Met Randgust at N Scale Weekend

[mu26aeh]

That's awesome news!

One day I shall set my sights on a set of MA&PA CF-7s, but it's not for a long while.

Same here Ed, maybe we can get Bill B to design/print the decals for them.

[randgust]

Same here Ed, maybe we can get Bill B to design/print the decals for them.

Looking at this photo:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3250181

If that's all dark black or blue lettering on a yellow carbody, I can make those myself.   I need good side shots particularly for that M&PA logo, but the basic font style is some kind of railroad roman font.   Also, if an HO set already exists, let me know. 

So don't let that stop you.

[glakedylan]

If that's all dark black or blue lettering on a yellow carbody, I can make those myself.   I need good side shots particularly for that M&PA logo, but the basic font style is some kind of railroad roman font.   Also, if an HO set already exists, let me know. 

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=3330906

[glakedylan]

the script font is not accurate
but i enjoy messing around with graphics
and its a slow monday
sincerely
Gary

[narrowminded]

Received my Climax 18 ton kit today.  Looks good!   I won't be able to really work with it for a month or so as I'm heading west for some scenery, history, and old steam train riding but the castings look really nice.  I have little to no experience with this stuff and actually find it much better than I had expected.  Maybe it's the mold quality.

[cbroughton67]

Randy's:

[/quote]

Randy,

Would you be willing to share some of your secrets behind building your Class B Climax? It's amazing!

Chris Broughton

[randgust]

Here's the construction thread text from 2005, when I built it.  The photo links died when my original ISP did. 

And as I've told everybody, just in case the Egyptians are right, I'm taking this one with me.   It still ranks as the all-time most difficult build that I'll never repeat and will not do as a kit, period.  Its way too expensive with too many purchased parts to be viable as a kit, and at least on my version, uses a lot of highly obsolete parts from old Roco production.

http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=24154

What it did do, is make me try resin casting for the truck sideframes, with Chris333's help.  That's what started ALL my resin kits, in 2006.   Every resin kit I make traces itself back to this project.

I've encouraged others to do this, and maybe five have actually done it.  What you need to see is this picture on how the mechanism is laid out, once you see this, you can pretty well get the idea of the entire design:



Tank is etched brass from RLW, and a lot of cast metal parts.  Cab is scratchbuilt styrene.   I had it running at Altoona, and it still runs very, very well.



My favorite 'cheat' on this project (other than the dummy jackshaft) is the piston rods.   They don't move, though they look like they do.  They are behind the crosshead, which just flops around in there. But with the crosshead moving back in front of them, you assume the piston rod is moving with it.  It's just a tiny piece of wire painted silver.

[peteski]

Great piece of engineering Randy!

[delamaize]

Randy's:

Randy,

Would you be willing to share some of your secrets behind building your Class B Climax? It's amazing!

Chris Broughton

Mine is the exact same design as Randys, but mine is not as good. lol
Here is a few pictures of mine.
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I used a few more common parts, but it's still not viable for a kit form.

Also, here is another one of my scratchbuilds just for giggles. Heisler....