On30 2-6-0: Help needed to finish :)

[tom mann]

Guys,

The Bachmann Mogul is pretty nice for a $70 locomotive.  The coal could have been molded a little bit better, but I plan on covering it up with wood so I left it alone.



So this is my first weathered steam loco.  After digging up the August 2002 MR to see how to weather steam, I realized that I don't like that ashy look of the loco on the cover.  This made me realize that so many model steam locos are painted this way, and to me they look too chalky - but I don't know, maybe they should sometimes.  The prototype photos that I like seem to be blacker and more oily.

Here's what I did, and I need your help in finishing this cause I really don't know where to go from here. ???

1.  I airbrushed the entire loco and tender with thinned Tarnished Black.
2.  I airbrushed the pilot, drivers, and tender with DRGW Brown mixed with Steam Power Black.  I lightly painted this over the rest of the loco.
3.  I painted the drivers and lower half of the tender Dirt with a few drops of Oxide Red to warm it up a little bit.
4.  I painted the top of the loco Steam Power Black to represent soot.




 :-\

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Now that you've done that... go clean up that mold parting line on the stack.

Next fix up those rods. They'd never be that color, they're steel with grease around the bits that move.

Then, re-graphite the smokebox & stack.

I admit I'm pretty biased by tourist roads, but check these out to see how non-abused steam looks:

http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?category=13

These may be especially helpful:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=196710
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=196647
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=196126
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=196009
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=195942
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=195885
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=195667

If you want to go to Strasburg to see this stuff first hand, I'm only 5 minutes out of the way

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Also, drill out the stack larger. Right now it looks like a gun tube. It should look more like a boot.

[tom mann]

Thanks Ed, and nice selection of photos.

[Chris333]

I propose a period paint job with minimal (  : ) weathering, but still make it look used.

http://www.rbadesign.net/TERRAPIN/JW_Mogul.htm

[Chris333]

Hey, what ever happened to that Berkshire you were working on?

[tom mann]

Hey, what ever happened to that Berkshire you were working on?

It's on the list

[3rdrail]

Tom, the weathering is far too uniform, and those "gold" classification lights stick out like a sore thumb. The boiler behind the smokebox is jacketed with asbestos bricks and thin sheet steel held on by the boiler bands. I have never seen a steam locomotive in service where the finish on the jacketing was the same as that on the smokebox. The smokebox gets hot and any paint burns off in short order, which is why it is coated with a graphite mixture. SP had a special silver paint it used on the front. The boiler water is usually treated to insure that scale doesn't form on the tubes, which leads to mineral deposits everywhere steam leaks or is exhausted. Then, there's usually oil or grease around moving parts like crosshead guides and crankpins. No matter how beat up a steamer is, the piston rods are always shiny steel if the locomotive has seen service within the past week.

As to looking "ashy", yep, a lot of cinders came out the stack, and a great many on those fell on the locomotive. I've walked a couple of running boards, and they crunch under your feet!

[tom mann]

All right, cool guys, thanks for the feedback.  Now I understand why the area under the stack is always a different color!  A little more work and then time for photos...



Ok, I used Ed's and Gregg's good advice to make the smoke box and rods look more metallic-y.  I did so with an almost-dry silver sharpie.  I left some soot on top of the smoke box.

Ed, I'm not that gifted to remove the parting line on the stack.  It does bother me, but I would only leave a flat spot or file it down to nothing. ;D  I think I will drill out the opening, though.  Good call on that.

There is a wood texture on the running boards.  Would that be a solid piece of wood or would it be framed with steel?

Is the sand dome where the number 16 is?

[nscalesteve]

Tom where did you get this engine for $70... ? eBay ?

[tom mann]

Tom where did you get this engine for $70... ? eBay ?

MicroMark.

[Chris333]

Micro Mark

Yeah small dome is for sand, hence the lines running to the drivers.

Other options for the stack:
http://cgi.ebay.com/On3-On30-BRASS-DSP-P-C-S-LOGGING-NESMITH-BALLOON-STACK_W0QQitemZ160135062712QQihZ006QQcategoryZ485QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/On3-On30-BRASS-DSP-P-C-S-LOGGING-CONGDON-STACK_W0QQitemZ160136208029QQihZ006QQcategoryZ485QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

And bulk up your collection with another boxcar:
http://cgi.ebay.com/On3-On30-WISEMAN-PEACH-BOTTOM-OUTSIDE-BRACE-24-BOX-CAR_W0QQitemZ160136406564QQihZ006QQcategoryZ485QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 

[Chris333]

The running boards could be wood with metal strapping around the edges:


This is one of the Lawndale RR's dinky 3' gauge 2-8-0 and what I used for inspiration on my On30 2-6-0.

[3rdrail]

Arrrgh! You went and colored the builders plate gold again! I have never seen one in natural brass. They are always the same color as the smokebox on an active locomotive. On those "stuffed and mounted" they are painted black or red and only the rim and letters are polished bare metal.

Tom, tone the builders plate down and paint those *^#^&* class lamps! Also, the crosshead itself should be a darker finish than the rods or guides.

As to the number "16", yes, it can go on the sand dome. It can also go on the steam dome, with the railroad initials on the sand dome. There was no rule, numbers and initails went wherever management wanted them. Most roads did make sure the number plate had a visible number, though.

[tom mann]

Ok, Gregg, I'm on it ;D