But...if you mount the motor in the cab, won't that affect the balance and thus the tractive effort? Looks like you would have to add a lot of weight in the front of the boiler to offset the motor. It really is a good conversion. I like the tender power concept.
Nice. That one non-painted driver was a little distracting. Pretty colors. :teeth: I like the background noise, "...only $99.99!... ...the greatest hit of last summer, America's Next Top..." :shade: What the reflection of that blinking red light from? :angel:
There is a slight bit of noise, but that is due to the spur gears inside the Marklin frame. Spur gears always make noise and is probably why the MT F7 is as well. Those barrel gears are in effect just spur gears tucked inside each other. I already have the motor cab mounted and running, weight does not seem to be a problem at all. These motors weight next to nothing and the whole front of the boiler is full of lead. The video was just a quickie, sorry. Also it's not a video camera, just my camera that happens to shoot video. The piece you see on the main driver is a counter balance I etched out of brass, it will get painted when the rest of the locomotive does. Needs to run before I waste paint on it.
Running with the motor in the cab: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NckYTiw_ZWY"]YouTube - Z scale Erie Berkshire & Train[/ame] Special cheesy effects at no addition cost ; ) Soon as I add some details between the cab and trailing truck I will post pic's.
Hello from a fellow Buckeye Chris You are one fantastic modeller with the Berkshire design. I wish I had the time and workshop area to do similar things. I noticed the sand dome is located forward like the C&O Kanahwah version. Any reason you made it round instead of rectangular? The motor shaft problem might better be worked out with a flexible shaft, otherwise your pivot points need to be as close to the last point of track contact to lessen the angle of displacement. Hope I gave you some help. Allan Borg
Al, Thanks, don't let me trick you into thinking I have some sort of grand work shop. That sand dome is a brass tube with a brass cap soldered on. Then I chucked it into my Craftsman 18V cordless drill and spun while holding a flat mill file on it. Erie had round domes as they were one of the first to use the Berkshire wheel arrangement: http://www.steamlocomotive.com/berkshire/erie3376.jpg http://www.steamlocomotive.com/berkshire/erie3332.jpg These were built in 1928. Here is the motor snug as a bug in a rug: About all you see from normal views are the wires soldered on the back: I think painting can now begin.
The loco seems to run just fine without a flywheel, and mounting it inside the loco don't mess with the view through the windows. I wish someone made Z Scale Labelle Fireman and Engineer sets! I really like your work, the loco looks fantastic!
I was worried about that binding. Glad to see you got it worked out. This truely is an amazing looking model! Still can't wait to see it painted and finished up. It is simply amazing!
AND WE HAVE A WINNER ! It's a great thing to watch an idea come to fruition. This is the kind of modeling that will make the other scale modelers and maybe even manufactures take notice that Z scale is not only a MODELERS scale but one that is worthy of all model railroaders recognition. You have done a good thing Chris, and now to make it a great thing you should seriously consider submitting this project to one of the non-scale specific MRR magazines. I'm sure you would have no problem having Z-Track accepting such an article but the real test would be to get one of the other magazines to run your article about this project. This would promote Z scale like nothing else could. Steve F
Writing an article Joining words together requires a special adhesive that I don't have. Without it I can forget scratch building sentences or coupling them together into a unit paragraph. I did very poorly in English class :zip:
Chris, I think you did quite well using the story board format on this forum. I think this should be acceptable for a magazine editor, they usually butcher submissions beyond recognition anyway. Isn't it worth a shot? Steve F
Steve, I'm not against it, just not my strong suit I guess. The only thing I subscribe too is Model Railroader, mainly because I have every one back to the 1970's. And I now get Z track. My "main" scale is N and I don't read those magazines either unless there is a Tom Mann(R) issue I did do a couple articles for Light Iron Digest, but not for money got a free subscription instead: http://www.lightirondigest.com/cover.htm I know they pay for articles, but can't see getting rich from it. Plus I think most places like 7MP photos or better and my camera is 5MP. If there is someone who can take my photos and write a story go for it! Half the time I wonder if what I say make sense anyways. :star:
chris, you can do it. and even if you think you can't, it's what editors are for. i don't think it will take much more than what you have already done here on the forum. a magazine article will reach a whole other circle of people, and in a way that allows your work to be kept permanent and available for years. i hope you make the attempt. dave f.
Comprehensive, articulate with a subtle humor, what more does a writer need? Sentence structure and punctuation and that other English stuff are for editors. As for getting rich ... wouldn't a subscription suffice? When was the last time you saw a Z article in MR...if ever? You would not be doing this for yourself but for us, the Z modeler at large. Look at the number of hits on this thread, isn't that enough motivation? What if the Wright Brothers said aviation isn't our strong point, bicycles are, would everyone be pedaling around on flying bicycles? Probable not and I don't know if that has anything to do with this. The point is that the Z scale modeling community needs Z modelers like yourself to step up to the plate and swing away. Like David said a whole new circle of modelers are out there waiting to be impressed... are you going to deny them? Steve F
Mass Production of the Berkshire! Hey Chris, Awesome Berkshire!!! The project has turned out to be the greatest I have seen to date!!! WOW! So, when are you going to mass produce them? :zip: Did I say that!!!! You da' Man!!! Hobo Tim
Good luck on that. Jim Hinds of Richmond Controls did some test circuits using some large value capacitors. They worked fine but one randomly failed and scattered bits all over his work bench. He decided he did not want the liability of selling a product that could go off like a bomb. Probably a rare occurrence but he did not want to take that chance. The solid cast tender might contain such a failure. mg:
Looks like you already blackened it or found one already done. However for future reference I have the best luck with "Gun Blue" that I get at a gun shop or sporting goods outfit. It works on brass, steel, chrome and a few other metals but not aluminum. It starts out a little flat but polishes up real nice. I like to blacken my etched brass parts because paint sticks better and if it ever is chipped off there is no bright spot showing through. I picked up some stuff from Micomark that does not work very well for me at all.
Thanks Russ, I'll try it out: http://cgi.ebay.com/Birchwood-Casey...ryZ22700QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem I did have to blacken the front wheel with the Micro Mark kit. It wasn't the best, but the wheel is well hidden so I will live with it and try the new stuff next time.
