Best Of New Brass EP-2 assembly & Mod clinic

[u18b]

Just a thought - when you put the wheelset in the acid bath, could you protect the gear with something like petroleum jelly (after testing to see how the jelly reacts with the acid, of course)?

George

George,  That was a good idea, but I don't think it was necessary this time.

One thing I learned from this is all alloys are different-- and selenium acid like some alloys better than others.

For example- brass.   The brass that was in the axle of the old 1960s axle I had was eaten alive by the acid.  But the brass gears in this Kumata 2003 loco were barely touched in 1 minute 10 second. 

So it worked out fine----- in this case.

[peteski]

Ron,
Jax also sells several different "flavors" of the blackening solutions, depending on the metals it is to be used on. There probably are some differences in the chemistry.

[u18b]

this is a wonderful thread that shows your skilled and gifted work
thanks for sharing

kindest regards
Gary

Gary, thanks for your encouragement.  It has been quite an adventure!

[u18b]

Ron,
Jax also sells several different "flavors" of the blackening solutions, depending on the metals it is to be used on. There probably are some differences in the chemistry.

I'm sure there are probably different acid bases.  Like nitric, phosphoric, and hydrochloric (and many others.).

I think they make one just for brass.
This one was for Iron Steel, & Nickel.

[u18b]

Wow.
Reached a milestone.

Overall the model is finally finished- almost one year to the day!!!!!!!!!  LOL.

I still want to post about balancing the cabs.
And of course lots of photos.  LOTS of photos of the finished product.

I'm going to take a small break this week to finish up a couple of projects.
I have a couple of repairs.
I need to finish the brass Pennsy Silverliners that I bought for my Kumata book (so I can sell them and get my money back).
And I have two articles that are so close to being finished, it is silly.

On the EP-2, I still have a lot of work to do.

The next major step with be catenary on my photo modules.

I want to take some good photos of this model hoping it will do well in a magazine.
Unfortunately, since I'm a deep south CSX modeler, I have no catenary.
So I'll have to add it to a photo module.

I studied I good bit of Milw cat wire, and feel this is something close to what I plan to make.

Two plain poles bent outward, supporting two central wires.

[nkalanaga]

Usually the "span wire" style was used on curves, at section breaks, or for multiple track, but there's no reason it couldn't be used on straight track.  It would be much easier to keep straight than single poles, especially on a photo track, where it will get bumped.

Don't forget the "stubbed" poles, as that was a very noticeable part of the MILW main line.  The story I heard was that they didn't expect the electification to last long enough for the untreated cedar poles to rot.  It did, and rather than replace all of the poles, they drilled holes next to each one, stuck a short creosoted stub in them, and steel banded the old poles to the stubs.  The system lasted long enough that the stubs were starting to decay.

[peteski]

Hey Ron, why didn't you model those cool triple bulb headlights?  You could squeeze three 0402 LEDs in the headlight housing, couldn't you?

[u18b]

Actually, I did give thought to it.

Round disc with three holes.
Probably would use fiber optics.

Those kinds of headlights were used just before the disastrous rebuild of 1953.

Since I was modeling 1948, there were not around yet.

[u18b]

Not sure if I should start another thread.....
This post is directed at those of you who speak Japaneese and hang out at Japaneese modeling sites.

I wish I had photos of other Kumata RTR painted locos.
It is a bit of a puzzle, and I would love more info not only to better understand this project, but also for my Kumata book I will publish one day.

This was the last Ready To Run fully painted EP-2 that Kumata had.  I'm guessing it was a showroom sample- and it has problems (like having two B end shells).  But at any rate.....



Now here is a paper that came with the model.




Now, Kumata made three variations of these models.  And there are three drawings on this paper.

Well, I stumbled on where this photo copy came from.

In an undated copyright, NJ INternational published a book by Noel T. Holley called Milwaukee Road Bi-Polar Electrics.  The subheading (series heading?) is Classic Power 2.

Well, lo and behold, on the foldout on page 26 we find this....



So obviously, Kumata photocopied this page- leaving off the Milw/UP yellow version.

So seeing these color drawings, it makes me wonder if THIS is the three versions Kumata made.

I came across three label names in my research, but have no idea what the models looked like.  They are:
Black Painting
Hiawatha Painting
and Milwaukee Painting.

Now I would assume that my cigar scheme RTR model is the "Milwaukee Painting."

I also notice that the drawing of the black scheme has no sand boxes on the nose.
So I'm wondering if MY kit is a kit of the "Black Painting."

This model I'm building has no sandboxes.


In reality, I think there is some KMT confusion.
This book must have been published in the early 1980s when NJ Custom Brass was making EP-2s in multiple scales (incl N).

In reality, the ORIGINAL NJ Custom Brass EP-2 Bipolar model most closely resembles the As-Delivered version.

The new models (2003) represent what I would call the Active Duty look (for most of their lives before the 1953 Streamlined rebuilding).

So here is my guess:
Version One- Called the "Black Painting" and they were black.
Version two-  Called the "Hiawatha Painting" which (oddly) represented the Experimental Scheme.
Version three- Called the "Milwaukee Painting" which represented the cigar band locos.


OK.  So here is my question.

Can anyone post to any Japanese discussion sites to see if this assumption is correct?

I would LOVE to see a photo of what KMT calls the "Hiawatha Painting".

[u18b]

Just heard back from the laser etching lady.

She sent me a proof-- and it is wonderful.

As I had hoped, the laser CAN know what a white solid is.
Notice that these lines (like at the wheels) do not cross each other.
The laser only etches what is BLACK on my drawing.

So the previous error must have come from when she manipulated my original drawing (which had some problems which I corrected.).



I'm very pleased.

I've given her the go ahead.

[peteski]

Nice!!

[u18b]

Found a great photo of the original 6-Stripe Railroad Fair unit (the one I built).

Wow.  Date of the photo is 1952.  So it lasted a fairly long time in this scheme.  Probably was repainted not long after into the cigar scheme.

[u18b]

I'm pretty much finished with the locomotive.

Now I have to get ready to take photos for an article.

I already mentioned that I will be adding Cat wire to my photo module with trees.

But it would look silly pulling nothing.  So I need at least ONE car for it to pull.

So, I bought a Skytop car from Bill Denton.

I'll be painting it in this scheme.
This has the light gray roof to match the loco (it was eventually painted black).



You might say.... why make the LAST car?

Well, because, for the train coming in from Chicago to Seattle Washington, the Bi-polar then moved around the train and pulled it into Tacoma BACKWARDS.
(meaning locomotive and THEN the Skytop car).

Thus, the following is not a rare photo.


When you see this, you know the shot was taken somewhere between Seattle and Tacoma (inclusive).

[delamaize]

That was taken at Seattle Union Station, Near where Century Link Field is now......

https://www.google.com/maps/@47.5987253,-122.3297012,316m/data=!3m1!1e3

[u18b]

I need some advice on what trucks to place under this car.

I started at Spookshow's wonderful site.
http://www.spookshow.net/trucks/trucks.php


Is this the truck I need?
http://www.shapeways.com/model/1690521/nystrom-526e-2.html?materialId=61

Looks like he has 4 or 5 variations.