Just putting down some ideas here for the next steam project I want to work on, this charming little Amador Central 4-6-0: My plan is to use a Athearn 2-6-0 chassis and tender drive combined with the boiler and cab from a Bachmann 4-6-0: Additional parts needed, off the top of my head, will be a 4 wheel lead truck from the 4-6-0, probably a new pilot (that giant coupler pocket ruins it for me), and a pair of Andrews tender trucks. Modifications will include shortening the Bachmann boiler a bit from the steam dome back, relocating the air pumps, and scratchbuilding an oil bunker for the tender. The bunker should allow a good amount of room for DCC. The big unknowns are how compatible the Bachmann boiler will be with the Athearn chassis, and what I will need to do to use the 4 wheel lead truck. Like my 2-6-0 project, I'm not going for rivet counting, but am trying to capture the spirit of this little guy. This will be the most extensive steam project I've ever tried so if you have any tips or suggestions, for sure let me know.
Rob, I can't provide any tips as I haven't done any projects quite like this, though I would love to in the future. I really look forward to seeing the progress you make on this and I agree the AC 4-6-0 is quite a charming loco! -HL
Thanks guys, I will be starting on it soon. I have a 2-6-0 on its way, and will order the Bachmann parts shortly.
When you're doing projects like this one little tidbit of information can open the entire building. http://www.trainweb.org/foothill/amcros.html What that tells you are two things - the original builder and serial number; and the numbers under SP ownership. On some locomotives, the builder drawings are still out there in libraries; that's a Schenectady (Alco) 1875; I don't 'think' that group is covered but you should check anyway by internet searches. I was able to find the original drawings for HVRR #5 in the California State Museum Library as it was a Lima 1910, which is amazing for a one-off logging locomotive that ran on a 5-mile shortline in PA. You need to look for Alco locomotive drawings. Mine were not online but the catalog was, so I could order copies from the library. Knowing the SP class numbers, also start a search for SP Steam Locomotive Diagrams; online and with SP fans that have good books. If you can find that class of locomotive by the number and/or SP class for that number series, there will be a diagram showing driver spacing and diameter, boiler dimensions, weights, etc. It may or may not have the cab drawn on it. But it's still great for determining the overall layout of the frame to try to get the look 'right' in proportion to everything else. That's how I found out the Atlas 2-6-0 was 'right on' with the Lima plans, which I had no idea - I thought it was too small, and it wasn't. I know you're not trying to make an 'exact' model, but about the time you're into frame splicing, you may as well see how close you can make it if information can be found. One of the approaches you can take with modeling is to get the chassis as 'right on' as you can and kitbash the boiler/cab; if you decide later that you really do have enough information and skills to scratchbuild the body accurately you're starting with a chassis that has the right dimensions. **** update **** So, with a nugget you can dig for gold: That gets you here: http://espee.railfan.net/sp_steam-index.html and here: http://espee.railfan.net/sp_steam_ten-wheel.html 2023 isn't listed, but the class T-16 is, which gets you some more class photos, and more importantly, the book references: A Century of SP Steam Locomotives - Guy L. Dunscomb SP Co. Steam Locomotive Compendium by Diebert & Strapac Volume 12 -- Southern Pacific 'T Class' 4-6-0 Pictorial - by Duane Karam Jr. & Jeff Ainsworth, Monte Vista Publishing And gives you 2017: http://content.lib.washington.edu/c...OOT=/clarkkinsey&CISOPTR=754&CISOBOX=1&REC=15 T-16 2017. Built as SP43, renumbered in 1891 to > 1598, renumbered as 2017 in 1901. Built by > Schenectady as C/N 1014 in June of 1876, placed in > service in July 1876 as Class DP. Vacated from the > roster on April 30, 1930 at Brooklyn OR. Scrapped > on June 14, 1930 at Sacramento, CA. > > Information from Southern Pacific Company Steam > Locomotive Compendium by Diebert and Strapac. I guess what I'm pointing out is that in this day, guessing from photos is OK, but you might be surprised what you can find out with some internet digging and some requests from some SP fans that might have that book. I'm betting there locomotive diagrams are published. This is pretty much the steps I took on S&T #4, same deal, only mine came from the C&NW, but with the online dig I found the Shorpy photo of the original locomotive in service in North Dakota, a priceless find at least for me. Here's another resource: the Colorado Railroad Museum (and there's a contact in here): http://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/crrm-folio-sheets-nov-2013.pdf This will be really annoying, because once you suspect that you 'really could' locate the drawings to the actual locomotive, it becomes the scratchbuilder's Holy Grail and an end unto itself. You have the Schenectady serial number, that's probably all you need to go to the next step: "Most of the general files, technical manuals and ALCO designs are located in the Special Collections Research Center at Syracuse University. The Builder's Photos and many of the Erecting Cards (photographs of the drawings) and Painting Diagrams are in the possession of the Mohawk & Hudson Chapter of the NRHS. This group of volunteers is known as the "ALCO Historic Photos Project" and is preserving over 32,000 ALCO negatives. ALCO Historic Photos P. O. Box 655 Schenectady, NY 12301-0655"
Wow, thanks for all the useful info Randy! I had actually made the connection between #5 and the SP, and found a picture or a similar class T-10. It shows approximately how much I will have to move the cylinders forward and lengthen the main rods: I didn't know about the ALCO Historic Photos Project, thats very interesting. I know exactly what you mean about getting annoyed. For instance on this particular loco, it was in service for so many years, there has to be more photos and information on it, but where?? That's all part of the fun though. In exchange for your help, here is a neat little diagram I found on parts of a steam loco. I've seen lots of diagrams like this, but never one with 254 individual parts shown. http://cprr.org/Museum/Science_of_Railways_1899/Steam_Locomotive.html
Ok, here's a mystery for you guys- WHAT is that on top of the oil bunker? It looks like... a stack of lumber? Could it be ties? If so, why? Here are a couple more pics: Notice in the second picture, whatever it is is gone, and it looks like there's some kind of... metal straps left behind. So, WHAT IS IT??
