# Accucraft SPng 4-6-0 Inaugural Steamup



## scottemcdonald (Jan 11, 2008)

I took possession of my Accucraft SPng 4-6-0 "Slim Princess" locomotive this weekend and had the grand opportunity to let its stretch it legs at a friends railway. So here is a sneak preview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gzqOxA-lwA



Full report and details forthcoming in print. Until then, enjoy the video!

Happy steaming! (I know I did!!)

Scott


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## scubaroo (Mar 19, 2009)

No Video!!


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## scottemcdonald (Jan 11, 2008)

Try again. I just watched it along with 26 other people. Not sure why you can't see it. You may have to refresh your web browser. I have had to do that with other postings where video is embedded here at MLS once in awhile.

But just in case, here is the YouTube URL : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gzqOxA-lwA

Scott


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Scott 

The top of the video "frame" has ==>The video you have requested is not available. instead of an image. This is at 19:53 EDT. Very nice job.


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Loco looks great, I'm really liking that whale tender, it's growing on me.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Nice video. Loco looks like it is working good. Thanks.


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice video Scott. Yours looks to be running great. We got three of them in the Houston area. All three had drivers that were out of gauge, that is two narrow. Have fixed two of them so far. Have you checked yours? One number nine had a crushed cab and is waiting for a new one. Other than that everything else seems to be ok. I ran mine once the drivers were fixed and it runs fine. It's a nice locomotive. Accucraft did a nice job on it. I just wish I could find some decals so I can get ride of that ugly red number plate on the smoke box.


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## Steve Shyvers (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott, 

Very nice video. I saw a couple of the pre-production models and was impressed by how big (and heavy) they were. What was the duration of the run and did you try a longer consist? 

Steve


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## scottemcdonald (Jan 11, 2008)

Full report and details forthcoming in print. Until then, enjoy the video!


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## scottemcdonald (Jan 11, 2008)

Here is a companion piece I made last year after visiting what I call the "Three Sisters" (a play on words of the movie entitled the Three Godfathers that prominently features the SPng in the movie) of the SPng in the Owens Valley. 

Enjoy! 



Scott


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Scott, 
Great movies. 
How did you manage to take the SPng Trail movie, without another person in sight? 
I would have thought that at least one other person would be looking at #8 or #9! 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice Movies Scott. Here is a pic of the drivers. You might want to check yours.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

John, 
What back to back is your gauge set for? 
and where did you get it? 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By David Leech on 16 May 2011 11:39 AM 
John, 
What back to back is your gauge set for? 
and where did you get it? 
All the best, 
David Leech, Delta, Canada 

David, back to back doesn't mean squat. I don't know why people keep bringing that up. The flanges have to go through the switches. All my switches are NMRA and G1 standard. Every engine I have adheres to that gauge, Accucraft, Marklin, Aster, Pierce, except this new SP #9. That gauge is an Old Pullman NMRA & G1 standards gauge. It has all the deminsions for switches, track and wheels on it. I do not know if they are still available. Here is a link below. It would be nice if the many gauge one manufacturer's adhered to some standard. Every Bachman thing I have ever encountered has wheels out of gauge. Aristo made a bunch of nice new #6 switches, all with the guard rails out of standard. They had to go back and correct their manufacturing process, but never did fix the junk they had already sold. I use Llagas Creek track and switches exclusively. Our club at Zube Park uses whatever someone is willing to donate.

Regardless, as people get these new engines and start trying to run them on various tracks they will soon find out what I am talking about here when their engine falls between the rails. The Chinese cut the axles too short so when they pressed on the wheels they all ended up out of gauge.

http://www.oldpullmanmodelrailroads...Gauges.pdf


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## scottemcdonald (Jan 11, 2008)

How did you manage to take the SPng Trail movie, without another person in sight? 
I would have thought that at least one other person would be looking at #8 or #9! 

David - It was in the middle of the week. In the middle of the high desert. In the middle of the summer (avg. temp102 - but dry). Yeah...I think that keeps most people inside and away. ;-) 

John - Didn't have any issues with switches this weekend. Ran on code 250 track. In fact at one point of the movie you can see where its a head on shot and I switched over onto the side track at speed. Will have to check to get the switch #'s and manufacturer. Part of my research as I finish my write-up. Stay tuned! 

Scott


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By scottemcdonald on 16 May 2011 02:35 PM 
How did you manage to take the SPng Trail movie, without another person in sight? 
I would have thought that at least one other person would be looking at #8 or #9! 

David - It was in the middle of the week. In the middle of the high desert. In the middle of the summer (avg. temp102 - but dry). Yeah...I think that keeps most people inside and away. ;-) 

John - Didn't have any issues with switches this weekend. Ran on code 250 track. In fact at one point of the movie you can see where its a head on shot and I switched over onto the side track at speed. Will have to check to get the switch #'s and manufacturer. Part of my research as I finish my write-up. Stay tuned! 

Scott 

Well Scott, for your review, the lettering on the engine is for after 1954. If you want the correct lettering you will have to find someone that still makes the correct SP Steam Locomotive data sets. Missing is the "T-44 16/20 71" data that goes on the cab sides under the number and the tender weight as in "SP 21670 LBS LT/60 000 LBS LD" that goes on each side of the tender. The ugly red number plate on the smoke box is after the shop dolled up the engine for the railfans. Remember this engine ran until 1959-1960. They also left off the flag holders on the front pilot beam. A another SP modeler here in Katy is looking for some of those to add to the model. Also missing is the water hose connection on the rear of the tender, as the engine frequently pulled an auxiliary water car behind it. The lettering '3500 Gals' that goes on the rear of the Tender is missing. Finally, mine leaks water out the left rear seam where the tender tank mounts to the frame. Since all three engines we have here have the driving and pilot wheels out of gauge I feel certain that is a problem across the board. Oddly, the tender wheels are dead on. So how do the Chinese rationalize this descrepancy?

I am of course picking at a lot of details that most people will not care about. But we have some dedicated SP modelers and historians here that do care. So other than those minor items, the engine is of course overall a fine product and one that was sorely needed to counter the rash of D&RG NG models. I have run mine extensively now that it is converted to RC and it runs, pulls and tracks just fine. If anyone is interested in how I did the RC installation I will be glad to post some pics. Mine is not fancy, just functional.

Now we need an SP water car, a combine #401 and a few other unique pieces of rolling stock.


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## scottemcdonald (Jan 11, 2008)

Well Scott, for your review, the lettering on the engine is for after 1954. 

That is perfect for me as that is the timeframe when I was living just a few hours south of the Owens Valley. 

The ugly red number plate on the smoke box is after the shop dolled up the engine for the railfans. 

And I would be one of those railfans! 

Now we need an SP water car, a combine #401 and a few other unique pieces of rolling stock. 

Yup! I have those on my list as well! Thanks for your insight. 

Scott


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott, I am in no way being critical of Accucraft, the engine or you. MLS is an information source for many people. I am just presenting this information for their use as they may see fit. As Cliff at Accucraft told me when I asked him about some of these things, "we were doing good just to get the engine made". And for that I am thankful and appreciative. Anyone that wants to detail their locomotive for a different era can do so and any little gliches that show up can easily be fixed. After all it is 'live steam'.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Mr Frank 

The G1MRA standard for Back-to-Back is 40mm and it IS important. Buy a diseasel from Aristocraft and it will probably be 39mm B2B. It will work with Aristo switches, but NOT with a lot of commercial products that conform to the G1MRA standard. BTW, Old Pullman switches are NOTORIOUS for being out of gauge straight from "the factory". I would recommend you look at the G1MRA web site and download the PDF file with track and wheel standards and check the dimensions on your gauge. 

I have no doubt that you have a B2B problem with the drivers in the photo. 
Scott 

All my switches [turnouts, points] are Sunset Valley Railroad #10 

V/r 

V/r


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes yes Jim. But I no longer have a B2B problem because I fixed it. Just for you I measured the driver B2B and they are right on 40mm and that is after I set them with the Old Pullman gauge. I dont need the track and wheel standards on the G1MRA web site because they are all contained on the Old Pullman track and wheel gauge as I said before. There is nothing wrong with that gauge except apparently a lot of you don't know it exists. If you have modeled in any other scale then you probably already have an NMRA track and wheel gauge. I have them in HO and HOn3. This one is the same info in gauge one. The gauge also measures frog and guard rail clearances. I am not doubting you, I am just saying that measuring every thing with a micrometer isn't necessary with the gauge as it does that work for you. 

I only bought this up as a service to anyone that has or wants to purchase this engine. It's something they might want to check. Like I said, all three that showed up here in Katy were off. Interestingly, the tender wheels were dead on. How do they rationalize that? Every other engine I have is in gauge and came that way from the factory. I have found some Aster mikes with the pilot truck wheels out. All Bachman wheels I have ever checked are out.

I don't know anything about any Old Pullman switches, never seen one, don't know where to get one, don't need one. I use Llagas Creek exclusively.


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); Posted By jfrank on 17 May 2011 07:32 PM 
I have found some Aster mikes with the pilot truck wheels out. 




WHAT? Ha,Ha, hope I don't have to worry about that with my newly acquired Mike


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## iceclimber (Aug 8, 2010)

Nope, no worries about out of gauge wheels on the Mike I am getting.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

VERY fine-looking locomotive, runs well with a nice chuff, too. Of course, having a wonderful track like that to run it on helps tremendously in the running-in process, too. Thanks to you and Dr Rivet for a great video of a beautiful model. 

tac 
www.ovgrs.org


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## Mike O (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott. 

Two great videos. Nice to see the prototypes. Thanks. 

Mike


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