Some of you know I have been restoring old Half-Zero locomotives since last Thanksgiving in my spare time.
I find it relaxing, and a way to keep the “hobby” aspect.
All the Athearn units are done and returned to my Brother, except the 1957 Dual-Geared Geep I picked up first of the year. That one’s mine.
But, I digress.
I have done the 1941 Varney Docksider, the 1948 Varney Docksider, the 1948 or 1949 Varney spring-drive cast F-3, and find I really like Varney mechanisms, especially old metal ones that screw together,
So, all those decades reading Mentally Re…oopps…Model Railroader, and seeing “Old Lady” Consolidation, and I always wanted one.
Found a “set” reasonable, got it, and the engine, though never run, needed lots of work.
I have almost all the parts, rest should be here the end of this coming week.
I just tonight finished the boiler, after drilling and filing out front cab windows and drilling out the turret for pop valves and whistle (Varney parts, had them…), making sure the flash was gone, glass beaded it this morning, painted it tonight.
Back wall is done (filed the “VARNEY” and part number off), pilot done, red paint cleaned off the drivers and flash cut out, cylinders filed to remove parting line flash, painted, tomorrow night I “green” the inside of the cab, “red” the window frames, “silver” the inside of the headlight housing, mount the headlight and lead weight (cast boiler, factory lead weight…)put the brass whistle and pop valves in, and satin clear it.
Tender is all done and sitting proud. Gonna put some of Stan’s decals on it, and clear it.
I really enjoy taking older machinery that was quality to begin with and making it function again.
TOC
