Flying Number Boards

[btrain]

I was wondering if anyone makes flying number boards (either detail part or 3D printed) that goes on the front of a steamer? Looking for the C&O ones that I can use on a kitbash project of a light NKP 2-8-2.

Thanks!

[nickelplate759]

I've looked and haven't found any.   I tried to salvage them from an old Rowa/Rivarossi Berkshire, but that didn't really work either.

Wonder if we could commission someone to design a 3D print of a smokebox with those number boards?  I'd love one that fit a Model Power/MRC 2-8-2 - and even more so if it also included the Mars light.   

[edit] Now I also want something to fit a BLI 2-8-2! [/edit]

[btrain]

The only thing I can find is Kato part 934017, which is the bell and number boards for Union Pacific 844. Ordered a few and will test fit them to see if they look right.

[Lemosteam]

Can you show an example?  I may be able to design these to be lighted depending on the configuration.

[nickelplate759]

Sure - give me a day to gather some photos of the models that can serve as an example.  Meanwhile, here are two shots of the real thing - one with Mars light on the smokebox, one without.
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If you could design something to add to the smokebox front that would be a nice general solution, but I suspect that a replacement for the smokebox front with integrated numberboards would be sturdier.

[nickelplate759]

Here are two examples from N scale 2-8-4 models.  The first is from the Rowa/Rivarossi model (early 1970s I think).  It's just the smokebox front so you can see how it is designed.   It's OK, but the details are fairly coarse.
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 The second is the front of the Life-Like/Walthers model (hopefully this will be an Atlas model someday!).   I didn't remove the smokebox front, but the basic construction is similar to the Rowa design - the numberboards and headlight are integral with the smokebox front, which is a separate piece from the rest of the smokebox.
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The Model Power/MRC Mikado (and Pacific - same shell) have a similar design with the smokebox front being a separate piece, but (obviously) without the flying numberboards.

I don't care if the numberboards are illuminated - although that would be Very Cool.  I do care that I can still illuminate the headlight and Mars light.

And yes, I thought about simply putting the 2-8-4 smokebox front on the Mikado - it's too big 

[jdcolombo]

@Lemosteam

I can send you a spare smoke box cover from a LL Berk with the numberboards if that would be useful.  I would very much like to have these too.  I think that a separate detail part you can glue to the smoke box cover would be fine.  Don’t need or want lighting for it, and then I could apply the part to all my different Mikes.  But a whole smoke box cover with a lightable Mars Light above the main headlight would be like water to a  man dying of thirst!  The LL Berks didn’t have the Mars light, which was added to every Berk by 1950. 

John C.

[Lemosteam]

@nickelplate759 and @jdcolombo I will send you both a joint PM to discuss.  I'd like to get my hands on both the old rowa (for the Mars light dimensions and I already have a LL version of the cover.  This could be designed to make any loco smokebox with this detail.

I have experimented successfully with a FUD headlight and if you leave areas unpainted they will glow right through a decal, ignore the super-heavy charcoal brush paint on the magnified image:

.

[altohorn25]

Dirk from the Netherlands makes number boards for Santa Fe steamers; you might be able to alter them to suit your needs:

https://www.atsfnscalemodels.com/projects/steam%20engine%20number%20boards.html

[nickelplate759]

Since I haven't yet acquired one of the BLI USRA light Mikado - would someone who has take a look and see if the smokebox front is a separate casting like it is on the Rowa Berkshire and Model Power Mikado?