Layout Ideas and Theory

Most modelers, urged on by the popular modeling press seem mass aimed at “prototype operation” as a be all end to the hobby. The ideas behind this movement are fine as far as it goes and as long as people are having fun at what they perceive are “prototypical operations” it is ok by me. I am not here to dump water on anyone’s fun.

I have a different take on the hobby and it comes from a long history of actual “prototype operation”. Most modelers seem to want to be real locomotive engineers. At least on the surface. Maybe you all are smarter than I at first thought. When I hear “prototype operation” I get a chill up and down my spine. I spent 38 years running freight trains ( and an occasional passenger train) for the Southern Pacific and, oh yes, big yellow. I am currently writing a book about those years and a lot of it has to do with explaining how physically exhausted a human being can get and still function. Function in an environment where the outside temperatures are over 120 degrees and the cab temperatures are 150 degrees. The air conditioner quit. Before that there were no air conditioners. The Sonora desert is below freezing a lot of the year, believe it or not. For many years not a single pay period went by that I wasn’t shorted. Some of those disputes took years to resolve. The company was earning interest on that money. When I was finally paid I got not a single penny of that interest. Some of those disputes were never settled. When I retired, through mergers and unsettled claims I had lost over $50,000. None of that was ever fun.

U6B Cont....

The engine compartment hood ready for the mold box. The access doors ( and there are two of them) will be added after the parts come out of the molds.  The opening will be filled with brass wire mesh  and cover radiator details as well as what appears to be a walk way down the middle.

The underframe with the bolsters propped in the approximate mount position. It is impossible to mount the trucks in the correct center to center position due to interference with the coupler draft gear box.  Maybe a custom built drive would solve this.  Note the dimples for the tap drill locations.  Still waiting for my drill bit.  Some things can't be speeded up.

I am now considering making the nose master out of a solid block of aluminum. Should work? Until next time.............

Maybe Some Progress

These new photo's point up some of the work I've done recently but are a better teaching tool. The end beam is fine but the nose is supposed to be a master for casting and it looked fine to me until the camera revealed the obvious flaws. It goes to the scrap pile.  Note the drop step. This is the underside. The top side will be overlaid with diamond tread.  It will actually operate.

I am still working on the underframe. Cut the bolsters and prepared to drill and tap for 4-40 screws to hold them in place only to discover I was missing the #43 drill required for that tap size.  Had the 42 and 44 though. No one has that locally I could find, after burning out my cell phone battery, so I had to order from Micro-Mark....in a set, naturally.

Still have MU hoses to add to the end beams and big air plus MU cable recepticles and grab irons but I'm getting there. I work at it everyday when practicable.

Still waiting on the wheel sets from NWSL..........

U6B Hood Top

Success! I managed to get the profile into the top of the hood ok.  It took some doing and patience but it is now about ready to be afixed into the casting box. I still want to do some polishing on it yet. All additional details will be added on after the castings come out of the molds.

I use 1/2"x3/4" aluminum angle for the box sides. They cut easily on the table saw, are square, offer two depths for the rubber molds and easy clamping surfaces. Also a smooth and consistant surface for leveling the back of the mold.

I started work on the front (nose) master. There is a access door and sand box hatches as well as light fixtures there and a bunch of NBW detail. I like to spread the work around as I have a low boredom threshhold. I think I'll get back to the underframe tomorrow unless Grandt Line shows up with some parts in which case I'll return to the end plates and get the coupler situation resolved.  Kadee delivered their goodies a few days ago.

I should have pictures posted on this new stuff within a day or so.

Engine Hood

I found some photo's of the roof tops of a U6B so I was able to begin work on that part. It will be a master so I can cast more of them for the next two to follow. Also found a reference to a hand brake location on the cab end of the engine but still no pictures.


Have begun work on the engine hood. A styrene base with brass overlays for the doors and panels. See through mesh for the radiator intakes and outlets. The fan is pretty much hidden so I’ll not bother with powering it up. One of the engine room doors will stand open to see the cat engine which will hide the motor and the cover over the flywheel will stand in as the generator.

No new parts have arrived in the mail so no work has been done on the end plates. I don't have a handy local hobby shop that I can run to get parts so planning ahead is critical to keep progress flowing. The nearest good place is 100 miles away in Phoenix.

I am happy with the work so far. I'll keep you posted.