# AVRR #17, putting a Connie on a diet.



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I decided a while back that by the early '20s the Allegheny Valley would have needed another class of locomotive to replace their aging 1880s 2-8-0s in heavy freight service. I had planned going a different direction, but got a B'mann Connie 'cheap' (relative term, the axle gear is missing 5 teeth so it's also a fixer-upper).

One slight problem. The AV is 42" gauge (1:24) and the Connie is this big pig of a thing in 3 foot gauge (1:20)... I also have 4 rather close clearance bridges and 2 tunnels. Soooooooooo......

I already had a Bug Mauler tender (less trucks) and Andre sent me a 1st gen cab. And I bookmarked Kevin's old article on the one he downsized for his dad. Of course, the Skunkworks can't just steal someone else's idea, so a slightly different reconfigure was in order.

First order of business... order a new gear off NWSL. But while we are waiting for that, it's mangle time! I pretty much stripped the thing (a good thing too, ALL the drivetrain and gearbox screws were about 1/4 to 1/2 turn loose!) Wanna see Connie get naked? (shut your eyes if you're easily embarrased!)









Now, for a possible prototype........ I figured the AV might have done it the same way the Grande did with their big K-37s. Namely a standard gauge boiler on a narrow gauge chassis. So, I went trolling for pix. Unfortunately, most SG engines of a similar size to what the boiler scaled out were either 1. piston valve engines. 2. Wagon tops. or 3. had a 2nd sand dome. Eventually I found this one of an old Pennsy Mogul.









A bit smaller than what I hoped for, but at least we're cookin! Moving the dome forward (and shortening both by quite a bit) and giving the boiler a coat of Pullman green yielded this early this evening.









Next on the agenda was shortening the pilot to get rid of some of that extra overhang.--- By about 3/8" on the truck and 1/2" on the frame. It's closer to the length on the rear now for a bit more balanced feel... and to keep it from knocking into things on curves. (One of my main gripes about the 10 wheelers, too.) I reworked the front truck a bit while I was at it. It might negotiate a R-1 now, but I'm not holding my breath that the center drivers wouldn't drop outside the inner rail if I tried it. But there's plenty of swing for my outdoor R-2s now.









That's as far as I got so far. Kim is going to go visit her mom tomorrow so I get the whole day to myself to get into trouble... I'll start on the tender then.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Today I started on the tender. First order of business was to address the Connie truck breakage problem. (I found one of mine had already been half-a##ed repaired) IMO it's just a crummy execution for a flex idea, sooo. I cut 1/8" of that crap out of each side to narrow the truck frames, put in bigger screws AND glued them rigid. My trackwork isn't THAT bad, anyway. The one on the left is original, the right manglified. 









I decided to make an extended coal bunker, rather than hungry boards. All I had the right width was paint stirrers. After they are sealed and painted they should look fine. 









Lots left to do, but this mock up should give you an idea where we are headed. I may have to shorten the stack a bit more. I haven't decided. 









Anybody know how wide an LGB mogul pilot plow is?


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## Ted Yarbrough (Jan 2, 2008)

Mik,
4 1/4 outside top to outside top. Love what you have done thus far. I also changed one to approximate 1:22 scale to go with my LGB rolling stock. Good loco!


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

Wow Mik! That looks pretty cool so far!! 

I feel your pain on the broken teeth of the axle drive gear from your auction Connie as I am going through the same repair on my auction Connie. I also share your concerns on the width of the Connie. When [if] I get my ebay Connie's broken axle drive gear repaired and get it running it looks like two bridges on my ET& WNC line that I hope to run the thing on are going to have to be torn apart and widened for the Connie. The outside frame 2-8-0 is a neat engine to watch run though and I've had fun building new logging cars for my Yellow Pine Connie to pull so...the bridges will have to be widened. Easier to raise the bridge rather than lower the river on my layout, as it were.

Thanks for the heads up on the tender truck issue. That's another issue I was unaware of with the Connie that I will have to research. I might be misunderstanding what you did though since the tender in your photos looks like a big hauler tender. is that the case?

I also would like to take this time to compliment you on your choice of photographic backgrounds. Large Scale seems to lend itself well to being photographed on top of washer/ dryers. I too have taken shots of my engines/rolling stock on top of my washer as well. My personal preference is for a Kenmore but your Hotpoint looks to work equally well as a photo backdrop.

scott


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott, the trucks are from the Connie.. Since I'm downsizing the tender was too large... I'll have the stripped Connie tender and a cab available for trade very soon. 
With a foot of snow on the ground my choices of photo locales are the washer, the bed, or the livingroom floor. That thing is heavy enough it sinks into the mattress, and we have an idiot dog that thinks anything on the floor is his to chew, so the washer was chosen by default. I just need to remember to toss something over the controls next time to eliminate the nasty flash reflection, 

The usual 'issues' with these things that I already know about are: Tender truck sideframes will break off because the screws that hold them on are too short, loose motor/gearbox screws. the suppressor board soldered to the motor can fry with DCC or PWC, wimpy axle gear, and loose counterweights.... if there's more I'd also like a heads up while I have it apart...... (Like those aren't enough?)


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

Ah. I learn something new about the Connie's quirks everyday. I had heard about all of those but the tender truck frames. I'll research that this weekend if I get time. If you know the proper fix will you shoot a message to me with it please?

I have an indoor rectangular loop that I usually use for testing and photos yet still it seems half of my photos are taken on the kitchen counter, the living room floor or the washing machine. There's even some scratches in the washer's lid that are exactly the width of locomotive drivers. Some folks only use them for washing clothes I hear but since it's near my workbench the ol' Kenmore gets pressed into work surface duty fairly often. Even have a piece of 1/4" ply next to it that fits nicely on top of the lid.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Here's what it looked like this morning. I don't want to get too crazy with stuff to bend or break off when I turn her over to fix that gear. One thing about Botchmann that never ceases to amaze me is they go through all this trouble to make nice looking models, then totally screw it up with second rate materials in the drive.









Changing of the Guard - 1885 2-8-0 #5 pulls her sister's newly arrived replacement dead in tow to the shops to be prepped for service on this winter's day in 1925 









The difference in size is more noticeable in this one. The Aristo c-16 has the same sized B'mann cab and tender, but the Connie is much beefier. #5 will soon be leaving for her new assignment in El Cajon California.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm thoroughly ashamed. Here we were talking intimately about a lady, only to find out it's really her twin sister. 

In other words, the road number will henceforth be #15 because I messed up the other decals.... A minor point, unless you believe locomotives have individual personalities.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Just a pic for comparison the c-16 and the Connie have about the same rigid wheelbase (drivers). Even with both having Big Hauler cabs the difference in mass is impressive. 









I said it was going to be the grubbiest freight hog anybody ever saw.... and I haven't even done any overspray weathering yet - that's just washes! I also modified the 'cowcatcher' by grafting half a broken off Aristo 0-4-0 pilot step on each side. I also reinforced it on the back side with brass strip since it was broken.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Cosmetically, it's pretty much where I want it, now. It still needs couplers and the gear replaced, yet... Yes, those are R-1 curves. It looks kind of silly, but I think it might actually go around them in a pinch. 

















If anybody is interested in the leftover original cab and tender parts, contact me backchannel, I'll send you a pic of what's left.


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

Looking pretty hogged up there Mik. Which I think was you're intent. Got that "run hard and put away wet" look. The overspray weathering tones down the rust, etc. you brush applied nicely. 

Thanks for the heads up on the Connie tender trucks. I don't know if it made any difference but yesterday i picked up some #4 screws that were 3/8's inches long to replace the original 1/8th inch long ones. I guess it can't hurt. 

I hope your NWSL gear replacement goes smooth. I drilled a 5/16's inch hole in a 2x4 and slid the delrin gear on my drive axle, placed the axle down in the pine stud and put a thin piece of hardwood on top to the axle and pounded on it with a hammer. Knocked the axle down into the gear w/out buggering the end of the axle up. Worked pretty good that way, didn't scratch/bend anything up.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the tip....

After I thought I did something 'original' with it, I found Baldwin actually built a 10-30E for Shannon-Arizona Mining that looks awful familiar... And the pic was on Vance Bass' webpage the whole time...










I started making a page on the build. I still need to flesh out the history and get some 'in service' photos (right now the layout is under 20 scale feet of snow!).

http://www.the-ashpit.com/mik/connie.html 


I'll also do a separate photo essay page on the gear swap deal since I'm pretty sure we won't be the last folks to have to do that particular upgrade.... BTW, your simple idea of laying out all the little bits on some tape in the order you removed them was absolutely brilliant! May I use it?


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

OK, here's the straight poop on doing the gear swap. It took me about 45 minutes to an hour. But I had to keep stopping to take pictures.... 
Follow this link: http://www.the-ashpit.com/mik/gear.html 

The NWSL gear is a lot more substantial than the B'mann one


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## silverstatespecialties (Jan 2, 2008)

She looks GREAT Mik, keep up the good work!!!


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