# Rocky's 2-10-2 Q2 class project



## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

Some would say this project is LONG overdue. 
I'm just starting to get set up to build this next monster. The Mallet is on the way as to build the drive and platform to build this beastie. For now all I have to post is a couple prototype pictures and a informative diagram of the locomotive. GReat Northern had 15 of these heavy duty freight locos, most used on the Superior division of Minnesota. Most of these locos were built in the Superior shops using older P-1 Mountains. The diagram has the info on the prototype, but these locos had sooo much tractive effort that they were actually wearing and tearing up the railhead in some cases. So these locos were later limited to 35 MPH speed limits to reduce rail damage. Most of these locos on the Superior division were used on the Iron range to haul ore loads to Superior to the docks on Lake Superior. I have 137 MDC GN ore cars to pull with this loco. Ok, enough history, now the diagram and proto photos.











Photos of GN Q-2s are rare, but I have found 2 of them. 
The second one is not the greatest of quality, but it's all I got of the Fireman's side for now.





















So that's all for now. I'll be getting the building table set up in the livingroom and start getting all 
the parts ready to begin the build. Anyone that has Bachmann spectrum steamer cab interior details - ie: valves, piping, hinged firebox cover, please contact me if you want to sell them or trade for other parts . I will need these parts to detail the inside of the cab. More to come as I start the build !!! 

Rocky


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Wat a LOVELY ol' workhorse! Outstanding thing to model.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

You'll run this on your new tiny layout, or are you also announcing plans to expand the layout? 

What a cool loco!


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## Rods UP 9000 (Jan 7, 2008)

Rocky, 
Great project. What are you going to use for drivers???? I have thought about building a UP 9000 in 1/32nd scale using Arito 
mike drivers and build my own frame and gearbox using Berry's (BBT) gears. 
Keep us posted. 
Rodney


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Beautiful choice. I love the vandy tenders,,, almost like espee's tenders. Can't wait to see this project unfold.


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## rangerjoel (Jan 4, 2008)

I've been waiting a long time to watch this build!!! 
It's going to be a lot of fun seeing this come togeather. 
Joel


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## astrayelmgod (Jan 2, 2008)

Rocky -- 

The elevation of the tender says 24 tons coal, but the caption clearly says oil burner. Being Minnesota, I would have guessed coal would have been more likely. Which were they?


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Could have been both. Later RJD


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

Alas, the mallet has shown up, let the building begin !!!







[/b]
I've dragged out the roll around table and have started to look thru my parts boxes. 
I'll still need Bachmann spectrum cab details AND I'll pay good hard CASH to get them too. 
So soon I should be starting and pictures will be put up daily/nightly as work progresses. 

As far as I know, all the Q-2s were oil burners. most if not all -2,-3 or -4 GN steamers were oil burners. 
Only the early steamers were either wood(really old) or coal fired. GN had alot of oil resources in ND and MT to 
accomidate them and not much for coal. I already did a couple oil bunkers in my tenders and will convert the rest of them when I get time








As far as the UP question goes, I only model the GN and NP plus a little "Q" 

So stay tuned, things will start happening









Rocky


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

Ok, here's the first picture as I get ready to start proforming surgery.










As you can see, both locos are GN, Imagine that







Not much to add, watchin' the hockey game. More later !!!

Rocky


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

You are nuts.............


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

No Marty, 
Your just chicken to cut up a steamer







I've had a couple sucesses out of 2 trys and the last one was an award winner








This one will be a killer and may tear up some rails with it's traction and weight on drivers









Rock


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Yea, that 4' dia stuff may not handle it. heheheh 
I looked over your sale items but nothing I needed.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Rocky Marty just likes to cut up diesels. Later RJD


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Tonight's plan of action is to work on the drive. **Sorry, no pictures yet. But I have drawn out the placements and modifications of the driving rods. *

*I have the #2 drive partly disassembled and ready for cutting. I also bought a nice bast**d file today to *
*file down the main drive rod sections to connect axles 3 to 4 and move the original last driving rod over to *
*axles 4 to 5. So I hope to have the drive finished tonight. Then I will post pictures in my next installment







*
*I will be shooting pic.s as I go along in my work as I did on the 4-8-2 project.*

*Rocky*


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

"So look. It says right here, coarse ba*#ard. So it's you who owes me an appology!" -- Red Green


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Ok a couple pictures from last night*. 
*THe drive is close to being done. I stopped work about 3 AM due to being so tired. *
*But this is what the drive looked like during the splicing.*










* This is what it looked like after hooking up the drive rods.* 









* So today I will be fine tuning the drive and starting the prep to build the modified Pacific frame.*
*More yet to come. *

*Rocky*


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking good Rocky. What have you use to glue the motor blocks together? Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Nice work Rocky! 

What glue did you use? I was not really successful with JB Weld, or epoxy. 

Also, before you button it up, you might check for continuity between each driver and the "bus bar" on top. The last brand new mikado brick I checked had 50% of the drivers with bad conductivity. 

The ball bearings do not conduct! Aristo is using "hybrid" ball bearings on the axles, and the ceramic ball bearings do not conduct, so the little spring and ball riding on the axle move all the current. 

Check my "prime mover basics" under the ARISTO motive power section: 

http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mai...r-mainmenu-72/prime-mover-basics-mainmenu-256 *[url]http://www.elmassian.com/trains-mainmenu-27/motive-power-mods-aamp-tips-mainmenu-35/aristo-motive-power-mainmenu-72/prime-mover-basics-mainmenu-256*[/url]


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## rangerjoel (Jan 4, 2008)

I’m watching with great interest. Keep up the good work! 
Joel


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

No glue you guys







The last axle is fastened to the existing block with a couple plates and a few screws in a triangular configuration

to allow the last axle to pivot or swing just a bit







This way it allows the loco to make those 10 foot and maybe, short sections of 8 foot curves. Here is a couple photos of the splice plates. 



















I just couldn't resist using the top plate on an Aristo switch machine to do the job. 
It just seemed to be appropriate to use









More to come, but it's back to work for me. That is, non train work









Rocky


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

This is just an update. 
I've been just playin' around with starting a frame as well as removing extra parts off off the mallet. 
Looking at pictures I have and a little consultation with another member, I will be using a Lionel shell to 
make the Belpraire firebox. So now I need to find a Lionel LS 2-4-2 shell as well as the large sanding dome 
off of an Aristo 0-4-0. So here is where the loco is at the moment.










More to come !!! 
Rocky


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Thats interesting Rocky on screwing the block together. Will be interested on how that works. Later RJD


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

*  Quick post. * I've done alittle work ahead of the scheduled plan and while fightin' this cold bug, I did a little working on the front of the boiler.[/b]











* What I did first was to remove the front of the smoke box off of the mallet, then cut off the one on the pacific and fill the hole *
*with the mallet smoke box door. Then temp. mounted the air pumps from the mallet on the pacific shell and the class lights from *
*the mallet on to the top of the pacific boiler shell. I will be changing out the lenes in the lamps later. THen I costom reworked the *
*mallet headlight and mounted it to the front of the boiler. 









Like I said, this is just a "fitting" of the mallet parts. I still have some adjustments to make and the smoke box to paint 
B-4 final assembly. This is the 2nd pacific frame and I will need to cut it down and mount it to the drive. The other frame I 
used was un-usable because it had no walkway. another frame (back half) is on the way down, so it won't be too long 
B-4 the lower frame is complete and upper shell work can start. Also, the Belpraire firebox will be made out of a couple 
Lionel LS atlantic shells of which, one is on the way also.

Still more to come









Rocky
*


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

Slowly but surely, work keeps progressing








The slow progress is due to awaital of parts that I've ordered or am trading for. Some of those parts arrived today. 
This would be the other rear pacific frame with circuit board. So I shold be able to splice and complete the lower frame tonight 
and get the rear trailing truck installed also







I've started to add some of the details to the boiler as you've seen in my previous 
post, but I did the large sand dome, adding the filler caps and the "tool box" to the front porch area just under the front of the boiler.










As you can see, there is a nail file proping up the front of the boiler on top of the steam chest. 
So tonight's other challange will be to right this problem and also to bolt the lower frame to the drive unit. Another thing I will need to do 
will be to start sanding off the molded on piping to get the boiler preped for painting when the time comes. The prototype locos were all 
black boilers with light gray or silver colored smoke boxes. Not all GN steamers wore the older Glacier green colored boiler jackets








Well I guess I need to get back to it and keep the work a goin'. Hoping for UPS to bring me a couple large boxes with my 2 bay hoopers. 
Bit it's the postman I'm looking for. He'll have the Lionel atlantic I'm waiting to get my paws on to cut up the boiler for this beastie








Still lots more progress to come....

Rocky


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

Once again another update







[/b] * Just taking my time and waiting for more parts as I do the build. *
*Yesterday, the other half of the frame came in and I spliced it onto the existing frame.*










* Then I cut the extra screw lengths this morning and then cut the shell to it's proper lenght awaiting the Lionel atlantic shells to do **the Belpraire firebox. All this is fun, right ?!?







*










* As you can see, I made a custom GN style sanding dome to go with the other modified dome. *
*Next I did some more cuttin' and modified the bottom of the firebox as to duplicate the prototype. *










*It still needs some smoothing out work and note the modified Aristo Pacific trailing truck. I changed out the wheelset and cut down the** height of the truck assembly to clear the modified firebox. It to needs to be mounted on the firebox bottom. *

*Other than that, I added a bell and whistle to the boiler in the appropriate spots. *










* So next will be the filing off of all molded piping. I removed the safety valves to be mounted later in the correct spots on *
*top of the Belpraire firebox along with a bunch of other parts. *

* The project is moving right along







*

*Rocky*


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Rocky,

Looking great!! Where did you get the headlight? 


Do you ever sleep!?

Mark


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi GN,
Great to see you back at it, engine looks good. I was looking at some back issues of MR and came across plans for a GN 2-6-8, I think its an M class. Might be a way to use up the left over mallet parts. If your interested let me know and I will send you a copy.

Chuck


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Hey Chuck, *
* I think the loco your refering to is an M-3 class simple articulated. *
*They were actually a 2-6-8-0 and were rebuilt out of old Lima locos. Thanks for the offer. I'd be neat to see the plans. *
*But I think the next steamer to get turned out after this one will be a Baldwin S-2 class Northern. It will have the 80 inch *
*drivers from off of the Lionel locos I tear up. I have made a trade with the extra drive from the mallet already too. *
*So to build the S-2, I will need to buy a new Mikado to get the gearboxes to power the 80 inch drive wheels. *

* Not much to report on the Q-2 yet today. *
*I was working late last night to attach the drive to the lower frame, so there's not much to show. Most of the mounting posts had to be hand made or custom crafted bushings/spacers made to getthe correct height.
*
*But I plan to be working on it later tonight. Hopefully the first atlanic will arrive today for the Belpraire firebox section. I'll keep y'all posted on the progress complete with pictures








*

*Rocky*


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Well it's a happy day in the receiving Dept.







*
*The Atlantic shown up today as well as 8 new Aristo GN hoppers







*
*SO I got to work cuttin' up the atlantic and seperated the Belpraire firebox section. *
*After an hour to two of cutting, filing and sanding, I got it down to the size to fit the boiler. As feared though, *
*it is a bit on the short side and I will either need to splice in another piece of atlantic firebox, OR get brave with *
*styrene and try to finish out the boiler with 1/8th styrene and take the sanding block to it. I'm not sure what *
*I want to do. Here is some pictures of the work in progress.*





































* As you can see, there is a gap between the belpraire and the cab, *
*This varies between 1/2 inch at the bottom to about and inch at the top. Keep in mind that I will be cutting and angling the cab front **end at a rearward slope from top to bottom typical of most GN steamers. Ideas and suggestion and comments are welcome.*

*More to come







*

Rocky[/b]


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking good Rocky. I think I'd try using the sheet styrene to fill in. Later RJD


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

How about stretching the cab? Looking at the prototype photos, it seems like you'd be closer to scale by _adding_ the slant to the front of the cab, that is extending the roof rather than cutting back the bottom. That would also leave only about 1/4" that you would need to stretch the firebox back to meet the cab front, which can be done pretty easily with strip styrene.


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## chuckger (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Rocky,
Loco looking very good. I would check the measurement from the center of the last driver to the back end of the engine. Your drawing or plan shows that to be 18' 4'', if you need to trim the length some what you might just make it as Richard stated above, by reworking the cab.

Chuck


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* A late update from last night's progress ... *
* I worked on the front pilot and "Cow catcher". After looking at the prototype pictures, I deceided to *
*replace the Aristo "Cow catcher and partial front pilot with the one from the Lionel atlantic. I thought *
*it looked more like the real thing AND the lionel part offered a coupler pocket to place a modified Kadee *
*coupler in. Here are pictures. *



















* I first tried using a 831 Kadee, but found it too low according to the kadee guage. So I changed it out with an 836 coupler. *
*There still needs to be a little smoothing out out in a few spots







But I still like the look. *
*I also did some work to install the rear trailing truck.*



















*Due to the height/clearance restrictions after lowering the bottom of the boiler, I chose to modify the trailing truck *
*and modify the mounting on the bottom panel. I may elect to change the trailing truck a little more, but it's finally mounted *
*on the loco frame. *

*There's more in store later and I'm still waiting for the other Lionel shell to arrive to complete the Belpraire boiler.*

*Rocky*


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## Guest (Nov 12, 2008)

*Looking good Rock! Keep it up buddy!!!!!*
*Toad*


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Tonight's progress report is that I've finally changed out the marker light lenses and added the short dome with the safety valves and other details. *
*I also spotted the dynamo too. Here's the pictures.*























































*Will post more tomorrow with more comments.*

*Rocky*


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## cudak888 (Mar 22, 2008)

Looking good - _real_ good. 

Incidentally, about that cab/firebox gap - I'd take some styrene sheet - bent to conform to the tab at the end of the firebox, with some reinforcement square styrene run under the firebox if necessary - before I lengthen the cab. The bottom edge of the cab looks to be just about the right length as it is already, if not maybe a few (insignificant) scale inches longer then the prototype. 

That said, there is nothing more distinct about that boxy Q2 firebox then it's length from cab to it's taper - it would be a shame not to lengthen that Lionel Atlantic firebox to take full advantage of that feature of the prototype. Just wouldn't look right any other way, IMHO. Then again, I'm also a rivet counter  

Best of luck! 

-Kurt


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I'll say one thing you sure not letting grass grow under this project. Really coming along. Looks great so far. Later RJD


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Rocky,

Where'd you get the headlight?

This project has really cranked along!! 

Mark


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## cvngrr (Apr 28, 2008)

Since you said you only found 2 pictures, I figured I'd help you out with one I happened to find: http://hosteamcentral.com/images/Sunset-2104-right1-alt1.jpg 

Edit: found 5 more: http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr600.htm


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* A quick note here with work in progress, no pictures at this time. *
*I deceided to cut the Belpraire firebox and splice in a piece made out of styrene. *
*Lot's of work here, but it is a viable solution. At the moment, I am making and istalling beams and cross beams of styrene that *
*will hold up the styrene "walls" of the spliced in piece. I hope to have some pictures B-4 calling it a night. If not, I will post them *
*tomorrow morning.*

*Rocky*


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Ok, here's the pictures ... *
* What I did was cut the Belpraire firebox and inserted a few cross beams inside to fix 1/8th thick styrene to for extending the firebox section of the boiler. **I will then file down the screw heads to an almost flush finish to the shell.*



















* Doing this will give the shell some good strength and support for mounting parts on to and for handling purposes. *
*So tomorrow(later today) I will make a couple thin cardboard "jigs" to use to trace then cut out the 1/8 inch styrene. *
*It may take more than one piece to do the top and I may split that in two in the middle of each piece if I can not bend *
*them into the correct beveled angle at the middle of the top.*

*More to follow tomorrow  *

*Rocky*


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## Terl (Jan 2, 2008)

I enjoy watching your bash and your techniques. Should be a great looking loco. Personally I don't think that I could bring myself to chop up the Lionel engines, but they make obvious donors. Keep us posted. 

Terl


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Rocky: Just a thought, could you not have used a flat head screw with the bevel and slightly recessed and then just filled in over the screw. Later RJD


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* I guess the reason I used the small Kadee screws is, well there's two reasons. *
*1). They are small and work well on these projects. *
*2). They're free, or kinda free as they come with Kadee #830s and I don't have to go out and buy the screws seperately. *
*And I've accumulated quite a few of these screws and matching nuts with all the frieght cars I have collected  *

* As for the Belpraire firebox "stretching", I've almost got all the styrene in place, so pictures will soon follow later. *


*Rocky*


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Well, here is the progress on the Belpraire firebox from last nite. *


* I added the styrene covering and filed down the screw heads flush with the shell. *






























* Don't mind the mis-alinement on the shell in the last picture, I bumped the table while shooting that last picture and the *
*shell pieces of the boiler and firebox became mis-alined as the firebox was just resting on the frame and was not screwed down *
*yet. *

* Todays project will be to do the work of sloping the cab and cutting the hole for the firebox to come thru. *
*Still lots more to come







*

*Rocky*


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Here is a quick update from yesterday's progress before we left for the game last night. *
*About all I got done after work was to cut the hole in the cab for the belpraire firebox to come thru into the cab. *
*Today I hope to get the sloped front edge of the cab done. The cab now fits nice and snug on the firebox. *



















* After doing some research on the "Q" series, I found that if I had done a Q-1, I could leave the cab shape as it is. *
*In fact as you check the steamers that GN had in their roster, all dash one locos(ending in -1) were original locos from the *
*builder and they all had the square shaped cabs. The dash 2 and above ( -3 and -4) locos were rebuilds in GN's shops and in most *
*cases, would have the sloped front edge of the cab. *

* Hope to post more progress later tonight. *

*Rocky*


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

*Sloped cab now completed(other than a little sanding and filler) 

*



























*I guess now I can work on the details for on top of the Belpraire firebox and cab interior. *

*Stay tuned !!!*

*Rocky*


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## GNSteamer (Jan 16, 2008)

Nice Work Rocky! You can do so much with styrene much easier than we can do in live steam. Great job on the Belpair smoke box and sport cab. I bought the Aster live steam GN S2 this summer in kit form and completed it in August. I'm in the process of adding more details to my Aster Mikado that I have done up in GN livery, but they will have to be made out of brass.


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Not much work done today. *
*But I did position some of the details on top of the Bepraire firebox and cut off the Eastern style vent *
*hatches and positioned them in the proper place for the GN cabs. These vents will be able to open and close *
*using small brass hinges that I got at the doll house/miniture shop today. I also picked up some little casters *
*that I remove the wheel part and use the rest as "cleats", little hold down brackets to hold down piping and *
*wiring. Ah yes, soon as the boiler/firebox is painted, it'll be time to run the steam lines and electrical bus lines *
*along the boiler/firebox. That's were all the fun starts !!! Now here's a couple pictures.*



















* I thanks all the nice comments folks !!! Makes me feel good and let's me know the project is all well worth it. *
*Some have said that they got the Aster GN S-2 kit. But this is more fun, building a loco without any directions and doing *
*it all for just some pictures in books plus parts from that which is only availible. I do build custom parts too.*

*More fun still to come !!!*

*Rocky*


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Rocky, 
I'm curious about how you did the frame. Never saw any pix of that.


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Fantastic Job Rocky. Great work, excellent detail


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm really enjoying this thread--thanks for the updates


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Jerry, read the first 2 pages of this thread, there are pictures of the frame, the hinge, gearboxes, etc. 

Regards, Greg


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Greg, 
Was not aware the bottom of the boiler was the frame, but I see now! Sure looks good Rocky! 

Jerry


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Hey guys, *
* Sorry for any mis-information on the build. *
*The main "frame" of the loco is the bottom section of the boiler and it is just 2 Aristo Pacific parts spliced together. *
*One was an older one, the other is a newer one that overlaps about 2 inches more than the other if you looked at a single *
*full piece. The front section is the older shell and it goes from the front of the loco to just where the weight ends towards the cab. **The rear section is the newer piece and it goes forward from the rear of the cab to just shy of 2 inches into the weight area. **The 2 sections are connected by what I call "splice tabs". These are the flat thin( bout .125 inch) black spacers that come with **one of the Kadee couplers. There is one tab on the outside of the shell, one on the inside. I drilled a hole just large enough *
*to fit the screws that came with Kadee #830 couplers, 2 screws per tab. There is either 10 or 12 of these splice tabs on the *
*seam of the shell splice. and of course, it is glued as well. After the glue had dried, I cut off the excess screw on the inside with *
*the dremel using a cutting wheel. Worked great on the P-2, so I think I'll stick with this process. It does make for a STRONG *
*hold with little to no give to it.*

* Other than that, I've taken the weekend off from the loco due to our 5th year anniversary. *
*Spent most of today cleaning house, but most of the time with Deb. I'll be getting back to working on the loco sometime *
*next week. Maybe, just ,aybe, I might get a few minutes tomorrow or tomorrow night after the game. *
*No promises. But I think I will be cutting the vent holes in the top of the cab next and installing the hinges on the vent *
*doors. The boiler shell would be next to paint, then I can do the piping and electrical busses and cab interior.*

*Rocky*


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

So how do you get your extension to the firebox to match the contour? I'm guessing you use something better than "Squadron Green Putty."


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## Maurice F. Head (Jan 3, 2008)

WOW Rocky.. that is one beautiful piece of machinery... then again.. i am a bit partial to the 2-10-2 configuration...







and if it is anything like the one here.... yeah... it will rip the rails with pulling power.. my main problem is wheelslip... guess i'm gonna has to install a sander this winter... 

wow... your usual level of craftsmanship as well.... tol's ya what... let me run yours... an' ya can come run mine....


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Well today's progress report has no pictures, sorry. *
* But thru the craziness of the holidays, some work is still being done







*
*I began starting to work on making the piping for steam lines. Not much to look at, just styrene tubing and unpainted at that too. **Valves, actuators and the like are being made now for installation on the boiler after it is painted. I may paint the boiler today in fact. **I've had an idea, an alternative thought to connecting the firebox to the main boiler and that is to use black insulative foam in the small **gap between them. THat way if there is alot of vibration during running, that the shell won't crack. Just an idea of course. **Other than that, it's been busy with other things outside the train hobby and even with that, I'm trying to build a 1/18th Jagdtiger **to help out a friend on the military forum. Sooo much and sooo little time







*

*More later and pictures too







*

*Rocky*


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Are you going to paint her black or in the Glacier Park scheme? Looks like at least one of these engines was painted green at some point in her career: http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0102/gn2176.jpg. Of course it would also look awesome painted black and hauling a string of ore cars. Either way, she's looking good so far!


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Well I'm a bit overdue for an update with Tday and all ... *
*But here's a quick update with a few pictures







*

* I got the main boiler jacket all sanded down and have started adding some of the piping. *










* I have spent many an hour searching for styrene tubing, but I found that I need to go get some more







*
*Yet I was able to modify the sanding pipes from off of the mallet and got them mounted.*










*I also found a perfect part potenial to use for the air pump filters. So chopped them off of of 2 atlantic whisles and used 
some Bman piping to make the filters. They will need to be painted black. 
*









*So that's about it for now. * 
*Just wanted to keep y'all informed on the progress that's been getting done.*

*As always, more to come soon !!!! *

*Rocky*


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## Dave Ottney (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow, that looks great. Can't wait to see all dolled up. 
Dave


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Rocky, 
NIce job. Won't copper or brass wire work good for piping?


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Most hobby shops carry a good supply of brass wire that should be ideal for making your piping. What I used years ago When I modeled HO steam locos. Later RJD


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Rocky, dang,, I'm proud of you,,, very nice work....


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## GN_Rocky (Jan 6, 2008)

* Oh how time flies, esp. during and just before the holidays !!! *
*I have fallen behind in my updates as well as my work







But, some work had been done just B-4 I started to make *
*Christmas gifts to send for this year. Ok, here's what has been done.... *

*First off, here's a picture of the area of the loco that has been worked on.*










*Now the little amount of work that I've done. *

*First off, I finished plugging the holes in the Belpaire firebox. *
*Then the other night whilest on chat, I cut a gasket of styrene out to go between the firebox and the *
*boiler. I sanded both ends to fit the gasket and crossed my fingers as I glued the 2 ends together. *
*I think it worked out ok. Everything looks real straight after the gluing process.*




















* So with that out of the way, I started some of the pipe work. *
*Not much to show as I am still working on other areas of the locomotive. *




















* Soooo, what's next ??? *
*I guess I can keep working on the piping AND I have some new gauges for the backplate of the boiler/firebox I could play with. *
*And I still need to finish cuttin' the cab roof for those vents, got the hinges now, but it'll be a toss up of what I'll do next. *
*Anyone have a coin ?!? *
*I'll keep y'all updated, at least once or twice a week







*

*Rocky*

*Now back to my Christmas projects







*


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## itsmcgee (Jan 4, 2008)

Rocky when will we see more of this project. I look for an update every morning.


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## Terl (Jan 2, 2008)

Rocky Yes waiting with baited breath. Hope you have been alright. 

Terl


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Verrrrry Interesting. Another project to watch on the sidelines.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Verrrrry Interesting. Another project to watch on the sidelines.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Rocky, 
Good to see a post on this again, was wondering about it. I will start piping my Challenger pretty soon. What are you using for yours? Looks like pretty neat stuff. Like to get some of those valves, or do you make them?


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry a lot of those valves are from backman. You can really detail up the cab area with them. Later RJD


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

So, how do I get the Bachman parts? Heard they were hard to get ahold of?


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## rangerjoel (Jan 4, 2008)

Keep it up; it looks like you have another blue ribbon award winner. 
Are you going to move this thread over to the “builder’s logs” on MLS when you are thru?


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

Looks great Rock. Don't forget some boiler washout plugs. Aristo never seems to add these to their steamers for some reason.


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