# Johnson bar reach rod repair Accucraft Mason Bogie



## RGSEast (Apr 21, 2008)

When I received my Mason Bogie from Accucraft one of the first things I noticed was that the reach rod for the johnson bar was way too long and with the bar all the way to the rear, the valve gear was in the full down position. 
 
I first tried to removed the nut on the jbar that connected to the reach rod. That had to be done through the door on the engineers side. I covered all the pretty paint with tape and got after it with long needle nose pliers. No luck at all.
 
After another quick look over I decided that the only way to correct this was to remove the cab. My impression was that the cistern would come off with the cab. Not so, they are separate pieces and the cistern slides inside the rear of the cab, so removing the cab is going to disturb some paint. Also, after talking to Bob Poli, he warned me of the throttle rod to the base of the steam dome would stop the upward lift of the cab assembly once you got the bolts out. 
 
First reach inside the engineers window (after you open it) with long needle nose pliers and grab a hold of the rear tab of the throttle rod. It is put there so from the outside of the model you see the rod going from the cab front into the base of the steam dome. Once you have grabbed it with the pliers, wiggle it so that it will back out of the hole in the dome. It takes a bit of pull, but it will come. 
 
Now roll over the engine and remove the two bolts under the front of the cistern. You can look into the cistern from the rear to see their locations. Squeeze the front of the cistern together and you will create a gap that you can slide some tape into, to prevent scratching the sides of the cistern. Now removed the 6 bolts that hold down the cab. Those are the three on each side closes to the outer sill. 
 
Now carefully lift the cab straight up off of the boiler. It will stick a bit and you will have to wiggle it. Watch the rear boiler band, again to prevent scratches. You will have to release the cab light from the roof, before you can completely remove the cab. 
 
Now unbolt the reach rod, center the johnson bar and the valve gear lever under the bell. Mark the correct length for the reach rod and mark for the new hole. I cut the rod and drilled and tapped for a 1/72 bolt. 
 
Then I just reversed the proceedure to install the cab. Make sure the tape on the cistern is in place and remove after the cab is in place and before you replace the front bolts on the cistern. 
 
Now all looks right with the valve gear and you can position it correctly.
 
Keeping this engine clean???? I found that the little spray bottles of eye glass cleaner and a micro fiber towel does the job.
 
I will also be replacing the window glass with slide glass and starting to install AirWire next week. Gotta git this guy on the road..
 
Hope this helps 
 
Roger Cutter
RGS East in 1:20.3 
 
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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

*RE: Johnson bar reach rood repair Accucraft Mason Bogie*

Hi 

Thanks Roger, its a complicated 'so & so' to put right! Accucraft have used the setup for the steam version, which needs to be slightly different, for the electric one - the result you know!


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## RGSEast (Apr 21, 2008)

My pleasure. Glad you were able to follow all the rambling. I hope all things move smoothly now and no paint got damaged. 

I am getting ready to build a new backhead for the engine following David's drawings, as the one provided has many errors. Going to check and see if I can find drawings of the Eams Vacuum Brake System so I can model that also. 

Which engine did you get? 

Roger


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Roger.

I will be getting #4 - I am in the UK, the UK part of Accucraft are on holiday till the middle of January and they should arrive after that.

You mention the Eames brake and the firebox: both are still available - the eames brake is at http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx

and the backhead is covered in Chapter 6 construction; most of it is for the valve gear, after that the firebox in the cab is covered. The file is a PDF, just the diagrams is 2MB the text PDF is 5 times as big..

I am making a 2 8 6 and thus they have been exhumed from the computer store for doing that, plus the 2 8 6 file itself.


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## RGSEast (Apr 21, 2008)

Thanks for the help on the Eames info. I will be downloading all the PDF files from the Master Class. So much great information. Dave is to be commended. 

I am going to add the Eames system to mine. My question to Dave is going to be what kind of glad hands did they use. The drawings show a train line to the rear only and then one drawing shows a pilot line. Nowhere do I see a cutoff valve.

My understanding of the vacuum system is that is was good for about 5 or 6 cars and then NO VACUUM. Now to start working on the project.

Roger 
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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Roger

Maybe the following will be of some help regarding the Eames hose coupling (page 20/89) along with some additional information.

Eames Vacuum Brake Info PDF[/b]


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Roger,

I thought that it had it? There is no front pipe as I asked David Fletcher about that earlier - the only brakes were the ones on the outer axles of the tender truck, no driving wheels were braked.

The cylinder should be under the cab, in front of the tender truck and not quite vertical.

I think that the vac. brakes were no good at the DSP's altitude as they worked with the pressure of ambient air and not pressure from a pump as the Westinghouse do.

The vertical pipe poking out through the can roof is the exhaist from the Eames injector which is covered in Andy Berants addition. My 2 8 0 has the fitting, no gauge face though, but the gauge is there.


Using that I added one to my firebox for the 2 8 6 the copper pipe on the right hand side feeds it and the injector is in front of the looped pipe in the photo below.

This is what the firebox looks like but this one is larger than the 2 6 6 version.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Not that the following is the way the Eames ejector was installed on the DSP but it does show one installation of the valve, exhaust pipe, vacuum gage, and vacuum line. Hope it's found to be of use.


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## RGSEast (Apr 21, 2008)

Thanks for the information. I think holiday weekend I will start on a new cover for the rear boiler and back head. That way I can add all this detail and then just slip it in place, all painted and ready to go. Just have to remove the detail that is there now. 
Have to figure what color to paint. Wonder if they extended the Russia iron color into the laging in the cab? 

Roger Cutter 
RGS East in 1:20.3


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Roger, 


The Russian iron is not believed to be in the cab, plain old black iron. But you have some contrast with the copper pipes, the wrapped (believed to be white) pipes, and a polished Johnson bar and throttle. The injextors were brass color. 

The Eames injector I believe had copper pipes and a brass body; the gauge could be be either brass color or white.

I have found a photo of my backhaed for you - here it is











This is the firemans side, and there is no Eames brake fitted (it has a westinghouse pump)








.

and an unpainted engineers 'office' side. Westinghouse air brake stands (2) still to be fitted.


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## RGSEast (Apr 21, 2008)

I really find it interesting that they did not use a water glass in 1880, just the tri-cox. Risky business it was. 

Will have to do some research on that. 

Thanks for the photos. Like to see yoru 2-8-6t when it is done. 

Where are you located?? 

I am in Northern MD just below York, PA> 

Roger Cutter 
RGS East in 1:20.3


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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

The Eames setup and all the backhead detail is in the masterclass chapter 7. Including the pipe runs. No hose to the front of the loco, only the rear. 
Note Russia Iron WAS used inside the cab, right to the back plate, which was left unlagged. My sample model #42 was Westinghouse, so I dont show the Eames in colour, but it was a brass unit. The rest of the backhead per the colours in the photos in chapter 7. 

David.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Roger,

You are in Maryland then I think.

I am a long way west of that in England and near to Manchester which is a bit above the center of England.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Roger 

David mentions Chapter 7 this was done by Andy Bernat, and is at http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx 

There are two sets of PDF's there, those are the large ones. 


If printing Chapter 7 do check the size against the scale; I had to enlarge mine to get them right.


You will also find Chapter 6 there as well.


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## RGSEast (Apr 21, 2008)

Thanks to Peter and David for the help. I assumed Dave Fletcher was lurking to make sure us novices were doing this right. As long as I have his attention, one other question. 

I assume that the DSP&P had lanterns in the cab for light. Does anyone know the style, how many and location. Bob Hartford made caboose lanterns in F scale and I am hoping that those are appropriate. 

I am getting rid of the LEDs and replacing with incandescent. For the headlight I want a reflector and info on how the lantern and chimney looked. In the past I have used flashlight reflectors, but with the kerosene the hole is in the wrong place. Is that information somewhere in the PDFs that were produced for this project? 

Sorry you aren't closer Peter, but if you do get across the pond you are more than welcome to come visit and run some trains. I am 25 minutes from where they do the ECLSTS. The RR is called the RGS East but we have matching stations and water tanks at different locations for the DRGW, RGS, C&S/DSP&P and soon will have same for the EBT. So you can park the NG loco of choice in front of a correct station/water tank. 


Dave, thanks in advance for any info you can provide. This loco has been a favorite of mine since I entered ng modeling in 1972. 

Do you make it over here at all, NG Conventions and such?? 

Roger Cutter RGS East in 1:20.3

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## RGSEast (Apr 21, 2008)

I just got off the phone this PM with Cliff at Accucraft. He indicated that the factory was shipping replacement reach rods for the Mason Bogie. They would be the correct length and would have the hole drilled and taped. You can contact his to get a replacement. 
This was you can either just disconnect the rod or wait for the replacement to make the change. 

Here is his note to me.

Hi Roger

I have ordered the correct length reach rods for the electric models !
Could you post another response stating the I will send out the
correct part at no charge to anyone who asks me ! 

Let your other friends with Masons know this.

Roger Cutter
RGS East in 1:20.3 
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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

Just to clarify, 
Chapter 7 was my work as part of my Mason Class and wasn’t by Andy Bernat. Andy was very kind to create PDFs of the whole chapter and host it on his web space for a while. I’m not sure if Chapter 7 is still hosted there or not. The Intention was for this chapter and Chapter 6 to be uploaded to MLS per all the other chapters, but for some reason that never happened. Thus Chapter 6 and 7 always remained on Andy’s web space, while we awaited the complete chapters to be uploaded to MLS. 

If folks need the PDF set at 1:1 size for the Eames version of the loco backhead, then drop me a line and I can email you the set. The same set by the way was give to Accucraft for the detailing of their superb model, but they may not have gone the full distance as shown in these chapter 7 PDFs. 

I'll get back to you on the Lantern in the cab - only light there is, is for the pressure gauge, there is no cab lighting, however I'm not even sure these engines had the gauge light, will check and get back. pete's backhead for the 2-8-6T is a Baldwin style lamp. 

David.


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## David Fletcher (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking through my stuff, there is not indication of a lamp set up for the pressure gauge. I think you'll find, as-built, these engines just had no lighting inside at all, other than maybe a portable hand lantern for use outside and the general glow of the firebox. No water glass and no glass lamp either! 

The PDFs on Andy's site still seem to be working, so download the backhead detail from there. 

 For the main headlight, Mason didn't make the lamps, they were by a specialised manufacturer. Go on-line and lookup the details and photos, there are plenty about. bascially its a regular polished reflector with the vertical set glass flute of the oil lamp set in front. Here's an example:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:R...eLine2.jpg

David.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

The PDFs on Andy's site still seem to be working, so download the backhead detail from there. Can you provide a link to these David? I found Andy's 1st Class space, but no pdf's were in there. Thanks.


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## RGSEast (Apr 21, 2008)

Dwight, 
I suppose you have a live steam one coming. 

Roger


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

You bet I do Roger!!!! It fits into my current theme of only acquiring locomotives that represent California Narrow Gauge - primarily the NPC and SPC - and logging equipment. 

Talked to Cliff yesterday and he said delivery has been pushed back to January.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Dwight,

Here is the link

http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...fault.aspx


IF that does not work let me know I have the files though they are big. Try dowloading the using 'save target as' for the PDF's the size (of them) may be messing things up.


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Roger, 

In your text re replacing the reach rod you talk of (protective) tape - what did you use please? Masking tape would work and the glue can be partially reduced before use.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

Got the files Peter. Thank you and Merry Christmas!!!


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