[GN_Rocky]

No glue you guys

The last axle is fastened to the existing block with a couple plates and a few screws in a triangular configuration

to allow the last axle to pivot or swing just a bit

This way it allows the loco to make those 10 foot and maybe, short sections of 8 foot curves. Here is a couple photos of the splice plates.

I just couldn't resist using the top plate on an Aristo switch machine to do the job.
It just seemed to be appropriate to use

More to come, but it's back to work for me. That is, non train work

Rocky

 

[GN_Rocky]

This is just an update.
I've been just playin' around with starting a frame as well as removing extra parts off off the mallet.
Looking at pictures I have and a little consultation with another member, I will be using a Lionel shell to
make the Belpraire firebox. So now I need to find a Lionel LS 2-4-2 shell as well as the large sanding dome
off of an Aristo 0-4-0. So here is where the loco is at the moment.

More to come !!!
Rocky

 

[aceinspp]

Thats interesting Rocky on screwing the block together. Will be interested on how that works. Later RJD

 

[GN_Rocky]

Quick post. I've done alittle work ahead of the scheduled plan and while fightin' this cold bug, I did a little working on the front of the boiler.[/b]

What I did first was to remove the front of the smoke box off of the mallet, then cut off the one on the pacific and fill the hole
with the mallet smoke box door. Then temp. mounted the air pumps from the mallet on the pacific shell and the class lights from
the mallet on to the top of the pacific boiler shell. I will be changing out the lenes in the lamps later. THen I costom reworked the
mallet headlight and mounted it to the front of the boiler.

Like I said, this is just a "fitting" of the mallet parts. I still have some adjustments to make and the smoke box to paint
B-4 final assembly. This is the 2nd pacific frame and I will need to cut it down and mount it to the drive. The other frame I
used was un-usable because it had no walkway. another frame (back half) is on the way down, so it won't be too long
B-4 the lower frame is complete and upper shell work can start. Also, the Belpraire firebox will be made out of a couple
Lionel LS atlantic shells of which, one is on the way also.

Still more to come

Rocky

 

[GN_Rocky]

Slowly but surely, work keeps progressing

The slow progress is due to awaital of parts that I've ordered or am trading for. Some of those parts arrived today.
This would be the other rear pacific frame with circuit board. So I shold be able to splice and complete the lower frame tonight
and get the rear trailing truck installed also

I've started to add some of the details to the boiler as you've seen in my previous
post, but I did the large sand dome, adding the filler caps and the "tool box" to the front porch area just under the front of the boiler.

As you can see, there is a nail file proping up the front of the boiler on top of the steam chest.
So tonight's other challange will be to right this problem and also to bolt the lower frame to the drive unit. Another thing I will need to do
will be to start sanding off the molded on piping to get the boiler preped for painting when the time comes. The prototype locos were all
black boilers with light gray or silver colored smoke boxes. Not all GN steamers wore the older Glacier green colored boiler jackets

Well I guess I need to get back to it and keep the work a goin'. Hoping for UPS to bring me a couple large boxes with my 2 bay hoopers.
Bit it's the postman I'm looking for. He'll have the Lionel atlantic I'm waiting to get my paws on to cut up the boiler for this beastie

Still lots more progress to come....

Rocky

 

[GN_Rocky]

Once again another update

[/b] Just taking my time and waiting for more parts as I do the build.
Yesterday, the other half of the frame came in and I spliced it onto the existing frame.

Then I cut the extra screw lengths this morning and then cut the shell to it's proper lenght awaiting the Lionel atlantic shells to do the Belpraire firebox. All this is fun, right ?!?

As you can see, I made a custom GN style sanding dome to go with the other modified dome.
Next I did some more cuttin' and modified the bottom of the firebox as to duplicate the prototype.

It still needs some smoothing out work and note the modified Aristo Pacific trailing truck. I changed out the wheelset and cut down the height of the truck assembly to clear the modified firebox. It to needs to be mounted on the firebox bottom.

Other than that, I added a bell and whistle to the boiler in the appropriate spots.

So next will be the filing off of all molded piping. I removed the safety valves to be mounted later in the correct spots on
top of the Belpraire firebox along with a bunch of other parts.

The project is moving right along

Rocky

 

[markoles]

Rocky,

Looking great!! Where did you get the headlight?


Do you ever sleep!?

Mark

 

[chuckger]

Hi GN,
Great to see you back at it, engine looks good. I was looking at some back issues of MR and came across plans for a GN 2-6-8, I think its an M class. Might be a way to use up the left over mallet parts. If your interested let me know and I will send you a copy.

Chuck

 

[GN_Rocky]

Hey Chuck,
I think the loco your refering to is an M-3 class simple articulated.
They were actually a 2-6-8-0 and were rebuilt out of old Lima locos. Thanks for the offer. I'd be neat to see the plans.
But I think the next steamer to get turned out after this one will be a Baldwin S-2 class Northern. It will have the 80 inch
drivers from off of the Lionel locos I tear up. I have made a trade with the extra drive from the mallet already too.
So to build the S-2, I will need to buy a new Mikado to get the gearboxes to power the 80 inch drive wheels.

Not much to report on the Q-2 yet today.
I was working late last night to attach the drive to the lower frame, so there's not much to show. Most of the mounting posts had to be hand made or custom crafted bushings/spacers made to getthe correct height.

But I plan to be working on it later tonight. Hopefully the first atlanic will arrive today for the Belpraire firebox section. I'll keep y'all posted on the progress complete with pictures

Rocky

 

[GN_Rocky]

Well it's a happy day in the receiving Dept.

The Atlantic shown up today as well as 8 new Aristo GN hoppers

SO I got to work cuttin' up the atlantic and seperated the Belpraire firebox section.
After an hour to two of cutting, filing and sanding, I got it down to the size to fit the boiler. As feared though,
it is a bit on the short side and I will either need to splice in another piece of atlantic firebox, OR get brave with
styrene and try to finish out the boiler with 1/8th styrene and take the sanding block to it. I'm not sure what
I want to do. Here is some pictures of the work in progress.

As you can see, there is a gap between the belpraire and the cab,
This varies between 1/2 inch at the bottom to about and inch at the top. Keep in mind that I will be cutting and angling the cab front end at a rearward slope from top to bottom typical of most GN steamers. Ideas and suggestion and comments are welcome.

More to come

Rocky[/b]

 

[aceinspp]

Looking good Rocky. I think I'd try using the sheet styrene to fill in. Later RJD

 

[rwjenkins]

How about stretching the cab? Looking at the prototype photos, it seems like you'd be closer to scale by adding the slant to the front of the cab, that is extending the roof rather than cutting back the bottom. That would also leave only about 1/4" that you would need to stretch the firebox back to meet the cab front, which can be done pretty easily with strip styrene.

 

[chuckger]

Hi Rocky,
Loco looking very good. I would check the measurement from the center of the last driver to the back end of the engine. Your drawing or plan shows that to be 18' 4'', if you need to trim the length some what you might just make it as Richard stated above, by reworking the cab.

Chuck

 

[GN_Rocky]

A late update from last night's progress ...
I worked on the front pilot and "Cow catcher". After looking at the prototype pictures, I deceided to
replace the Aristo "Cow catcher and partial front pilot with the one from the Lionel atlantic. I thought
it looked more like the real thing AND the lionel part offered a coupler pocket to place a modified Kadee
coupler in. Here are pictures.

I first tried using a 831 Kadee, but found it too low according to the kadee guage. So I changed it out with an 836 coupler.
There still needs to be a little smoothing out out in a few spots

But I still like the look.
I also did some work to install the rear trailing truck.

Due to the height/clearance restrictions after lowering the bottom of the boiler, I chose to modify the trailing truck
and modify the mounting on the bottom panel. I may elect to change the trailing truck a little more, but it's finally mounted
on the loco frame.

There's more in store later and I'm still waiting for the other Lionel shell to arrive to complete the Belpraire boiler.

Rocky

 

[Guest]

Looking good Rock! Keep it up buddy!!!!!
Toad

 

[GN_Rocky]

Tonight's progress report is that I've finally changed out the marker light lenses and added the short dome with the safety valves and other details.
I also spotted the dynamo too. Here's the pictures.

Will post more tomorrow with more comments.

Rocky

 

[cudak888]

Looking good - real good.

Incidentally, about that cab/firebox gap - I'd take some styrene sheet - bent to conform to the tab at the end of the firebox, with some reinforcement square styrene run under the firebox if necessary - before I lengthen the cab. The bottom edge of the cab looks to be just about the right length as it is already, if not maybe a few (insignificant) scale inches longer then the prototype.

That said, there is nothing more distinct about that boxy Q2 firebox then it's length from cab to it's taper - it would be a shame not to lengthen that Lionel Atlantic firebox to take full advantage of that feature of the prototype. Just wouldn't look right any other way, IMHO. Then again, I'm also a rivet counter

Best of luck!

-Kurt

 

[aceinspp]

I'll say one thing you sure not letting grass grow under this project. Really coming along. Looks great so far. Later RJD

 

[markoles]

Rocky,

Where'd you get the headlight?

This project has really cranked along!!

Mark

 

[cvngrr]

Since you said you only found 2 pictures, I figured I'd help you out with one I happened to find: http://hosteamcentral.com/images/Sunset-2104-right1-alt1.jpg

Edit: found 5 more: http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr600.htm