PRR N1 2-10-2 from Trix Decapod

[jbcz]

Here's another easy bash, this time from a Trix Decapod to a Santa Fe.  In this case, I used two trix Dec boilers, chopped sand dome from Bachmann 4-8-4, Bachmann USRA tender, Microtrains pilot, HO air tank, n-scale detail pieces, shortened Trix 4-6-2 trailing truck, and Kato firebox pieces.  This required some major surgery on the chassis to fix the misaligned steampipes, retain the operating headlight, and to fit the shell on the chassis.  I also cut the cab to approach the proper PRR look.  Again, I used PRR line drawings and plans that I found in various places to come pretty close to prototype dimensions.  The loco pulls like a champ and no longer suffers from imtermittent electrical pickup due to the Bachmann tender.  This is a nice easy way to take an old model and give it new life.

[chicken45]

Nice!

[strummer]

That IS nice; I remember reading about a similar project in HO, back in the late '60's in Model Railroader. A Bowser I1 kit became an N1...

Jeez, I'm getting old......

Mark in Oregon

[jbcz]

I'm getting old too.  I did this because I remembered an old article in MR about using a Trix Dec to make a Santa Fe and decided to "duplicate it" this winter in some free time.  But, I'm no expert modeler and don't have the skills to do the elaborate work the original modeler did.  I looked for an easier way to build a "good enough model".

[mmagliaro]

Ya know, that's not bad at all.  I completely get the idea of doing a "good enough" model.

You got the steam pipes lines up, the bigger air tank on the front, cab, Delta  trailing truck
and that big squat forward dome (which is a real spotting feature).  Those are the big things that
make it look like an N1. 

I have a few "quick" things that I do think could improve it without much pain.  These are things that jump out at me as I look at it.
First, I'd try to paint or blacken the drivers.  That will do two things.  It will hide the flanges, and it will
also make the rims out on the faces black, which will create the illusion that the drivers are bigger than they actually are,
which would be good because the N1's drivers were bigger than the Trix decapod's.  In fact, just painting the
front rims (around the wheel centers) black would improve it, I think, even if you can't blacken the rest of the metal
drivers.

I would also paint (or better yet, NeoLube) all the metal rods and valve gear.  Cutting down the shiny metal would
make it look better.

And finally, I'd swap out that pilot wheel for something without spokes.  The spokes give it away as either being
pre-1920 or European.  A spoked pilot wheel doesn't look right on a big  PRR engine.

A "second level" would be getting the power reverse off the left side and making the left-side walkway just one straight
line.
Correction:  The power reverse does belong on that side, just below the walkway instead of above it, and the walkway
should be straight.

These are all minor points.  I love seeing those old Trix models get rehashed into useful engines. 

[jbcz]

Good suggestions.  I was pleased at how much it captured the look of the N1 but your ideas will improve it immensely!   Painting the drivers and rods will really help.  And you're right, pretty painless.  I even have a pilot truck laying around that I could put in.

[Nato]

             :|Very very nice. The original Camden and Amboy Models produced a very nice black resin cast shell/ boiler and cab that had the steam pipe alignment corrected. I purchased one and never got around to fitting it to my Trix Decapod.                              Nate Goodman (Nato).   

[jbcz]

I redid the tender following PRR plans to make a better match with the prototype.  I used a minitrix 4-6-2 tender with a Bachmann underframe so that the loco retains excellent running qualities.