The Home Machinist!

Use little engines or RRSC 0-4-0 parts that way you have piston valves and outside VG.

Curious how thick the insulation is on your boiler? I saw you used 1/8 thick material but assume you likely made a few wraps around with it.

With Tristan's idea, you could use non scale off the shelf components and hide them somewhere, perhaps in the cab or under the cab. Anyone built something like this?

How does the chain drive work with a ash pan?

Fred,
So does your dry pipe go from the steamdome to the smokebox, as is standard practice, then through the boiler back into the superheater assembly or directly from the steamdome back to the superheat in the firebox?

Could always wrap the boiler with lead sheet under the jacket or add a chunk of lead between the frame.

I'd imagine steel tires might make a small traction difference as well.

Lead truck should only have 20-30 lbs on it total I'd say.

Just an idea but would it be possible for the dry pipe to run directly from the steam dome to the back of the firebox as per Fred's pic then have a few back and forth loops across the top of the firebox, then two pipes, again per Fred's pic back to the smokebox, then combine at the throttle valve, t...

Anyone built a Allen mogul/4-6-0/2-8-0 with a raised smokebox and a wide firebox?

Might also have to adjust the thickness of the front bolster where the lead truck mounts, possibly remove shims or slightly machine it to let the lead truck carry less weight. And/Or remove leafs from the front truck suspension to make it less firm. Also, possibly adjust the elevation of the swivels...

It looks great. The rear end of the cradle looks like a casting! so nice work!

Very nice. was the rear cradle from a casting or did you fab it ?