Model Train Journal

As received, boiler exploded. Chassis removed and strapped to board for shipment.
What I thought was a field piece casting seems to be a hard rubber overlay on field pole pieces.

Hours to knock out the "weight", everything was loose, held in place only by expanded glue/shot.

All pieces packed in bubble wrap bags for transportation to shop.

Thank you. Hard work is done! That was built by a master before the glue and lead got in there.

Totally agree on the build. The motors and items are antique, but someone really did a great build. The see-thru walkways are outstanding. This was a model that everyone would have drooled over when it was brought to a show or club.

So how was this "damage" caused?

rogruth wrote:So how was this "damage" caused?

We don't know who invented the process....we do know locally Bob Hyde was wel known for it, and Woody Matthews continued it.

Copious quantities of white Elmer's Glue and shovels full of very small lead shot.

They would make up dams in the boilers, and pour the stuff in.

Bob Hyde had no boiler explosion issues....he had a dry basement.
Woody, however....dry was not how one described his basement. Ever.

Glue soaked up moisture and expanded. Split boilers, blew parts off, broke screws.

I hate lead-filled locomotives. I bet I have 20 lbs of lead just waiting for the recycler. Some in O Scale try to approximate the weight of the real thing - good way to strip gears and burn out motors.

I sent an NWSL gearbox to Woody - he put it on the track with a 30 lb boxcar (really), and at track speed slammed it into reverse, then declared the NWSL system inadequate. Good old Woody - he was a good guy, and knowledgable about all things O Scale.

bob turner wrote:I hate lead-filled locomotives. I bet I have 20 lbs of lead just waiting for the recycler. Some in O Scale try to approximate the weight of the real thing - good way to strip gears and burn out motors.

I sent an NWSL gearbox to Woody - he put it on the track with a 30 lb boxcar (really), and at track speed slammed it into reverse, then declared the NWSL system inadequate. Good old Woody - he was a good guy, and knowledgable about all things O Scale.

I don't mind lead in moderation. Primarily to balance an engine like RK Hall showed me.
But this filling the boiler stuff is stupid.

As far as "knowledgable about all things O Scale", maybe.
My one and only Alexander passenger car he identified as an early ScaleCraft.

And dates...and names....he insisted Pope bought GM at bankruptcy....yet Pope didn't show up at A-N for several years afterwards.

Trust but verify

Bob- The Challenger bits are all in the hands of the Great Garberson for shipment at some point.

Thanks for your efforts cleaning the boiler. I will update the forumites on this thread as I progress. Speaking of progress - top red stripe goes on the U50 tonight. If successful, then decals and handrails.

ScaleCraft wrote:Copious quantities of white Elmer's Glue and shovels full of very small lead shot.

They would make up dams in the boilers, and pour the stuff in.

Ever run into any where someone poured in Cerrobend?

Not in 0. Seen one or two in Half 0.
But if I recall, that stuff "melts" in hot water?

ScaleCraft wrote:Not in 0. Seen one or two in Half 0.
But if I recall, that stuff "melts" in hot water?

Boiling water; coffee pot will do. Problem with it is that it expands on cooling........you can figure where that leads,

Rufus T. Firefly wrote:

ScaleCraft wrote:Not in 0. Seen one or two in Half 0.
But if I recall, that stuff "melts" in hot water?

Boiling water; coffee pot will do. Problem with it is that it expands on cooling........you can figure where that leads,

One of those useful bits of information the authors and editors at Mentally Re....err....Model Railroader failed to mention.

I remember some Half 0 engines where boiler was split along the bottom seam. Knocked the weight out (intact) and ground it down to fit once the split was clamped back.

I remember looking for that stuff several years ago, could not find it.
Sorta like Homasote. Never, ever found it on west coast.

ScaleCraft wrote:

Rufus T. Firefly wrote:

ScaleCraft wrote:Not in 0. Seen one or two in Half 0.
But if I recall, that stuff "melts" in hot water?

Boiling water; coffee pot will do. Problem with it is that it expands on cooling........you can figure where that leads,

One of those useful bits of information the authors and editors at Mentally Re....err....Model Railroader failed to mention.

That's because collectively they are only slightly sharper than a bag of wet mice. Cerrosafe actually very slightly contracts on cooling.

I remember looking for that stuff several years ago, could not find it.

Not hard to find, but not cheap, and probably not safe for most to use due to the cadmium content. Got a few ingots of it lying around somewhere. Fun to ship in the small USPS flat rate boxes; hand the clerk a box with 2 ingots in it and watch how fast the box hits the counter,