[Shaylover]

Well I've started to add the little details that for me, make a loco, so I'm in need of a couple of pix of an AC-11/12. 
Does anyone have a pix of the top of the tender? 
Mainly around the oiling hatches as I'm setting up the wooden platform that was around the hatches. 
I have an ulterior motive for this, it is to stop the hatch cover falling into the tender all the time.  Gordon Watson warned me about it, but the first time I put the hatch on....................................................     /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blush.gif


           Never drive faster than your Guardian Angel can fly.
                         
                           73, John de VK2XGJ

 

[Chris Scott]

The California Railroad Museum has #4294 on static display.  I think you can see the top of the tender from the second floor, if not you could ask the museum for permission to climb up on the tender.  Ok, that is a little extreme unless you live in Sacramento or nearby.


You could search the Otto Perry photo collection at the Denver Public Library, Colorado Historical Society, and Denver Art Museum.  http://history.denverlibrary.org/    This is an example Cab Forward photo from their collection:  http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00015688+OP-15688  


Link to "The Southern Pacific Cab Forward" - http://www.steamlocomotive.com/cabforward/ . Part of Steam Locomotive dot Com - http://www.steamlocomotive.com/  This sie also has AD drawings you can download but they are side view only.


Click on the "Southern Pacific Cab-Forward's Steam Roster" at the bottom of the page.  The site has links to quite a few photos for the entire roster of SP Cab Forwards.  One is to the CA RR Museum's Cab Foerward, although an arial shot it only shows a portion of the tender.  http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/sp4294.jpg  This photo came from the Southern Pacific Cab-Forward's Steam Roster and Steam Locomotive dot Com.


This isn't a photo of the tender top but it is one of the best photos of the #4294 http://abpr.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?january06/01-28-06/SP4294atSacramentoCA9-69MacOwenColl.jpg .  It is from the Railfan.net ABPR Image Archives  http://railfan.net where you may find more - but there is a large amount of data links to go through. 

Maybe someone who lives in Sacramento will read your post and volunteer to visit the CRRM and take a photo of #4294's Tender for you.

I'd suggest looking at a O Guage loco brass model but somehow I don't think that would answer your question.

Hope some of it helps.

 

[Chris Scott]

The above links came from following google results searching on "SP Cab Forward Locomotives"

I didn't think to try a search on "Cab Forward Tender" where I found the link "SP Locomotive Drawings - Tender Drawings - Steam Engines - Plans" http://www.livesteamlocomotives.com/id28.html
AC-12 Drawngs: http://www.livesteamlocomotives.com/drawings/sp_ac-12_4-8-8-2.htm

Note the Tender Drawings are listed on a separate page from the locomotives: http://www.livesteamlocomotives.com/drawings/sp_tenders.htm  I cannot decifer whether the tender you are looking for is among those drawngs listed, but I hope so. 

 

[Shaylover]

Many thanks for the reply Chris.   Ahhh yes I've been trolling the various images available on the web but so far no detail of the tender top.   I guess I'll be watching a couple of DVD's I have on the AC tonight with my finger on the Pause button.


My HO model has been detailed with the platform but this AC is a little larger and I can't find where I got that info from.


 


 


              Never drive faster that your Guardian Angel can fly.


                       73, John de VK2XGJ

 

[Charles]

The book, Steam Over Donner by Duncan Steel, there are atleast a dozen photos of top shots covering AC3-AC12 engines.  About 6 photo of very good photos that one can see tender top details.  None of these reference photos show wood decking.  The shops and crews could have  modified the engine/tender in various ways to include wood decking on the tender deck.  Most of the reference photos on web are track level.    I'm sure that other rederence books and experts such as Alan will find a photo.

 

[Shaylover]

Well I've made up the wooden walk-way for the AC-12 and now I can have the hatch cover on the loco without it falling into he tender.  It is a little difficult and expensive for me to go to Sacremento and check out the real AC-12 as I live about 600 miles north of Gordon Watson in Australia.
I'll try and get a pix up for those interested.
  By the way ,I hope to take her out on her first run tomorrow.  Only a short run, about twenty feet up and back but it will be a start.

                 Never drive faster than your Guidian Angel can fly.
                           John de VK2XGJ.

 

[Jim Overland]

test

 

[Andre Anderson]

What you really want is a copy of Churches book "The Cab Forwards", it has drawings, photos and discription of each one of the Cab Forward classes.

Andre

 

[Charles]

Research thus far based on top view photos:
4182            AC-8            Jul 1946        No wood deck
4214            AC-10        Sept 1946      no wood deck
4242            AC-10        Apr 1949        No wood deck
4157            AC-7            Jun 1950        No wood deck
4285            AC-12           Jun 1950    No wood deck
4210            AC-10          Jun 1950     No wood deck
4191 4108 AC-8, AC-4    Jun 1950    No wood deck
4158            AC-7            Jul 1950      No wood deck
4266            AC-11        Sept 1950        No wood deck
4158            AC-7            Jul 1952        No wood deck

4294          AC-12        Feb 2008        Wood deck

Sorry, I could not find a photo but am looking forward to a photo of your modification adding the wood deck.  Hope the engine runs at the level of your energy and enthusiasm for the model.

 

[Shaylover]

Many thanks for the infor Charles. Greatly appreciated. No joy running her yesterday, the gas valve expired and I couldn't get gas into the tank. I won't bother telling what I said or was thinking, all I'll say is that I invented some new words and ways of using them. B-)

 

[Charles]

I was looking forward to your feedback.  So, the gas valve on the fuel tank went south?  Gordon probably has a replacement.  Any photos of your retrofit with the wood deck?  I'll keep looking might find one that you could  document and even change the number to match.

 

[Shaylover]

Well the feedback about the attempt at running the AC-12. 
After beating off the photographers     I finally tried to steam her. 
Found out that the cylinder cock drain levers are still below the railhead and bent to front left hand one.   /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/angry.gif
Going to have to do something about being able to open and close the smokebox door to check the burning of both burners, these little things will keep me off the streets for a while till I can fix them.    

 

[Shaylover]

Well I've fixed the non-closing smokebox door.   No I didn't use a 12lb sledge hammer,  though I wanted to.
With a safety edge file I broke the square edge to the door, filing in a 40deg (approx) slope so that the door had a lead-in.    Now a sharp flick of the door and a smart tap of the finger and the smokebox door is closed. 

 

[Shaylover]

Well I've made myself a little do-hickey to operate the cylinder cocks when I cut about 1/8" off the lever so that it is above railhead height.  
It is simply a piece of brass with tthe end drilled to fit over the cylinder cock then  filed a slit across it so that the circumcized lever will fit into the slot.  It works well so far. 

A question, where is the bell on the AC-12?  I never thought about this before.


  

 

[Shaylover]

Hmmm, it looks as though I'm talking to myself here.  I suppose that way I'll get some intelligent answers./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/blush.gif

I'm getting ready for the first run on a large layout, next Tuesday will be the day.
I've improved my little do-hickey for opening and closing the cylinder cocks,  circumcised the cylinder cock levers so that they clear the railhead,  extended the bypass tube in the tender so that it can be seen and I'm rearing to go.   /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif

One mod I must do is change the lubricator to a larger version and put the steampipe through the lubricator as I did for my Open-Cab Shay.  This will slow down the use of steam oil instead of the loco taking  it all in a few gulps.
I wrote it up for the Steam in the Garden magazine a few years ago and it works well.

 

[GrizzlyFlatsFan]

Thanks, John.  Will you be able to post a few pictures after the big run next week?

 

[Charles]

John
I assume it is under the cab unlike the earlier on that is on top of the cab.
Interesting article:
http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/selkirk.html

 

[GrizzlyFlatsFan]

That's a great article, Charles. Thanks for posting the link. It describes all of the changes that would be required to make a cab forward from a 'normal'. Very interesting.

 

[Shaylover]

Has anyone worked out how to remove/replace the couplers on the AC-11/12  yet?
 I want to replace them with a pair of Precision Scale couplers same as I did with my NGG16. 
Also the front coupler is also lower than the tender coupler so double heading is going to be a problem.
There hasn't been very much discussion on the AC-11/112 lately,  don't tell me you blokes have worn them out already?  /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/shocked.gif

 

[Charles]

John
Actually trying to figure out how to prevent them from wearing out.  We have a few retrofit concepts on the burner....
As for running, we will be running at a meet this weekend with the AC-12 and GS4-GW.