Any interest in a resin CPR/BCR Royal Hudson Kit?

[craigolio1]

Hey everyone.

I've been in contact with Jeff Briggs about the possibility of having an N scale Royal Hudson produced in resin.  It would be a long the same level of quality and detail as we've seen in his other offerings, which if you've built one, is quite good.

In my vision, the kit would include a boiler/cab body shell that would fit on a modified Model Power Pacific chassis, a tender, trailing truck, and a fret of etchings.  Depending on the details added by the modeler it could represent either a CPR or BCR Royal Hudson, with an oil tender.  Tender trucks, wheels for the trailing truck, couplers, and a few other details would be required to finish the kit.  Decals are available for CPR modelers and if this project happens then I would investigate having decals made to complete a BC Rail model.

Jeff doesn't have time to do all of the drawings and computer work but would produce the model from a 3d drawing, if someone else will draw it.  He has estimated that each kit would cost approximately $175.

Whats required to make this go is:

First someone who can draw a 3d model of this loco in AutoCAD 2004 or earlier, if provided with necessary research materials. 

A commitment of at least 30 units.

Once we have a drawing and 30 orders, it'll take about a year for production.

I'm in!

If anyone is interested please share your comments and suggestions here, but also contact me off list at  craigolio13 at yahoo dot ca

Thanks,

Craig

[chessie system fan]

Are there any plans out there in one of the mags?   That would make things a whole lot easier.

I think you'd also have to do something about weight and motor mounts, from what I know about MP steam.

[craigolio1]

I have a copy of CPR erection drawings for the loco which are more accurate than any published drawings that I have seen.

My plan for the chassis was to grind the detail off of the MP boiler, and slide the new shell over it. Because the Royal Hudsons had the semi streamlined boiler jacket, their boilers had a larger diameter, which makes this possible in the model. This would prevent having to rework the mechanism on the MP chassis. Weight could be added here as well by sliding long pieces of lead solder or Tingsten rod into the remaining void between the shell and the boiler once the shell is on.

No matter what chassis we use we will be plagued with the usual issues that N scale steam suffers. It would be up to the modeller to make any modifications like weight or traction tires, just as we do with any steam loco.

If anyone else can suggest a better mechanism please do. The MP is very close and readily available. The Concor Hudson is way too long. I havn't measured any of the Kato models. I wasn't able to get one.

Craig

[Big Train]

Yep...count me in. I've been trying for years to complete mine.

I've based mine on the Kato Class C62 Japanese 4-6-4 Hudson and from what I remember it was very close in dimension to the Royal Hudson.

I also have some drawings completed by a group in Toronto called OSHOME (Ontario Society of HO Model Engineers) from about 25 years ago which may provide additional information.

Will contact you off list with more details.

[rsn48]

What Spook Show had to say about the MP Pacific:

"Unfortunately, I wound up having to buy three of these things before I got a good one. The first one was delivered with a broken coupler, the second one shorted out and stopped running after a minute on the rails, whereas the third one came unmangled and ran extremely well right out of the box. So, obviously Ajin never did get it together QC-wise. Worse still, the pickup scheme is entirely unchanged, so all of the original caveats vis'a'vis axle and driver wipers still apply.

I've read various rumblings that Model Power wanted to see improved pickup designs applied to all of their steam locomotives (eliminating the axle wipers and, one would hope, improving the driver wipers). If they could've coaxed Ajin into doing that, and at the same time, gotten them to clean up their QC issues, these models might have become something special (as opposed to what a lot of them wound up being - IE total shelf queens). Unfortunately, given the 2014 demise of Model Power I suspect that we've seen the last of these models (improved or otherwise).

Grade: C ("D" if you have sharp curves and steep grades, and "F" without the traction tires)"

http://www.spookshow.net/mp462.html

[mmagliaro]

I have no dog in this hunt, however...

I suggest you search for a different chassis on which to base this.  The MP 4-6-2  has basic mechanism problems.  The pickup
issues can be fixed with swapped out tenders or tender trucks, but the slipping driver problem is a real headache. 
I have fixed some, but not always successfully.  Sometimes LocTite, epoxy, and other tricks can make the drivers hold,
and sometimes, unfortunately not.  It is also a lousy puller without the traction tire driver, and that's not easy
to replace.

Then there's the whole fundamental idea of having the motor integral with the shell, which in my opinion is awful.
It makes the engine very hard to service.  You cannot remove the shell and run the engine to work on problems,
and removing the shell or the gear cover plate almost always leads to broken wires and/or damaged driver wipers.
While we're on the subject... driver wipers???  The Kato engines are split-frame wiperless designs.  That's the way to go.

If you have numbers for the driver diameter and wheelbase, I can poke around and maybe make some suggestions.
The Kato x-6-x Japanese prototype engines are all usually excellent engines, so I agree on the idea of trying to shoot for
those instead of the MP.

[Angus Shops]

This would be one of the Holy Grail items for me. I've been pondering the possibilities for years, I've been too distracted by other projects to follow up.

I am certain that Mr. Briggs would do a superb job on the castings and etched details.

I also wonder about the best mechanism to use. I would think the criteria would be a high quality reliable mechanism, dimensions that are at least close, valve gear of the right style and with good detail, and ???

Assuming a good package can be put together, you can count me in.

Geoff

[craigolio1]

I am open to mechanism suggestions for sure.  There is no point in all of this effort and expense if it's going to be a big paper weight.  I bought an MP years ago based on the measurements being very close to the RH.  The RH has a shorter wheel base than most American Hudsons making commercial models of North American prototypes useless.  I have heard that Kato models are superb runners, and that one them even has the correct valve gear so perhaps this is the way to go?

The Royal Hudson has 75" drivers, spaced 6'7" apart.  Hopefully that can get you started comparing to some Kato locos.

Thanks for your interest.

Craig

[rsn48]

There is N scale pent up demand just here in Vancouver BC but what has to be shown is a product that is viable, reliable, and not have to be a crack master craftsman to put everything together.

[craigolio1]

I should mention also that perhaps Kato has a Pacific that would yield a closer wheel base.  The Royal Hudson has a unique trailing truck with two different sizes of wheels, which would be part of the assembly as well, so finding a Hudson is not really a requirement.

I agree that the final product needs to be reliable other wise there is no point, but I can pretty much guarantee this won't be a shake the box kit.  I've built most of what Jeff has offered and they are well designed and fine looking products, but by no means are the locomotives "easy" to build.  Just about every modelling skill is needed.  The M420 kit for example wasn't really "difficult" to build but it required metal work on the chassis, electrical re-working, loads of drilling, filing and custom fitting, and good eye sight.  I can't imagine the Royal Hudson model would require any less.

Craig

[Palouse51]

Although I'm not interested in such a model myself, I do have a set of 287 drawings of various parts of a Royal Hudson. I'm willing to share if it helps you out. Just email me and we can talk about how to transfer the files.

[craigolio1]

Amazing!  That would be very helpful indeed. I'll send you an email.

Thanks, Craig.

[chrismears]

Good morning

This sounds like a really fun. If you still need a hand with the 3D modelling part I would be interested in helping out - very interested indeed. If only in terms of examples of what I've been up to for 3D drawing and printing check out my store on Shapeways:
http://shpws.me/wi23
(the above link should take you to the Shapeways' page for my N scale CN transfer van, within my store).


Chris

[garethashenden]

First someone who can draw a 3d model of this loco in AutoCAD 2004 or earlier, if provided with necessary research materials. 

What 2004 or earlier? That seems somewhat backwards to me. I'd expect 2004 or later. But then I don't know a great deal about AutoCAD.

[chrismears]

I should have mentioned in my earlier reply but AutoCAD offers several options to save in an earlier format.

Of course, exporting to file formats other than DWG is always a possibility, such as the STL format Shapeways uses.


/chris