Atlas/Micro-Ace 2-6-0 driver size and spacing.

[craigolio1]

Thanks @peteski

[randgust]

Peteski really may be on to something here.   

Here's the specs on the BR80 (prototype, not model)

http://steamlocomotive.com/locobase.php?country=Germany&wheel=0-6-0&railroad=dr#4326

43" drivers on 10.5 foot wheelbase.

And if you search for "fleischmann n br80" they are certainly out on Ebay, new and used.

The cylinders and valve gear are a lot closer.

Wow, I found this, all in German, but with subtitles, and excellent shots of the mechanism design:

You definitely have deep flanges there, at least on the older ones.  But the mechanism looks solid (not Roco for sure!).  If you put a good tender in there (powered or not) with 8x8 pickup the pickup issues will no longer apply.

Hope you proceed, the crew here certainly has helped me with my own builds over the years, even Peteski, who really convinced me the lead truck on my 4-4-0 looked like a POS.  Hate it when he is right....!

[peteski]

Hope you proceed, the crew here certainly has helped me with my own builds over the years, even Peteski, who really convinced me the lead truck on my 4-4-0 looked like a POS.  Hate it when he is right....!

Don't feel bad Randy. TRW motto is "better modelign through peer pressure" and may I add "through combined members' knowledge".

I only thought of this model after you mentioned the differences in the running gear.  One advantage I have is that I'm familiar with European models, and there is a wide range of European steam locos available from European manufacturers. Much greater variety than what we have for U.S. prototypes. 

Fleischmann in general makes very good and solid models. Yes, the model depicted in the video is one of the early runs, and has deep flanges, but even all the current European releases still  have deep flanges (and of course rapido couplers are still standard).  The model shown in that excellent video (good find, BTW) is probably from the first run.  It doesn't even have working headlights, where I think the subsequent releases had them.  The motor is standard straight-wound 3-pole, but those motors are pretty strong and well made.

The flanges could be turned down, even using basic hobby tools.

BTW, the language in the video is Italian.   

[craigolio1]

Awesome. Thanks guys. I’ll check that out!

This project is in the research and parts gathering stage so there won’t be progress in the VERY near future. I’m just in the steam kind of mood right now cause I’m working on another steam project… one of my unicorn locos… and it’s going quite well, the next one is on my brain.

I love the “better modelling through peer pressure” mind set of TRW. My modelling has been elevated again and again. That said it is tough working in the shadows of giants some times. Haha. But I sure am thankful for it. I’ve met some great people too.

Craig

[randgust]

Well, you've got a good support group here.

And if you come across the 'I can't do it' step, ask for help.  My 4-4-0, despite all my attempts to perfectly mount different drivers on Rivarossi axles, had a noticeable wobble, amplified by the pilot.   I had Mark (Narrowminded) redo the wheels and axles for me for a second try, his were perfect.  And things I couldn't find anywhere, like a single top crosshead guide with piston, were supplied by members here out of their junk drawers.

That's a really cool little locomotive, nothing else quite like it, and will be great fun to watch a build.

[Chris333]

I can't believe back then we were happy to find the correct sized brass tube for a boiler. Now most of the "modeling" would be done on the computer.







The only thing I see in the 2-6-2 drawing that would give me a problem is blending those domes into the boiler.

[craigolio1]

Well, you've got a good support group here.

And if you come across the 'I can't do it' step, ask for help.  My 4-4-0, despite all my attempts to perfectly mount different drivers on Rivarossi axles, had a noticeable wobble, amplified by the pilot.   I had Mark (Narrowminded) redo the wheels and axles for me for a second try, his were perfect.  And things I couldn't find anywhere, like a single top crosshead guide with piston, were supplied by members here out of their junk drawers.

That's a really cool little locomotive, nothing else quite like it, and will be great fun to watch a build.

There’s another modeller I know who wants the same loco, and he’s well connected to good CAD/Printing guy so my hope is that if I do all of the legwork on finding everything below the running boards, he’ll find away to get the rest to magically appear . The loco I’m working on now has a 3D printer boiler and cab and it’s awesome. I plan to post a build thread but not until it’s nearly done. I’m a chronic non finisher and my threads usually stall.

[craigolio1]

I can't believe back then we were happy to find the correct sized brass tube for a boiler. Now most of the "modeling" would be done on the computer.







The only thing I see in the 2-6-2 drawing that would give me a problem is blending those domes into the boiler.

No kidding! The possibilities are endless!

[craigolio1]

I’m tempted to pull the trigger on one of the BR80 just to get my hands on one and play with it.

One thing that is important is the difficulty of adding the leading and trailing trucks, and a tender connection.

The bottom of the loco doesn’t leave much room:



However it appears to be removable without exposing other important workings. Looks like you lose the couplers (not important) and the brake hangers (which can also be added and would likely be different anyway). 





Obviously I’m aware that significant motivation would be required, but starting with a more “American” style of loco may be less dangerous.  It I’m not adverse to hacking up perfectly good models.

Any thoughts?

Craig

[Sokramiketes]

...TRW motto is "better modeling through peer pressure"...

Well, the Modutrak motto is that, but we like you guys to be included in the cool kids club too.   

[peteski]

Well, the Modutrak motto is that, but we like you guys to be included in the cool kids club too.   

Thank you!
I have ever seen that motto used here, but I'm not familiar with Modutrak (other than it is a modular layout standard), so I plead ignorance. 

[peteski]

I’m tempted to pull the trigger on one of the BR80 just to get my hands on one and play with it.

One thing that is important is the difficulty of adding the leading and trailing trucks, and a tender connection.

The bottom of the loco doesn’t leave much room:

However it appears to be removable without exposing other important workings. Looks like you lose the couplers (not important) and the brake hangers (which can also be added and would likely be different anyway). 

Obviously I’m aware that significant motivation would be required, but starting with a more “American” style of loco may be less dangerous.  It I’m not adverse to hacking up perfectly good models.

Any thoughts?

Craig

Your prototype's leading and trailing trucks are spaced far away from the driving wheels.  You should be cut away the ends of the plastic bottom plate (the coupler mounts), and if needed file or mill some of the metal frame ends,  Should be doable.  As you noticed, the bottom plate is there for the couplers and to hold the brake shoes (cosmetic).  Then drill and tap holes for the truck pivots.

[randgust]

The one thing you can't get from 3D printing in resin or FUD is weight.   And in N scale, weight over the drivers is everything.     In bigger scales, I think it's a lot more practical, but on the projects I've done, the boiler in particular just has to be all metal, and anything else I can get or do in metal is metal - stacks, domes, anything.

Now I'll use 3D parts and plastic if I can get them; my ATSF 4-6-2 ended up with a full resin tender from ATSF scale models (Dirk) and a printed cab and trailing truck, but the entire boiler was cast brass and weighed a ton.   My D16 used a printed cab, plastic cylinders, but that boiler is brass tube with poured metal, and the fragile parts - like running boards, handrails, everything else - all metal.   Back to the 2-6-0, here's mine, I'd scratchbuilt the cab from styrene, but if you're a good 3D modeler that could have been printed.  Catch was that I had no drawings of that cab, only photos, it was factory delivered with a different wood cab


link:  http://www.randgust.com/HVR5033%20before%20paint.jpg

My Climax B was so light that I had to add cast metal barrels and crates to the tender deck, again, all the metal I could find over that lead truck.

It depends what you plan on doing with it.   My 2-6-0 has to handle five cars up a 4% grade on an 8" radius curve, and it's just on the verge of slipping.  Weight matters.  Same with the Climax B, it's pushing cars up a 4% grade.  If this was primarily a display model rather than a runner, 3D makes a lot more sense in N.

[craigolio1]

You raise a very good point. My hope with this loco is that because the boiler has a larger diameter that the stock model, I’d be able to add quite a bit of weight in there. On the loco I’m working on now, it has a 3D printed boiler and cab. Its so thin I was able to add three layers of lead tape on the inside, plus more in other places. This added enough weight to make it that same as the stock Spectrum 2-8-0, even though I had removed the weight in the cab. And most of this weight is over the drivers in the boiler. I haven’t had the chance to test it’s ability to pull but I’m optimistic. And I can still add lots of weight to the cab (just hoping not to). My hope was that if I do use a 3D printed boiler on 1077, that I could achieve even more added weight, using this tape, due to the smaller mech and larger boiler.

Craig.

[Chris333]

Well...  You can cast resin prints in brass. They even make more expensive printers that use wax to be directly cast. This is what Fast Tracks now has to make cast frogs. Shapeways can do the same.

This is Shapeways

But it was around $200.

Compared to my home printed resin: