# Konrad bash winners! / tooting my own horn (lots of pictures!)



## Eric M. (Jan 3, 2008)

First off I want to congratulate the other winners of the 2008 SITG Konrad bash contest; Tom Bowdler for his awesome cab forward, tram engine bash and Gail Whigham for her "Coffee Pot".   I am honored to be in the ranks with some truly talented fabricators.

Now it's time to toot my own horn--er um whistle, that is./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif  I managed to place second.  I need to give thanks to my good friend Henner Meinhold.  Henner managed to take time from his own schedule building Betsy to machine many custom parts for this engine.  I am going to post some unpublished detail pictures here, but that shouldn't stop everybody from running right out to buy the latest issue of SITG./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/wow.gif  I can't possibly list all the modifications here so for a more thorough description please refer to the magazine.  There are also more descriptions and pictures available on *David Wegmuller's site*:

Here is an unpublished overall shot of my logging themed Konrad









The flywheel was replaced.  The new one was machined from a PM Research spoked bronze casting:









The scratch built tender houses an Accuraft C-16 fuel tank.  With the goodall valve and the large fuel tank I can run for about an hour.  The shovel is hand assembled from brass castings and features a polished walnut handle:








A peek in through the cab window reveals  the pressure gauge, throttle, turbo generator valve, and the reversing handle:








A walk around to the side of the engine gives us a view of the custom pipework with super-scale pipe elbows:









Fuel comes to the burner via a hard pipe that runs along the outside of the tender, a rubber hose and quick connect fittings droop between the engine and tender:









This cool little bench vise is made from cast brass.  It is available from Regner and it works!!









Here is a shot of the turbo generator.  I modified a brass turbo generator casting to actually vent steam.  The effect is controlled by a mini globe valve in the cab.









And finally a rear view:









Well that about wraps it up.  I suspect I'll continue to add things to this locomotive.  I seem to have a problem ever calling a project "finished".  Thanks for looking.

Best regards,

Eric


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## weaverc (Jan 2, 2008)

Eric,
VERY nice work. I like the little detail touches like the vise, the cab to tender floor and the fuel pipe from the tender to the loco. Your work will be an inspiration many. Good on ya.....


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## Pauli (Jan 3, 2008)

Really beatiful Eric!


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## cabforward (Feb 18, 2008)

Eric 
I have been trying to get gas tanks from Accucraft. Were you able to get the one from the c-16.  Will you bring it up to sac for the national Summer steamup?
Thanks
Matt


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## Tom Bowdler (Jan 3, 2008)

Eric, 
You are being too modest! From my first sight of your weathered Shay in Sacramento some years ago I knew your talent was exemplary. I especially like the elbows on the steam lines and venting steam through the generator is a stroke of genius. How about posting a video of your loco working so we can all enjoy those features? 
Gail's Coffee Pot was on display at Diamondhead. In 7/8ths scale it is a large, awesome creation. 
Since the contest photos were taken I have added the Regner water top up system and whistle Ken Johnson (Train Dept) sells. They have made running the little oscillator even more enjoyable and I highly recommend them. Carl's scratch built loco was also fun to watch and his detail work is amazing. What talent we have on this board! I REALLY enjoy what folks produce and hope they keep at it. I know I have lots of ideas for future projects. 
Have fun, 
Tom


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

*Very *nice Eric!!  Great work!! 









I also think the steam from the generator is a very cool idea!  I look forward to seeing her in action!!


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## Eric M. (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for the kudos.  I really appreciate it.  Especially when I get to
hear such things from some of the talented folks here on MLS.  There is a movie of the Konrad in action already:



David Wegmuller made this video.  Unfortunatly there are no detail shots of the generator but if you examine the video closeley you might see whisps of steam coming from the turbo generator.  I will shoot a more detailed video when I get a chance (lot's of rain here in CA right now)

Matt I wish I could help you out on the fuel tank situation.  Unfortunately I was rather lucky to obtain one myself.  Jack Verducci happened to have one left over from a project and I acquired it from him.

Regards,

Eric


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## JoelB (Jan 3, 2008)

Eric, 

With all due respect to Tom and Gail's fine efforts -- I could only create something that beautiful in my dreams -- I think your engine should've won First Place. I think you really captured that look of a North American logging loco, and the attention to detail is outstanding. 

Just my two cents' worth.


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## bjcott (Jan 2, 2008)

Eric,

Congratulations on a great conversion.  Looks great!

Barry


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Sweet! The bench vice is fantastic!


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## leftyfretguy (Jan 2, 2008)

This competition is a great idea and has had great results.  Just curious, is the competition sponsered by regner?  Will the next locomotive be the lumberjack or vincent? (assuming steam in the garden does this again).  It might be fun to have a competition on here with something like the bagrs project engine.  That way the cost is low and we could spend more detailing our creations.  The only catch would be that it has to be something new - that way Scot Lawrence cant just enter the bagrs shayish and win/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gif  (sorry Scot but its just too good)
What do you all think????
Matt


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## weaverc (Jan 2, 2008)

Matt,
Nevermind, I missread what you wrote. No way to retract my post.


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## llynrice (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Eric,

I saw your prize-winning entry in SITG and thought it a really handsome little loco.  The pictures you put in this thread much better dipict your little jewel and it's a really beautiful piece of work.  Great job!

Llyn


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Eric.  Really nice work, beautiful details

Bob


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## Eric M. (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks again everybody for all the really nice comments.  This project was a situation where I put a lot of thought into adding all the cool little features that I have thought about over the years.  There are still some things that this locomotive "needs" such as a working whistle and lights-- oh-- AND an 8-ball shifter and fuzzy dice-- just kidding about those last two./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif  Hahaha! I just cant stop using that joke.

Best regards,

Eric


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## Tom Bowdler (Jan 3, 2008)

Eric, 
Since the Kontest my Konrad already has a whistle but I've yet to figure out if I want to add a headlight but flashing LEDs in place of the rear car 
coupler is in the works. I haven't considered an 8-ball shifter or fuzzy dice but given my prediliction for the 60s it may happen. Joke or not, you young folks wouldn't understand but we Boomers experincened it. 
Have fun, 
Tom


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

SWEET!!! Congrats on a really beautiful creation and on being picked by SITG. I got my issue today but haven't read it yet, just looked at the pictures.


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## seadawg (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By leftyfretguy on 02/25/2008 5:50 PM
This competition is a great idea and has had great results.  Just curious, is the competition sponsered by regner?  Will the next locomotive be the lumberjack or vincent? (assuming steam in the garden does this again).  It might be fun to have a competition on here with something like the bagrs project engine.  That way the cost is low and we could spend more detailing our creations.  The only catch would be that it has to be something new - that way Scot Lawrence cant just enter the bagrs shayish and win/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/w00t.gif  (sorry Scot but its just too good)
What do you all think????
Matt


Matt, this contest and the Willi kitbash contest from last year were both sponsored by Ken Johnson of The Train Department.  Ask Ken what he might be doing next.
http://www.traindept.com


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## maculsay (Jan 2, 2008)

WWWow!! Nice work Eric M. & Gail W., and Congratulations to Tom Bowdler. A second in last year's the Willi Bash and now a first in this year's Konrad Bash contest. 

Tom, your doing something right  
Howard Maculsay


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## Two Blocked (Feb 22, 2008)

Nice work Erick! How are you coming with the Regner coupler? 

Kevin O'Connor


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## Eric M. (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks again for the compliments.  

Howard, I should say that Tom's Willi bash was actually my favorite and I think it should have recieved first prize.
Kevin,  I did manage to locate my regner coupler.  If you still need it I can try to send it to you.  I seem to have trouble finding time to get to the post office./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/doze.gif  I still owe Richard (a.k.a. Kahuna) a smoke stack top that I have also.

Regards,

Eric


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## Steve S. (Jan 2, 2008)

That is one cool engine.  The layout is awesome too.


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