My Southern Ms4 Tender Project
-
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:16 am
- Location: Suffolk, VA
My Southern Ms4 Tender Project
Hello Everyone,
This is my first real post, so here goes. Having been a member of this board since 2007, I decided to post some photos of my tender that is near completion. There are still a few parts to be made, but after that the real fun begins, painting. The engine is about 75% complete and with the tender painted and numbered, I will be able to concentrate on finishing it.
.
This is my first real post, so here goes. Having been a member of this board since 2007, I decided to post some photos of my tender that is near completion. There are still a few parts to be made, but after that the real fun begins, painting. The engine is about 75% complete and with the tender painted and numbered, I will be able to concentrate on finishing it.
.
Mike McCotter
-
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:16 am
- Location: Suffolk, VA
-
- Posts: 251
- Joined: Tue May 11, 2010 9:28 pm
- Location: Upstate NY
Re: My Southern Ms4 Tender Project
WOW! That's some beautiful work, Mike. How about some pictures of the engine?
Todd
Todd
Re: My Southern Ms4 Tender Project
Mike:
Very nice!
Jim Kreider
Very nice!
Jim Kreider
- Trainman4602
- Posts: 3482
- Joined: Sat Oct 16, 2004 9:26 pm
- Location: New Jersey
Re: My Southern Ms4 Tender Project
Hi Mike
The tender look fabulous! Can't wait to see in behind the locomotive.
The tender look fabulous! Can't wait to see in behind the locomotive.
ALLWAYS OPERATING MY TRAIN IN A SAFE MANNER USING AUTOMATIC AIR BRAKES
Re: My Southern Ms4 Tender Project
Wow!
I've always been detail oriented, so your presentation is very welcome, as you've done an exemplary job.
Thanks for sharing.
Harold
I've always been detail oriented, so your presentation is very welcome, as you've done an exemplary job.
Thanks for sharing.
Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
Re: My Southern Ms4 Tender Project
Oh my goodness, that is one sweet piece of work!
Looks like 1-1/2" scale, maybe? Are the re-railing frogs bought or did you make them? Need a couple for my tender and yours look like they would be right at home on it.
Thanks for the photo's and any construction details you could share with us would be greatly appreciated.
Donald
Looks like 1-1/2" scale, maybe? Are the re-railing frogs bought or did you make them? Need a couple for my tender and yours look like they would be right at home on it.
Thanks for the photo's and any construction details you could share with us would be greatly appreciated.
Donald
-
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Wed Jan 17, 2007 6:16 am
- Location: Suffolk, VA
Re: My Southern Ms4 Tender Project
Thanks to all for your kind compliments.
Todd, I have a few old photos of the engine that I will post soon.
Donald, Yes it is 1.6 scale. I machined the rerailing frogs from aluminum bar stock. The real ones were laying around a section house at the railroad I worked for, so I took photos, measurements, and made sketches. They are close but a pattern for both (inside and outside) might be better.
Todd, I have a few old photos of the engine that I will post soon.
Donald, Yes it is 1.6 scale. I machined the rerailing frogs from aluminum bar stock. The real ones were laying around a section house at the railroad I worked for, so I took photos, measurements, and made sketches. They are close but a pattern for both (inside and outside) might be better.
Mike McCotter
- Dave_Johnson
- Posts: 238
- Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 8:13 pm
- Location: Winchester, Virginia
Re: My Southern Ms4 Tender Project
Nice! Hope to see it run soon.
Dave J.
Dave J.
Re: My Southern Ms4 Tender Project
A nice brass tender always looks impressive. Almost a shame to paint it.
Very few of us venture into the rerailing frog area as it involves much tedious work with angles and curves. When done, a frog looks impressive on the tender frame or secreted away in the tool box of a caboose.
The tender trucks appear to the the Railroad Supply or Railroad Warehouse Andrews trucks which in the past were supplied with soft metal or aluminum end block spring retainers. Their life span was never very long if the locomotive was operated on a regular basis. They had a bad habit of being forced out by the spring pressures and replacement was always part of locomotive maintenance.
Since the end block spring retainers were not shaped properly to begin with, I made a master pattern of the correct shape which is much more robust in design that looks like the real deal. Sent the master pattern to Brad Bluth of Model Rail Castings where he made a mold and lost wax bronze castings soon followed. A look at his website will show the castings that will certainly kick up those beautiful trucks on your tender.
I kept the decent original spring retainers on the inside of the spring sets, where they will never be seen, and installed the new castings on the outside ends where they would be seen to the best effect.
Very few of us venture into the rerailing frog area as it involves much tedious work with angles and curves. When done, a frog looks impressive on the tender frame or secreted away in the tool box of a caboose.
The tender trucks appear to the the Railroad Supply or Railroad Warehouse Andrews trucks which in the past were supplied with soft metal or aluminum end block spring retainers. Their life span was never very long if the locomotive was operated on a regular basis. They had a bad habit of being forced out by the spring pressures and replacement was always part of locomotive maintenance.
Since the end block spring retainers were not shaped properly to begin with, I made a master pattern of the correct shape which is much more robust in design that looks like the real deal. Sent the master pattern to Brad Bluth of Model Rail Castings where he made a mold and lost wax bronze castings soon followed. A look at his website will show the castings that will certainly kick up those beautiful trucks on your tender.
I kept the decent original spring retainers on the inside of the spring sets, where they will never be seen, and installed the new castings on the outside ends where they would be seen to the best effect.
- Dan Willey
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2003 10:44 pm
- Location: North Carolina, USA
Re: My Southern Ms4 Tender Project
Mike,
Beautiful!
Rwilliams.... I am pretty sure Mike fabricated the trucks from scratch with weldments. Here is a close up picture of the truck I took while visiting Mike's shop.
Dan
Beautiful!
Rwilliams.... I am pretty sure Mike fabricated the trucks from scratch with weldments. Here is a close up picture of the truck I took while visiting Mike's shop.
Dan
1/8 scale: Mercer Locomotive K4, Saturated Steam E6
Full scale: Woodings CBL speeder/motorcar NARCOA
Full scale: Woodings CBL speeder/motorcar NARCOA