# My Scratch Biult Milwaukee Road Steeple Cab



## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

Little Paulie [email protected]


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

WOW


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Coolness! What's the little thing just in front of the cab that looks like rabbit ear antennas? Between that, the pantograph, and the trolley pole, that stereo must get awesome reception.  

Later, 

K


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## Jim Francis (Dec 29, 2007)

* That is one cool loco!

I remember seeing those live in Montana.

Very nice work!


Jim 
*


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## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

K , that thing with what looks like rabbit ears is something that catches an arc of electric from the overhead catenary. Don't ask me how! I always thought it was a radio antenna. The trolley pole was used to start the compressors in order to raise the pantograph. 
As with my FAUX Joe, someday I'll paint it. 
It is scratch built with styreen plastic sort of 1:29th scale. I used USA trains motor blocks and I was to lazy to make the correct sideframes. Maybe someday! The headlights are LGB's as is the pantograph with a little detail added. It still needs a couple of railings but otherwise I'm happy with it as is unless I get any idea's from others. I do plan to add an interior when I see some pictures of what it should look like. 
I'm gonna' put Kadees on it so I can use it on my garden RR next spring in the 'Time Saver Yard'

Little Paulie, [email protected]

PS - be sure to check the Little Joe thread for a picture of my FAUX Joe


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## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

Jim, you are a lucky guy to have had seen them in the flesh! I chased a Little Joe back around 71 or so. I rember it like it was yesterday.

Little Paulie, [email protected]


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## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

Thankyou vsmith.
Little Paulie, [email protected]


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## cjwalas (Jan 2, 2008)

Great looking model! This will be a really impressive finished model when it's painted, but then it's a really impressive model already! 
Chris


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Yessiree..... That's a dandy.







You've done a very nice job on that. The USA trucks work right nicely for a "modern" project like that. Run good and not terribly expensive.

Good job.


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## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

Thanks Chris
Stan, ?? custom decals ?? hummmmmmmm, have I got a job for you !!!!!!!!!!! these critters need decals. e-mail me when you have a chance

Little Paulie, [email protected]


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

One cool looking loco. Will it be able to draw poere for the over head? Later RJD


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## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

Very nice worki


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## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

Thankyou Nick
RJD, YES! My garden layout a basic dog bone will have the old John Allen 'Timesaver' yard added to it this year. It will have overhead on it.

Little Paulie, [email protected]


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Very nice. Having spent countless hours around styrene, I can appreciate the hard work (and talent) you put into this model.


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## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

Thank's Joe. Then you know that this was not my first steeple cab. I built and trashed 2 others before this one. To get all the sizes right can be a bummer. As with my FAUX Joe, the body was short, had to be cut and made longer, height adjustments made, etc, etc, etc. I'm still not 100% happy with it, one reason it's not been painted yet. 
I just have so many projects going at the same time. I've built the Joe's and steeple cabs in O ga. also and a Joe in S ga. Hummmmm, I haven't done one in N yet! I have made a couple of cardboard mock up's of a Bi-Polar. I might make a 1:29th caracture of it. But right now I'm bashing a LGB mogul with more modern cylinders, cab and tender, upgrading it to a 1930's standard gauge loco. Along with a 2- 4 - 4 - 0 logging mallet, a German C-C articulated box cab, Reading A-5 0-4-0 camel back, SW-1 switcher and an outside frame 2-4-4-0T my plate is full. 
One project I mess with from time to time is a fantisy loco, A 2-4-4-Q2 !







Sort of a caracture of a Pennsy T-1 but articulated. I'm an avid fan of Bruce Bates. Every railroad needs a streamliner....
Thank's again

Little Paulie, [email protected]


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## Dennis Paulson (Jan 2, 2008)

That is a really beautiful model you built there . 
You should get more into the steamers ...............................and send the electrics here , ha ha .


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Wow, the catenary alone is incredible!


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## Ted_Roy (Jan 2, 2008)

From one Traction modeler to another, great work! That is an impressive piece of modeling. Thank you for sharing!


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## ohioriverrailway (Jan 2, 2008)

I second Ted's comments. That's a great looking project. Will you post an update when you get it on the road?


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Hope you'll post some pics of it running under the wire. Later RJD


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## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

Thank's guys for all the nice comments. As soon as I get the Kadees mounted it will be off to the paint shop. Don't forget to take a peek at my Faux Little Joe in the Little Joe thread. I plan to battery power it with the battery in a bay window caboose I built but right now it is track powered. BTW, the pantograph is LGB's with an added anti snag additon. 

I need to talk to others about catenary outdoors. 
Little Paulie


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## Dennis Paulson (Jan 2, 2008)

I know from experience that the LGB catenary works outdoors , here .


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## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

That is a beautiful sight Dennis. Have you seen the price of LGB catenary these days? How is expandtion and contraction? Down here in the south it can get HOT for days on end. I was thinking about building my own. Pre make sections about 24" long and find a wood dowl that is ROT proof. I made my own years ago in O gauge. I copied the Crooked Mountain Line catenary. I thought I might use LGB's brass conectors at the poles. Thought I might strip down some pressure treated into 1/2" x 1/2" strips and knock off the square edges. Another idea was to use brass tube for the post and arms. So many ideas, so little time!
Little Paulie


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

OK, third time trying to post pictures.

Some catenary systems I have built for my own garden railway. Some are still in use, some have been dismantled due to too much interference with gardening.


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## myline (Dec 6, 2008)

Dan, 
Are thoes poles PVC? I really like the direction you're going in in the last 2 photo's. Is this an evolution after trial and error?
My dogbone loop is 30"s off the ground. Getting on and off my knees is getting harder and harder to do. My roadbed is 2 layers of 1/2" 5" wide pressure treated board overlaped at the joints. So I had planned to add a 2 X 4 under the roadbed to mount the poles in and I won't mind poles on both sides of the track.
Thanks to you both for sharing thoes photo's.

Little Paulie, [email protected]


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## Dennis Paulson (Jan 2, 2008)

Check out these ideas also , there are several ways to do catenary .................................. 

click on link below 


catenary


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

The LGB poles may be functional but they look rather funny compared to American prototype. Dan, I really like your efforts at home brewed overhead. Keep up the good work. I haven't done anything in G scale traction but I have strung over 200 feet of overhead at my HO club.

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/billswindell/Port.JPG

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/billswindell/Olympia.JPG


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Posted By myline on 12/25/2008 9:17 AM
Dan, 
Are thoes poles PVC? I really like the direction you're going in in the last 2 photo's. Is this an evolution after trial and error?
My dogbone loop is 30"s off the ground. Getting on and off my knees is getting harder and harder to do. My roadbed is 2 layers of 1/2" 5" wide pressure treated board overlaped at the joints. So I had planned to add a 2 X 4 under the roadbed to mount the poles in and I won't mind poles on both sides of the track.
Thanks to you both for sharing thoes photo's.

Little Paulie, [email protected]



Thanks Paulie,
Yes, some of the poles are 1/2" PVC pipe. It's inexpensive enough to let your poles be 24" or so long and sink them into the ground up to 12". I use a bullet shaped steel rod 5/8" in diameter to make the hole. The PVC won't stand up to much pounding with a hammer. The last two photos show an idea I had which was going to be a sort of high line to run my LGB Amtrak Ice train on. But the upper managment voted them down. So I used the poles only and made a ground level point to point line for my steeple cab. 



On this line I used 5/64" diameter brass wire for the contact line and 1/8" wire for the standoffs. The 5/64" wire is actually less expensive than 1/16" wire from Special Shapes. I don't have their actual web address at the moment, however I'll try to look it up for you. I have also used 14 gauge stranded wire, the type electricians pull through conduits. After I strip off the insulation I twist it tighter using an electric drill at one end and tie the wire to something stationary at the other. This procedure stiffens the wire and makes it easier to work with by not unwinding while you are working with it.


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