Thomas, the pilot is sanded and prepped for painting and installation. “He” should be done by week’s end. All the handling, however, did knock some of “his” internals loose, and my father-in-law and I spend the afternoon chasing breaks in electrical continuity. We ended up slightly bending the buses to make a firmer contact and polishing the brushes. Also, something must’ve knocked the motor out, as I heard the lovely sound of reduction gear reduction. Opened him up, cleaned out some plastic fuzz, and bolted him together. All is well, but lessened learned about correct re-assembly!
Eric
Eric,
Yes, I saw your e-mails “HOWEVER” I have my own HOBBY projects and was glad to help with what you requested . Thought I sent you decent care package so you can accomplish the goals you seek but as for the rest “you and the kids will have to figure out”!
“share on LSC with pics”
I’m only trying to promote the hobby and I love seeing the kids involved. So do what you can/ability wise with the kids and forget about details as stated!
Keep the work pics coming !
Got it, Rooster! We’ll deliver on our end after the Mik!
All,
The lock-down gave me an opportunity to open up this poor thing one more time and see why the worm gears were not engaging. The answer was easy…I had screwed the top of the motor block on too loosely. Stupid, stupid, stupid…
At any rate, Komaka iki went back on the road to field test the fix and frames for “his” field cars that are under construction:
M&K Sugar Co. #7 Operational Test
Smooth as glass. You’ll note the pilot looks great mounted under the firebox, too, per all the earlier suggestions.
And with that, this project is a wrap. Thanks again to all for the guidance along the way and to “Rooster” for the nudge over the cliff! I really think this Quixotic project served as a great learning opportunity, and, despite a few setbacks, I am glad we undertook it. If I had two take-aways (hopefully these have manifested themselves in projects we’ve undertaken since!), they are:
- Begin with research.
- For any future free-lance locomotive project , the motor block drives the project (at least at my current skill level).
With another m2075 (battery) dying on my shelf, I at least have a way forward in this thread!
And, that, as they say, is a wrap!
Aloha,
Eric
Nice work, Eric! Looking good on your railroad!
Eric Mueller said:
Thanks again to all for the guidance along the way and to “Rooster” for the nudge over the cliff!
Aloha,
Eric
Eric,
I believe Cliff went over the cliff already and is hopefully searching out/looking for (a minimum) 4 color paint scheme currently !
Huzzah! 
That wee beastie moves right out!