HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!

A commission was received from a well know publisher and modeler. Here’s a teaser…

The Client  had originally contracted with a self described “1/4″ custom builder” out of New Jersey to take an old Toby USRA Heavy Mountain,  and completely rebuild it into an accurate representation of a Norfolk and Western Class K1, 4-8-2.

The client paid good money for the original work, but the final product from the Jersey builder was, for lack of a better term…ABYSMAL. I could NEVER, in good conscience, turn out a product that poor (that had my name on it), and THEN stoop so low as to expect payment for something so inferior.

Here are a few images of the locomotive when I first received it from the client. This is also the way the Client received the loco from the original builder…YIKES!

(click on any of the thumbnails and click again after they open for a full sized view)

   

   

    

When I first agreed to take on this project loco, the Client had wanted me to strip it,  ”tune it up”  by reworking  some of the most glaring issues, and then repaint it and install DCC w/sound. After a thorough going over, I let the Client know that the list of errors and issues literally ran well into the hundreds, and the only way (IMHO) to make this loco “right” was to completely “kit” it, back into its original, individual components and start over. That included torching apart the boiler.

N&W K1 drawing, Model Railroader, February, 1963

(image courtesy Kalmbach Publishing  Co.)

The first step in the process was to strip the paint and blast the loco clean. The second was to take the torch and do a total disassembly, removing every last component.

After it was taken apart, the boiler courses were all individually re-rolled (to the correct diameter) and reassembled, including the firebox, and a new backhead was created. The unique N&W domes, which were originally lost wax cast for the project the first time around, were not even close to anything that was on the Roanoke Shop’s prints (they were too large), so they were totally reworked and carefully massaged to match the actual N&W specs. The boiler, firebox, boiler bands, cab front bulkhead, and domes were then re-assembled into a straight, credible copy of an N&W K1 boiler.  Here’s a shot of it after assy.

Here’s a closeup of the sand dome being reworked….

   

Once the basic boiler was completed, I turned my attention to  the cab. The one supplied was a facsimile of an N&W sports cab, but it had several errors. Here’s the rebuilt, corrected cab, including accurate, custom made, half- round rain gutters and angled toe boards. NOW she’s N&W!

 

At this point I needed to rework the cylinders and fit the rebuilt boiler to the frame, and the cab to the boiler. Once complete, and happy with the fitment, I started detailing the backhead. Like everything else on this project the original builder detailed it sparsely, and incorrectly. Using info supplied by the N&W Historical Society, I did it up based on original images. Here’s the end result.

Many locos have a firebox-top-mounted turret, that serves as a steam distribution manifold for the loco accessories (injectors, stoker jets, stoker motor, feedwater heater, compressors, etc.). Many larger loco were also equipped with a sheet metal shroud or cover that encloses the turrent and its associated piping. The N&W K1, however, had an open turret, with all piping exposed. Here it  is accurately modeled. I have included lables that indicate the routing of each of the lagged steam lines.

The N&W used a perforated running board material on their locos. The ones originally “attempted” by the first builder were warped (excessive heat) and poorly executed, so they were removed and thrown away. These were made and carefully fitted using similar material from Special Shapes.  

http://www.specialshapes.com/index.html

Once the running boards were installed, all the appliances could be hung, including the power reverse, Westinghouse dual compressors, compressor suction filters, Worthington BL4b Feedwater Heater, and associated tanks and piping.

The air tanks originally supplied were not correct. They were too long and had plain, convex ends, rather than the appropriate inset, convex ends. I turned new ends for all tanks, cut off the existing ones (shortening them in the process), and applied the new ends. Here’s a shot of before and after.

The large, pilot mounted air tank was a wreck, and was tossed. Here’s a new, scratchbuilt replacement with correct lower mounts and piping, along with a new pilot deck and reworked pilot. 

Here’s the installed BL4b and piping…

Here’s the new stoker, supply piping and control rods.

The tender needed some attention as well. The original cistern deck was all dented with the seams broken lose from the sides.  The original builder has installed a large weight in the tender that came lose when it was shipped to the client. The weight, bouncing around while in transit, trashed the deck. I made and installed a new deck, and soldered shut all the opening doors, hatches, and what have you.

 There’s NO BETTER WAY to trash a great paint job than with locomotive parts swinging open and closed.

Completely rebuilt, scratchbuilt smokebox front, with individual NBW castings, and hand-cut numerals from 0.005 brass sheet.

Two views of the completely detailed boiler…

(Engineer’s side)

(Fireman’s Side)

Finshed tender…

Many of the N&W K1 Class used second-hand tenders, purchased from the C&O. This one was originally from a US Hobbies C&O Berk.  The deck, coal boards, bulkheads, collars, ladders, grabs and other details have been extensively tweeked per the prototype, as well as the addition of a doghouse.

All superstructure sheetmetal is ready for paint. Here’s a shot of the parts, just out of the paint oven.

 

Once the boiler and tender were fully detailed and painted, it was time to turn my attention to the chassis.

WHAT A NIGHTMARE!!!

The last builder performed some soldering on the boiler with it installed on the chassis, with the drivers still in the frame. He dribbled flux on the driver tires (and didn’t clean it off), which left them corroded and deeply pitted. The ONLY way to remove the damage was to turn the tires. They were 0.172 wide from Toby, so I turned them to 0.145 (the current NMRA spec.), resurfaced the treads, and centerdrilled the axle ends, for a prototypical appearance.

  

Like many older locos, the main rod, side rods and pins were worn and sloppy. All rods were bushed and new steel pins were made as replacements. The original crosshead guides were made of brass, and looked poor. A new, step-cut set was made out of 12L14 steel, that were then polished and installed. Once I had the assembled mechanism rolling soothly, I applied the reworked valve gear, upgraded all fasteners to micro hex-heads, installed the gearbox and a Maxon high efficiency can motor. Here’s an image of the completed, painted assy. being tested.

With all parts fully in paint, it’s time to apply decals, a clear overcoat,  and do a final assembly.

3/4 Fireman’s Side/Front

K1 #107 on a wreck train…

(image courtesy N&W Railway Historical Society)

Rear View, Fireman’s side…

Left, rear cab…

Left, rear tender…

Engine-to-tender connections…Fireman

Engine-to-tender connections…Engineer

Cab of 107…

                              (image courtesy N&W Railway Historical Society)

Fireman front…

K1 #107 front end…

                               (image courtesy N&W Railway Historical Society)

Engineer front…

Cab roof and coal load…

Overhead,  entire loco…

Fully detailed backhead…

Topside details…one more time

The Loco arrived the Client’s house, and he was very pleased with the results. Here’s an email he sent me, not long after unpacking it:

Re: Inspection Report…

Matt,

I put the new K1 on the layout to get some photos and just generally look it over. It is spectacular!!! Everything worked fine and it runs very smoothly when it’s not on my dirty track . I wish the MRC decoder I selected had a Rule 17 lighting feature. I don’t like it when the headlight goes out in reverse.

So, I am 110% pleased. It exceeds all of my expectations. I thank you! Have a Happy Thanksgiving. I will with my new toy.

Best regards

Joe 

After he gave it a thorough inspection, he posed the loco for some photography. Here’s a shot he shared with me. It’s his new K1 sitting at the water tank at Damascus, VA on his layout.

USRA Single Sheathed, 40 foot “Government”  boxcar, built in 1919, series 17001-17500. This is #17225, as she appeared after her 1937 rebuilding, and wearing the new post 1950 D&H paint scheme. Note the Viking roof, that was a part of the upgrading process.  Cars got either a Murphy Raised Panel roof, Climax Radial, or a Viking Ribbed. Number assignments as to the type of roof applied to which car were random. Inside height was 9′-0″. (image courtesy Steam Era Freight Cars)

Green Island 17513, 3/4 builders (image courtesy R.P.I. D&H Collection)

Green Island 17501 showing detail of reverse Hutchins end,  builders (image courtesy R.P.I. D&H Collection)

 

(image courtesy Robert A. Lijestrand)

The ubiquitous “Green Island” single sheathed boxcar. Oneonta Shops built the bulk of  the D&H’s rolling stock, but the Green Island shops built this batch. There were 100 cars in the group, #17501-17600, built 1931. These cars were built on a construction philosophy similar to that of the Fowler Patent and Candian Pacific 40′ “Dominion” cars. These featured “Z” channel bracing, reversed Hutchins ends, National B-1 trucks, Murphy Improved roof, and an 8′-7″ inside height.

Oneonta Shops “near” AAR ‘32 Standard, 40′, all steel “semi-clone”, built 1930, series 17601-17625. This car series, although not a true clone,  and equipped with a recessed “Z”-braced, steel end, was built following  the ‘32 AAR plan, that was published in late 1929. Often the AAR would publish their newest spec.  in advance of acceptance, for the “Enlightnment of the RR Industry”. The actual spec. might not be ratified and made a legitmate standard by the committee-at-large for a year or more after initial publishing. Inside height was 9″-1″. 

This is a Company “Builder’s Photo” of the first of her kind. Again, the location is the D&H’s Green Island Shops, and the car is #17626, an all-welded AAR ‘32 Standard true “Clone”. The year is 1934, and 100 cars of this type, in this series were built, #17626-17725, between 1934 and 1937.

The car utilized internal ribs, with one-piece steel sheathing welded to them from the inside. TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) and MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding did not exist at this time, so the bonds were made with the old fashioned Arc welding process. Unlike modern methods,  Arc welding generates a tremendous amount of heat, and distributes it  over a wide area.  If you look closely, you’ll note the semi-uniform waves or “ripples” in the side sheathing; a permanent deformitity created by the extreme heat of the Arc. Inside height was 9′-4 1/2″.  

The famous D&H 100 Years ”Anthracite Circle” was not applied to the car when new, not becoming part of the D&H freight car paint scheme until the arrival of the Bethlehem Steel-built “Fishbelly” twin hoppers, starting in 1939. This car and her sisters received that herald begining  in 1940.

(image courtesy Norm Buckhart/Protocraft.com)

Here’s another builder’s image of ’32 clone #17721. The image above this one shows the very first car in the series, and this one shows almost the last; the final car in this group being #17725. When these cars were first starting to be built in 1934, the Murphy raised-panel roof was new on the freight car scene. The D&H, always on the cutting edge of new technology, quickly adoted this new roof for these builds.  Looking at the eaves of this broadside, one can just make out the edges of the raised panels, visible between each roof rib.

American Car & Foundry (ACF), AAR ‘44 Standard, #17799, built 1946. Series #17726-17799.  The last 25 of these cars #17775-17799 were equipped with auto parts racks by Oneonta Shops, so that they could carry new radiators from Ford Motor Company’s plant in Anderson, Indiana, to their assembly plant in Sommerville, Mass.  They remained in this dedicated service until the spring of 1956, at which time the racks were removed, and these cars were placed in regular interchange service with their sisters. All-welded construction, 4/4 improved Dreadnaught ends, Murphy Raised-panel roof. Car was painted all red with black ends only, when delivered new. 10′-4″ inside height. 

The dedicated radiator service continued through 1956 and beyond, but in a different car. In that same year the D&H bought eleven (11), 50′ PRR double door X33’s. Oneonta Shops equipped these cars with racks, and these cars were then placed in that service.

Oneonta Shops #17889, built 1947-48, series 17800-17899. These cars were  home-built to the AAR ‘44 Std. spec. All-welded construction, with a unique 14 panel side, 3/4 Improved Dreadnaught ends, Murphy raised-panel roof, and 10′ inside height. This series of cars was one of the late-built types, that still retained the older 10′-0″ IH of the original ‘37 Standard. Entire car painted red. 

(not shown) Oneonta Shops-built, AAR ‘44 Std. spec boxcars, series 17900-18049…

(image courtesy Jonathan Ferraro)

(image courtesy Robert A. Lijestrand)

Oneonta Shops #18119, #18184, #18332 and #18368, built 1949, series 18100-18399. These cars were home-built to the AAR ‘44 Std. spec. All-welded construction with double-welded, “flat side ribs”, 3/4 Improved Dreadnaught ends with added square top rib, Murphy diagonal-panel roof,  10′-6″ inside height. Of the 300 cars in this series, the first 200 were equipped with Youngstown doors, and last 100 with seven-panel Superior doors. Note the unsual, purpose-applied rivet patterns on the first three panels of #18368. Cars were painted all red.

 

Pullman Standard PS-1 # 18522, built 1950, series #18400-18899.  10′-6″ inside height. Although built in 1950, and with only two year old paint in this 1952 view, note the conspicuous lack of of either the Anthracite Circle medallion. The Anthracite ”100 Years”  logo was adopted as a standard part of Company freight car lettering in 1939, but it is obvious that even though it was a standard part of the D&H Company paint, not all rolling stock got the complete treatment. This car is actually painted in the pre-1939 scheme, that omits the Anthracite Circle, and is all red.

 The  first Bridge Line Circle medallion was adopted in 1951, with the first delivery of the Bethlehem-built AAR Std. offset twin hoppers (41″ medallion) and the second order of Pullman Standard PS-1 boxcars (smaller 33″ medallion). (image courtesy Robert A. Lijestrand)

Here we see a member of the second order of Pullman Standard PS-1’s,  series #18900-19399. Built March of 1951, this is the first of the D&H boxes to wear the newly devised paint scheme.  DELAWARE & HUDSON is spelled out on the carside in large letters, along with the addition of the 33″ “Bridge Line” medallion. Gone is the script “the D&H”, the Anthracite Circle, and the words “THE DELAWARE AND HUDSON RR” spelled out in 2″ letters, just below the reporting marks. Car is painted red with black car cement roof and ends. (image courtesy Norm Buckhart/Protocraft.com)

Builder’s photo of Pullman Standard PS-1, series #19400-19899, built 1952. Car is painted all red with black ends and sports the 41″ “Bridge Line” medallion, new on boxcars for 1952, is the same size as the one used on the AAR Standard offset twin hoppers. This was the last series of cars delivered to the D&H with trains still being pulled by steam locomotives. All cars ordered from this point forward would be a part of the diesel-era.

Even though I do a LOT of scratch building and brass bashing for my own railroad, in support of both my D&H and Erie fetishes (you gotta roll your own if your’re going to model steam for either of those roads), I also regularly take on commissions for other clients from both the U.S. and overseas.

This past spring (2010) I took on a box-stock US Hobbies PRR I1s project. The client, a physician from New England, wanted this loco as accurately detailed as was humanly possible. Using detailed images from the period for this loco, I took this generic Penn I1s and totally reworked it into ultra-detailed PRR I1sa #4390, as she appeared in 1953.

Ultra-detailed backhead and boiler of I1sa #4390 (click on image to enlarge, and then click again)

Backhead of #4390 after initial detailing…

Partial cab interior and boiler viewed from Fireman’s side (note the addition of the reach rods from the starter valve and the injector on both the steam supply and water dump sides of the valve). This is how the Fireman controlled these components without leaving the cab…

Broadside of Fireman’s side of the boiler, with details for this section of the boiler nearing completion…

Fireman’s side front end after having received the “WWII Beauty Treatment”…

Engineer’s side front end showing many additional details, including the Turbo-Generator exhaust steam pipe and standoff, that connects to the generator and exits along side the stack (an often overlooked detail)…

Boiler is regularly test-fit to the chassis during the detailing process, ensuring that proper running clearances are maintained between the new boiler details and all moving parts, i.e. drivers, rods, valve gear, etc…

Belpaire topside details showing the addition of the two reach-rods and rod-guides that control component steam supply. The rods penetrate the front cab bulkhead, and end over the top of the crew’s head. Their red handles can be seen in the very first image in this section.

http://mattforsyth.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/I1sa-detail-023.jpg

The arching whistle chord and guides from the whistle’s accuating lever and back to the Engineer can also be seen. This chord is made from 0.005 brass wire that has been anealed, formed and re-hardend, which allows it to take on and maintain this shape.

Here are all the components cooling, having come fresh from the paint oven.  All parts are baked at 175 degrees for three hours to cure and harden the paint. Paint for this model is ScaleCoat PRR Brunswick Green (DGLE). The paint is not applied directly to the primer coat, as it is too green from the bottle. Instead, after priming, the entire loco is first painted semi-flat black, and that coat is then baked. 48 hours later, the Brunswick green is applied.  Doing this dramatically darkens the green top coat to a near-black. Later, after lettering and clear, matte top-coat, this near black color throws off green hues in both natural and artificial light, just as a fresh, PRR paint job would have done on the prototype.

210-F-75b tender for #4390 nearing completion. It still lacks a tail light, marker jewels, and cab glass…

The completed I1sa #4390. Both the locomotive and tender were given a pristine, factory-level plus paint job and lettering. Per the customer’s request, no weathering was applied.

The completed I1sa #4390. Ready to ship to the customer…

Re-detailed with Post WWII front end…

Engineer’s side…

Fireman’s side…

Tender detail 3/4 view…

Water line hose connection detail to injector and Worthington BL4B feedwater heater…