Running board material

[Dale_F]

I need to replace a running board on an engine (LE American), and would like help finding a source. It is pressed aluminum, meaning you can see the same pattern reversed on the back side. It is thin, probably 1/32" thick, and I need to find a piece about 4" by 19". It is obviously pretty common as I see it on lots of engines.

Can anyone suggest a source?

Thanks.
Dale

[JimJam]

Hi Dale -

I have that material on my running boards too. I've never seen it anywhere except on LS engines. Until I started working at the Navy Shipyard and the elevator door closed. There it was ! On the inside of the elevator door.

Someone should be able to give you direction.

- Jimi -
Harvard, MA

[jmurray]

Try Railroad Supply, it appears to be the same pattern as my 0-4-0 had.

http://www.railroadsupply.com/

[765nkp]

I have gotten some that looks just like that off some old storm doors. It was used on the solid panels at the bottom of the doors.

Tim

[Bill Wilkins]

Gutter Gaurd, to keep leaves out of eves trough. Check a hardware store or Home Depot.
BGBill

[Pontiacguy1]

I was just going to say that a lot of that pressed material was the solid aluminum panel off the bottom of an old storm door. I have this on one of my locomotive's running boards, and it looks just like what you show in your picture. It is held on with a few #2-56 hex head bolts. Could just as easily be epoxied on there or something like that if you didn't want to use the bolts.

[318J]

Will wood not work?

[gcarsen]

or find one of the old "Little Chief Smokers" they are made of the same material.
Grant

[JimJam]

For the look of real diamond plate I've used this stuff. 1/10th scale RC aluminum plate.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hot-Racing-RC-A ... Sw2ENW7hFK

If you do a search on eBay make sure it's aluminum and not plastic. And if you're buying two sheets or just one. The link above is for two 9 x 11 sheets.

It looks real nice painted up !

- Jimi -
Harvard, MA

[boomerralph]

Mike Venezia at Little Engines has a true diamond plate that looks prototypical and also very good. You might want to try him.
highiron@aol.com

[Marty_Knox]

Will wood not work?

Yes, wood will work. It needs to be thicker than a metal running board. Per CFR 49:23.17.b2 'Not less than 10 inches wide. If of wood, not less than 1 1/2 inches in thickness; if of metal, not less than three sixteenths of an inch in thickness, properly supported.'
In 1 1/2" scale they need to be 1 1/4" wide, 3/16" thick if wood; .0235" thick if metal.

[Cary Stewart]

Just as a historical note all locomotives of that vintage had wood running boards with either brass or steel edging. I have seen brass on a lot of full size engines from the 1870s. However, I had not seen steel used in this application until I saw it on the Glennbrook 3ft gauge loco just finished in the Nevada State RR Museum shops. The engine and tender were restored to as built condition including the original boiler which was is quite good condition but did need some re enforcing to meet code for steam operation around the grounds. The RRSC CP 173 used aluminum castings with wood grain cast in.
Cary