Large Scale Central

Rebirth of the Mallet!

Modeling
#1

Some time ago the LA&C RR purchased a regauged 2-6-6-2 mallet. The company was never very pleased with the loco but the crews loved her cause she was a solid puller. About a year ago ole number 5 derailed on some bad track and took a plunge down a deep gravine sustaining heavy front end damage. #5 was salvaged from the ravine and was brought back to the shops where she sat out back for over a year. After much thought on what to do, including parting her out or just plain scrapping her, the company decided to rebuild her on their own… **Some years ago I “tried” to convert my LGB Sumpter Valley Mallet to a more 1:20ish look. I added a bigger cab changed the smoke stack and bell and did a little tender work. It was ok but never looked quite right. But, it ran great and pulled like a champ. Move foward to last year when I was carring it into the basement and dropped it down my basement steps… It sat on the shelf for quite sometime all busted up. I contemplated many things including using the trucks for scratch building or just selling it as is for parts. I decided to rebuild it. Some parts were not salvageable and some were just scrapped for the cause. At any rate here are some build pics of it…

This is the boiler and cab. No headlight bell or whistle, yet. i moved the air pump to the side changed some plumbing and remade a smoke box from pvc pipe. The cab is from a big hauler.

The steam pipes had to be shortened.

Opposite side

The stack, headlight mount, boiler door and number plate are from trackside details. Rivits are HO scale track nails.

closeup

Running gear. The front sustained the most damage so it was shortened. the mallet is now a 0-6-6-2

Front end includes new pilot beam (think thats what it’s called) tool box, kadee coupler, coupler bar and chain. The pilot steps are from trackside.

Close up. The steam lines from the cylinders had to be moved as well.

I also locked the rear truck in place to make it a “true” Mallet. I used the small piece of brass. The theory is sound but it hasn’t been field tested yet to see if it will make the turns. More to come. Terry

#2

Terry,
shows you how rubbery the original LGB Sumpter Valley was when even an Annie cab makes the boiler structure look tiny. With a ‘locked’ rear drive I would reckon on ten to twelve foot minimum diameter curves. I have built two with a solid rear drive and ten foot was the minimum for the smaller version. The latest, a 4-6-6-0 required twelve foot minimum.

      You could possibly limit the rear truck swing slightly and this will drastically reduce your min diameter plus limit the excessive amount of 'overswing' on the pilot.
#3

My smallest turns are 10 foot. I’m banking on the fact that it’ll do that. If not i had already thought on making the brass stop smaller to allow a little swing. It’s easy enough to remove and modify. I have to wait on a battery though so I can get it outside and try it.

Terry

#4

Nice…I think it will do them 10’ diameter curves with no problems but what do I know…the smoke box color looks good!
:wink:

#5

Looks good Terry, can’t wait to see to run.

#6

Nice work Terry