The Home Machinist!

Berkshires Rule, Most interesting to hear that one lubricator is working OK and the second lubricator had to be sent to the lubricator shop for repairs. What were the signs of trouble that the lubricator was in need of shopping, and what was the cure used to get it back in service? With enough feedb...

As some of you might know, back in the early 1990's, SuperPower Detail offered a Nathan DV-7 mechanical lubricator in 1.5 scale. Does anyone out there have any idea how many of these lubricators were ever manufactured and sold to the hobby? Were there any problems with their construction or operatio...

Seems that the railroads are investing in some new/old electro pneumatic brake technology with the advent of newer materials. The system was first tried and proven on the high speed Daylight trains and survived for about 20 years before parts and maintenance caused it to go the way of the dodo bird....

When doing research at the California State RR museum in Sacramento, I was asked how they got the coal from the tender of the cab-forward up to the firebox so it could be burned?

Dave,

With all that effort and talent wrapped up in the locomotive and tender, how soon do you plan to paint it?

Are you going to paint it or will you have that done?

What type of paint do you plan to use on your work of art?

Your effort deserves only the best paint job possible.

Robert

One should remember that money generates history with old locomotives. The GE 70-toner was the steam killer for short lines 60 years ago. Once the market was saturated, there was no more need to make them and supplying parts was not the way to make serious profit. By the 1990's Westinghouse was long...

I saw a finish like that one time and it was very hard to figure out what happened. All the logical items already mentioned were put forth by various members of the shop. Turned out the set up for boring was started just before lunch. The setup was completed after lunch. The guy had forgot to tighte...

Octura Models was a supplier of model stationary and internal combusion models. They were in business during the late 1950's and early 1960's if I remember correctly. One old timer reported that they sold internal combustion models designed by a Elmer Wall. If I remember correctly, their catalog fea...

Bill, Very good question and one that many in the hobby seem to forget or neglect. We have spent much energy in heating the water into steam and try to keep that heated steam energy as hot as possible untill it is allowed to expand in the cylinders creating useful work. The branch pipe casing is not...

David,

Nice work as always.

Is the lens ring fabricated or is it a lost wax casting?

Robert

Is the lettering applied on a flat surface like a tender side sheet?

We need something to start with.

I spent 17 years as a professional railroader. Much of that time was in the cab with the responsibility of making the train go and stop. I never got into any serious trouble but did have some close calls when those around me made poor decisions. I only took a set of locomotives back to the roundhous...