Large Scale Central

LGB 2119D Bash and Cheap Steam Sound

Modeling Motive Power
#1

I picked up about 15-16 years ago, a Lake George and Boulder 2119d Mogul that runs excellent. I’ve also picked up a few other LGB moguls but they are all sound versions and in C&S or Pennsylvania livery. I’ve been contemplating doing an airbrush make over and wanted to give it some sound. I didn’t see the point in adding a top line sound system as I’d rather do that to my shay and climax in the future. Well, the other day on eBay, I saw an LGB Annie Oakley car for sale that someone had added the LGB steam sound board and a speaker to. The price was $54 or best offer so I made a $50 offer and it was accepted. I got the car in on Monday, tested it first, then removed the sound system from the AO car. I opened the tender on the 2119, drilled a series of holes where the speaker goes and mounted the board to one of the deck stand off posts for the factory sound card. I soldered the power leads to the power leads that are on the rear of the tender shell, pulled the 9v battery connector up into the battery compartment, and drilled a small hole on the front of the tender by the fireman’s legs which allows the use of a jewelers screwdriver to access the volume pot to raise or lower the volume. So while it doesn’t have the timed chuff, bell or whistle, it still sounds good enough to run around and it’s better than no sound. Plus I have the AO car now too. For $66 delivered I thought was a fairly cheap way to add sound.

i am curious on what people think of painting up this engine to have a more original look. I would think there’s nothing too special about the 2119 other than it’s a good running mogul. So if you had one, would you do a makeover on it?

#2

I have that engine and left it in the yellow Lake George and Boulder as I have other cars and cabooses in the LGB logo. I also have the same color forney.

We should get together sometime soon. If repainting LGB, be sure to sandblast the plastic first and the paint will stick much better.

#3

Ted Brito said:

I picked up about 15-16 years ago, a Lake George and Boulder 2119d Mogul that runs excellent. I’ve also picked up a few other LGB moguls but they are all sound versions and in C&S or Pennsylvania livery. I’ve been contemplating doing an airbrush make over and wanted to give it some sound. I didn’t see the point in adding a top line sound system as I’d rather do that to my shay and climax in the future. Well, the other day on eBay, I saw an LGB Annie Oakley car for sale that someone had added the LGB steam sound board and a speaker to. The price was $54 or best offer so I made a $50 offer and it was accepted. I got the car in on Monday, tested it first, then removed the sound system from the AO car. I opened the tender on the 2119, drilled a series of holes where the speaker goes and mounted the board to one of the deck stand off posts for the factory sound card. I soldered the power leads to the power leads that are on the rear of the tender shell, pulled the 9v battery connector up into the battery compartment, and drilled a small hole on the front of the tender by the fireman’s legs which allows the use of a jewelers screwdriver to access the volume pot to raise or lower the volume. So while it doesn’t have the timed chuff, bell or whistle, it still sounds good enough to run around and it’s better than no sound. Plus I have the AO car now too. For $66 delivered I thought was a fairly cheap way to add sound.

i am curious on what people think of painting up this engine to have a more original look. I would think there’s nothing too special about the 2119 other than it’s a good running mogul. So if you had one, would you do a makeover on it?

I to have done what you are doing, or want to do. I have posted these pics on other post, but will do them again just because you asked if others were doing the same thing you wanted to do. Besides all the rework that was done, they are completely rewired for AirWire and Sound Traxx, all the factory pickups and wiring were discarded. These two engines run on battery power and not track power, but you can easily wire your Moguls for both type of operation. I still have one more LGB Mogul I can redue, I will probably just keep the stock wiring so it can be run on layouts that have track power, it is a lot less expensive to go this way, vs. battery and RC control. Due note I did switch boilers between the two engines, I wanted the rounded domes on the yellow engine and the black engine to have the fluted domes, more like the D&RGW engines had on there consolidations. I spent two months on these redues, like yourself they were purchased some 25 years ago and if it wasn’t for the virus and being at home they may have not ever got done. I’m a modeler more so then a runner so I’m also redoing some 20 plus LGB and USA Trains rolling stock and lettering to my RR, the Ft. Worth & South-Western. It’s been fun to work on large stuff rather then my HOn3 layout, small is becoming a real pain to see and handle.

trainman

trainman

#4

Dan Pierce said:

I have that engine and left it in the yellow Lake George and Boulder as I have other cars and cabooses in the LGB logo. I also have the same color forney.

We should get together sometime soon. If repainting LGB, be sure to sandblast the plastic first and the paint will stick much better.

Being a modeler for some 50 plus years, I never remove the paint on plastic parts, brass, or metal maybe. On plastic I remove the lettering by sanding it out, if you don’t it will show through when you repaint. Sand the paint with 400 sandpaper, or use a fine Scotch-Brite to scuff the paint and this will get it ready to repaint. Due note here you may have to primer the parts you are painting, for several reasons, but I won’t go into that here. I never heard of sand blasting a plastic model for any reason. I would like to say here that the factory paint in most cases in the strongest primer you could want for repainting, why would you not just sand it and paint over it, I do 99% of the time on repaints. I normally paint with a air brush, but on G scale models I’m using more spray bomb cans then ever before and they are working out well for me, but colors can be a problem when you what to match RR colors. Last thing, when painting more paint is not better, I paint on a thin coat and then a wet coat, that’s it, and all done about two minutes apart. Why would you need more paint then that, it’s model, not a steel ship.

trainam

#5

I’m actually very familiar with prepping and painting from metal, through wood, to plastic. In my RC plane hobby we paint all those type surfaces and also fiberglassed surfaces. my main reason for asking was more about changing the engine and what people thought about it, whether a good idea or bad. I do see that it’s something that’s probably done more regularly judg by the reply’s. Thanks for those pictures and what a trans formation. That is kind of what I envisioned as my own plans for mine.

#6

Dan Pierce said:

I have that engine and left it in the yellow Lake George and Boulder as I have other cars and cabooses in the LGB logo. I also have the same color forney.

We should get together sometime soon. If repainting LGB, be sure to sandblast the plastic first and the paint will stick much better.

Hi dan,

I don’t have any other cars in that color or livery so for my engine, a repaint and some markings in the Old Colony RR would work for me. I’m still doing a ton of restoration work right now on a 34’ Chevy pickup and a 30’ Chevy 4dr sedan for two people so my train work that I’ve been posting is what ive been fitting in when it’s been too hot and humid in the garage so I move down stairs where it’s cool. I don’t think I’ll get to even put out one piece of track in the future outdoor layout but my goal is to have the whole trestle built leading from the cellar wall to my raised area. Hopefully when this Covid thing calms down I can get out and visit some guys and their layouts.