Model Train Journal

So, two things to start: First, you have all seen my photos before. Nothing new here. I am just playing.

Second, I have in the past just parcelled out my photos, hoping for discussion between posts. That works for Maroon, but not so much for me. So those of you who continue past this introduction will be barraged with all my photos at once. I should have done that with my Cab Forwards.

Robert Church has been my inspiration for large SP Steam for over four decades. My very first scratchbuilt anything was from drawings and photos in his book. This latest book, title is the same as this thread title, is a must-have for all SP steam enthusiasts.

Without further ado, and with apologies to those who have seen all these before, I present my SP ten-coupleds. But I shall start with the big Baldwin compound - a locomotive that inspired me when I was a high school student in Berwyn Pa.

The big Baldwin, in 17/64 scale. Purple, with gold leaf lettering, as the original was rumored to be. Any SP tender that appears behind it can be related to its conversion to oil for a demo assault on the Sierras.

Now we go to the SP Class, both in 17/64. You will find subtle differences - I actually got better at it as I practiced my craft:


This one is my first attempt. The next two shots show the second attempt. I think the biggest improvement was the height of the cab over the boiler.




I took great pains on both to get the boiler absolutely correct. It is a difficult shape, being straight across the top with a larger mid-section, and taper showing only in the belly.

Bob,
To me your locos are like Murph's layout, I never tire of seeing them and find something new to me each time. More. Please!

Bob, second Roger's comment and maybe better shots than I remember from the previous posts; are you strictly recycling or did you take some new ones?
That close up on #6000's boiler and valve gear is excellent.
Have to say I like #5011 with it's details the best, those red pipe joint-valve castings are a perfect prototype detail point, as a model it looks like it's
lifted straight out of that FWW Sunset Route color pictorial book by Dill, albeit somewhat fresh from shopping.
Can't look at it without thinking about what kind of train and caboose I'd put behind it as well.
Pete

Well, I dirty them up quite a bit - that photo needs to be lightened up a bit. I am flying blind, because I cannot get a split screen to drag and drop. All I see is thumbnails. Let me do the Decks - these are 1/4" scale models, so as to match the Lobaugh Mikados and Mountains. I have been known to double-shot the Decks with the larger SP-class.





There is one more to go - it is still in primer, and has a 160C "Adams" tender.

And I cannot find it. Tomorrow I shall look for it and the 2-10-0. Believe it or not, this is the first time I noticed I got the number wrong on the right side - and this one has been painted since the mid 1990s! Early onset . . .

That's some fine modeling there BobT. Makes me wish I had started in O-scale sooner than I did. Now at 65 I just don't have the gumption to start any really big projects such as scratch building an engine. I don't mind taking something and modifying it, but my lathe skills aren't good enough to make a holding tool for drivers blanks so I can grind away at them. Especially at something with 20 main wheels, I'd end up with 20 different diameter wheels

I always enjoyed larger steam, but never owned any since space requirements for proper curve radius has never been available. Your locomotives do stand my eyeball test in that they "look" mighty fine indeed. Like other I appreciate your sharing these photos. Thanks Bob

Robert

Do all of these have the trailing truck booster engine?

De Bruin wrote:Have to say I like #5011 with it's details the best, those red pipe joint-valve castings are a perfect prototype detail point Pete

I would second that. It may be realistic, but the heavy weathering on most of your models blunts the effect of of the detail and makes them look blah! Just me, but I don't see the appeal of looking at something so heavily weathered that it looks like it's one step from the scrapper's torch. (opinion)

Rich

Aw shucks. I think I can find some pre-weathering photos. I note in passing that I discovered at OSW one could win or lose a prize by weathering or not. I occasionally leave them shining in black gloss Scale Coat.

I did find the new Deck, but not in primer:



And here is a true Decapod, SP-ized sort of:

By the by, the new software does have a good photo editor - I can now crop and rotate, then enhance, and sharpen edges, and change the density. But I think going directly from my computer to here gives more resolution than going through Photobucket. Maybe that's why my photos look better. I shall re-do the Cab Forwards next week for you.

That is all the SP ten-coupleds I have. I do have a PRR Decapod and an ATSF "Santa Fe" type. The PRR is 17/64 scale.

Here are the glossy versions:

What editor are you using? I use MS Office Picture Manager. That was deleted from Office 2013 and 2016. This is a tutorial on how to get it back. Since I do not have any of that new MS garbage (opinion), I cannot try it to see. Even my XP-8.1 laptop can't, as it doesn't have any form of MS Office, rather the old OpenOffice.org.
http://www.askvg.com/how-to-install-and ... fice-2013/


My version seems to be 2007.