[Dano]

Some of you may remember my build to represent U-2-c 6153 from a post-war Lionel Berkshire. I have begun an up-grade to try and bring her closer to the 'real thing'. So far she has been torn down and is ready for detailing.

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Miles to go before we sleep!

 

[Dano]

I have to move the stack ahead on these conversions and this time I made the stack detachable to make it easier to attach the body to the chassis and refill the smoke fluid.

 

[seayakbill]

Quite the project. Looking forward to the finished steamer.

Bill

 

[Dano]

Moving forward. She has a new light and a different smoke unit that needs a little less juice to operate. The original light mounting was shorting out so now it has '71 Olds parts, permanently mounted!

 

[Millstonemike]

Would love to see those linkages in operation ....

 

[Dano]

Would love to see those linkages in operation ....

Ha ha, so would I! I didn't have enough info on them to make them functional so they are just for looks. Also part of the system is mounted to the chassis and part to the body. I'm trying to keep the two separate for ease of maintenance. It's the difference in a scale model and a working toy, compromises.

 

[Dano]

I decided to upgrade the pilot and bring it more in line with the prototype along with the boiler front. The headlight is mounted higher so I moved it up a tad and made the pilot from piping.

 

[cole226]

Dano, that pilot looks real good. The old girl is shaping up.

 

[cid]

Some good modelling there!!!

 

[Dano]

After spending an afternoon researching the Baker valve gear I may decide to tinker with it a bit and add a couple of linkages to the cross head. Most of the linkage visible is part of the reversing mechanism and it doesn't move. We'll see.

 

[Dano]

This is for you Mike! Oops won't upload!

 

[Millstonemike]

This is for you Mike! Oops won't upload!

If it's a video, it won;t upload. The standard way to post a video is to post it on YouTube and supply the video's link here using the tool right after the paper clip (the slanted 8 tool).

 

[Dano]

Thanks Mike, I forgot!

Anyhow, some pics of the re-done Baker Valve gear. I still have to re-do the reversing components but all the moving parts have been re-done and fitted along with new cross-head guides and the valve gear housings.
I was going to go with this...

but I decided it wasn't good enough.

 

[Dano]

The final version of the valve gear. Finally!
The only thing left of the valve gear that is Lionel's is the cross-head. It is all mounted to the chassis.
the only thing connected to the body is the reversing rod that runs to the cab. Not sure how i'm going to work around that yet.

 

[Dano]

Okay Mike, we'll see how this works.

 

[Millstonemike]

No Steam? Geez ... Just kidding.

Well done. They're look outstanding in motion.

Of course, us sophisticated tinplate aficionados hide all that busy machinery for a streamlined look

Tinplate Driving Rods

 

[Dano]

The old girl is back together and chugging along. She had to drag some lumber but that was what was sitting on the track. I have put one of Dallee's heavy duty electronic reversing units in her. They are larger than the lighter unit and are a bit if a fight to squeeze in.

 

[MichaelE]

Looks great. I love the smoke defelectors.

 

[Dano]

Thanks Mike. The sharp eyed among you will notice the absence of cab numbers, they have since been added once the cab had a day to cure, I sort of rushed the pics.