Restoring a Little Engines American

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Bmalone
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Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:07 pm
Location: Ft Oglethorpe GA
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Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by Bmalone »

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I am in the process of restoring my dad's Little Engines American. We ran this engine for many years at Midsouth from about 83 to 97. I have several other engines but I finally got motivated and started working on it. It was built in the 60's by a guy in Birmingham Al. He never ran it because he didn't want to get it dirty. We bought it in 83 and with some help from Bill Conner got it steaming and running good. (For a Little Engines American) It has a leaking flu and I was able to fix that. In the past few weeks I have been going through it as well as getting it ready to be repainted. All the brass was originally polished and then clear coated over, but after 60 years had horribly tarnished. I had to strip it all worn and now it it polished and looking good. I have stripped all the paint off the tender, cab, pilot, sand and steam domes, head light, tender trucks as well as about everything else. I painted and packed grease in the tender trucks. She is coming along. This is really my first time working with steam I am really enjoying it.

I have built 11 Electrics, 3 GP'9s, an electric Mogul, electric 0-4-0, a Alco SW2, as well as a few other engines but like I said this is my first time working on steam. I should be done with it in a few weeks, but want to have it done and running for the MSLS's 50 anniversary.

Here are a few pictures I took today. I with I had some before pictures but here is a few in progress pictures.
Attachments
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Brad Malone
Rossville GA

GP-9
Electric Mogul
Little Engines Atlantic
Alco SW2
Kit bashed Mikado
Little Engines American
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Pipescs
Posts: 2194
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by Pipescs »

but want to have it done and running for the MSLS's 50 anniversary
Supper impressed with your project. I too am working on an old L.E. American Project.

When is the 50th Anniversary Run?
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
kcjones611
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2013 4:22 pm
Location: Chattanooga, TN
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Re: Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by kcjones611 »

We've been told that its the Spring 2016 run weekend. They are asking that anyone that has a running steam engine to attend!
Nick P.
Chattanooga, TN

Jesse Livingston's "Newbie"
Allen Models Mogul, #573
Backyard Rails/MDM F7A & B, Southern Pacific #6351

Too many other projects to think about.
Pontiacguy1
Posts: 1565
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:15 am
Location: Tennessee, USA

Re: Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by Pontiacguy1 »

The Mid-South Live Steamers' official 50th anniversary date will be December 17, 2016. However, the club will be celebrating this milestone at our Spring meet in 2016. Instead of the normal 3 day meet, we are going to have a 5 day meet, and also try to schedule some special activities and a ceremony to honor the founding members. All of that has yet to be worked out. The dates for the meet are set, though:

Tuesday,May 3rd through Saturday May 7th, 2016 at Maury County Park in Columbia, TN.

Public ride times will still be Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 AM until 4 PM. We would love for everyone to be there, especially those who used to be regular attendees who may not have been back in a while. Also, we would love for some of those older locomotives who used to regularly polish the rails there to be back for this meet. Brad has one of them: He and his dad used to run that American at every meet for quite a number of years. John S is working on another, a 4-6-0 built by early MSLS member Bud Bartholomew.

We've done a lot of upgrades to our facilities and look forward to seeing everyone.
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Pipescs
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Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2010 10:16 pm
Location: Lester Alabama

Re: Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by Pipescs »

Great looking engine. Does yours have any type of brakes? If so would you mind posting a photo?
Charlie Pipes
Mid-South Live Steamers


Current Projects:

Scratch Built 3 3/4 scale 0-4-4 Forney
Little Engines American
20 Ton Shay (Castings and Plans Purchased for future)
Bmalone
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:07 pm
Location: Ft Oglethorpe GA
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Re: Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by Bmalone »

It currently does not have brakes on it. It use to on the tender. They were vacuumed brakes. Since it is propane fired I am going to put brakes on my propane car.
Brad Malone
Rossville GA

GP-9
Electric Mogul
Little Engines Atlantic
Alco SW2
Kit bashed Mikado
Little Engines American
Bmalone
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:07 pm
Location: Ft Oglethorpe GA
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Re: Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by Bmalone »

Here are some updates to the American, It has been painted, and reassembled. All that is needed is lettering and pin stripe.
Attachments
IMG_0537.JPG
IMG_0538.JPG
IMG_0540.JPG
IMG_0558.JPG
Brad Malone
Rossville GA

GP-9
Electric Mogul
Little Engines Atlantic
Alco SW2
Kit bashed Mikado
Little Engines American
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gwerhart0800
Posts: 225
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:02 pm
Location: Loveland, CO USA

Re: Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by gwerhart0800 »

Can you give some details on your painting prep and process? Thx
George Erhart
Loveland, CO
https://lovelandcreatorspace.com
Bmalone
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Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 7:07 pm
Location: Ft Oglethorpe GA
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Re: Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by Bmalone »

I started off by sand blasting the cab and pilot, then used paint stripper on the tender and drivers as well as the running boards. Before I sand or prime anything, I wipe everything down with paint thinner to remove any oil with a lent free towel. Then I use wax and oil remover from Auto Zone and wipe it down prior to paint. Then I used a etching primer on the tender, cab and pilot. I didn't use it on the boiler jacket because I wasn't sure it would hold up to the heat. All the black, (Jacket, Tender, ect..) I used Rustolium grill paint. It is satin. I bought a hardener you can get at Tractor Supply. You mix it in with your paint and shoot it. The hardener also gives it a glassy shine.

The trucks on the tender were sandblasted as well. I used Cast Blast paint on them because I really like the color, It is very durable paint as well.

All the brass I polished and then clear coated it with high temp clear to keep it from tarnishing.

The red is from Tractor Supply. It is there "Majic" commercial brand. I also added the hardener to it. After painting, I usually wait about a week for the paint to harden before I handle it to much.

Here is a few more pictures from today. It is all complete. Painted, assembled, pin striped, and lettered. The pin stripe is just auto pinstripe from Auto Zone, and the lettering I did with my own cutter.
Attachments
IMG_0562.JPG
IMG_0561.JPG
Brad Malone
Rossville GA

GP-9
Electric Mogul
Little Engines Atlantic
Alco SW2
Kit bashed Mikado
Little Engines American
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Dick_Morris
Posts: 2838
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 2:09 pm
Location: Anchorage, AK

Re: Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by Dick_Morris »

Nice work. It looks great!
Pontiacguy1
Posts: 1565
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:15 am
Location: Tennessee, USA

Re: Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by Pontiacguy1 »

She sure does look pretty! Hopefully she'll run just as good as she looks. You've done a great job.

My own experience with the etching primer is that it will NOT hold up to the heat/cool cycles on a locomotive jacket, and will chip and peel off in spectacular fashion. Your instincts in not using it were correct.
IMG_2878b.jpg
this was after the FIRST run. I may not look like it, but if you turned those chips over, you could see the layer of etching primer there. I bought this primer at an automotive paint store, and followed their prep, mix, and spray instructions. I ended up using a gloss black High Temperature grille paint, which worked pretty good.
Kevin S
Posts: 81
Joined: Sun Apr 11, 2010 4:11 pm
Location: Rocklin, CA

Re: Restoring a Little Engines American

Post by Kevin S »

I beg to differ on the use of etching primer. I have used it on my American with great success. Looking at you picture it looks like your paint did not hold up to the heat. One question was the etch primer sanded prior to painting?
-Kevin S.
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