Sneek Peek from Keystone Details- The Leslies are coming

[Lemosteam]

Coming soon, 2 pack only.  Any scale but Z (unfortunately not printable). N Scale RS3L CAD shown below.

Designed in full scale. Adapted for N (some of the finer features lost in scale reduction and for printability), proportionally scaled for HO Scale and above.

Customized Leslie Chime arrangements:

• Any chime at any location, forward or rearward facing
• Any chamber; Round, Tab, RS
• Any manifold, single, dual, triple regular, triple low, triple ultra low

I will announce the link when the design is complete.

All custom requests will be made permanent offerings on the Keystone Details website.

Damn you @Ed Kapuscinski for this rabbit hole!



Here is Ed's Frankenhorn in his fingers for a project he is working on, prior to cleaning.

[Maletrain]

Wow, those look really good.  Now, I need to figure out exactly what the B&O used as 5-chimes on some passenger units and apparently, 3-chimes on some freight units.

[peteski]

While these are great idea, I think they will be way too fragile to last long on any regularly operated layout.  Speaking from my own experience with small items protruding from a model (on both home and NTRAK layouts).  And I'm no klutz!

My favorite type of this type and size of a detail is lost-wax brass casting. Those are quite sturdy and durable

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Hehe. I'm glad there are now out there.

Yes, they'll be fragile. But I'll be buying some spares.

[wes_sutton]

Are they sound equipped?

[tehachapifan]

Wow! Those are sweet!!

[mu26aeh]

I was going to search, but figured I'd ask bc I'm almost certain we have horn experts on this site that have compiled lists etc.  But is there somewhere that lists what horns were standard on different RR or locomotive class ?  Was there a standard, or just whatever they wanted to put on/had in stock at time of build.

[Lemosteam]

I was going to search, but figured I'd ask bc I'm almost certain we have horn experts on this site that have compiled lists etc.  But is there somewhere that lists what horns were standard on different RR or locomotive class ?  Was there a standard, or just whatever they wanted to put on/had in stock at time of build.

@mu26aeh , Well I had some help from Ed's Conrail historical society.  Once you have seen images of each specific component to the horns, i.e. manifold (the casting that carries the air to each chime), the chimes (the shorter the chime, the higher the number), and the power chamber (three styles; round, tabbed, and RS- shown in the CAD image) and compare those to an image of a specific loco, it might be easier that you think.  Only thing is to confirm which RR used Leslie horns (there are others but I am not going there.

When I set this up for ordering, I will have images of each part on the page to help mix and match from.

[central.vermont]

My one concern is how difficult are these to remove from the sprue without damage?

Jon

[Maletrain]

In N scale, can you really tell the difference between a 5-chime Leslie and a 5-chime Nathan without a macro lens?

I'll be happy to just have the correct number of horns with the proper lengths pointing in the correct directions. 

But, some sort of prototype use list would be helpful, because typical photos of locomotives from the '50s tend to show just that either the original 2 horns are still there or that they have been replaced with something in a cluster that can't be seen clearly in the photo.  Maybe the B&ORHS can help me with my particular road and period.

[nickelplate759]

There is a lot of info about air horns, even sound samples, here:

http://atsf.railfan.net/airhorns/

[Lemosteam]

My one concern is how difficult are these to remove from the sprue without damage?

Jon

@central.vermont they are only attached at a single point- the the mounting pin that would go into the hole in the model.  The "cage" as I call it is just to protect it during the cleaning process.  As you can see the openings are too small to get fingers in there. You should be able to cut the cage away with relative ease.  the stresses in the cage will never get to the horn.

Also on a simialr sprue for something else, I was able to use an air eraser before removing it from the sprue as well.

[C855B]

Will these be "Fine Detail Plastic" (formerly "FXD"), or a newer photoresin?

[Lemosteam]

@C855B They will be FXD only resin would never print crisp enough for the details on them.

[up1950s]

Nice to have , but I wish they were a LWBC . Can't see them not breaking off . Now make a cardboard box with the top open and stick one in , and place in the diesel house where it can be seen .