The Home Machinist!

The ALCO looks to be coming along nicely there! What gauge sheetmetal are you using for the body? Are you riveting or welding it together?

cheers,
Nathan

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Nathan

16g. sheet metal, mig welded throughout. Some surface parts have J.B. Weld adhesive, but I will use a different J.B. Weld compound inside the seams to strengthen and fill in. Something in the nature of Bondo will fill in gaps and fill rough metal work. Cosmetic work will follow the definitive body structure, of course.
Brian made a constructive observation about the engineer's window size, and I've double-checked it on another drawing, and he's right. Correction coming!

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"Always stopping my train, and risking my ankles, with American made, New Balance sneakers."

I have added the forward section cabinet doors to the best of my ability. There are some details that will get added after I complete major "blocks" of body work. I put gray primer over bare steel after washing it down with orange cleaner to remove flux, grease and steel yard oil.
I have come to better appreciate what autobody repair guys do for a living, too. Okay, major progress to this date is the cosmetic addition of hood doors and the shortening of the front and rear steps. I had noticed the steps looked to be as tall as the hood itself and this was going to have to be worked on. A friend pointed it out as well. Having checked the drawings from which I calculated the measurements, it turns out the end views are slightly larger than the side views! Ho ho ho! Very funny joke! I remeasured and removed 2 inches of excess length! Well, she looks better in my eyes and hopefully will pass muster. Rivet counters will find a number of detail issues, one of which is the radiator shutters, which should be in three panel sections. Well, they aren't, and that's just the way it is on this locomotive.

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"Always stopping my train, and risking my ankles, with American made, New Balance sneakers."

They just had different sized panels on hand last time they shopped the unit and used what was on hand... its a prototypical practice.

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Mattaniah Jahn

Matt Corps. Railsystems,
operating on the Manatee Central RR
http://www.flickr.com/photos/62441046@N06/sets/

First side in World's Fair paint as delivered in 1964.
Okay a few spots and pulls from the tape, but as of today the headlights, number boards, and markers are wired in and work. These came from Oznium.Com, which I recommend. I will wait to put the fuel tank on until the trucks are completed. Wheels are being supplied by Stephenson Machine Shop. The truck bolsters need recasting to accommodate the electric motors in the most efficient manner. Lettering will come from Bangor Neon, here in Bangor, Maine. "Dashing Dan" heralds are here, and in the correct scale, too! I need to build the battery box cab steps as well.
Will she run this year? That is still a big question, since as a novice locomotive builder, my experience and resources often diverge from what I want to do today. Probably the next big construction on this end will be a stand on wheels. I need the saw horses for a vegetable stand by the road!







Hope she meets everyone's approval.

-Dick

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"Always stopping my train, and risking my ankles, with American made, New Balance sneakers."

August 02, and I'm afraid she won't get to run this season. I need the trucks completed and get the motors installed, plus the correct wheels, axles, and gearing. I shouldn't complain as I am relying on a number of friends to help me, and each has his own life!
Here you see, and probably can barely make out, the headlights, number boards, and marker lights, illuminated by LED's from Oznium.com . These are 12 volt LED's, pre-wired with resistors in line and covered. Here they are wired to a double pole-double throw switch, to control lights in either direction. Also wired in are two cooling fans.
The lettering is also on hand, but I've not applied it as of yet, since more internal work is required, and I 'd rather not scratch the decals.
One other change is that it is sitting on a newly constructed mobile work station, rather than saw horses. Hopefully the saw horses will be hold produce for sale at the end of the driveway!





Try to note the color of the markers is red.




The short hood does not have markers wired in, but does bear illuminated number boards and headlights.

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"Always stopping my train, and risking my ankles, with American made, New Balance sneakers."

I am waiting for the wheel/axles combinations, recently purchased from Herring Engineering. In the meantime, I wanted to post more recent images so people can see the progress in my ALCO. I just fabricated and added the "fuel tank", handrails, battery boxes, lights, and most electronics. The trucks are finished, but the journal boxes need to be milled out. This is my first locomotive project, and yes, there are compromises between the prototype and the model, but I have to say, I can't believe these started with two beams of "C" channel and some sheet metal. I'm happy with the result thus far.

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"Always stopping my train, and risking my ankles, with American made, New Balance sneakers."