The Prototype
In 1908, #7 underwent another "mandatory" cosmetic overhaul. It was in the paint shop (ostensibly being repainted) when the paint shop caught fire, burning completely to the ground. Number 7 was badly damaged in that fire. As a result, the EBT ordered a new steel cab from Baldwin to replace the one lost in the fire.
It was also in 1908 that the EBT began modernizing its locomotive fleet, beginning with 2-6-2 #11, followed by the first of their iconic 2-8-2s in 1911. That modernization (and the vastly improved tractive effort and handling) rendered #7 surplus, so the EBT sold it (and sister 4-6-0 #10) to the Ohio River & Western RR in 1913.
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Enter Barry's Big Trains. I've long heard of Barry's drives and their fantastic reputation, but it wasn't until I built EBT #3 from one of his 2-8-0 conversion drives that I had firsthand experience. Following that with working on two other locos with his chassis, and installing his replacement gearbox in my Bachmann 2-8-0, I quickly decided that I could spend my time fussing over building a suitable chassis myself in hopes that it was as smooth as one of his, or just send him the plans, write him a check and have him build me a custom chassis. So after a few months e-mailing back and forth to make sure everything was proper, that's what arrived in my mailbox. The drivers--at 36" are technically a scale inch too small, but considering I'm modeling the loco c. 1912, shortly before it was sold, the drivers would have been turned on the wheel lathe probably numerous times, reducing the diameter.
The next issue--what to do about the valve gear. Barry's drive provided the side rods, but everything else I'd have to fend for myself. As luck would have it, I had a "donor locomotive" sitting on the shelf. This was in the form of my old Tuscarora RR #2. Truth be told, I never really liked how that loco turned out. There was always something aesthetically "off" with it, though I couldn't figure out what. When I built my "modern" version of that loco, its proportions were much more appealing, so "old" #2 got stuffed up on the shelf awaiting new sound and control systems when finances allowed. So I did some measuring, and discovered that the valve gear on old #2 was almost dimensionally identical to the valve gear on #7. Add to that the need for fluted domes (which #2 had) and cylinders and crossheads (which were identical to #2) and it became clear that "old" Tuscarora RR #2 would soon sacrifice herself for the greater good.
[img]
This is the progress so far. I wrapped 3/32" cork around the smokebox, and will wrap embossed styrene sheet around that to bring the smokebox to the proper diameter. The firebox is roughed in at the back end, and will get laminated with embossed styrene for that end, too. The tender, likewise, needs embossed styrene laminated onto it. The black tubing for the smokestack, headlight, and front pilot are just placeholders to get a feel for the overall aesthetics. The'll be replaced by proper bits and pieces as time allows.
Further bulletins as progress warrants...
Later,
K
In 1908, #7 underwent another "mandatory" cosmetic overhaul. It was in the paint shop (ostensibly being repainted) when the paint shop caught fire, burning completely to the ground. Number 7 was badly damaged in that fire. As a result, the EBT ordered a new steel cab from Baldwin to replace the one lost in the fire.
It was also in 1908 that the EBT began modernizing its locomotive fleet, beginning with 2-6-2 #11, followed by the first of their iconic 2-8-2s in 1911. That modernization (and the vastly improved tractive effort and handling) rendered #7 surplus, so the EBT sold it (and sister 4-6-0 #10) to the Ohio River & Western RR in 1913.
[img]
Enter Barry's Big Trains. I've long heard of Barry's drives and their fantastic reputation, but it wasn't until I built EBT #3 from one of his 2-8-0 conversion drives that I had firsthand experience. Following that with working on two other locos with his chassis, and installing his replacement gearbox in my Bachmann 2-8-0, I quickly decided that I could spend my time fussing over building a suitable chassis myself in hopes that it was as smooth as one of his, or just send him the plans, write him a check and have him build me a custom chassis. So after a few months e-mailing back and forth to make sure everything was proper, that's what arrived in my mailbox. The drivers--at 36" are technically a scale inch too small, but considering I'm modeling the loco c. 1912, shortly before it was sold, the drivers would have been turned on the wheel lathe probably numerous times, reducing the diameter.
The next issue--what to do about the valve gear. Barry's drive provided the side rods, but everything else I'd have to fend for myself. As luck would have it, I had a "donor locomotive" sitting on the shelf. This was in the form of my old Tuscarora RR #2. Truth be told, I never really liked how that loco turned out. There was always something aesthetically "off" with it, though I couldn't figure out what. When I built my "modern" version of that loco, its proportions were much more appealing, so "old" #2 got stuffed up on the shelf awaiting new sound and control systems when finances allowed. So I did some measuring, and discovered that the valve gear on old #2 was almost dimensionally identical to the valve gear on #7. Add to that the need for fluted domes (which #2 had) and cylinders and crossheads (which were identical to #2) and it became clear that "old" Tuscarora RR #2 would soon sacrifice herself for the greater good.
[img]
This is the progress so far. I wrapped 3/32" cork around the smokebox, and will wrap embossed styrene sheet around that to bring the smokebox to the proper diameter. The firebox is roughed in at the back end, and will get laminated with embossed styrene for that end, too. The tender, likewise, needs embossed styrene laminated onto it. The black tubing for the smokestack, headlight, and front pilot are just placeholders to get a feel for the overall aesthetics. The'll be replaced by proper bits and pieces as time allows.
Further bulletins as progress warrants...
Later,
K
Seriously, I've got locos I did 20 years ago with this stuff and it's still in good shape. It's sandwiched between a solid PVC (or copper) boiler and the jacket, so even if it does get brittle, it's not like it can go anywhere. It's not flexing or anything like that. 
