# a scrapbox 0-6-0



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Okay, I had some parts, and just decided to see what they'd look like. It started with a set of Bug Mauler wheels from Shawn, and a Delton c-16 frame.









Homemade rods from c-16 parts, brass box, and a pair of B'mann Porter crossheads.










A Bug Mauler smokebox that I got in another trade, and a nice cheap chunk of plastic pipe make for a fat boiler.










.....Total cash outlay so far $7 


I even got part of the story for this figured out! It was originally built as a heavy 2-6-0 by Baldwin in 1905, and bought by the AV for local (not express) passenger service. After the last regular passenger train ran in 1939, the AV found itself with several surplus Moguls - which were simply too small for drag freight service. But three of them, this one (#10), it's twin sister(#9), and #12 had been recently totally rebuilt and were simply in too good of condition to scrap outright. The AV tried to sell them, but couldn't. So in 1940 they traded #9 in on a SG switcher, and cut this one down into an 0-6-0 to replace the old 1889 switcher at Oil City, also renumbering it as #4 - the engine it replaced.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Today's progress..... 
Shortening the smokebox by about 3/8" made it look quite a bit different. Yes, the second dome is supposed to look like an afterthought, it was put on when the passenger mogul was cut down into a switcher. 









This Frisco 0-6-0, which started life as a ten wheeler, has similar odd spacing. 









Bell installed, and first coat of color 









This is Stanley Stinkem, the new Skonkworks mascot. He's a $2 necklace bead from Peru that my daughter got me.


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

Wow Mik, 
That "it's to quiet here" post must ave really got to you. That looks great.







I'm interested in you story. Oil City is a place on your Railroad? I grew up there. Ive always wanted to model the Y bridge. I'll be anxious too see some shots of her (#10) in service on the AV.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Nutz-n-Bolts on 15 Jan 2011 04:41 AM 
Wow Mik, 
....Oil City is a place on your Railroad? I grew up there....


As you probably know, the real AV - later owned by the Pennsy ran up the East bank of the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh to Cranberry - Just beyond Oil City

My physical layout is supposed to be on the short stretch between approximately Foxburg and East Sandy -- So Oil City is about 15 miles North 


Thanks for the interest and kind words!


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, if something sits around unfinished long enough, other ideas begin to take hold. I ordered an Aristo plow blade off Trainworld today. I'm fitting the pony truck tonight. It will be a heavy 2-6-0 with a huge plow. Similar to this/ 









However, Since it might actually be used to plow snow eventually, along with heavy bracing and extra weight, I'm thinking battery power is probably a necessity. I don't want fancy, just basic... and cheap. I'm leaning towards a non r/c setup like the 'critter control'. But what about batteries? I've mostly ignored the battery mafia up til now. And I still don't want to go all the way down that road. I just need something cheap, simple and reliable for this one engine. Suggestions?


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Mik, 

For cheap (relatively), you might consider a 'Basic Train Engineer' (the orange one) and break the RX out of the box and install it in the cab or tender along with the batteries. 

Bob C.


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## jgallaway81 (Jan 5, 2009)

Mik... for batteries, consider the idea of looking at your local Harbor freight. They often offer a drill, charger, and two batteries for 20-30.

Can't say for certain any particular one would work for you, but its something to consider. 
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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I was honestly wondering how these performed under load. They're more in my price range... 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Universal-12V-1-5A-Li-ion-Rechargeable-Battery-Pack_W0QQitemZ120693071579QQ


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Today was a weird roller coaster of a day. I installed the crossheads and connecting rods this afternoon - got it looking good, then went to re-test the chassis,---- half a revolution, and....................... bind city. -- So I tore the chassis back down. Rechecked for square and found that the front axle had gotten shifted on one side by about 1/64". Just enough to cause everything to jam. Mind you, it ran fine back in January! ....... I THINK I finally got all that sorted out, or mostly. I can't test it until a couple glue joints set up harder. The more I think about it, the more I'm probably going to oval out the holes in the siderods to allow for a sloppier fit ala Aristo. 

Then, when I'd pretty much had enough frustration for one day, came a totally unexpected, but very nice message from Del Tapparo - He said somebody anonymously donated me a Critter Control for this project! Basic, not Simple, even! All I can say is "Wow!"... and Thank You!


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I found this photo in my files the other day. It's a Porter, not a Baldwin, but it looked more balanced than what I was building. 









So I removed the generator and shortened the whole thing by a little over 3/4". It's till pretty darn huge, but I'm much happier with it now. 









The tender shell is taking shape as well. If it looks sort of like one for a K-27, well it should... just much smaller 









I've had this welded air tank (with the huge hole) in my junk box for ages. So I'll use it on this to hide the battery controls 









I'm still working on the chassis, it should be ready to test by tomorrow.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Plow arrived today, so I cut it up. 









And then used the chunks to reinforce it where the pilot would bear. 









While the glue was drying on that I cut the tender shell for the charging jack and on/off switch box. 









With the 'air tank' cover in place. 









Plow attached to the chassis, boiler mocked up... I think this might just work!


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Somebody is probably going to say "about flipping time!", but I finally wired the tender for this thing today! Aaand.............. the 3800 mah battery packs are just a smidge too big to fit the way I wanted, so I'm going to have to rearrange things, or make the tender 3/8" taller. 

I wired it so I could switch the batteries to parallel to charge, and then series to run using a simple dpdt switch. I also wired in another dpdt between the critter control and the motor leads, so I can change it over to track power if needed (IF I ever get the pickups installed) Del's Basic Critter Control was a fairly easy installation. The only un-positive comment I have about it is wiring 3-1 and 5-3 on the board to rotary switch is a little counter-intuitive since you also wire 2-2 and 4-4. It's just one of those "hey dummy, pay attention!" things. 

The batteries are getting a conditioning cycle before I try hooking up the loco to see if the wheels go 'round. If all goes well, I guess I gotta fabricate a drawbar and finish the loco.


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## Tails (Nov 9, 2010)

Its a FrankenPorter!
Seen a few odd balls like that before, love it!


Sort of funny too your inspiration came from that little Mexican 2-6-0 that sits out in Fairplay. Not a bad looking little engine.


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