Large Scale Central

Howe Truss Lift Bridge

Track and Trestles
#21

Bruce D. Chandler said:

Very nice, indeed! Sometimes, you don’t need it to actually run - I guess? Anyway, very nice work, and happy to see you posting…

Bruce,

I was going to chop this one up and rework it and try and get it to run. However, as a model its very nice. That isn’t even the finished product, it has since been lettered. I had never built anything close to it, prior. I was a model car guy and had super detailed some HO stuff and scratch built a few HO cars prior. But when I decided to get into large scale I jumped in the deep end and decided to build that. I was running blind. But there is some sentimental value t this build also. John C. over on My Large Scale gave me a bit of a hard time as a newbie. Basically saying I would be here today gone tomorrow, kinda had to prove myself. Don’t get me wrong he wasn’t being rude or mean just skeptical of my lofty ambitions (rightly so I guess since the loco in question has never run). It is also as close to a scale replica of the real CR&N #3 as anyone will ever get. There is one very bad picture of it (we think) and the knowledge of where it came from. From that I set off to build it.

It was fun, I learned a lot. Developed some techniques. Produced a nice model. No regrets. But now I need to sit down and build a working one.

#22

Devon,

It does look very good! Too bad it’s not a runner, but you tried and did produce a FINISHED model. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)I like it!

Rooster also recently built a good looking non-running museum model. They do not have to run to be a great model.(https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#23

Neat idea for a truss bridge. I tried to come up with something similar to get my trains from the shop to the layout.

Still haven’t done it after 16 years of procrastinating. (I bet that is a world record. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif))

#24

Bruce D. Chandler said:

Devon Sinsley said:

OMG now I have to take selfies to prove I was out there??? You guys are relentless!!!

More relentless than ever! I heard they wanted video of your surgeon and his stick stirring up your innards…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

That was my stick. I even cleaned it up a bit for Devon. I’m that kinda guy. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)(https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)(https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

#25

John Bouck said:

Neat idea for a truss bridge. I tried to come up with something similar to get my trains from the shop to the layout.

Still haven’t done it after 16 years of procrastinating. (I bet that is a world record. (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif))

Nope

#26

Whew, David. That’s one record I really didn’t want to brag about. Normally, I jump right in to a project, but that bridge has been a conundrum. It needs to be at least 6 feet+ long.

#27

Devon Sinsley said:

Bruce D. Chandler said:

Very nice, indeed! Sometimes, you don’t need it to actually run - I guess? Anyway, very nice work, and happy to see you posting…

Bruce,

I was going to chop this one up and rework it and try and get it to run. However, as a model its very nice. That isn’t even the finished product, it has since been lettered. I had never built anything close to it, prior. I was a model car guy and had super detailed some HO stuff and scratch built a few HO cars prior. But when I decided to get into large scale I jumped in the deep end and decided to build that. I was running blind. But there is some sentimental value t this build also. John C. over on My Large Scale gave me a bit of a hard time as a newbie. Basically saying I would be here today gone tomorrow, kinda had to prove myself. Don’t get me wrong he wasn’t being rude or mean just skeptical of my lofty ambitions (rightly so I guess since the loco in question has never run). It is also as close to a scale replica of the real CR&N #3 as anyone will ever get. There is one very bad picture of it (we think) and the knowledge of where it came from. From that I set off to build it.

It was fun, I learned a lot. Developed some techniques. Produced a nice model. No regrets. But now I need to sit down and build a working one.

I wasn’t being mean at all, I tried humor to break the ice and instead of Sarcasm I apparently added the H and got Sarchasm, which revealed a distance between us. Healing the misunderstanding has produced a firm friendship bonding between us and an awe in me of his fine modeling skills.

#28

Devon Sinsley said:

I officially declare the loco DOA. As a first attempt at anything like it I learned a lot but I just don’t think I will ever get it to run right. Just to much slop in the drive train to get the wheels to stay close to quartered. So I will take what I learned and build an entirely new one. This one will be a shelf queen. It sure is pretty. I was admiring it the other day.

Devon,

What is the problem with the quartering? Does it run with the siderods removed? Just thinking that maybe a photo etch side siderods would be accurate enough to eliminate some of the slop. The drivers are all the same diameter, and you know the spacing correct?

I understand the whole shelf queen thing as well. Sometimes projects need to be redone in order to get them better.

#29

John Caughey said:

I wasn’t being mean at all, I tried humor to break the ice and instead of Sarcasm I apparently added the H and got Sarchasm, which revealed a distance between us. Healing the misunderstanding has produced a firm friendship bonding between us and an awe in me of his fine modeling skills.

If anything John it was the catalyst for our friendship. I like people like you, I am by nature a person like you, sarcastic and satirical. I like the rough and gruff no BS pull no punches attitude. And I think because I am not one to back down from a fight you in turn appreciated me giving it back to you. And here we are. I never once took it too deeply to heart. It was more like an issued challenge to prove myself. Which I failed. At least at that particular project and have since hoped to have redeemed myself, at least proving I am not going anywhere.

#30

Craig Townsend said:

Devon,

What is the problem with the quartering? Does it run with the siderods removed? Just thinking that maybe a photo etch side siderods would be accurate enough to eliminate some of the slop. The drivers are all the same diameter, and you know the spacing correct?

I understand the whole shelf queen thing as well. Sometimes projects need to be redone in order to get them better.

The issue is not the side rods at all. Its a Bachmann Big Hauler drive so the one and only axle attached to the motor directly works. The second and third drives are built right into the same Big Hauler housing as the original, which is more or less good enough for the fire box sitting between the drivers. I did separate them to give them the proper separation as the prototype which does not have equally spaced drivers. That part also works fine. Where the catastrophe comes in is the first set of drivers. I wanted an open frame like the real locos have, and did not want the first set of drivers to be contained in the same housing as the second and third set of drivers. In doing this I did not make it accurately or rigid enough to do what it needs to do. I just glued pieces of polystyrene together. It allows for that first driver to be very sloppy and wobbles just enough that it will allow the driver to come out of quarter. It will then try and reverse one side of the front set while still trying to make the other one go forward and breaks things. First was my chinsy side rods then the actual frame once I made better side rods.

It probably could be fixed by making a tighter tolerance front “frame” section. This was the route I was thinking of going when I still had hope. I have run it both without side rods and with a temporary side rod connecting only the back two sets and it ran. Its that front set allowing one to try and reverse itself. The other problem that I have with it is that I did not make it in such a way as to be disassembled easily if at all. Many of the parts are attached in such a way as to make it a difficult task to get it apart for servicing and repair. Ultimately, I think I could cut it up and redo the drive train and use most of the old loco and make it work. Its just a matter of wanting to. I am thinking it would be easier to let this be pretty on a shelf and build an entirely new one. I have no shortage of Bachmann Big Hauler drives to use and a much better idea on how to make a more or less full framed loco drives to use. And then I can put a little more thought into making it more serviceable.

#31

Craig Townsend said:

Devon,

What is the problem with the quartering?

#32

#33

Devon Sinsley said:

I wanted an open frame like the real locos have

#34

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