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A new issue from the PCSRR Dewey Branch Locomotive shops

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Stan Cedarleaf

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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
For quite some time, I’ve wanted to build a low speed, high powered steam articulated mining locomotive. The power would come from 2 Hartland 0-4-0 locomotives which were selling for $49.95 on the Specials pages of their website.

We started by tearing them apart to the bare bones.



Connecting 2 power truck together,



Adding part of the Hartland boiler and reinforcing it with a piece of 2 inch ABS drain pipe,



Fitting a portion of a Bachmann 10 Wheeler boiler and cab on the frame and adding the plow.



Started the finishing process with detail pieces and parts. Adding some interest features like piping, tubing, a bell, trim, paint, lettering, flags, etc.



The time came for the unvieling and bring it out of the shops. The first showing of the fresh out of the PCSRR/Dewey Branch shops. Proudly displayed, pristine locomotive and tender have been turned over to the Mining and Lumber Division of the PCSRR.



The bright, clean locomotive and tender started the day by hooking up 11 heavily loaded log cars, 3 flat cars, (2 empty and one carrying the shell of an old 0-4-0 steam locomotive) and a caboose.

The 2 Hartland trucks are powered from the tender using an Aristo Craft Li-ion 21.5 Volt battery, a QSI decoder programmed with steam sounds and cam chuff to provide positive chuff with the rotation of the wheels.

Removable coal load off to show quick change battery placement…..



The guts of the power are shown here with the QSI decoder at the back of the tender and the G-wire receiver along side the battery. The 2 bare wires showing at the top of the tender are connected when programming the QSI decoder. A SPST toggle will be installed when they arrive from the supplier.



After a day of running through the mining and logging sections of the PCSRR, the locomotive really changed. The logging crew added chains, rope and generally got the locomotive filthy…. Full consist after a long day….



Front view with plow showing the LED Warm White headlight.



Closer inspection shows how the locomotive was weathered and “abused” in it’s first day of service.

Locomotive and tender weathering.



Then the tender with all the stuff the loggers threw on her. Just don’t get no respect, no how…

Front of tender………



Then from the rear



MLS has been a wonderful influence to get my mind working to put this locomotive together. The first hint of desire to do something like this came, those many years ago when Bob Baxter posted the images of his wonderful model, PEE WEE…..

Many thanks to all for your input.

This locomotive/tender combination is a fine, reliable, powerful model bash that will run upwards of 6 hours per battery charge. We just replace the battery and keep running.
 
Stan Cedarleaf

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Discussion Starter · #7 ·
Thanks for the comments guys....

Tom, the $49 specials are gone but the Southwest 0-4-0 is still available at $74.99. I like that model a bit better as it has a much nicer looking cab. And at $75.00, it's a locomotive that will just keep on running and running and running. So far, I have 12 of those power trucks running on the PCSRR in various forms of 'bashes. The only one that is a "stock" Hartland is the Big John and it's been heavily modified. :):):)

Rick.. Time from concept to this point was about 6 years... :):D/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif



From the above image to here was about a month....



After that, I took about 3 days to finish the lighting, coupler spacing, chains, power in the tender and final painting. When that was done, I started some of the piping, then the decals, lettering and other details, such as the hand hold rail on the boiler and the flags. From that point to the finished weathering was just over 24 hours.

 
Stan Cedarleaf

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Posted By Jim Agnew on 08/28/2008 11:51 AM
Nice job Stan. How does the A-C battery performance compare to your other batteries?


Jim, I'm very happy with the Aristo 21.5 volt Li-ions.... They have good running time, are easy to charge and they're quite compact. I like the "stacking" of the cells to make 2 rows of 3.

They perform just as well as the other 14.4 volt Li-ions I use, but with the higher voltage, I seem to have better response in my R/C receivers.

One observation that might be of interest is that I've chosen to use these 2 amp hour batteries in low current draw locomotives. The Hartland motors are very, very efficient and will not heat up the batteries at all. I've tried them in some higher current draw locomotives pulling heavy loads and the batteries have heated up with much shorter run times.

For my long haul, heavy locomotives, I still run the 12 volt 5 amp hour gel cells in 24 volt configuation. I just feel more comfortable with the heavier duty batteries. The locomotives running the gel cells are an LGB Alco, Aristo Craft GP-40 and 2 Aristo Craft U-25's in tandem. They run very, very well with good run times pulling heavy loads.
 
Stan Cedarleaf

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Discussion Starter · #14 ·
Hi Jerry, yes, I'll have to try the other motor blocks but I've had such very good success with the Big John trucks..

Chris... Thanks for the input. Yes, I can make a locomotive consist of the Big John, ShayslerMax and the new locomotive and pull everything at Marty's.... :):):)/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif

Thanks for all your help, encouragement and crazy ideas, my friend.. :):):):):cool:/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blush.gif
 
Ray Dunakin

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#15 ·
Stan, that's a great project! Nice work. Do you have any grades on your layout, and if so, how does it do on the grades?

I've been planning for a long time to do an 0-4-4-0 for my layout, ever since I saw an old photo of one on a Mexican mining railroad. Would be perfect for the tight curves and steep grades on my mountainous desert layout.
 
Stan Cedarleaf

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Discussion Starter · #16 ·
Posted By Ray Dunakin on 08/28/2008 10:32 PM
Stan, that's a great project! Nice work. Do you have any grades on your layout, and if so, how does it do on the grades?
I've been planning for a long time to do an 0-4-4-0 for my layout, ever since I saw an old photo of one on a Mexican mining railroad. Would be perfect for the tight curves and steep grades on my mountainous desert layout.



Ray, my steepest grade is 2% and it's used mostly for a down hill run on a return loop from the mining/lumber track. However, this locomotive will go up that grade pushing or pulling 18 cars with no problem. The rest of the main layout grades are 1% or less and it will just run all day long without blowing a pressure valve... /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif:):D

It will take a 4 foot diameter curve with ease..... The plow is attached directly to the front truck so it will swing into the curve nicely. When you do put yours together, Pivot both trucks from the very center of the motor block.....
 
bottino

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All I can say Stan is WOW!!! That is so far above my capabilities, that I stand in awe. I am still at the level of shoveling ballast, and laying track. I am pretty good at that. Then I buy engines to run on them. This is fantastic. Well done.
Paul
 
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Stan Cedarleaf
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