# Accucraft black Forney modifications = Chicago "L" Forneys



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I'd like to capture the look of the Chicago "L" Forneys. Here's what they looked like:






























The first major modification will be a Russia Iron boiler jacket. Before I start wrapping, I need to figure out what to do with the sand dome and handrail mounts. First question: I was happy to see the sand dome came off easily, but there is that mount remaining. How do I get it and the handrail mounts off? Break it off? Grind it down? A little fear and trepidation here. Help push me over the edge. Once it's done I can't go back. Here's what's on there:










Then there's the steam lines under the boiler. Should I bend them down and out of the way or leave a seam on the bottom of the jacket to accommodate:


----------



## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

Interestingly, that gray color is supposed to represent Russia iron, though paint does a fairly poor job of that. Blackened brass or blued steel are much better, IMO. So, off you go with a new jacket. 

I left a gap in the jackets I made, and used the bands to squeeze the steam line up against the boiler, as much as possible, to reduce heat loss a little. 

I suspect you're going to have to cut off the handrail stanchions. If you want to put a little lagging on the boiler (say, 1/16" cork or felt), then you can leave the pads and just cut off the part that sticks up. Cut holes in the lagging to clear the pads (they don't have to be exact!) and then wrap the jacket over the whole thing. How to get the pads off? I guess have at them with a rotary tool and a grinding bit. That would make me nervous, though. 

I don't see a way to get the sand dome's mount off, but happily it's in about the same position as the bell on "Clarence A", so maybe you could just mount a bell there?


----------



## scottemcdonald (Jan 11, 2008)

Here is blowup of a section of an old stereoview of what looks like a Forney on the elevated track running in New York before electrification.

Scott


----------



## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

Get in touch with Doug Bronson if you havent already. Plans for this cab are in the works.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I've removed the footboards from the frame. They were bolted and soldered on the back of the frame. It was a little awkward to unscrew the bolts, but they came off easily enough. A little heat from a torch and the solder bond let loose easily too. Now, what to do about that bracket holding the crosshead guide? The Forney boiler as it is now is 1 3/4 inches in diameter. The space between the bracket and the boiler is approximately 1/8 inch. The boiler jacket with lagging is going to be a little over 1/16 inch. It's going to be a tight fit between it and the boiler jacket, but it should fit. Ideas?









[/b]


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I probably should have steamed it up before chopping it up, but anyway.... as I'm just getting back into live steam after some time away, tell me if those back wheels are wobbling just a little too much and if so, how to fix.


----------



## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

Boy, that DOES look out of round, doesn't it? Sometimes, when they're up on blocks, loco wheels will look like they're out of whack because the motion of the rods pulls them in asymmetric ways. 

Try putting it on rollers, or on a piece of test track, and see if you see the same thing.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I first ran it on rollers. There is a distinct yawing-side-to-side- motion in the rear wheels. At slow speeds the wheels seize as can be seen at the end of the "forward" video. Slow speed is what I was hoping for with this locomotive. Perhaps it just needs to be broken in or is something out of alignment? 

Here's a vid of it in reverse:


----------



## Anthony Duarte (Dec 27, 2007)

I don't think there's too much to worry about. Mine does the same thing. Although I think the reversing block on mine is set a bit too far forward. Perhaps you might want to check yours as well.

- Anthony


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Added Trackside Details brass Baldwin builders plates (item TD-31). I soldered a post on the back of the plate, painted it Testors enamel black, and JB Weld-ed it into place using the holes which used to hold the handrails from the pilot. Note that I also cut down the sand dome mount in the middle of the boiler. I don't think I compromised the integrity of the boiler as the mount weld is still in place, I just cut down the height of the mount. Comments?


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim, That is looking good, keep it up. If you go with Vance's suggestion of blackened brass on the boiler wrapper, do some practice on scrap. I tried it on my Mason Bogie and never could get it right. I finally gave up and used ModelMaster buffable gun metal spray paint. Good luck with it and keep us posted.


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

I soldered a post 

Hope you are using silver solder - that smokebox gets hot!


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

It wasn't silver solder. I'm hoping that the JB Weld around the post, in the mounting hole, and under the builder's plate will hold it in place. There is also insulation around the inside of the smokebox. Nevertheless, a steam up or two, etc. will decide the bond, I suppose.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I installed the number plate (Trackside Details part #TD-72) by drilling a hole through the original number plate to accommodate the post on the back, and then JB Weld-ed it in place. Notice the Roundhouse Engineering "Silver Lady" steam dome. It's a pretty good match to the prototype and should fit the boiler jacket without too much modification. It's designed to fit a 2-inch diameter boiler. The boiler jacket will increase the diameter to just a fraction over 2 inches. It seems to me it will be easier to modify the dome to fit a wider diameter boiler jacket than a narrower diameter boiler jacket. I'll find that out soon enough, as well as whether the JB Weld will hold the builder's and number plates in place under the heat of the smokebox.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Oh, and why the number "5"? Well, it's because this is my fifth live steam locomotive (#1: Roundhouse Engineering "Millie"; #2: Roundhouse Engineering SRRL #24; #3: John Shawe coal fired SRRL #24; and #4: Maxitrak coal fired "Pearl")


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Fired up the Forney this afternoon. No problems with the JB Weld bond. The paint, however, did soften and run a little bit in one small spot on the side of one of the builder's plates and seemed to get soft on the side of the number plate. If I don't touch it, it's fine. But will it continue to soften with subsequent firings?


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I've got the cork lagging and .025 brass sub jacket installed and ready for the outer jacket. I'm thinking I might change out the number plate to an Accucraft Mogul number plate with star on it. The current #5 will be the wrong font compared to the rest of the lettering of the SSRT, I'd rather not have to worry about whether a decal could withstand the heat of the smokebox, and at least one of the Forneys on the SSRT had this "star" number plate. Doug Bronson is putting together a fabulous cab/tender combination that will really capture the look of the SSRT. I'm going to have a lot of Forney parts leftover (bell, headlight, sand and steam domes, whistle and safety valves, stand pipe, foot boards (side and rear), cab, tender.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Finished the boiler jacket by using the technique described by Kevin Strong in his Master Class article "Patina Finish for Your Boiler" (http://archive.mylargescale.com/articles/masterclass/mc2/mc2-03/patina1.asp). It was not as easy as I had imagined or wished it would be, but with patience I got the look that satisfies me. Instead of swabbing the Brass Black on the brass jacket, I poured the Brass Black in a glass pie pan and soaked the brass jacket for a few minutes at a time. The brass (or the blackener not sure what) did tend to flake off if I left the brass sheet in too long, but with practice I was able to get a decent patina for my tastes. The first photo is under direct light, the second is indirect light, the third no dire or indirect light. I'm also not that thrilled with the "pie crust" look of the jacket bent over the sub jacket and cork lagging, but I needed the thickness in order to clear the handrail stanchion screws between the sub jacket and boiler. From a distance and in "real life" (pictures are so unforgiving of the details and defects) I'm very happy with the results. Next step: steam dome (which fits perfectly on the boiler jacket now!) installation on the safety valve.


----------



## dwegmull (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking good, Jim. 
I guess that's one locomotive that looks right at home on an elevated track ;-)


----------



## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

The secret to getting a good brass patina is cleanliness. Wash the brass with soap and hot water, wipe it clean with a paper towel, handle it only with tongs or wearing rubber gloves. Looks like yours came out fine. This is my favorite finish for boiler jackets.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I've been thinking about the boiler jacket patina in hind sight. As I look at the piece of brass I practiced on by swabbing the Brass Black on with a Q-tip rather than dipping it in a bath of the solution, I see it has more of a "Russia Iron" look than the darker black finish I got from the bath in the pie pan. Oh well, I still like the results. Next time I'll swab it on taking my time to darken the brass in sections rather than all at once. Also, it would have been smart to practice on the back side of the jacket first to see how it worked on a larger piece. Live and learn.


----------



## Shay Gear Head (Jan 3, 2008)

Make sure you practice on the same sheet of brass. Different brasses will blacken differently.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Also, the Accucraft brass bands would not blacken on the outside, I assume because it had a sealer on it. I used new brass bands.


----------



## StevenJ (Apr 24, 2009)

I just wanted to say, did you know in advance that the Forney's had domes that screw right off? It's odd because my second Gen Ruby's do not screw off. They were appreantly soldered on at the factory. Accucraft, though I do love their products, sure does make some odd design changes over the years. Very nice job anyway.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I didn't know beforehand how the domes were attached. The steam dome screws on to the safety valve stem. The sand dome was mounted with a screw that goes through the sand dome into a mount that is welded to the boiler. I ground down the sand dome mount to where it would be under the boiler jackets without affecting the integrity of the boiler.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

The Roundhouse Engineering "Silver Lady" steam dome is held in place over the safety valve by a 1/2-inch diameter brass tube JB Weld-ed inside the dome. The tube press fits over the safety.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

The headlight (Trackside Details part #TD-13) is attached with a 1/2 inch long 2-56 hex head screw tapped through the bottom of the headlight so it screws into the headlight itself. I'm waiting for a local jeweler to get me a lens for the headlight. The hole in the smokebox was not tapped. The finials (Trackside Details part #TD-122) are JB Weld-ed on to the ends of 2mm piano wire.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Not being completely satisfied with the boiler jacket patina, I decided to paint the boiler jacket with Model Master Gunmetal (Buffing Metalizer) Metalizer Lacquer. Looks good, but you do lose the "real life" quality of the chemically blackened boiler jacket. Now let's see if it holds up under the heat. I painted the steam dome and headlight with Krylon "BBQ & Stove" paint. Those parts plus the boiler jacket have a Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Primer coat.


----------



## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim, from my side of the computer monitor, it looks good. After the paint is well cured and the engine is in service, wiping down the jacket with a bit of oil in the rag will probably develop a patina of sorts. 
Like these critter projects! 

Larry


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I've got some bad news and some good news after the first steam up with the painted boiler jacket. Bad news it the paint lifted off the boiler jacket where it came into contact with the steam dome. The good news is now I've got a way to line up the steam dome on the safety so that it lays flat on the boiler jacket. (The other good news is that the Krylon BBQ paint held up well.) I'm also trying to figure out the wobble when it runs. There's a lota shimmy-shammy-tail-waggin'.


----------



## Trainwreckfilms (Aug 19, 2009)

If you need Trackside Details parts i have 3 Boxes of them!!! let me know what you need trying to clear out my train room! BTW great job on your loco


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I've been thinking about paint schemes while I wait for Doug Bronson to complete a cab kit for me. By now I've settled on modeling the South Side Rapid Transit Forney rather than the Lake Street Elevated Forney. I just wasn't up to making a wagon top boiler. Plus the SSRT was the first Chicago "L" and carried passengers to the 1893 Chicago's World's Fair, where so many interesting stories took place. A little poll if you please. What do you think of the pin striping on the wheels? My wife likes it because it makes the wheels stand out and is like the original, but she is concerned that it may look too - in her words - "clownish." I'm not all that thrilled with quality of my painting skills. I thought about using a paint pen, but the tip wasn't small enough. So I used a "spotter" paint brush: really small! And Testors enamel paint. 

Here's the paint job: 










For comparison, here's Forney #1 just delivered in 1892: 










Here's Forney #53 relettered for the South Side Elevated Railroad, which had succeeded the original South Side Rapid Transit in January 1897. The Victorian paint scheme has been exchanged for a more utilitarian look:


----------



## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

I think the stripes are a bit gaudy, too, but that's how they were delivered, so.... 

A brush won't give you consistent line widths, though, so you should consider using a bow pen, a decal, or perhaps striping tape (if you can get it thin enough).


----------



## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

My opinion-- 
If you are going to put the striping on the bunker and cab, then the drivers should be done too. If not, then the drivers should be left plain. 
Speaking of the cab, it appears to be steel, somewhat unusual at that time. 

Larry


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Doug Bronson of Bronson Tate Architectural Models (www.bronson-tate.com) is nearly finished with my cab. It's wood. What do you think about the simulated rivet details which are really just holes in the sides? Keep them? Any suggestions on how to simulate the rivets better? Perhaps pin heads pushed into the holes? (Please note that is the first cutting/mock-up of the cab. There are mistakes with this build. The final product will be ready sometime next week.)


----------



## Shay Gear Head (Jan 3, 2008)

If you keep the rivets there needs to be rivets. Pin heads would be way too large, looking at the prototype. No suggestion as to what would work though. If there is a good solution I'd like to know because I purchased three Triassic Models Gilpin tram ore car kits at DH and they need the same solution.

Also if you keep them then you are missing the middle double row in the tank portion. Didn't get a back view but it probably has the same double row of rivets on it. Also rivets going up the corners of the cab.

You are going to have real fun adjusting the throttle unless there is RC.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Even the smallest pin heads I could find were a tad big in scale. I'm leaning towards no rivet details. 

Regarding the steam and gas throttle control: I prefer manual control and since this Forney will look natural on an elevated track where I can get at the controls more easily, I was thinking I'd swap out the knobs with a Roundhouse Engineering-style manual regulator handle for the steam throttle and dummy brake handle for the gas. Also, if I cut out the door on the engineer's side, I wouldn't have to lift off the roof to get at the steam regulator. Does anyone have suggestions on those parts? Will they fit or will something have to be fabricated?


----------



## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

For rivets with prototypical heads, check scalehardware.com--the ones I used have 0.054" dia. heads. Drill the spotted holes and add a drop of CA from the back, then cut off close. With wood, you cannot try to actually "set" the rivet. For pictures of them in place, check the thread Larry Green's Light Prairie, posted here by Llyn Rice just about a year ago. 
I'm really enjoying following your progress. 

Larry


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

simulated rivet details which are really just holes in the sides? Keep them? Any suggestions on how to simulate the rivets better? 
Alan's boxcab project gave us a neat solution - Grandt Line makes O-scale plastic rivets that are 0.032", 0.043", or 0.062". They come on a stalk in packets of 100 for $2.55. 

http://www.grandtline.com/model_rai..._pages.htm


----------



## llynrice (Jan 2, 2008)

Your model is really capturing the appearance of the prototype! As for the rivets, could you have Bronson Tate cut thin styrene or brass overlays into which you can emboss rivet detail? The NWSL rivet embossing tool works really well.


----------



## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

That does look good - much better than the Accucraft original, IMO. I, too, think the "rivet" holes should go, unless you're going to glue some kind of heads into them. 

There is one thing that bugs me, and this is a matter of taste, so just take it for that. Baldwin never built tenders/bunkers with sharp corners, as far as I know. Their tanks always had rounded corners, with the sheet seams on the backside of the tank. British practice was to have square tank corners, and there are models of American locos that do that (most prominent is the Bachmann Big Hauler). 

That said, this is a good-looking conversion, so if that detail doesn't bother you, then it looks like a good project. Personally, I think I would cover the whole thing in brass .005" shim stock, into which I would press "rivet heads". That would give the structural underpinning of the wood, and the look of metal with rivets, a hard and shiny surface (hard to get with wood), "oil-canning", etc. If you did this, you could simply leave gaps at the rear corners, glue in a dowel, and wrap the brass around it. The flares at the top of the corner are a bit tricky, but I'll be glad to show you how to work them out. It's pretty simple with CAD, once you know the technique. 

Great work here - thanks for keeping us up to date on it!


----------



## ETSRRCo (Aug 19, 2008)

I have a question. Is this cab a custome job or are they planning on making these avalible for others to purchase?


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Doug tells me it will be available as a custom kit for anyone to purchase.


----------



## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice work Jim. That cab is just perfect.

Bob


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I like how the Brass Black blackened the Trackside Details link and pin coupler on the pilot and it will hold up better than paint. It's held in place by JB Weld around the coupler post, which is then inserted into a 3/32 x 3/16 rectangular brass tube. I may strengthen the bond between coupler and tube with a 0-80 screw, but that'll come later if the bond fails during use. I don't plan to pull more than two trailing cars - Bachmann observation cars painted and lettered for the SSRT, which I'm working on now. A half-inch long 2-56 hex head screw is the pivot holding the coupler bar in place under the pilot and allowing it to swivel.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Finished the Bronson-Tate cab (www.bronson-tate.com) today. After I add plumbing details to the boiler, etc., it will be ready for painting. Nice product. Doug Bronson cut the front of the cab to accommodate the boiler jacket. The handrail stanchions are by Roundhouse Engineering. The tender wheels are Tenmille 24mm split spoke wheels.


----------



## ETSRRCo (Aug 19, 2008)

Looks great!


----------



## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

Sweet!


----------



## livesteam53 (Jan 4, 2008)

Real Nice!


----------



## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Wot? No rivets? 

(Looks great anyway.)


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Yes, no rivets.....just one of several "good enough"s.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Now for something completely different: This Forney is going to need a car to pull, so while waiting for various detail parts to arrive for the Forney, I've been working on SRRT car no.1. This is the first trailer car built by the Jackson & Sharp Co. for the SSRT in 1892 and is preserved at the Chicago History Museum. My model is a Bachmann observation car kit with modified platforms. Some detail parts include Ozark Miniatures link and pin couplers and strap steps, Slater's spoke wheels, Stan Cedarleaf decals, and Band-it pre-glued iron on veneer platforms.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

An Otto Frei 13mm flat edge glass crystal ($7.50) press fits snugly into the painted headlight (Trackside Details TD-13 headlight; Krylon primer and black BBQ paint). I've also changed the number plate. I plan to add a Stan Cedarleaf number "5" decal in the appropriate font.


----------



## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

I wouldn't count on the decal lasting long. I found that the heat of the smokebox will fry the decal paper pretty quickly. More durable alternatives are to solder on one of TD's numbers, or paint it on yourself. Or, perhaps Accucraft has started putting insulation and a back plate on the Ruby smokebox doors, and it won't be a problem. I suppose adding some insulation would be a third alternative.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

There is insulation. I plan to decal (Cedarleaf decals) the steam dome as well. Your concerns about decal failure are mine as well. We'll see.


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Jim, Sorry I haven't gotten back to you, Iv'e been traveling a lot the last 2 months. You asked me about using the gun metal paint. I looks like you got the job done without my help. I don't remember for sure but I think I used DupliColor etching primer on the brass then the Model Master gun metal which I buffed after it was well dried (several days) and then used the Model Master cover coat. It has stood up well. I used one of Stan's decals on the number plate, it has not done so well and is now kind of shriveled up. Even with insulation inside the smoke box door it gets too hot. I have had no problems with decals on any other part of the loco including the domes. 

Your loco and coach are looking really great. I'm looking forward to the finished product. I will be as job to be proud of.


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

God in his infinite wisdom has granted me another lesson in patience. Was I anxious to finish this project? Yes. Did I think that two coats of Krylon Matte Finish 1311 would be better than one and three better than two? Yes. Did I read/remember the directions: "excessive multiple coats may appear whitish, like frosted glass"? No. So..... accept the things I cannot change or ....courage to change the things I can? God is good.


----------



## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

Instant weathering...? Still, it looks good from here!


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I think further weathering (which I had planned on doing) will cover over a multitude of dull coat sins, but I had read somewhere that one more coat of Matte could take away the "frost."


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I posted this on the Summerlands Chuffer thread, but thought I'd add it here too. Here's a few clips with a Summerlands Chuffer installed. It's the standard SCAC1 for the Ruby. I shot these clips on a Canon Powershot SD400 5.0 digital camera. The first clip is forward, the second in reverse and the third is what often happens at slow speeds. The wheels bind and I've either got to push the wheels to get them going again or quickly open the throttle as seen in the clip. I'll figure that one out later.


----------



## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim, didn't you mention earlier that there was a wobble or something in the rear wheelset? If so , perhaps that and the binding are related. A number of things can cause this-perhaps a conversation with Cliff is called for now. Your symptoms remind me of trying to get 1950's Mantua HO loco kits to run smoothly. 

Larry


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi Larry, 

It's been suggested that perhaps the main and/or side rod(s) were binding, but that doesn't seem to be the problem. It may be a timing issue with the eccentrics. Each time I steam up it seems to be working better (i.e. slower speed without binding), reverse better than forward. 

Cliff has offered to pay for shipping to get it fixed/fine tuned, but since I'm working on these other modifications, I'll take him up on the offer as a last resort. I probably voided the warranty anyway. 

Jim


----------



## HeliconSteamer (Jan 2, 2008)

I would suggest looking at your rear drivers. From the clips you've posted, it looks almost like the rear driver is not concentric with its axle. This could also explain the bind and running the loco could just be 'egging out' the holes in the rods to make it run more smoothly. This will make the engine run better on blocks, but if this is the case, the problem will still exist once the loco is on the rails. Does the flange position change vertically relative to the frame, or is it just the side to side motion?


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

HeliconSteamer, 

What you describe is what I see as well. It does seem as though there is a little more vertical looseness in the right rear driver axle in the frame (moves up and down) than there is in the other drivers - not much though. I may be seeing something that's not there, not really an issue? 

Jim


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

Done. 

Thanks to Zoe Topper for detail parts, much advice, and an all-around big helping hand when I really needed it (www.ngtmodels.com), Doug Bronson (www.bronson-tate.com) for the cab, Stan Cedarleaf for the decals (nice save on the frosting problem. A coat of warmed-up Krylon Clear Satin did the trick. Amazing!), Colin Camarillo (www.camarillopacific.com) for the Trackside detail part, and Bruce Moffat for the SSRT inspiration ("Steam on the Alley 'L'" www.discoverlivesteam.com/magazine/42/index.html), and finally I'd like to thank the Academy for the opportunity to post this project... seriously folks... thanks to everyone on MLS for your input and comments. 

I still need to fine tune the timing and plan to weather it this weekend. Hopefully I can post some video clips running at the Midwest Live Steamers show on April 3.


----------



## Alan in Adirondacks (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim, 

Beautiful job!! 

Best regards, 

Alan


----------



## ETSRRCo (Aug 19, 2008)

Man that came out great!


----------



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

really nicely done!


----------



## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

That is really, really nice, Jim. Great job.


----------



## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

I've been folllowing this build with much interest. The outcome is outstanding. Fantastic effort, and a very fine model. 

David.


----------



## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

A unique engine, Jim. Welcome to the Critter Club! 

I would still look into that rear driver situation, and I don't think Cliff is going to have any warranty concerns about your cosmetic changes. 

Larry


----------



## Jim Schulz (Aug 10, 2009)

I was able to steam up at the Indy South Train Show on Jim Sanders "Midwest Live Steamers" elevated track today. All-in-all very satisfying. The binding of the drivers didn't seem to be an issue for the most part. It was only in the curves and toward the end of a run that the locomotive would stall and - then not always. As you can see from the video, it slows down in the curves (that's the speed I'm looking for) and speeds up on the straightaway (that's too fast). It may be that it just needs to break in and with more run time will smooth out. The inside curve is a 4-foot radius. The Summerlands Chuffer sounds great IMO. And the decal on the number plate is holding up well. The first decal did start to break apart in previous steam ups, but I put another identical decal on top of it and sealed it with a coat of Krylon Satin.


----------



## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice video, Jim. She sure looks and runs right nicely.


----------



## FH&PB (Jan 2, 2008)

I missed the exciting final scene of this movie! It looks great, Jim.


----------

