Projects

This is my new Projects page to show items I'm working on.  

This is an attempt to make a Vanderbuilt tender that I will use with a Pacific Locomotive since there were none made by A. C. Gilbert Co. and these were very common on the west coast.  I am trying to make a reasonably close replica of the tender used on the OR&N 197 that is on display at the Oregon Rail Heritage Center.  There will be many differences and I am using the 197 only as a guide. 

It is IMPORTANT to dry fit your pieces before doing any gluing. Make sure everything is going to go together the way you expect it to before any permanent attachments are made.

I started with a 925 tank car and removed the tank and trucks  The tank will be used later.  The trucks will be replaced with power truck from another source.  The frame on the 197 runs inside the truck frames so I used a dremel with a cutting wheel to cut the tank car frame as shown in the picture.

Next I used JB Weld to secure the outer rails to the frame.  The lip on the rails is on top of the truck mounts.  There was also some grinding necessary at the points where the center cross beams meet.

For the tank I filed down the hatch tube to almost the top of the tank. I also filed down the Tank supports. The amount of filing will vary depending on where you make the hole in the front portion of the tender.  (More on that later)  Pictures with and without the hatch cover installed.  I shortened this tank lengthwise about 1/16" because I thought it needed to be shorter to fit but it turned out it didn't. 

So, I filed the cuts smooth and glued it back together.  (Live and learn!)

The front of the tender was made from an Atlantic tender cut into three pieces.  The front was cut off at the front edge of the coal bunker.  The rear was cut behind the slanted portion of the bunker. Then a hole was drilled in rear of the shell using a 1 1/2" cup saw.  I wanted to keep the pipe detail on the back so I centered the cup saw accordingly.  Using a dremel with a cut off wheel I cut the angles into the sides.  I then glued the 2 pieces together.  Looking at the seam you will see i offset the front a little lower then the rear.  This was to allow the front screw holes to contact the holes in the frame without tilting the shell.  Again, it is IMPORTANT to dry fit your pieces before doing any gluing. Make sure everything is going to go together the way you expect it to before any permanent attachments are made.  I used a hobby knife to shave off the ladder on the back of the tender.

Next I cut strips of wood to make the running boards and cat walk.  Notice the wire running through the tank.  These hold up the running boards.  They are made out of hand rail material.  Hand rails are shaped and attached as on stock Flyer Locomotives.

 More to follow...