Large Scale Central

Which to kitbash? Asking the experts

Modeling
#1

I have an Aristo Pacific. I repainted it in B&O blue to make it vaguely resemble the B&O presidents it’s based on. I’m bored with it. It’s not a great model to begin with. So I’m thinking it might be turned into one of two more interesting and unique models. Which would be easier to do, for someone with limited, not by any means Chandler-esque skills? Here’s the Pacific

And the possibilities: First, a Reading RR G2. Driver size is almost right. These ran thought my hometown–before I was born, but my parents remember them well. The Reading is my hometown line, and a line I rode all the time growing up and through college. So it has sentimental value. The pseudo streamlining would be unique and cool. A lot of work though, Need to completely redo the cab, probably, to get the Reading arched-top windows. I’d have to repaint coaches and make up decals etc. Not to mention cooking up a Wooten firebox

The other alternative is the familiar PRR K4. It’s a classic, there’s LOTS of info available on it. I recently picked up, on ebay, the belpaire firebox and cab from a lionel atlantic, and it might be used to fabricate a belpaire firebox, although it’s not long enough. But maybe I don’t try to get too close–maybe just make it so you see it and say “K4.” The drivers on the Pacific are too small anyway. But the walkways on the Aristo pacific are much too high and would have to be cut off and repositioned. Hard to do.

So any thoughts? Which is more do-able? I could always do nothing!

#2

For ‘easy’ how about the P7d? My dad had an AF one when I was a kid… my second favorite Flyer lok after the D&H warbonnet PAs

(http://www.eddystonelocomotives.com/p7d.jpg)

All that streamlining could cover up lots of mistakes. In all seriousness, build what inspires you. If the passion isn’t there - it becomes a chore, and a bore, and ends up half finished practically forever.

#3

Hehe. What a dilemma! :smiley:

I like the G2, just because it looks so different. But, the K4 is nice as well.

How close do you want to get?

If you do the G2, it looks like it has a straight boiler. I would suspect that you could get the right size from Plastruct.

I think you might be able to use part of the boiler for the K4. But, I’m concerned about the driver size. How far off are they?

Cabs are not that hard to build from scratch, so I wouldn’t let that influence you at all. You can come over and use my riveter if you like. :wink: I bet you could use the roof from the Pacific either way.

How much do you want to push yourself?

Do you have any drawings of either locomotive? It would be interesting to know what parts from the Pacific are close enough to use; like the cylinders, for instance.

How about the tender?

Either one looks like a fun project. While doing my Mikado, I ended up making a lot more stuff than I had initially planned and it’s made the whole thing much more enjoyable.

#4

Mike I have no idea how I d do that B&O faring! I have drawings of the K4 but not the G2. I just ordered a book about the Reading Pacifics, maybe that will have a drawing The Reading G2s had 74 inch drivers, the K4 had 80 inch drivers. The Aristo Pacific scales out to 72 inches in 1:29. That makes the G2 a better candidate by a lot, no? maybe I could do a K4 in 1:32: the Pacific scales out to 80 inches on the nose The Reading G2’s apparently looked like this for while–isn’t that cool? Looks almost british

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lownote/g2-2.jpg)

I’m not sure when or for how long. The form they ended up with when they were scrapped is the same as the Reading Northern. The boiler might be straight–hard to tell

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/lownote/g2-3.jpg)

The Reading “crusader” would be fun, but I have no idea how I would do it. It was all stainless steel

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/9e/ReadingCrusader1938.jpg/800px-ReadingCrusader1938.jpg)

#5

Mike,
The Reading G2 is very cool.
It doesn’t look to me like the G2 boiler is straight, though.
You do some nice work. Pick one. I’m sure you’ll do fine.
Ralph

#6

Does that mean the G2 is THE candidate?

I think it would be a fun project! Get your styrene and brass now!

#7

I agree Ralph - that boiler doesn’t look straight at all. So you could use most of the Pacific boiler.

(http://www.eddystonelocomotives.com/scan0002.jpg)

#8
mike omalley said:
Mike I have no idea how I d do that B&O faring!
How? PVC pipe, half a hollow plastic ball or a rounded kitchen funnel, some sheet styrene, a 1/2 x 1" stick and some styrene strips for the skyline casing, the back off an old cell phone or slice of 1x3 pine or poplar finessed with a drum sander in your drill press for the pilot. teardrop fishing sinkers for the marker lights, .... a bit of putty, and good old some seat of the pants engineering.
#9

And as Mik demonstrates, you can solicit ideas on how to do each piece that you’re struggling with. Bound to get lots of different ways to do things…

#10

Use that metal duct tape I used on the rotary for the stainless on that streamliner.

#11

That would work, and I have a roll of that stuff around. But I’m leaning towards that G2. I like the semi-streamlining. Plus I like the sentimental value–Here’s a G2 passing through my hometown, Lansdale PA, would have been around the time my parents were dating. What looks like the hardest aspect? I hoping I can sand down the Aristo boiler shell and use that. I’ll have to make a new cab–Bruce, that riveter is a very tempting offer. I need to get a good look at the prototype when the book I ordered arrives

(http://abpr.railfan.net/september05/09-03-05/Reading176atLansdalePA6-51MacOwenColl.jpg)

from Railfan.net ABPR Archive Thank you all very much!

#12

Crusaider, hands down.

#13

Mike - you decide which variation that you like (I think I saw 4? of the G2sa on the Reading roster pages.) - and we’ll all kick in ideas of how to skin that cat. Just don’t blame me if it comes out something like a camel (Isn’t that the old saw about the definition of a horse designed by a committee???). And maybe we will even learn new tricks off each other along the way :smiley:

Some ideas off the top of my head… good, bad, or indifferent… and probably a few bloody obvious ones as well.

  1. A 3-1/2" or so pvc pipe coupling to cut those Wootten firebox side sections from.
  2. An O-scale smokebox door (brass or plastic) for that tiny center door.
  3. Plexi or thick styrene for the tender sides - You can cut the top part by itself with a scroll saw and edge glue it to the basic rectangle rather than run the risk of trashing the whole side, if you don’t trust yourself or your coping /scroll saw…
    3a. Then just run a thin overlay through Bruce’s riveter… or try your hand at n-scale track nails and a pin vice on the heavy sheet itself if you’re a true masochist… Either way a dressmaker’s wheel comes in handy to help lay them out…
  4. a short chunk of carved 1x2 and the bottoms from a couple little CO2 cylinders or a wood bead cut in half, and another thin embossed wrapper for the boxed fairing thing on the pilot. if you decide on that version.
  5. glue brass jewelry wire along the edge of the styrene to make all that turned beading… a bit tedious, but cheap.
  6. Plan on getting yourself a biggish tube of automotive “glazing and spot putty” from Wally or Pep Boys… you’re probably gonna need it for this one… some of those sanding sponges, and probably a mixed pack of 400, 600 and 1000 grit emory paper might come in handy too. And maybe a couple different sizes of drum sanders to fit in your drill press and Dremel if you don’t have them already.

BTW I have a pair of plastic 1/32-ish compound air pumps, and some bits of shell with domes that might work from a battery op cheeser in my junk box if you need them.