# A-1-A Shark



## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Saw the Sharks that some built and I like them. Being a PRR fan as you know from my past builds I decided on the A-1-A, only PRR had them. Rob of the UK produced the shells, and I got two. My project is mainly cutting and splicing, etc. After the first cuts, just fooling around pushed a couple of the pieces together to see what a shortie looked like. It got a life of it's own, couldn't put it down. 
NOTE: The A-1-A was actually 6" longer than the GG1, but due to the grill details my model will be about 1" shorter than the USAT GG1. LiG




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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Glad to see someone having fun. Looks neat, might move the motor block back and little? Just an idea.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, thank you. I only did that to play. I need that truck for the full sized one. If I were going to make a permanent one I'd use two axle trucks I have, would also lower the body about 3/8 inch. LiG
EDIT: after measuring, the short shark is too short for 2 Aristo trucks. LiG


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Hartland has some short two axle trucks.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, thank you, maybe worth looking into. LiG
EDIT: just went on their site, Closed due to Cov 19. LiG


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

Nick you can always call Phil Jensen he works remote @ 402-571-2933 Tuesday or Thursday 8:00 till 1:00 CSTor email him he is good about getting back @ Phil Jensen
[email protected]
(402) 571-2933 • Work


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, thank you for the tip. Played with it a little more. Took Jerry's advice and moved the truck back a little and also lowered it some. Figured it would be good practice for when I build the big one. LiG


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

yep, that looks good


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill,Thank You, I found when the body was lowered to the height of the F3's I have to shave a little off the bottom of the pilot to keep it off the rails. Learned a few things while lowering this one that will help me with the big one. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Got the height correct for the scale, modified the pilot for the coupler and it works. I am getting attached to the little guy and have a feeling it is going to get a shelf. All I learned working on this will make working the big one easier as I've already made those mistakes. Maybe if they run together it will be an A-a unit. LiG.
https://youtu.be/yzLLEPpwfP4. 



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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Get out of the water! A short white Shark has been sighted!!!


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

John, willl be white for a while. I have an unopened bottle of FloQuil Tuscan red, and found another one on line, he said the last he had. After the big one is finished and painted hopefully have enough to make this one match. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Slowed on the Shark a bit due to spring duties. Today I received an incentive to go full throttle, the decals from Stan, works of art. I also found an unopened bottle of Flo Quil Tuscan Red on my shelf, also found one on line and not wanting to run out sent for it. Same formula number, but different color. The more brown one is a match to the USAT and Aristo Craft products. LiG


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

That paint is quite a find and should look great, BB


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, I'm counting on it. Got a little more accomplished:: LiG


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks good Nick. Now you need to make a lot of short passenger cars! LOL!


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, yea, a string of those un powered Eggliners tagging along behind the shorty. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

So Far: Cut out and relocated fans to proper location, same with roof panels and walks. Each shell was cast using a different color material, I used some white plastic pieces and two different fillers. All that can make the irregularities no so obvious. Primed. Very satisfied with all but one small area, easy fix. LiG


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

Nick, that is looking great


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, thank you. I filled in that one irregularity, super fine sanded the body and giving it another coat of primer. Next step will be the undercarriage and bolsters that hold the power trucks. Going to copy what USAT did on the F3's. LiG.
EDIT: found another area that needs a little more attention. LiG


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Looks good just primed.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

David, thank you. If the prime had been closer to the Tuscan I was considering just giving it a coat of clear, but unfortunately it isn't. LiG


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Baby Shark, do-doo-do-do-do-dooo, 
Baby Shark, do-doo-do-do-do-dooo, ....

(Going back under rock now.)

Later,

K


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

K, I know I'll never forget the beat of that tune. 
Making the vent screens on the sides. Got plenty of brass screen but a limited amount of strips. Hobby shop doesn't carry it any more, did an on line search, only bigger stuff. Looking for brass strips .016 thick X 3/32, anyone have any ideas?? Thank You. LiG
EDIT: found sheets of correct thickness at McMaster Carr, just need to cut it to the proper widths. LiG


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick;

Try both True Value and Ace Hardware. They will sometimes carry the smaller brass shapes. Also check out Micro Mark's site.

Good hunting, David Meashey


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

David, thank you. LiG


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Hobby Lobby has a selection also.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, thank you. LiG


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I've been having a devil of a time trying to source any brass strip smaller than 1/4" wide. I used to be able to get it in 3/16" and 1/8 widths, but apparently not anymore. I'm told K&S will custom cut strips for you, but I haven't looked into that. 

Later,

K


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

K,thank you. The K&S web site I found shows mainly 'store display' kits, and not specific sizes or shapes. Hoping I can slice the piece I ordered to the widths I am looking for. I did slice a piece that was .020 and it curled, was able to get it pretty straight. Forging ahead. LiG


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## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

Neat to see a PRR BP20 being done in G scale. Cannot wait to see the pics of the daddy shark once the shells are spliced and painted.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, here it is at this time. I received the brass from Carr, correct thickness but having a heck of a time slicing it to the proper width, still havin' fun. LiG


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Have you tried cutting it on a band saw. I think I remember cutting some thin stuff like that by putting it on a thin piece of plywood and against the rip fence, then running the wood and metal through the saw together.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Winn, thank you, no band saw. Tried using that procedure with a scroll saw. The strips are so narrow the wood splintered on the up stroke. I am having marginal success holding it in the vice at the line of cut and using a fine tooth hack saw, viice jaws act as a guide for the saw. LiG


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

$40 at Staples
Leather finger cots to prevent cuts and you can straighten by hand


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

John, thank you. and those gloves would surely come in handy no matter what method I use. LiG


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## traukinys (Jul 3, 2020)

nice!


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

traukinys, thank you. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Since I am using USAT power trucks I thought it best if I duplicated the way they mounted them, recessed into the base. Made the base using 5mm plywood. The plywood by itself is flexible so I stiffened it with two spines of oak. I also lined the area that the trucks ride on with a layer of plastic so there was no binding. Next step is to sink the chassis into the shell to the proper depth so the trucks ride correctly and I get the proper height for the couplers. LiG


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

Nick, it is looking great, Bill


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, thank you. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Have made some progress. Rob sent a belly fixture with each shell. I cut and spliced them to make 3. The center is probably for batteries and the other two are fuel. The rear tank is a little bigger as it also feeds the steam generator, I think. Raining or I would have posted it on rails and running. Maybe a bit before I do that, taking a foster dog today, LiG


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

Looks great, and good luck with the new foster, post pictures, Bill


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## du-bousquetaire (Feb 14, 2011)

Hi there Nick great job on that BP 20. I wish someone wouild make the castings in 1/32 scale and I would do suit. As I started late in US and Pennsy modeling I stuck to 1/32 scale to keep the visual right with live steam being mostly 1/32. What I would also like to find is an E7 or E8 in 1/32, as I used to ride behind them when I was student in NYU and would visit my mother in Massachusets on the PC era NYNH&H. Finding one of the Great Trains model in Europe is hopeless. Meanwhile the MTH PA1 does the honours. And of course live steam.
Progreess on my new layout is coming along nicely, soon I should be able to post some photos.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill and du-bousquetaire, thank you. Having fun for sure. Foster is doing fine, takes a lot of very worthwhile time. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Someone sent me this pic of a beautiful lash up. Does any one know what that open panel in front of the windshield is for? Thank You. LiG


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick;

This is just an educated guess, but perhaps it is access to the front sander fill pipe. On the streamlined locomotives, it seems that the designers did not like stuff like that to show, so they would hide it under hatches and panels.

Best, David Meashey


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

David, thank you, that was one that never entered my mind. LiG


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

not sure about that as the pictures i found showed the sand filler hatches on the side of the engine 1 front and 1 rear


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

Found this site to be very interesting and does mention the sand boxes and shows the hatch in the numbered drawing but doesn't say what it was for but interesting read
https://heritagerailalliance.wildap...BLW-SPECIFICATION-LOCOMOTIVE-RF16-MAY1949.pdf


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, a lot of good information there. I printed it all. Will have to enlarge the diagrams and parts lists so these Geezer eyes can see them. I like to make folders of my builds and bashes, along with the actual information from the builders. Thank You Very Much. LiG


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

Funny i went to look at it again and that link doesn't work now


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## on30gn15 (May 23, 2009)

Nick Jr said:


> Someone sent me this pic of a beautiful lash up. Does any one know what that open panel in front of the windshield is for? Thank You. LiG


Even after reading lots of PRR locomotive books, and Baldwin books, through several decades of being a modeler and railfan I didn't know those had that!


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## on30gn15 (May 23, 2009)

Nick Jr said:


> Does any one know what that open panel in front of the windshield is for?


 All I can offer is a potential possibility, depending on year.

Have seen as far back as late 1980s this photo of a M&StL EMD FT described somewhere as modified with this hatch in top of nose to meet a government requirement calling for easy access to windshield to keep it clean.










I wish I still had Kalmbach's early 1980s reply to the letter I wrote about this photo in their Diesel Locomotive Cyclopedia mentioning it and asking what it was about & was it indeed made from a F unit side window as it appeared to be.

Their reply to my question about the picture of this hatch in their book was that nobody ever did hatches like that.

I trashed their letter because it was so in-your-face absurdly, ignorantly, wrong.
Should have kept it as a sellable souvenier!


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## on30gn15 (May 23, 2009)

Could also deduce that it simply an emergency access hatch.
Put these 2 photos together and they could point to that,

A different hatch in nose, 
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=5148000
"Note that the emergency access door is open; perhaps it's a sultry day in Sea Girt and the crew seeks some extra ventilation! ("LouisFols"; #11 of 31)"

But it brings to mind that when locomotive rolls on side in a wreck, that nose-top hatch could potentially be an emergency exit/access route,
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1897834


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

Great bunch of research


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Interesting features, thank you. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Haven't had much time to play trains this summer, been getting acquainted with my new companion. But didn't stop planning.
I have a USAT F3 and noticed the fan blades spin with the slightest air movement. a feature I want for the Shark. Made a mounting plate, cut out the cast fans and installed the new ones. Made an air box, attached a Cisco router cooling fan to produce air motion. LiG


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

great looking fan, and Bug is looking happy and healthy


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks like a rescue dog, good on you! The fans are cool too.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill & Winn, thank you. He's a great little guy, and yes from a shelter. He actually rescued me. He's 1 and now I remember why I wanted only Adult or Senior, but wouldn't trade him for anything. The fans need a little tweaking, but over all happy with how they came out. LiG


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Cool


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, thank you. I made the first air duct from a cereal box bottom to test the viability and baffle positions until I got them all to start and stop close together. Made a more permanent one from plastic, removable for maintenance of the fan. Testing showed that the best LOOK was using 6V for the operation. Also, FLEX SHOT worked well to adhere the small box to the casting. 
LiG.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Nice work and very innovative too.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott, thank you. Rob who cast the shell told me he once made a diesell that the windshield wipers worked, that is super detailing. LiG


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Mate, that is super functionality especially for a smaller scale.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

He also added that since diesels don't have the rod motion of a steamer feature movement gives the model life. LiG


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Nick - your mate would love the NB30 that is preserved and runs on the Pichi Richi Railway. It started life as a Vulcan 0-6-0 saddle tank loco and was converted to Diesel-Electric loco that's still being operated.

https://www.pichirichirailway.org.a...rs/commonwealth-railways-nb-class-locomotives

Regards.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott, thank you for forwarding, Very interesting story, don't know of that being done anywhere else. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Rob advised me to try and make the fans run as slow as possible so they can be seen. With limited control of the supply fan, and the roof fans having 8 blades they were a blur. A little trick on the eyes, I darkened every other blade, I will do the others next time. LiG. 



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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

That worked great.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, thank you. I darkened the other fans. I decided on track power and am now putting finishing touches on the circuit the drives the supply fan. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Installed an adjustable voltage limiter, access to adjustment is through the heat generater exhaust. Assembled a simple circuit so the drive fan gets 4.5V and the fans spin, the drive motors are still idle till the track voltage reaches almost 6. No matter the train speed the fan speed is constant. LiG


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

That is neat, I use these from gfhappyboy on Ebay too control 5 volt smoke units and throw in a 100 ohm resistor for head lights and flickering fire box and they work great. I particularly like the way you slowed down the fans by just painting ever other fan blade, good looking engine 

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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bil, thank you. I do get a good idea once in a while. I thought of cutting the blades off, but those little fans are centered on a pin point and even the slightest imballance would throw them off and wouldn't spin. LiG


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

Really nice and desirable. I don't understand why the big companies never produced a g scale version of this.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Noob, I assume they felt there many not have been enough demand for it to be profitable. Today it may be an even bigger gamble. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Fence project is complete, so back to the Shark. So far headlamp and marker lights. The marker lights are using dual color LED's, Red or Green depending on polarity of the circuit. Have LED's for the number boards also. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

First run outside, very happy with it. One more detail should arrive today or tomorrow.
Life is Good


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks awesome. The fan trick is great.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Robert, thank you. The fans were both fun and frustrating at the same time. Baffles in the box direct the air upward under 2 fans. Attached to the bottom of 2 fans are tiny pieces of tape limiting the amount of air into the fan blades to get them to all spin at the same rate. And they have to be in the same order, switching any of them throws the whole synk off. What really brought them out was darkening every other blade. I was frankly surprised that it worked as well outside the controlled enviro of the shop. Wondering what effect installing the windows will have? LiG


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Really adds to the realism Nick.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, thank you. Rob told me he detailed a loco that the windshield wipers worked, Super Details. LiG


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

The Shark itself is also looking great. Cannot wait to see some paint on her.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Robert, no rattle cans for this one, going to blow the dust off the air brush. Sound system came in the mail yesterday, going to rain today so should have time to play with that. LiG


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

USAT Smooth side cars: some time ago I removed the wheel pick up's, installed flanged BB's in the side frames (much easier as they had more meat than the PA side frames), LED for lighting with an gell cell in the Mail car. They roll away at the slightest off bubble of the track. So easy to pull even the Baby Shark walked away with all 6 cars. no wheel slippage. ANYWAY, here it is, A-1-A with a sound system and lighted cars.


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

Wow that came out really great looking


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, thank you very much, still havin' fun and I know you are too.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks great Nick. I like passenger trains the best.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Passenger cars have class, and as you said RR's kept them updated and clean.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bored the roof for the fan installation. Interesting observation: The fan I am using for this one was made for an Aristocraft E8. It is almost an exact duplicate of the ones I used on the big one that were for the USAT F3. The only difference appears to be the number of fan blades. F3 has 8 and the E8 has 10.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Worked on the front lighting. At the hobby shop I picked up a clear plastic rod, made head lamp lenses. Using Evans products fiber rod, slightly melted the ends for marker lights. Using all 3V LED's with a voltage limiter.


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

Nick, lights came out nice, while doing one for my mini heisler I found that different LED's produce lights in different directions and ones powering a vertical mounted were better using side light and visa versa for straight on like yours. Are you changing the color of the engine to look like the passenger cars or going with the lighter color? BB


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, for the number boards I am using the scattered light from an LED mounted on the rear wall of the fwd compartment. Enough to light boards without producing an intense directional light like the head lamp. It is still in primer, actually dreading painting as I posted previously have a very limited amount of Tuscan Red.


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

definitely looking forward to seeing the final color, great job, BB


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, thank you.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

I just couldn't help myself, the Baby Shark also had to have a moving fan. I found a 3V 100RPM motor on line and connected it to the same circuit I am using for the LED's. 




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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Made a little more progress. The number boards are layers of clear plastic adhered to make blocks, then ground to fit into the openings. The numbers are part of the decals that Stan Cedarleaf printed months ago. As you can see his work it top notch.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Learning how to make windows in odd shapes. Like the foil on the Mac Trailing car, wasted more than actually used. Any tips appreciated.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Looking good mate, almost there.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott, thank you. While air driven fans were working well, I didn't feel secure that the system would be durable. The little fans are sitting on needle point in a small pool of graphite and each fan is unique to it's position in the air duct due to different baffles. Seeing how well the toy motor worked in the baby shark, I installed them in the big one. Outwardly looks the same but I feel this system will endure, and is more likely to stay in sync.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Something as minor as adding cab ladders, can lead to major adjustments if not noticed early enough in a build/bash. The truck leaf springs struck the ladder on very sharp curves. Could have ground the leaf springs thinner but didn't like that idea. Decided to move the front truck fwd by 3/16". Doing that brought the side frame dangerously close to the front cowl, so a minor adjustment was made there also. Happy with the outcome, and no detail was sacrificed.


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

Nick Jr said:


> Something as minor as adding cab ladders, can lead to major adjustments if not noticed early enough in a build/bash. The truck leaf springs struck the ladder on very sharp curves. Could have ground the leaf springs thinner but didn't like that idea. Decided to move the front truck fwd by 3/16". Doing that brought the side frame dangerously close to the front cowl, so a minor adjustment was made there also. Happy with the outcome, and no detail was sacrificed.


Looking great!


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

you are just too clever


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, you know as well as I, have to be creative in builds/bashes. Which brings up?? How's yours 'Misler' coming along?


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## choochoowilly (Oct 31, 2016)

Not too good, with my back problems and the weather just haven't felt like doing much, I did start on the battery car and have a lid made for it to cover the battery and and electronics trying for a junk/scrap car look should come out neet if i ever get going on it. Hoping the beginning of the year brings a little pain relief and will be able to focus on the task at hand, be safe, BB


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Nick, with the ladder adjustment. That's fair enough as modelling like in the real world of construction you have to make adjustments / allowances to achieve the final result that works.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill, very sorry to hear you aren't feeling well, can only hope 21 is a better year for you.
Scott & Noob, thank you for the encouragement. Broke another plastic add on ladder with just normal handling. Definitely need to make brass ones.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

They are a little bigger than the ones I made for the tugs, but still frustrating. A 'resistance' soldering unit would have made it much easier.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Yup, sometimes you have to make them a little oversize for durability. Fine detailing is awesome and fiddly not to mention at times fragile. So you have to balance fidelity with practicality.


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

Bump bump, How is the build going?


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

noob, thank you for thinking of the Shark. I was side tracked with a couple of small fun things, but back on track. Got paint from TruColor which will match my older locomotives. Right now in the process of gathering fittings to allow me to charge up a one gallon high pressure portable tank so I don't have to use cold air from the garage. Mount regulator and use my air brush, which has been sitting for about 10 years. Should have a test spray in a couple of days, my first time using Trucolor, all advice will be appreciated.


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

Awesome. i also need to dust off the old airbrush setup. next model for sure.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Did a couple of test sprays so far, each time adding box car brown to the Tuscan to darken it down. I think I am very close, The Trucolor is very easy to use without diluting and to my surprise the air brush functioned flawlessly. Interesting find: The portable air tank is actually 7 gal. I charged it up with cold air (about 30F, + or -) to 80 lbs pressure. Brought it inside to reach room temp. 4 hours later the pressure rose to almost 100. Not wanting it to reach critical (120) over night I dropped the pressure back down to 80. In the morning pressure was back up to 90. I should have plenty of air to paint with.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Tuscan Red: Turns out I did have to dilute the paint to get it to flow properly, and I wasn't nearly as close to the older Tuscan as I thought. If you look carefully to the left of the bottle, can see the brown gradually added. 
First pic is with some brown added, but not nearly enough. The second is the test strip with the bottle of old Floquil, the color I wanted, in room lighting and the third is full sunlight. I want to thank Chuck (Chuck's Trains) for his advice on mixing and thinning the Tru to work with my old Badger. After the air tank is recharged and brought to room temp going to paint the baby shark. And also taking Chucks advice I ordered some retarder to slow the drying so I can coat the whole big shark without having the paint where I first started drying. NOTE: the color is still not as dark as my older USAT equip.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

NOW THIS IS TUSCAN RED. Need to give it another coat as the brush was pulsating and isn't as smooth as I would like it.
EDIT: found an air leak at the nozzle that was causing the pulsing. This coat went on much more even. I have retarder on order which will slow the drying of the paint and make smoother finishes easier.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

So far have only done the hand rails and grab irons on one side of the baby Shark, it is my test bed. The handrails near the doors can be removed so as not to interfere with the application of the decals. Can see where I filled a gouge when the drill slipped. Next coat of paint will cover everything.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

I did the other side and adjusted the forward irons, closer to reality. Back to paint room.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Painting is finished and I started to apply the decals. I messed up, no surprise there. When I ordered the decals from Stan I didn't mention I was building the PRR A-1-A Shark and the model is just short of 3 ft long. So I ran out of 5 stripes.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

For those that scratch build or kit bash, Stan Cedarleaf also produces a sheet of decals for what I'll call Super Detailing, like Fire Extinguisher, Sand Fill, Emergency Fuel Shut off etc. They are coming with my additional 5 stripes.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Sure looks nice Nick.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, thank you for the encouragement, it's the decals that really do it. Sitting just painted looks bla. Supposed to rain all day, would have been a good one to continue the stripes. Instead will build a box to house the Bachmann self centering coupler on the rear, annoying how it just swivels anywhere it wants.


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

That looks fantastic mate


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott, thank you for the encouragement, received more decals in yesterday's post, and rain is predicted for all day tomorrow soooooo. Jerry, being the hack that I am made a coupler box from scraps scattered around a hobby bench. NOW the coupler will remain centered when idle.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

you gotta love autofocus.... not!!!


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Question that has bugged me for my future build of my resin "kit". Should I hollow out completely through where the brass grills go or simply paint them flat black as it appears you've done?


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## Doddy (Jan 23, 2008)

wchasr said:


> A question that has bugged me for my future build of my resin "kit". Should I hollow out completely through where the brass grills go or simply paint them flat black as it appears you've done?


Rob Fern who developed the model just painted the recesses black and highlighted the two fans, they being picked out in silver paint.

The only reason I had for cutting the back of the recesses out was to glue black fabric inside to allow sound out of the speaker chambers to emanate from the slot's though the etched grills.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

As Rob I merely painted the inside of the vents black. I made my screens using brass mesh and strip. Painted the roof fan grills to match the rest of the loco so the rotation of the metal colored fan blades stand out. I mounted my speaker in the forward fuel tank facing down. The switch and momentary contact button are in the rear fuel tank. Many different ways to accomplish the same thing.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

I think this is about as done as I can make it. The decals bring it to life.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Funy to see the two together.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Yea, someone suggested it was the Booster for the big one, and so it has become. About out of ideas for projects right now, but I'm sure something will come along. 
Every one Stay Safe


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Nick,
It looks wonderful, even perfect.
Well done, a lovely piece of modelling.
Regards,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank you David, much appreciated. It was fun, and the little one tagged along for the whole ride. LiG


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