Triple O -- Bachmann 10-Wheeler Salvage Campaign

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

We are well positioned to bring Golden Star into service this weekend. Over the course of the last week, I helped Kid-zilla bend brass to replace missing handrails on the locomotive and tender.

Then, I enlisted Oldest Daughter to help align and place some pre-cut vinyl lettering.

He and I also bent some cotter pins to use as stanchions for the handrail running the length of the boiler. Fitting these proved troublesome. We ultimaltely bent the pins, stuck them in the puka (holes), and forced epoxy putt into the interstices to hold them in place.

Kid-zilla has since used paint and markers to add some trim and to touch up the base paint. All that remains is to fit the boiler handrails, solder them to the cotter pin stanchions, and marry the chassis to the boiler! We are close! In the meantime, I have him working on a rocket, and I have authorized him to break down Broken Emmett, our last derelict, for refurbishment.

The next update should be the last for this phase of the campaign. In the meantime, have Glorious Fourth!

Eric

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

Yesterday concluded with Kid-zilla squatting on the picnic table, gripping a screwdriver, extolling the “power of magnetism,” and driving the last screw home. No picture, alas, but none could do it justice. From a purely technical standpoint, both walkways and air tanks from this former derelict fit fine on the comparatively modern chassis. With daylight waning, our intrepid large-scaler used his markers to touch up Golden Star’s paint job.

Today began with a run on the rollers to verify the headlamp worked, the on / off positions of the smoke generator were correctly oriented, and the reversing switch worked. Once verified, Kid-zilla marked everything with a marker.

Next, management selected Golden Star’s first consist. I was fl
attered this included our recently rehabilitated coach ( Triple O Gloss – Passenger Car & Parlor Car - Modeling / Rolling stock - Large Scale Central)

Finally, management staged Golden Star for the press release, but, before sharing, here is a repost of the “before” picture:

Now, finally, our second rehabilitated 10-wheeler stands proudly with the Triple O gang on the trestle leading to Pu’u’oma’ao.

A better glamor shot and obvious builder’s pride are evident below.

Now, just because I feel like bragging on behalf of he who does not have a computer, videos follow:

• Video 1: Golden Star on the Trestle
• Video 2: Golden Star Leaves the Tunnels

Our annual ride on the Hawaii Historical Railroad drove Kid-zilla in the final 48 hours. He really wanted to thank Ben, the docent, for the parts that initiated this project. As it turned out, he got to pose with Golden Star on OR&L #85, the basic guide for his project…

…and thank the docent, who had been wondering what had happened to “those guys that took that stuff.”

Ben was surprised to see us again and expressed admiration for the work (I overheard him talking about it to the crew later when he assumed we were out of earshot!). As his own way of giving thanks for transforming his “junk,” he rewarded Kid-zilla with a bag of shattered circus cars and an HO locomotive. Guess Kid-zilla will stay busy!

There have been so many people who have moved this along, @Bill_Barnwell , @Rooster , @PeterT , @freddy , @David_Marconi_FOGCH to name just a few, for their sharing of knowledge and their spare parts and moving us slowly from running trains to maintenance to kitbashing. I know I am missing others who’ve watched and contributed over this thread as well as our journeys and projects over the years. Gentleman, in this project, you helped to create a model builder out of an eight year old boy. As his dady, “Thank you!”

On to the next project!

Eric

[David_Marconi_FOGCH (David Marconi CHHNNG)]

Great shot, that smoke box looks good with it all together. Fantastic job on the remodel K-Z!

Excellent use of your newly acquired skills. I’ll look forward to your next endeavor.

I’ll gather that the docent was genuinely surprised to see what was accomplished.

Just an after thought on the videos. Slow down the running to a stroll through the park, as opposed to a race to the finish. Gives you time to appreciate what you have done.

[Eric_Mueller]

@David_Marconi_FOGCH

I’ll gather that the docent was genuinely surprised

He truly was! And I think he was pleased to be remembered for his role in the possible! His gifted bag of dirty circus cars, his way of saying “Thanks!” for bringing to life locomotives he didn’t have time to salvage, have already been disassembled, cleaned, lubricated, repaired, and readied for service. I am pleased to report that Kid-zilla did 90% of this without help! We’ll hook Emmett up to the full train later this week.

“Broken” Emmett waits patiently in the Track of Perpetual Puttering. Kid-zilla has to repair a rocket that misfired yesterday and finish his just-started Estes Big Bertha before “Broken” Emmett" rolls into the engine shops. He needs a bit of practice, and, frankly, I need some space for my own projects!

Eric

[David_Marconi_FOGCH (David Marconi CHHNNG)]

@Eric_Mueller

Kid-zilla has to repair a rocket that misfired yesterday and finish his just-started Estes Big Bertha before “Broken” Emmett" rolls into the engine shops

That will make a heck of a flat car load.

[Dave_Meashey (David Meashey)]

Eric;

When I hear Big Bertha, I think of the 0-10-0 steam helper (banker) locomotive that shoved heavy trains over the Licky Bank (grade) on the London Midland & Scottish Railway. A fun fact to investigate.

Best, David Meashey

[Rooster]

@David_Marconi_FOGCH

@Eric_Mueller

Kid-zilla has to repair a rocket that misfired yesterday and finish his just-started Estes Big Bertha before “Broken” Emmett" rolls into the engine shops

That will make a heck of a flat car load.

You tell him Grandpa Hollywood! Uncle Rooster is gonna throw in a little inspiration as well!!
Note the fuselage’s will fit right into the Triple O color scheme (rocket or airplane).

Boeing 737-Fuselage Train.

I will await the solution for the 44.5’ flat car that can be articulated making it 89’ to accommodate the Triple O RR curves while hauling a rocket fuselage.

In the mean time I’ll be chilling in the A/C watching some train videos.

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

Archbar trucks are on our “bits list” for our next Trainli order, and we have the discarded elements of our submarine carrier waiting for a use, so why not a rocket carrier?

Meanwhile, “Big Bertha” is about to leave spacedock, so we are clearing the bench for “Broken” Emmett. I have told Kid-zilla to try and break her down himself, and promised a tender upon completion.

Golden Star has, unfortunately, suffered from Bachmann quality, and the stem connecting the pilot to the frame snapped at the pilot truck. For its part, the pilot truck already has cracks. We are going to proceed with repairs using the parts from Fred Mills (@freddy), but I am also considering new parts from B’mann. What is the word on the street for the new pilots, which mount via a “tongue” to the chassis? If we tap a hole in the frame to mount them, can the frame take the stress? Or are we better off just buying a new pilot from the “classic” chassis and hope that the CCP kleptocrat in Guangdong Province actually built the thing to spec’?

I am keen to find a permanent solution, as Oldest Son lost all interest in the hobby when his B’mann railtruck failed (for that sad story, see Onward the Pequod – Getting a B’mann Railtruck to Work Permanently ). I know the day of modeling alone is coming all too soon, but I’d like to keep that day at bay!

Have a great week!

Eric

[PeterT]

@Eric_Mueller

can the frame take the stress

I’m sure it can. Just don’t use too big a screw.

@Eric_Mueller

Archbar truck

I picked up a bag of Bachmann trucks recently. Plastic wheels and B’mann knuckles. Email me if you want some.

[Eric_Mueller]

@PeterT

Email me if you want some.

E-mail on the way! Thanks!

[Tim1 (Tim)]

I am in possession of two battery Big Hauler locomotives. The one runs (with the speed of a turtle and the pulling power of a hamster), but both are probably good only for parts. Still, those parts might let you ‘go battery’ instead of track power. And likely, there are other parts you could use

Interested?

[Eric_Mueller]

Tim,

Thanks. Let me see what Kid-zilla and the others may have in mind. We have enough bits, minus a tender, on hand to get one more Big Hauler into service. I am afraid if two more relatively in tact Big Haulers suddenly appear, our modeling fate is locked until they wear Triple O colors and are placed in service!

Still, the MIK is coming…

Eric

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

This weekend, we cleared the work area of almost-done stuff to prepare for the next 10-wheeler overhaul. This included fitting Golden Star with the last of our good pilots (Thanks again, @freddy !). The broken one went into a box with other partially repaired pilot trucks for experimentation on pilot truck repair. Luckily, we have a few unused chassis for these experiments. It also included getting Big Bertha out of spacedock.

Honestly, I had hoped that this and Kid-zilla’s other projects would buy me time for my own. Nope. He had also disassembled, cleaned, reassembled, and, where necessary, repaired the circus cars he got from the museum docent a couple weeks ago (maybe I should have hidden my bit box!). This left the picnic table awash with B’mann circus cars and us without a work area. We had to do something about that before proceeding, so we went out to the garage, where wooden slats from a neighbor’s junked toddler bed awaited conversion into something atop shelves salvaged from another neighbor’s bulky trash.

The spirit of the MIK runs strongly and in multiple creative channels!

Of course, neither of us had built shelves, but we figured we were up to it. So he got out his circus consist to do a rough fit test…

…before checking my measurements. He knew I would have to awaken Jig Saw from his slumber, so he took his time!

Next, as I had made fairly straight cuts, he sanded the edges and staged our newly cut bits.

He then helped me clamp everything, laid the glue, and held stuff secure as I screwed all the boards in place.

That all being done, it was off the hardware store for track shelving. He insisted I post the picture below to show his trains.

You’ll note his first scratchbuild in the lower left, a first responders caboose ( Mueller Mini-Mik). He’s come a long way, and I think it is a good visual way to express our thanks to all of you for being part of this journey over the years! The shelf - and the need for the shelf - are due to the free exchange of camaraderie and ideas on this site! Even something this simple was beyond me before I stumbled upon this crowd.

Kid-zilla, however, has not rested on his laurels. He keenly observed that there is room for one more shelf, and today he took a screwdriver to “Broken” Emmett. The rebirth of Golden Star has fired up the clan’s imaginations, and suddenly everyone has an opinion on how to paint the next in the Star series, further opinions on which star will give this loco its name, and even ideas on what the next Star will pull, to include a set of midnight blue coaches named for constellations…or stars in those constellations…or Hawaiian navigation stars…

So much for this project-mandated sidequest. The next update should include a B’mann 10-wheeler in pieces awaiting its turn for the paint shop!

Have a great week!

Eric

[David_Marconi_FOGCH (David Marconi CHHNNG)]

What a way to grow

Mind if I suggest one more piece under the center of the shelf spans if you have it.

[Pete_Lassen]

Or at least a 1x1 spline down middle on bottom to strengthen the board from sagging , or on the end and attached to the end of the shelf supports

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

It’s been busy as we’ve gotten ready to send the horde back to school! Not so busy, however, to preclude Emmett’s and Golden Star’s official blessing in honor of St. Christopher, patron saint of travel!

Our church bears the saint’s name, so we have a blessing of vehicles each year. We have been slowly working through our locomotives over the years.

The result of the blessing was that Golden Star did NOT shatter his new pilot truck on the curve which we thought was level.

Rather, a bit of soldering gave way on a motor tab, which, while annoying, was relatively simple to fix. We did, by the way, attend to that curve. We both found it strange that Emmett passed that curve flawlessly, while Golden Star got bound up on it.

KId-zilla, meanwhile broke down and cleaned Broken Emmett.

The cab has a chunk missing from the roof, and the roof vent is missing. Let’s see how he chooses to handle those issues! Once they are done, we’ll get a tender off e-Bay and proceed to painting. In the meantime, he has to start school. Poor guy!

Updates as required!

Eric

[David_Marconi_FOGCH (David Marconi CHHNNG)]

Good that the blessing was bestowed and travels were safe even with a mild mishap. Might could be a little stretching of the pilot spring for a tad more pressure on the truck is in order. Little bit at a time. YMMV JMHO

[Eric_Mueller]

Thanks, Dave! We’ll try that. I’ve been meaning to get some tire weights for another project, anyway.

• Eric

[Eric_Mueller]

Update:

We added weights to Golden Star’s pilot, per Dave’s ( @David_Marconi_FOGCH ) suggestion. It did track a lot better! However, we uncovered a new issue, in that the cowcatcher caught the rail of a switch leading to our engine shed. Switch and shed will move…next weekend! I wish I had a photo, but this loco looks beautiful out on the rails.

Moving on to ex-“Broken” Emmett, there is only one major development. Kid-zilla has christened this derelict Pre-Commissioned Unit (PCU) Silver Star. School started, so he has to finish his all-about-me diorama. This will include a semi-scale rendering of the Triple O and Golden Star, among other things. His idea, not mine! “PCU” is my designation. Old Navy habits die hard…

After which we’ll see about that cab. He is leaning towards a sliding hatch, but I am not sure how to make rails that will hold that hatch in place and still let it slide. As for the notch in the roof, we are both scratching our heads…The diorama will give us both time to puzzle that out.

Have a Great Week!

Eric

[Korm (Korm Kormsen)]

@Eric_Mueller

how to make rails that will hold that hatch in place and still let it slide.

for the door on the left side of the pic i used an H0 rail (Lima) with its bottom towards the viewer.