Revisiting the PRR H10sb

[Dave V]

Some of you folks have seen my article in the recent suppliment to the NTrak Steam Information Book on kitbashing a PRR H10sb from the Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0, a Minitrix K4 boiler, and a Minitrix B6 cab.

Over the weekend I re-boilered my PRR H10sb. Lou D of the Atlas board was kind enough to send me a few castings he'd made of the Minitrix K4 boiler, and frankly, I didn't care for the hack job I'd done on the first one. The boiler sat too high, the running boards were a bit crooked, there were some glue globs around, and the shell sat crooked on the chassis (it leaned a bit to the fireman's side). So thanks to Lou, I redid it. Here's what it used to look like:



Here's the new boiler:



Other side:



Oh, and I renumbered her...  Her old number (4048) was more typical of an H9...  The H10 class seemed to be more often numbered in the 7000s and 8000s.

Here's a closeup:



I was able to lower the boiler a bit by thinning out the shell with a dremel.  The first time around I'd been too nervous about popping through the top of the boiler with the dremel to really remove enough material.  This time, with a sizeable stock of boiler castings, I was brave enough to really rout it out.

Notice how much of the frame needs to be removed too; under the electrical tape is a TCS M1 decoder.



Oh, and a parting shot of my M1 project:

[John]

Looks real nice .. how does it run?

[Dave V]

John,

She runs like a Swiss watch and can pull anything I ask her to.  That Spectrum 2-8-0 is awesome.  Even with a lot of the weight removed, she can stull pull the bumper off a car.

[RDG_Rich]

Very nice Dave!

I have done a bash Reading I-10 with the Spectrum connie, and plan on redoing her as well...

[Dave V]

Rich,

Photos, please!  I love N scale steam bashes, and I'm a RDG fan too!

[RDG_Rich]

Okee Dokee Dave.

Here she is (incomplete) I had problems with the tender drawbar, the stock one was too short, this is before I found a solution, and the solution wasn't a good one. This is also pre-bell replacement.

This one wasn't running right, and I pulled it apart to figure out what was wrong, and left the project go...

I have another Spectrum Connie and another Bachmann shell that I am going to "re-engineer" to make a better model, and I haven't had the time available to modeling to get the project off the ground. I also now have scale drawings to work with, so the project might take a different approach this time.

[Dave V]

Nice job!  I really love the weathering job too.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Oh man, you guys are TOO MUCH.

That's it. I demand you bring BOTH of those locomotives by for a photo session...

[shark_jj]

really outstanding work Dave, this kind of effort shows what's possible in N scale.

[Iain]

Oh man, you guys are TOO MUCH.

That's it. I demand you bring BOTH of those locomotives by for a photo session...

Dave, you've GOT to come to the New Bern show now, just so I can get photos before Ed.

[inkaneer]

Dave , your work is great and obviously you went with what was available at the time and I am not in any way belittling that at all.  But here is something you might consider.  How about using the drivers from the B'mann heavy mountain for the H10?  The B'mann Connie''s drivers are really too small for the H10 whereas the Heavy Mountains are almost spot on.  Just a thought.   

[Dave V]

Maybe...  I guess it really depends on how much surgery the frame would need.  The overall length of the Spectrum 2-8-0 chasis is spot-on; if the heavy mountain is anything like the light mountain, the frame would need major surgeries at both ends.  The motor would hang too far back also.

I'm fine hacking up plastic shells and even wiring decoders...  But one you start talking splicing frames, moving motors, etc. that's Max Magliaro territory! ;D

[Ed Kapuscinski]

You know, the ONLY thing holding it back right now is that horrible trix headlight...

[Dave V]

You know, the ONLY thing holding it back right now is that horrible trix headlight...

Now, why you gotta be hatin' on a playah like dat, huh? ;D

[Mark5]

Nice Dave! I really admire your work.

Mark

(at least Ed isn't ragging on the NJ Intl Position Lights)