# After a devastating crash, it has finally been rebuilt.



## StevenJ (Apr 24, 2009)

This 4-4-0 Accucraft steam engine listed below used to be a slightly modified Col. Boone D&RG. 





I know it is not the best picture but it is the only before picture I have. Let me explain to you the circumstances. Back in September at our public run at Tradewinds and Atlantic Railroad Afinegan and I were double heading. He had his C-19 running behind the 4-4-0 taking the lead. We were running through the outer most track on the layout and through the yard. The engines were steaming along at a modest pace. I decided to slightly open the steam regulators on both engines and they moved at a slightly more brisk pace. Unfortunately that decision cost me several months of agony. As it left the route through the yard, my engine hopped the switch and fell off the table and crashed hard into the cement below. Andrew's engine went with it but my engine took the brunt of the impact force. All he had to do was re-bend his cab and the running boards slightly. I wish I could of said the same for me nope! The pilot deck was destroyed along with the cow catcher, headlight damaged, running board brackets badly bent, tender frame bent, gas tank regulator snapped in half. It was bad and I neglected to take pictures too because I was so ashamed! I still have the damaged pieces and I will try to photograph those to give you guys an idea how bad it was and it was B-A-D!










Two months later, Diamondhead started rearing its starting date. Late November I finally decided to pull the wreck out of my garage and bring it into Andrew's. We got the sucker stripped to the frame, didn't need to pull wheels off thankfully but the rocker arms had be removed. One of the bolts that held the support for the running board on the front fireman's side was broken off and the hole needed to be redrilled through. After this we had to retime the engine, well Andrew did I suck at timing







. After a month of finally realizing there was too much play on the right side eccentric for it to run well in both directions we got it 'good' enough. I did a lot of work on this engine and besides Andrew I wanted to thank the forum moderator EBT, Kevin, for telling me his secret on how he fakes Russian Iron blue. I couldn't find the sealer you recommended but I did find powdered graphite and acrylic wood floor polish. I don't know how it will hold out under steam as there is still work to do to it. I can say I did cheat a bit and after the wood sealer was dry I sprayed on clear coat high temperature engine paint just in case. Kevin if you are out there, steel wool was not enough to get it to stick. I had to use 220 and lower sand paper in many instances to get it to stick! 


The other work I need to do includes cutting the copper gas line shorter and adding flex fuel line tube, which will probably be done this weekend at Andrew's home hopefully. I also need to build a coal load but that is purely cosmetic. The gas tank from Accucraft is gone and will be for sale at Diamondhead. The new one is from a Roundhouse Millie I ordered new from their factory directly. The pilot deck and cow catcher are from an Accucraft Mogul that has had a few holes soldered shut and been drilled for the 4-4-0 frame. The headlight is from an Accucraft Mogul as well. The cab is a Brnnson Tate kit. I built one before for this loco but the old one was destroyed. Thankfully the old roof survived so I salvaged it. By the way, the damage was so extensive even the smoke box door was ripped off by the impact sending the screw heads flying right off. Andrew drilled new holes through there and we put in some 0-72 screws, washers, and nuts to hold it in. This project was almost as extensive and in some ways more so than my Roundhouse Liberty Bell rebuild! Anyway here it is, I do plan on taking a video of it running on my home layout once the burner configuration is finished.I'm pretty sure I still have the jet somewhere lol I hope! Anyway enjoy!





























And my dog Howard admiring it


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Steven

Outstanding effort, reminds me of the many real railroads that would rebuild locomotive that had explored, wrecked or had a major malfunction. Congratulations on the dedication and persistence to get the locomotive to operational status


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## redbeard (Jan 2, 2008)

GREAT recovery! Hope to see it at Diamondhead! 
Larry


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## Reg Stocking (Sep 29, 2010)

Most interesting! For some time I've been wondering what the 4-4-0 would look like if updated to what, say, North Pacific Coast ones looked like in the North Shore and Northwestern Pacific days. Now I know.


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Now the history of your engine is no different than that of many prototypes, especially of that era. Still the "same' engine, but fitted with many parts salvaged from sisters during rebuilding. 
Look forward to seeing it run at DH. 

Larry


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## StevenJ (Apr 24, 2009)

Welll just to answer a few points. The engine runs on air but it is not 'operational' yet. It is very close but the fuel line needs to be finished. Once that is done then it can be tested with the new gas tank. Thank you all for the kind comments, the engine will be at Diamondhead as long as my job approves my vacation which they still have not yet done so but I don't see why they would not do so. I didn't lift any parts from any other engines I owned, I more or less bought spare parts but minor point there. Yeah I have read stories of engines being wrecked in fires then in time they get rebuilt so yeah that did happen on full scale engines often. I'm looking forward to it running too. I wanted to r/c the engine but now that I look at it I have no idea how I'm going to route the battery and transmitter! At least it will be running again soon. I did shorten the copper fuel line and I found the bag containing the gas jet. So I'm good to go to complete it.


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## Phippsburg Eric (Jan 10, 2008)

Steven--


Your engine is looking good again!

I am currently helping with the restoration of a full scale engine (2 foot gauge so I cannnot say full size







) This is her um-teenth rebuild. just months after her delivery, she took a tumble busted up the cab, later she was hit by a full size ten wheeler in the yard, another time busted both drive axles and tumbled down an embankment, burned in an engine house fire while pulling her sister out to safety and finally serving long and hard on a couple of flea bitten lines before retiring to a Connecticut shed for 60+ years. yours is in good company!









That's me with my model and the prototype behind...more progress since the photo. she should run in a year or so!


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## StevenJ (Apr 24, 2009)

Yeah they didn't have giant insurance settlements back then. People were a lot more honest and hard working. I saw that whole Steam in the Garden article of your Forney build. I wish it were a production model, I'd love to have a Forney just like it. I wish you weren't all the way next to Canada or else I would of drove up to your line by now but Florida is a long way away Eric!


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## roadranger (Jan 6, 2008)

Eric, Nice shot of you and LS model #9 in front of the "full scale" engine! 
I remember seeing that engine sitting in a the shed in the late 1960's, at Alice Ramsdell's farm in West Thompson, CT. Her dad had originally acquired the engine. 
I grew up in Woodstock, CT - a neighboring town, and all the local rail fans had heard about the "baby" locomotive stored in Alice's shed, and had visited to view it. 
Alice was very friendly to visitors, and liked to share stories of Railroad History in the local area - like the only 4 Train Wreck in US railroad history that happened 
in East Thompson CT. 
It's great to hear this engine will be running again! After a 60 year nap, she'll be rarin' to go! 
What a long and varied history she's had... 

Jim B. 
Colorado Springs


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## StevenJ (Apr 24, 2009)

OKay so I got an update. I got the burner running properly. It took a few attempts but I had to silver solder a sleeve onto the cooper pipe outlet and now the flex line sits tightly with no leaks. Now I got a new problem. The sight glass was leaking when the engine was building pressure. Turns out I must of loosened it up while taking it apart playing around with it. I broke the sight glass while trying to tighten it back up. Does anyone know where I can buy a replacement gauge one sight glass for accucraft locomotives?


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Steven, I have 5mm gauge glass in stock Plain and Redline. Just message me as its not on my website yet.


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## StevenJ (Apr 24, 2009)

Jason, I found some 5mm and 6mm outer diameter glass tubing I just ordered off amazon. If it doesn't work I'd be more than happy to buy some from you.


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## StevenJ (Apr 24, 2009)

Well I got the water sight glass fixed but the engine is having timing issues still. The right side eccentric is a bit loose. You could time it to run in either direction but both, I"m not sure. It will be for sale at Diamondhead between $1000-$1200, includes original brass cab as well. Everything else about the engine is fine, just needs timing and possibly some work done to the right side eccentric.


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

At Diamondhead, perhaps either Norm Saley or Dave Hottman could go over it for you. 
I'm sending you a PM. 

Larry


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