N&W E2a "(& WM K-2) Pacific kitbash thoughts

[Mark5]

for some reason I've had "steam on the brain" lately ...

Been thinking about a kitbash of an N&W E2a pacific (1910) - some of the USRA long tenders that originally came on the USRA 2-8-8-2s (Y3) were quickly "bumped" to smaller locos:


http://imagebase.lib.vt.edu/index.php

I have pix of a few of these still with the USRA longs in the late 1940s with the 1940 & up lettering.

The driver size on the USRA is 73", N&W 70" - close.

MP N scale USRA light:

http://www.tcsdcc.com/decoderpics/Model%20Power%20N%20scale%20Pacific%20or%20Mikado/model_power_n_scale_pacific_or_mikado.htm

Add a Bachmann USRA long.

The cab is a problem.

Maybe I could snag a MDC 2-8-0 (or 2-6-0) cab somehow:

http://www.blwnscale.com

This purely conceptual, I have way too many projects in cue as it is!

Mark

[wm3798]

I'm expecting an Atlas Pacific in the mail today... I'll be smashing and bashing it into a WM K-2.  Looks like outside of the flanges, it's very similar to the Model Power rig.  It'll be fun to compare notes as we deconstruct these side by side...

Lee

[Mark5]

Lee, sounds pretty cool. I'm not sure if I'll act on this any time soon - I'm actually deconstructing a Y6b at the moment.

Heh, are those lines molded into the boiler casting on the MP loco?

So the K-2 - something like this?

[wm3798]

That's the one.  The biggest chore will be moving the domes around.
And reworking the smokebox front to raise the headlight.  I'm also cogitating on making it one of the Baltimore based oil burners.
which will require a bunker for the tender.

Not sure what the diameter of drivers is, but the Rivarossi drive looks pretty close, as does the MP.
Lee

[Mark5]

Lee,

Looks like we both could use a different cab ...

Mark

[Chris333]

New headlight, fatter stack, rework the running boards, cab 

[Mark5]

New headlight,

Not necessarily. The pic above is in earlier form - 1934.

In the era I would shoot for (50s) the headlight looked like this (578 got a hand me down 16,000 gallon tender from one of the USRA mountains):

1958


But yeah, lots of details would/could be changed. I'm actually surprised at how well the USRA boiler lines up with the E2 ...

I'm gonna guess the boards are also cast into the boiler too ...  :

[wm3798]

The shape of the boiler concerns me a little.  The WM engine appears to have more of a straight line across the top, not the big change in diameter midway through.  This is what I'm basing mine on, though...


I'm going to dig up the plans that were in the BMX for doing this conversion.  It was done by a guy over in England, who ended up donating it to the Society to run on their N scale layout in Union Bridge.  It's going to be very much a "close enough" project, and like yours, probably not on the front burner for awhile.

It didn't come today, but when it does, I'll sit down with some photos and make a list of "must haves" and "I can live with its"

Lee

[Mark5]

This "talking out loud" process is inching me closer to doing this ...

Lee, apparently the WM had 69" drivers (close enough!)

http://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=613

The boiler "taper" seems much more subtle on the K2:

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/wm202sa.jpg

Interesting that the middle drivers on this class all seem to have "oddball" spokes:

http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/wm206s.jpg

[Chris333]

I'm gonna guess the boards are also cast into the boiler too ... 

Yeah I filed them off once and it isn't fun, but can be done.

[Chris333]

Interesting that the middle drivers on this class all seem to have "oddball" spokes:

Boxpok   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxpok

And hey look at that suttle hint in the background 

[wm3798]

The oil burners all have that little toilet seat looking thing for covering the stack, too.
Lee

[3rdrail]

Those WM Pacifics (203 and 208) do not have Boxpok main drivers, those are Baldwin disc drivers. Boxpok drivers were made by General Steel Castings, IIRC, while Baldwin disc drivers were made by Standard Steel, a Baldwin subsidiary. Both designs were patented.

[wm3798]

I just got my Rivarossi Pacific in the mail... in looking at your photos of the MP, the shell casting is just about identical, only yours is die cast metal and mine is plastic.
In looking at the boiler profile, I'm wondering if I couldn't make something happen using the Bachmann Connie boiler...  The profile and diameter seem a lot more in line with the WM proportions...  I think I'll have to lengthen it a bit, though.  Gregg, do you still have those boilers leftover from your Reading conversions?

I'll probably tackle the tender first.  I'm going to see if I can make Fox Valley wheels work with the tender pick up.

Lee

[Bob Bufkin]

Lee:

I got an old Minitrix PRR 0-6-0 and a couple tender bodies laying around it your interested.  Don't know if they would do any good but the engine hasn't worked in years (was in my old trackside junkyard).  Don't remember what the tenders came off of (I used the trucks for something else).
Bob