[digger]

This project has been like giving birth to an elephant.  It took two years to get results, but finally, it's ready to roll!

I picked up an LGB Forney, as shown below.  After drooling over it for a while, I decided that it would need to "go under the knife" to get something that better represented Colorado practices.  I've included "stock" and "bashed" photos to show some of what the outcome has been.  The reasons it took so long?  1) I occasionally get burned out and just have to get away from a project for a while.  2) Projects like this tend to languish in the summer.  3) I have a "significant other" who gets testy if the other chores get neglected.

Overall, it's a nice little model, but it needed a little help to fit in with the rest of our Columbine & Larkspur roster.  The stock model has one feature that particularly looked goofy to me... the pilot that swings at crazy angles to the boiler.  The piping is characteristically "Maine", and the level of detail on the appliances leaves something to be desired. 

In this "bashed" shot, you can see the revised pilot assembly with a Kadee #835 mounted through the end beam.  New castings were used to upgrade the generator, airpump, headlights, whistle, etc.  The piping, conduits, bell, and smokebox handrail were all rebuilt.  The headlights have reflectors from "The Flashlight King", and "warm white" led's.

The model comes with simulated steel-paneled sides and the door just behind the center.  The rear  bunker is rather plain, as is the end sill.

The cab sides were rebuilt completely, simulating wood construction.  The doors were moved to the rear and new windows were installed.  I beefed up the coal bunker and added a load of crushed real coal.  I also added a ladder and addtional grab irons to the back.  The end beam got steps, a Kadee #835 coupler, and air hose/gladhand.  The small toolbox on the bunker deck conceals the Phoenix configuration jack. 

A particularly challenging part of the project was fitting the complete Phoenix Sound system into the confines of the bunker.  I used an oval speaker rather than the usual 2.5" round unit.  LGB ball-bearing wheelsets provide power to the sound system as well as the main circuitry.  This photo also shows backhead detail, which to me is a "must" considering the large cab windows.  I didn't put in every conceivable appliance, but provided enough to make it look "busy".

 

Now that the #20 is complete, she'll be assigned "mixed train" duties on the C&L.  Until the snow finally melts out of our canyon, however, she'll just have to wait the season out in the roundhouse, sitting there and "lookin' pretty"./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/kiss.gif

 

[markoles]

Nice work, Ed!  I like the way you installed the Phoenix system.  Much neater than my usual rat's nest!  The sand dome change really enhances the look, too.  Overall, your details give her a personality all her own!

Mark

 

[Steve Stockham]

  Oh my word!!/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gif It's AMAZING how much better that Forney looks!!! I can actually envision the D&RGW doing something like that to a Forney! You really captured the "Colorado Look"!!

 

[trainbuffjr]

 Excellent  Job!  The best forney model I have ever seen.  Keep up the good work.

 

[digger]

I received a couple of back-channel questions about the work that was done and the scale of the model.  Thought I'd post the responses here because they may be of some interest to others.

First, Cab modifications:  The job started with almost total disassembly of the locomotive, necessary to disengage all of the various screws and electrical connections at different levels of subassembly.  Without going into great detail about how that was done, suffice it to say that this was a rather simple task compared to getting everything put back together again  (I had downloaded PDF's of exploded drawings from the LGB website, and they, along with a bit of salty vocabulary/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/crazy.gif, helped a great deal in figuring out how to proceed.)  Having removed the cab completely from the rest of the locomotive, the first thing I did pull out the original windows and doors.  Then I was able to cut the front wall free of the sides.  I made my first cuts along the lines created by the outer edge of the front doors, and the final cut at the top edge of the windows.  I used a razor saw for all of the cuts.  If you look back at the photo of the backhead/sound installation in my first post, you'll see how that cutout looks after its been slipped back in place on the boiler.

The original cab sides were cut away along the top of the window line as well, starting at the front and going back to the rear post, which I left intact.  The vertical cuts were made along the forward edge of the rear corner posts.  After all of the cutting was done and cleaned up with a file, what I had left was a unit consisting of the roof, upper fascia boards, and the back wall.

The new sides were built up from Evergreen styrene, starting with .040" thick v-groove panelling with .125 spacing.  This was the base on which everything else was built, and was sized to run horizontally from the forward edge of the front cab wall to the doorway opening, allowing for a .125" square door jamb fixed to the front edge of the rear post, and vertically to the height of the bottom of the cab windows.  The vertical and horizontal boards were added, both inside and outside to avoid potential warping, using .040 x .188 styrene strip.  This ended up producing a new cab wall thickness of ap. .120" which is close enough to the original cab wall thickness.  While building up the new side panels and members, I allowed for .040" wide channels to slip new windows into.  I kept the original doors, but removed the lip along the edge that functioned as a door stop.  With the way they are mounted, they won't swing outward.  The doors were re-attached to the inner side of the rear posts with tiny brass craft hinges.  I didn't bother with re-installing the springs to hold the doors closed.  I also added a .125 x .188 x ap .375" long tab to the inside bottom edge of the wall panels to enable me to add a mounting screw from below the floor on each side. 

The original windows were no longer useable.  The only part I cut out and used was the channel to carry the wires for the cab light and rear headlight.  I just mounted that to the center of the inside front cab wall and painted it black to reduce its visibilty.  New windows were built up out of .015 clear styrene with .020 thick frames, painted prior to assembly.  If all of this sounds a bit confusing, perhaps the following close-up will help.

Changing bell and dome positions: Very easy, once you have everything else apart....  The whistle simply pulls up out of its position, and the sand dome, along with the sander pipes, is fastened from the inside of the boiler shell with a single screw.  Just swap locations, positioning the sander pipes so that they look like they could conceivably deliver sand to where it might do some good. 

Regarding scale: Yes, the Forney is quite large.  I've seen it suggested somewhere that it is close to 1:19 scale.  It doesn't look quite right to me with Bachmann or LGB cars in tow, but I guess I can live with it.  Forneys were usually quite small, and they looked a bit more squat than the coaches they typically pulled.  I like the outlines, though, and since I'm finding myself migrating to more 1:20.3 models, where the relative proportions will look better, it will stay on the roster. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif

 

[bobgrosh]

RE: C & L #20 - An LGB Forney Bash

Absolutely fantastic!
I can't keep track of how many Forney's I have, but they form the bulk of the motive power on the ALLY. A Forney out pulls a Mogul, and runs smoother to boot.
Now that I almost have sound and DCC in all of them, I will soon turn to the cosmetic changes and add the Southern charm to fit my railroad.
I'd like to see a little more detail concerning how you modified and shortened the pilot to make it rigid.
I really like the paint job on the side-rods and movements.
Don't ya suppose it needs a spark arrestor?

 

[CCSII]

RE: C & L #20 - An LGB Forney Bash

Yes please. Pilot details?

 

[digger]

OK... Here's a little more detail on the "nose job"   First, a closer crop of the two pix, starting with the "stock" configuration:

You'll notice that the pilot assembly is attached to the same casting as the pilot wheel, so the whole thing swivels as it goes into the curves.  Also notice that there's a lot of open air between the back edge of the stubby deck and the cylinder saddle, which is molded onto the smokebox.  The whole business is laid out that way, I suspect, to cope with 4' diameter curves.   Also notice the "fingers that extend from the sides of the cylinder saddle to that little, stubby deck.  Those will be retained to support the new deck and pilot assembly.  You can pull and toss the shiny brass boiler braces because they need to be moved forward and rebuilt.       

Now, here's the revised front end:

  

I cut the original pilot and end beam portion off of the truck frame, at the front of the springs.   I tossed the front coupler, sawed the "cowcatcher" and foot steps off flush with the face of the end beam, and kept them for re-use.  I took off that "upper deck" assembly and trimmed away the planking, but retained the part that engages the "fingers" mentioned above.

A new deck was made from .060 sheet styrene, and goes all the way back to the cylinder saddle.  Notice that the back corners are relieved to allow for clearance of the drifter valves as the engine bogie rotates.  A new end beam was fabricated from oak.  The deck was fastened to the remaining portion of the original, and the new end beam was epoxied to that.  I put that subassembly back on the "fingers", and laid out the Kadee #835 coupler pocket location and the new location for the "cowcatcher", allowing ap. 3/16" clearance above the tops of the rails.  I had to build up three new staves to fill the blank space which was left after removing the stock coupler casting.

You can make out other bits and pieces of detailing that finish out the job.  I filed off the original boiler brace flanges and filled the holes, then used new Ozark flanges mounted farther forward.  The new braces were bent from 1/16" brass rod.  The whole job gave the loco a neater appearance up front, and allowed me to bring the pilot assembly back closer to the front wheels.  On my 8' diameter curves, works fine.  So, there ya have it!/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/satisfied.gif  Hope this is useful to you!!

 

[Del Tapparo]

I got to see Ed's Forney in action today. Beautiful work this guy does! Looks and sounds great.

Ed has a whole stable of great looking models. Definitely the best "modeler" we have in our club and always a great resource for railroad info as well. Can't wait to see what's next.

 

[Stan Cedarleaf]

That is a beautiful bash, Ed.  I've been toying around with getting a Forney.    /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/satisfied.gif  They sure look and run nice.

Great job. 

 

[dawgnabbit]

Beautiful work, Ed.  Your talent is obvious and the end result is a vast improvement over the original!
Thank you for showing us this beauty.
Dawg

 

[jimtyp]

RE: C & L #20 - An LGB Forney Bash

Great work Ed! And thanks for sharing it with pics.

 

[digger]

Thanks, guys, for the "kudos".  While I can't say that the project was without a few headaches, overall it's proved to be worth the effort.  

We're having a "chinook" this weekend, and one of the guys in our club finally had his tracks clear of snow, so a few of us assembled there for our "2008 Inaugural Run".  #20 got to log its first road miles.  Gave me a chance to see what kinds of tweaks were needed for the sound system.  Love that capability with the 2K2 system!

#20's Inaugural Road Trip on Bob Ferrero's "Lake Loveland Narrow Gauge RR"....

Now, on to the "Chicken Palace"!

Ed

 

[Guest]

RE: C & L #20 - An LGB Forney Bash

that is a Great Example of a what the new LGB could/should produce!

cale

 

[itsmcgee]

RE: C & L #20 - An LGB Forney Bash

Great bash Ed. You are a great inspiration to the group.