Just picked up a used LL 2-8-8-2 that I plan to modify to look a little less Y3 sort of going for a DM&IR 2-8-8-2 look. I am looking for any body with experience at some of these change. Plans: add spectrum USRA long tender and wiring it to the engine for more contact. Would like to add shell from DM&IR 2-10-2 ( narrow coal bunker ),but sold out. I have added many spectrum tender to other engine. Move head light to smokebox door. change out spoked lead and trailing truck wheels for solid ones. what replacements would fit fit,right axle dia? Possible fill in with putty? add air tanks on top of boiler and may move feed water pump, add elisso feed water heater to boiler top, maybe? I had thought of doing a simplified conversion ( I have a spare high pressure cylinders, but do not want to damage/ affect running quality ( just to much work ) Here is a photo of look I am going for. I am not going for direct copy, just the flavor of this engine,I run a freelance line, but like DM&IR.
Started working on the engine. Moved head light to smoke box front, shortend light wires and mounted the bulb inside boiler ( warning the screw that holds PCB to boiler is very small and disappears easily ) stared filling in truck wheels with CA and added thin flexible wires to engine contacts to run back to spectrum tender for all wheel pick up. Also I do not like both driver sets to be in unison so pulled up motor on one end and rotated drive wheels.
I modified one to be a foobie NP style. The best thing I did was add weight everywhere using lead shot and putting Bullfrog Snot on the #3 driver of each engine for better traction. Here's a link to a few pics of it... http://www.trainboard.com/highball/...c-and-black-hills-ry.69565/page-3#post-828097 There's some more in the thread. Enjoy your build. It is a plastic shell, which makes the mods easier.
very nice and thanks for your reply. I have 2 walthers Y3s with sound ( I do not want to cut in to these) and bought bag of spare parts off the bay some years ago that help with my build. It is much easier to bash the older non Dual mode decoder ,sound malley ,less stuff to wreck.
Be careful about adding too much weight to the LL 2-8-8-2. Years ago my old friend LongTrain (deceased) overloaded his LL 2-8-8-2 with weight. His 2-8-8-2 was pulling about 125 cars on level track. In a matter of time he blew out the locomotive as the gears couldn't take the added weight and the load of about 125 cars. My original LL-2-8-8-2's which each have over 300 hours of running time, pull on average about 25 cars each. I wired the tenders to the locomotives and added a small amount of weight to the locomotive and tender to improve the tracking in each tender. Staying cool and having fun with it...... Shades
I am not planning on adding much weight to this engine. I have pulled 7 cars up a 2% grade with out any slipping, was just testing it after I got it. I got the Spectrum tender to connect to the Y3 using the spectrum draw bar with the tender sending power to the engine ,however I had to sacrifice the trailing truck to do it. I will be able to separate the tender and engine by pulling the front tender truck. I will be busy for a few days ,but will post photos soon.
I just put the engine back together and shot some videos and photos. I added a little weight to the boiler above the rear driver tower and it pulled 14 ore cars and a caboose up a 2% grade with no slipping. I will added some more details and paint and weathering it. The Bachmann tender works good on the engine. The green wires are soldered to the drawbar so the tender adds pickup.
As I recall, the problem that LT (God Bless him!) had was wear of the siderod hole and siderod pin of the geared driver. A bushing might help prevent this, if one has the skills...
I only added about 1/3 oz of lead to the boiler. there is a lot of room for more, but I have no need to pull 60 car trains. I put the 1/3 oz almost directly over the rear worm gear for a balanced weight distribution. I will test it's grade pulling limits latter and post these numbers.
pulled 20 ore cars with factory weights + caboose up 2%. I f I stop the train on the grade it will slip a little starting then pull fine. Sorta like real.
