Wrapped a pipe in insulation for later. Installed a pipe on top and the pipes on the side. Once the CA dries, I’ll go back in and reinforce with JB weld. The weekend was filled with other tasks and I didn’t get as far as I wanted.
Cab is shaved down for the new vent, I’m hoping there isn’t a ghost of the old one once paint is applied. Installed the dynamo and air flasks along with the insulated pipe.
This is 95% of why I'm a die hard primer fan. Even if the shell is 90% the same color I'm going to paint it, primer helps me spot any last places I need to sand before the actual paint goes on.
I’ll blast lightly and then prime before final paint. The air eraser does a great job of blending any imperfections. Just don’t get carried away.
Booster line about done and feedwater pipes bent. Added styrene blocks for the square joints on the feedwater lines. Have to sand them down a bit to the appropriate size.
Last remaining lines done. Booster line will be applied after assembly. Handrails left and then paint.
Handrails nearly done. That was a frustrating affair. Kato stand-offs on .015 wire. They are slippery little buggers.
Shell is done, I do have to move the throttle linkage as it lines up with the handrail. Quick fix. Now for the valve and running gear.
I like the pipework and the coffin feedwater heater and I'm really interested in how you are going to do the headlight. It's looking awesome so far
Setting up the valve gear and making sure of clearance before gluing in place. I changed the baker out for walsherts. I also did a preliminary blast on the boiler and valve gear. Have to do a little shaving on the right side to clear the air flask. Disassemble and paint the chassis and then reassemble for testing. The trailing truck is a shapeways print. Had to use a Bmann light mountain trailing truck for the rear wheel for the correct size. The front is an fox valley 36” wheel
Trailing truck is sorted out. Have to detail the piping on the left side of the trailing truck, work out the tender drawbar, finish the valve gear, test and final paint. Still much to do. But it’s looking like an SP berk now.
After some contemplation, I’ll likely build the drawbar similar to the Kato GS-4 and connect it under the cab. Due to the length of the rear truck, using it as a connection point will make backing the locomotive difficult. I’ll build a wiper mechanism to transfer power from the tender to the chassis at the connection point. Should be fun. I also have to add a bit of weight to the trailing truck to make sure it tracks well both forward and in reverse. This has been an interesting build so far. Mashing three brands of parts together to make one is a challenge. My roster is only going to have one berk in it.
Makes me want to go searching for a historical picture of double-headed Berkshires... Exceptional modeling, BTW.
valve gear painted and installed along with the lower half of the boiler. A couple more pieces to add. Placed the piping on the trailing truck, on the prototype, the little black piece hangs off the firebox and the pipe is actually flexible, not quite able to do this in N scale, so I copied the HO Balboa method and hung it on the truck. The booster line is another issue, it hangs down and interferes with the swing of the trailing truck on curves. I plan to use an MT coupler spring as the joint between the wire and the Kato fitting so it can “give” on the curves as the truck swings into it.
Made a “bottom” for the firebox out of two pieces of styrene c channel for connectors to slide into. I then wired two brass tabs to the tender and put them in the slots. Full connectivity between the engine and the tender now and it runs like a Kato. The drawbar will connect under the cab for full clearance of the trailing truck. Now to cut the front of the tender for the drawbar. The bottom will also allow me to place a facsimile of the bolster that the rear truck rides on per the prototype. In the home stretch.
