Hi all! I have done a few projects so far; a couple of diesels painted, lettered, and even one modified for the Western Maryland, I've been handlaying my own turnouts (they work!) and I want to build a few steamers for my WM fleet. The trouble is, the best available 2-8-0 model looks NOTHING like Western Maryland's H8 or H9 class, the ones I'd like to build. I can use the mechanism, but will have to modify the tender for an H8 (or find one for the H9) and build new cab and boiler. That's a lot to do for my 1st steam project. I have ordered a couple 3D printed pilots from Shapeways, but for now... I think I will try something else first. I also have a Kato USRA Heavy Mikado, and I noticed it's a very close match for a C&O K2 or K3! As C&O is right up there among my favorite railroads, I decided to do this project first, as I also have a Spectrum long C&O vanderbilt tender on the way. Am I dreaming, or is this really close? Would you all even worry about modifying the boiler, or just add the details, modify walkways, move pumps, light, and so on, build a new cab, find a correct looking trailing truck (or make one) and let it go?
To me the boiler looks close enough. One thing I have noticed about the Kato 2-8-2 is how far the pilot sticks out.
Hi Rasputen, I plan to make a new pilot and cab to make them C&O specific. No idea what to do with the trailing truck though =(
You are! I have a spare set of Bachmann Andrews-style tender trucks which will work fine on that tender, and it will go just fine behind this K3!
Bachmann sells Delta trailing trucks that you could probably use. (They go to their Pennsy K-4.) http://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=70_681&products_id=10052
I cannot wait to begin posting them! The holdup for now is simply awaiting the arrival of the Mikado book from the C&O Historical Society. If it's anything at all like the 2-6-6-2 book, it will have loads of dimensional drawings as well as HO scale drawings, which are easy enough to reduce to N. I can start on things like the walkways, though!
Tender is here; that was easy! I can use a few more of these sometime, if anyone has one to spare. Now I just wait for some styrene from Hatton's and for the Mikado book from the C&O Historical Society.
Here we have a glimpse of my 37 dollar Kato mikado (because it had no detail parts nor tender...not a problem!) with the hulking VC16 tender. I need to solder pins to connect the tender to the botton of the mikado, but I believe that will be easy enough; the split frame is perfectly placed. These kato mikes run wonderfully, SO much better than my 2-8-0!
Don’t forget to add the Kato traction tire upgrade for the blind driver so the loco will pull a decent number of cars if your loco doesn’t have ot installed.
Good news! Mine did come with the traction tire installed. I am a bit annoyed that this one has boxpok drivers instead of normal spoked drivers, but I guess my options are to use it or buy another, so I shall proceed!
And we're off! Today's project is the cab; I used the old cab as a frame of sorts and applied new styrene panels for the side and roof. I will apply the roof details with styrene, but first possibly a layer of thin brass so I can emboss rivets and all in it. Next after this will be finding and/or making a 2nd air pump and a feedwater heater!
And the cab shell is complete! Details needed, but waiting on some brass strip and wire. Next I suppose is the pilot and headlamp relocation.
And I have bashed a new pilot out of the old pilot and a spare Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 pilot, which is an amazingly close match to the C&O Mikado pilot. Next comes a new smokebox front (the one i made was a test and didnt come out so well) and adding the air pumps, feedwater heater, and numberboards to the smokebox! The stairs I will change when I build new walkways.
