# STILL AT IT Another articulated loco



## Bob Baxter (Jan 3, 2008)

This locomotive started out as an attempt to "improve" the 2-4-4-2 that you can see in the signature below. The "PeeWee" was created using two Bachmann 0-4-0 power blocks in 2002 and is a consistent runner on our modular layout, the Door Hollow Shortline. It was necessary to shorten the wheelbase on the units and create new side rods. It has worked out well with no problems. But, being a restless type I decided to "improve" PeeWee by replacing the blocks with shortened blocks from two Bachmann 2-6-0 "Indie" locos. New attachment devices were created and fitted into the old girl's frame. When it was all together I decided that I didn't like the look of it and reinstalled the old blocks.

That created a problem. What to do with the new power blocks. A new 2-4-4-2 was the answer.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Nice job filling the gaps! 
You've created another beauty. 

John


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

I look at that, and have to ask. With the point of load aft of the rear drive axles, what measures have you undertaken to hold the nose of each drive down? 
I've done them, when I did the Vulcan Duplex, I mounted the motors forward of the rear axles to keep the nose of each drive from climbing off the rails on acceleration. 
The 2-6-6-2 I did, lead in lead unit and spring...more to hold the boiler up than wheels down. 
With two pivots, you have a Meyer. 
Good looking locomotive. 
TOC


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## Bob Baxter (Jan 3, 2008)

There is a small metal and styrene box, open at the rear facing side, into which a pin under the boiler slides during assembly. The box is screwed onto the top of the motor block. The top of the box is in contact with the belly of the boiler. The pin keeps the swiveling unit from flopping around when it's being handled. This is the situation on the rear unit. The front unit is kept from swinging and flopping around with a nylon cord and there is a bar that is attached to the block that once again rubs on the boiler belly. During early test runs the units didn't seem to want to raise up but I wanted to make sure. Our modular layout is very smooth. I'm not sure how it would perform on an uneven railroad.


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## Curmudgeon (Jan 11, 2008)

Good enough! I didn't see it in the photos, so thought I'd ask!


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

You do great work Bob.


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Very pretty loco, Bob. But what's its name?


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

Great loco Bob. always liked Pee Wee, but for Me this takes the cake!!!! 

So -what size is the boiler tube, I can't guess off any known parts ... 

ThX..... 

Dirk


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## Bob Baxter (Jan 3, 2008)

The name is Number Ten. PeeWee got its name because construction occurred during the time that I was recovering from my prostectomy. I saved a section of my catheter and it became the steam tubes going from the steam dome to the steam chests. No. 10's tubes came from Joe's hardware store here in town. Can't make much of a name from that. 

The boiler diameter is either 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 inch from Plastruct.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)




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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

"No. 10's tubes came from Joe's hardware store here in town. Can't make much of a name from that. "

Well, I've just been reading about a new production of Lieber & Stoller's (sp?) "Smoky Joe's Cafe" here in L.A., so I immediately thought of "Smoky Joe". But you don't do Smoke units, do you?


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Wow!! What an awesome loco! Really looks great, Bob! 

What kind of paint did you use? I like the way it's not too glossy but not overly flat either.


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## Bob Baxter (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks, Ray. Painting these models isn't what it used to be. In the good old days, Krylon "semi-flat black" made the perfect black base coat. Then, they changed the formulas and the colors and the new paint didn't get along well with the old paints. I've found that the Japanese "Tamiya Color" paints for plastics are perfect as a replacement for the old Krylon. That spray paint comes in a tiny 100 ml can that produces a very fine spray and dries very quickly. It's also very expensive at somewhere between 7 and 8 dollars per can at the hobby shops that cater to the airplane and race car crowd. I used the Tamiya TS-6 matt black. This paint isn't completely flat but has a very slight sheen. 

When everything is together, the exciting part of the project comes into play. Out comes the old airbrush and the water based grimy black Polly scale paint. If you don't use an airbrush very often the prospect of a stray twitch from the trigger finger can have some disastrous results. A very light dusting overall with a little extra darkening here and there and with a sigh of relief, the airbrush is put away. I'm still trying to get comfortable with dry-brushing but a little bit here and there does bring out some of the details. I do what I do with my locos but feel that what you do with your buildings is much more impressive!


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks Bob. I know what you mean about the changes to the paint formulas, especially Krylon. One of these days I need to get my old airbrush equipment back into operation. There's some airbrush effects that just can't be done as well any other way.


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