Large Scale Central

Finally, PRR Big Hauler gets its pilot truck & crosshead guides mended

Modeling
#1

Hey Y’all; Well, finally, several years after taking damage in a derailment at Mike & Mary’s (who have since retired and moved) the PRR Big Hauler gets its pilot truck mended.

I had been going to design and build a truck with more points of articulation but declining health may have nixed that project, so I finally gave in and merely mended the existing truck.

The E6000 glue employed said not recommended for use with polystyrene, oh well, it got used with Evergreen Styrene because that’s what I have.

(NOTE: the crosshead guide braces shown in photos in another member’s thread about mending Big Haulers are not fitted in this photo; they are in the process of being detailed and painted.)

(NOTE 2: if you have questions about the striped cab awnings see image of PW&BRR 203 on page 47 of 1984 edition of Kalmbach’s Cyclopedia Volume 1, Steam Locomotives.)

IMG_9551 by F Scott Wood, on Flickr

IMG_1505 by F Scott Wood, on Flickr

IMG_1511 by F Scott Wood, on Flickr

IMG_1510 by F Scott Wood, on Flickr

EDIT: Oh, and here’s what the loco looked like out of the box before I started having my way with it.
Yes, I chipped the white paint off the wheels, that was a chore.

IMG_0355b by F Scott Wood, on Flickr

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#2

E6000…the second best glue for almost anything!

More importantly, nice work making this your locomotive!

Eric

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#3

Hi, Eric, thanks!
:grin:
As it happens, just got done gluing the engineer side crosshead guide rails back on after a 06:30 trip to our small town Walmart for some glue that has a better relationship with plastics, Quick Grip by Beacon Adhesives.

As part of the fix I finally, beginning last year, got around to making the crosshead guide braces which among several other important parts Bachmann omitted.

Thing is to tack them on with a drop of Plastruct glue then drill pilot holes for screws because if the braces are not removable you will succeed in making the locomotive’s bottom plate non-removable!
:astonished:
The cylinders are affixed to it.

Note 1: bracket placement allows access to screws which hold boiler top on.

Note 2: bracket placement varies; some just before end of crosshead guide rails as here; some right at end of rails; some brackets fully inboard of rails without showing outboard like the style I used.

Note 3: A small orange drafting triangle was used to get bracket square to running board above air tank.

As another part of the repair am also going to finally get around to adding the valve rods.
They will go to an arm between the 1st and 2nd drivers as seen on some 4-6-0. Other locos have short rods to an arm in front of lead driver. I like the long arm look.

Valve rods will have forward end glued to valve chest & come apart where a joint in rod is between chest and bracket.

Note 4: One image is from the Glenbrook Valley 4-6-0 Big Hauler; the one where it called all the dust on the workbench to the bracket!
(also had problems painting them for that loco, tried to airbrush them on a day I was still recovering from allover muscle spasms and on some potent meds. Note to self, wait.)

IMG_9548 by F Scott Wood, on Flickr

IMG_9581 by F Scott Wood, on Flickr

IMG_9583 by F Scott Wood, on Flickr

IMG_1503 by F Scott Wood, on Flickr

IMG_1514 by F Scott Wood, on Flickr

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#4

Some decisions and factors which now come in to play when making valve rod parts:

  1. It appears that most locomotives with square valves of this period had centerline of valve, hence, valve rod location, set a bit inboard of piston/piston rod, centerline & the valve rod was centered in the valve chest.

  2. The piston/piston rod centerline of Big Haulers sits far further outboard of wheel faces with a lot more horizontal clearance between components than on real locomotives.

  3. I chose to not fudge the valve rod location on valve chest, it is centered as are most I’ve seen.

4a. So, the part I don’t know name of which connects valve rod extension to that lever I don’t know name of (here at almost 1am) is going to have to be inordinately long, long enough to cause twisting problems on a real locomotive.

4b. That lever I don’t know name of has to remain close to frame or siderods will not clear it.

5a. A sort-of compromise could be reached via angling/bending the valve rod extension so its lever end is closer to frame.

5b. Don’t know whether I want to do that.