Here are some shots of my P-10. The valve gear is bashed from an MP Mike, the MP pacific had baker to start with. The shell is a sectioned Bmann light mountain that was fit over the ground down MP boiler. The skyline casting is from a CC GS-4 shell as are the steps from the pilot. I retained the GS-4's 3 generators since I didn't want to risk destroying the skyline casting to make it more accurate. The BL feedwater heater is from RLW. I have to give it a primer coat and then paint as well as add the front of the boiler once the rest is painted. The pilot steps will be permantly added after the assembly since they will be glued in place. The tender also needs a bit of work, but the major part is done. Alot of blood sweat and tears in this one.
It would be nice if manufacturers actually made more steam power instead of making people kitbash them. That is some excellent work. I don't think I'd ever tackle a steam kitbash, especially to this extent. I love streamlined SP steam. Again, excellent work.
Yeah, but then there are a few of us who really like the challenge. And we love to trade tricks and techniques. Looking good so far Chris. Thanks for the update. I may have to get a Con Cor GS-4 shell to salvage a skyline casing for my P-14.
"It would be nice if manufacturers actually made more steam power instead of making people kitbash them. That is some excellent work. I don't think I'd ever tackle a steam kitbash, especially to this extent." I agree (especially on the nice job on this extensive kitbash), but..... We have more N Scale Steam than we have ever had in the history of the Scale. There are a few non-duplicated locomotives that are currently not being produced, but they are very likely to be coming back in updated format in the not too distant future. Here is a partial list off the top of my head.... Off the Market Now B&O C16 0-4-0 B&O C16A 0-4-0T 0-6-0T (various) IHB 0-8-0 USRA Lt 2-8-2 USRA Hvy 2-8-2 NKP 2-8-4 PRR 2-10-0 USRA 2-8-8-2 N&W Y6-B 2-8-8-2 USRA Lt 4-6-2 USRA Hvy 4-6-2 PRR K4 4-6-2 NYC J3a 4-6-4 UP Challenger 4-6-6-4 UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4 Older Tooling in the Market PRR 0-4-0 USRA 0-6-0 Reading 2-8-0 4-4-0 GS4 4-8-4 GN S2 4-8-4 Newly Tooled Locomotives USRA 0-8-0 Rogers 2-6-0 ALCO 2-6-0 Rogers 2-8-0 Alco 2-8-0 Baldwin 2-8-0 USRA Lt 2-8-2 USRA Hvy 2-8-2 USRA Hvy 2-10-2 NKP 2-8-4 USRA 2-6-6-2 USRA 2-8-8-2 ALCO 4-4-0 USRA Lt 4-6-2 USRA Lt 4-8-2 USRA Hvy 4-8-2 C&O Hvy 4-8-2 N&W J 4-8-4 ATSF 4-8-4 GS4 4-8-4 UP Challenger 4-6-6-4 UP Big Boy 4-8-8-4 We are in much better shape than we were 10 years ago and the outlook is pretty bright IMHO. Charlie Vlk
Russell, The concor shell is the way to go for a skyline casting. The Kato GS-4 shell has the skyline casted to the boiler, wheras the concor is separate from the boiler, much better for kitbashing. The bad part is that it takes about 6 weeks for CC to get a shell to you. I cannot wait for kato to release some parts for their GS-4, I need more blowdown spreaders for this loco and my GS-1 kitbash.
Now if only MR (dare I say it) has another pike-sized passenger train contest, I'm ready..... I'm still contimplating the cast steel pilot. I have one from a key locomotive, but it will need a bit of work and it has a cast coupler thus eliminating the front coupler on the stock pilot. Hmmm what to do. I could carve one from styrene.
I like the look of kitbashed models myself. However, kitbashing can get pricey. In some rare occasions, double the starting models cost. For example, kitbashing a GP60B would take a GP60, and an SD60. Plus the paint, decals, detail parts, ect. Those tenders are cool.
Here is a cost run down MP Pacific 100.00 CC GS-4 shell 30.00 MP parts 10.00 Bmann tender 27.00 Other parts 10.00 Bmann light mountain shell 30.00 It hasn't approached the price for a brass piece yet, but it can get close. I figured that if I could do it for under 250 it would be worth it. My next one will be an unstreamlined P-8 and I'll just add a BL feedwater heater to an MP pacific and call it good along with a 6 wheel vandy tender. I doubt I'll go to the trouble of adding another shell on top. First I have to tackle a GS-1 and remove the skirts from a Kato GS-4.
Great work! That is really impressive. But one item was bothering me in looking at the shell, something was not right. Then I noticed it....it was the "sport cab." Most of Espee's steam locos featured a cab with a slanted from wall for a rather rakish looking profile. Are you going to modify that? I know, I know, everybody's a critic. Really, I am impressed with what you have done.
Thankfully, SP didn't modify the P-8's and P-10's with sport cabs. I've looked for examples, but all the pics I have found show the standard cab. There were 2 variants of feedwater heaters used, unfortunatly the one I have was actually used on the P-8's and not the 10's but I'm not going to be that picky. Here is a good shot of 2487 showing the cab. I have noticed that this one has a taller skyline casting giving it a prominant "hump back" compared to the others with skyline, I find this one particularly cool looking.
This is what I try to do as well. Find photos to back me up. Great work. Keep us posted. Have a good one, Wolf
It's good to see you moving ahead and creating your own SP, P-8 / P-10. Nothing like the satisfaction of knowing you made it. Nice job!
You know I was thinking of the cost factor....and even if someone offered a 'correct' kit for different steam locomotives it would be worth it. GHQ had the right idea, but we need/want more.
The picture of 2487 has a bit of a frankenstein feel to it. With a bit of research, the P-8's had Worthington BL-4 feedwater heaters and the P-10's had BL-4B's, just a bit different in design. I might snipe the BL-4b off my 2-8-8-2 and switch it with the BL-4 just to be accurate on the P-10.
Added finishing details to the boiler last night, plus filled a couple holes. Tonight I have to fit the hand railings to the skyline casting, numberboards from a Kato GS-4, and give it a coat of paint. I ran it today and there is a bit of noise comming from it, The cab is acting like a resonator for the motor, so I have to fix that. I also have a bit of noise comming from an idler gear that is rubbing on a detail part, easy fix. With any luck, this think will be pulling commuters by early next week. More pics to follow soon.
VERY KOOOOOLLLL!!!! I like the SP Pacifics with skyline casting. Well... now that you've just about finished it... Kato will probably announce one for 2008/2009.
