Large Scale Central

PRR 460

Modeling
#1

So I have really been enjoying trying to take this:

I know it’s not really an example of model making, more an example of “model improving.” Take a non-running, whimsically painted old Atlantic, and make something more useful and prototypical out of it. I strapped the motor down, added power pickup on 18 points, lit up all the marker lights, fabricated a keystone number plate, made a replacement air tank and cast a 2nd pop valve out of JB Weld. Bunch of other small details including a lot more weight. It still needs lettering and some weathering

But I’ve been testing it out and it has some problems. First, it waddles a lot. A lot. I’m assuming maybe one of the axles is bent, or maybe the wheel is on out of alignment. Any ideas? Second I want to give it a little more gloss, like an engine that gets wiped down fairly often. Nt everywhere, just on spots that would be washed regularly. Sort of like this:

I don’t have an airbrush, so I thought of maybe actually putting a little bit of oil on the finish in some places . It will attract dust, but it might work. Suggestions welcome!

#2

How about a gloss or satin clear coat or a coat of car wax in the areas you’d like some shine.
Ralph

#3

Mike,

Maybe your gloss is enough and you need to “grimey” up the smoke box and the front of the tender more. I think somebody suggested graphite on the smoke box and then you could use a diluted thinned black, water soluable wash with maybe a little grey wash on the front of that tender. Overspray of flat black from a shake can sprayed from the front to the back about 2 foot above and 1 foot in front of the smoke stack will give it a slight soot look, especially on top of the domes and roof of the cab. Easy does it.

Great looking engine.

#4

Mike it sounds like you have one set of wheels one tooth off rather than a bent axel. If it is a bent axel, however you should have some extra from the 2-8-0 conversion. If all else fails I have some just drop me an email. By the way Mike nice job. Mine looks great pulling the 4 pennsy heavyweights I have for it.
Mike

#5
Ralph Berg said:
How about a gloss or satin clear coat or a coat of car wax in the areas you'd like some shine. Ralph
Like Ralph said, I'd try the car wax myself...............seems the easiest way to get a shiny polished look.............
#6

Car wax seems like a great idea–I’ll try that. And Mike thanks for the tip on the gear teeth–getting this gearbox right is a major pain, it’s a poor design

#7

Looks neat, Mike. The rub and buff makes the spokes look great.

Another option is the acrylic floor wax - Future. It has the advantage of NO buffing or rubbing and is very easily applied.

#8

Nice work!

#9

I tried resetting the wheels this morning, to see if I could get rid of the wobble. No sauce–it still tends to waddle from side to side, and quite a bit. I may try swapping out the other wheels and motor.

If I can’t get this work well, I’ll probably end up making another consol. It’d be cool to double head them

#10

Just looking at the photos, it looks like the “eccentrics” have been knocked out of position, especially on the Starboard (engineer’s) side. They should point to the center of the counterweights. That happened to mine, and after correcting them, it ran fine.

Granted, it is hard to tell from those pics, but worth looking at.

SteveF

#11

The eccentrics seem to be ok–they don’t point directly at the weight but they are both off slightly in the same way, and it’s where they want to sit.

I swapped in one of the extra axles and tried that, and it still waddles. I have another extra axle but the gear seems a little bit chewed.