Nn3 Rio Grande Southern 2-6-0 build

[160pennsy]

I can't tell for sure from the pictures, but I think you may have built the cab backwards. you got the front of the cab on the back and vice versa.....

Looks that way to me too! A little heat and the ca will break loose quick!

delamaize & Lemosteam,

No worries!...The cab is assembled correctly as per the engineering drawing supplied with the instruction pages. The kit did not come with any additional cab front window pieces so I might have to fill in those gaps with bits of styrene carved & filed to shape.

[Iain]

I really wish someone would do some Maine 2' gauge stuff. I would live to do a small layout based on 1930's logging.

Alas, it would be way oversize!  Z gauge track really comes out to being just under 42" (41.5, if I recall), so it's really wide even for 3' gauge.  That said, for 3' gauge, it's not massively noticeable, especially without anything to compare with.  If you did 2' gauge right, it would be really freaking tiny.  Maybe T would work?

As it is, I got to see Paul's stuff in person, and these photos don't do justice to how small this kit really is.  I can tell y'all, he's got a challenge ahead.


Paul, remember I mentioned the AZL tender trucks?  It occurs to me that you may be able to file down the sideframes on the AZL trucks and the sideframes in the kit and glue them on the trucks to get good, all wheel pickup.  To make the electrical work, however, you'd probably have to re-engineer the tender.  If my stuff wasn't packed, I'd invite you over to look at what I've got.

[Dave V]

Nn3 is really cool, and is still a solidly craftsmen-only niche.

That said, you start seeing some diminishing returns in Nn3.  I would consider it if, for example, I wanted to model the PRR/East Broad Top connection at Mt Union with my primary focus being the N scale standard-gauge PRR.

For Colorado modeling, I wouldn't have much standard gauge (unless I was modeling Alamosa to Antonito) so I think I'd go HOn3.  You can go down to Caboose Hobbies and compare an HOn3 D&RGW 3000-series narrow gauge boxcar and a modern 60 foot N scale boxcar and note that they're pretty similar in size.  Where you can't scale down is the scenery...a train station is the same size whether it serves a standard gauge track or a narrow gauge track.

I'm interested in seeing how this little gal runs when she's done.

[superturbine]

Oh man!  I love this.  I still have hangers and if you need a few I will send them.  Great Build!!!

[nkalanaga]

Dave:  That's basically what I did.  My narrow gauge, like my MILW electrics, is "operating scenery" for the BN standard gauge.  The trains run, and I can have some fun running them, but they're not the central subject of the layout.

Like you, if my primary interest was building a narrow gauge railroad, it would probably be HOn3.  In fact, I could do my interchange in HOn3, in the space I have, with some rearranging.  The standard gauge would pass through, from staging to staging, while the narrow gauge would be expanded, doing most of the switching.  A dual gauge idler car would work perfectly, and would actually better fit my "prototype", since the narrow gauge theoretically owns the town trackage.  N scale dual gauge #4 turnouts don't work well, even in code 40, which means that most of my industrial track couldn't be dual gauged.  If I did the town in HO, as the main feature of the layout, I could use #5s at a minimum, in code 55, and they'd work fine.

[Chris333]

I have the chassis you are starting with. If you want to change the motor you will have to flip the frame over and drive the motor shaft out of the worm with a steel pin slightly smaller than 1mm. Old broke drill bits work good for this. To get the worm on the new motor you could lightly ream the worm so it slides on and set it with locktite.

I put a whole different motor in mine with more gear reduction:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5760016284203511714
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5755071679653047122
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5598960134071287954

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Also if you can add tender pick-ups...
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5116119667116837186
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5116119731541346642

I have a set of blackened drivers for mine:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5595602090260803010
But I couldn't get it to barely run with them. I couldn't figure out what was wrong and then one day I popped in the older red spoked wheels and it ran perfect. I neolubed the red drivers and this is the last pic I took of it:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5760016286684623938
Sits on a shelf right now awaiting my interest 


I would try to keep the valve gear simple. Long ago I tried to make a Nn3 2-8-0, tried to make working scale valve gear, it sits in a box now... Stuff is small.


To get all the drivers and idler gears set after you take the bottom plate off... well just practice    Get 2 drivers lined up and hold them in place till you get the last one. Keep pulling it out and moving to the next gear tooth till you get them all lined up.

[160pennsy]

Oh man!  I love this.  I still have hangers and if you need a few I will send them.  Great Build!!!

superturbine/Jason,

Thank you for replying and yes I would like some (referencing sample photo below of a built-up boiler shell show the qty needed around 12-14 ). The kit came with brass wire in 2 different diameters (0.010 & 0.020) that are for the left & right side piping. What size holes do your hangers have? I'm still at the early stages of the build and will not add the piping till much later on, but please PM me to work out the transaction details.

[160pennsy]

I have the chassis you are starting with. If you want to change the motor you will have to flip the frame over and drive the motor shaft out of the worm with a steel pin slightly smaller than 1mm. Old broke drill bits work good for this. To get the worm on the new motor you could lightly ream the worm so it slides on and set it with locktite.

Also if you can add tender pick-ups...
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5116119667116837186
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5116119731541346642

Hello Chris,

Thank you for the hints and photos of your re-motoring steps. For now I might just stay with the stock 3 pole motor until some testing runs show any issues. The tender pick-ups you did are exactly what I'm looking for. Do you have any extra sets of the "Etched Kato style axle end contacts" ?. Another question  - are the metal wheel-sets custom made or a stock item?

I have a set of blackened drivers for mine:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5595602090260803010
But I couldn't get it to barely run with them. I couldn't figure out what was wrong and then one day I popped in the older red spoked wheels and it ran perfect. I neolubed the red drivers and this is the last pic I took of it:
https://picasaweb.google.com/ErieChris333/Nn3#5760016286684623938
Sits on a shelf right now awaiting my interest 


I would try to keep the valve gear simple. Long ago I tried to make a Nn3 2-8-0, tried to make working scale valve gear, it sits in a box now... Stuff is small.


To get all the drivers and idler gears set after you take the bottom plate off... well just practice    Get 2 drivers lined up and hold them in place till you get the last one. Keep pulling it out and moving to the next gear tooth till you get them all lined up.

Your photos of the Neolube blackened driver spokes turned out great but I've never purchased or used the stuff so another technique to master. The RLW kit comes with a cast metal pilot that has valve guide braces already attached. One step in the kit instructions call for removing the main rods (because they are too short) and fabricating a new set, or solder a piece in the middle of the old one. It has a drawing or template for the new rod shape & length but I wish RLW could have provided a new etched metal main rod in the kit. I'll need to come up with a solution for how to handle this?

[mmagliaro]

Paul:

I was the one who had sets of pipe hangers etched, but unfortunately, they are all gone.  ( I was surprised that
that many people wanted them! )

As for NeoLube, buy it here:
http://www.p-b-l.com/

Use the drop-down at the top, select "22 Paints/Cements", and the NeoLube will be right at the top, for $9.95.

I like this jar better than the one that Micromark sells.  It is less tip-over prone, and the brush in the cap of
the Micromark bottle is huge and useless, so it just gets in the way.

Easy stuff to use.  Use a small brush, and just brush it on.  It's hard to make it look bad.
Do be wary that it is conductive, so on wheels, just be careful not to bridge any insulators (like the plastic
insert on an insulated wheel).

Great project.  I'm following along on this one!

[Cajonpassfan]

Yes, a great "little" project.... I have a soft spot for Colorado narrow gauge also, and have been collecting cars over the years, but decent locomotives have always been out of reach; the stuff is so minuscule.... I'll definitely follow this!

The backside of the cab is curious... Was that an early Colorado cold country  version of an all-weather cab?

As to Neolube, it's great stuff. PBL's $10 price is good, but they have a minimum $25 purchase plus minimum $12.50 for mandatory UPS shipping and not a lot of N Scale appropriate items to fill the order with. Maybe some paints and soldering supplies. So an order of Neolube becomes pricey in a hurry....

Good luck with this project!
Otto K.

[Dave V]

The backside of the cab is curious... Was that an early Colorado cold country  version of an all-weather cab?

Yes, although if you've seen #20 (or any of the extant D&RGW/RGS 4-6-0s and 2-8-0s) in person you realize very quickly that what you might gain in warmth, you quickly lose in roominess.  Those cabs are cramped!

[superturbine]

superturbine/Jason,

Thank you for replying and yes I would like some (referencing sample photo below of a built-up boiler shell show the qty needed around 12-14 ). The kit came with brass wire in 2 different diameters (0.010 & 0.020) that are for the left & right side piping. What size holes do your hangers have? I'm still at the early stages of the build and will not add the piping till much later on, but please PM me to work out the transaction details.

Hmmm,
Just looking at it I think you might be better off using the Gold Metal Models "Steam Detail kit.  I would use the handrail stanchions for hanging the pipe work.

[Chris333]

The tender pick-ups you did are exactly what I'm looking for. Do you have any extra sets of the "Etched Kato style axle end contacts" ?. Another question  - are the metal wheel-sets custom made or a stock item?

Sorry I made them a long time ago, but the fellow I got the idea from made them out of brass and nailed a dimple into them. The wheels are from Marklin freight cars using the uninsulated sides and plastic tubes to join the axles without them touching.

I'm not sure exactly how the siderods work on this model. The pins are barbed so it is a little scarey pulling them out, but they pop right back it.

[160pennsy]

Sorry I made them a long time ago, but the fellow I got the idea from made them out of brass and nailed a dimple into them. The wheels are from Marklin freight cars using the uninsulated sides and plastic tubes to join the axles without them touching.

I'm not sure exactly how the siderods work on this model. The pins are barbed so it is a little scarey pulling them out, but they pop right back it.

Chris,

How difficult would it be to have new siderods (qty=2) and tender truck pickup strips (qty=4) etched in stainless steel or phosphor bronze?

[Chris333]

For the siderods you might want to ask Marshall. I know they have some sort of etched kit, I just don't know if it fits this 4-6-0 loco.