"Steamers" Builds and collection

[Espeefan]

Amazing. What do you build the carbody out of, and how do you make all the detail parts, like the radiator fans, steps, pilot, bell, horn, ect? If you weld that carbody together with sheet metal, you are talented. It looks so clean and smooth. What does a model like the F40PH end up weighing? It's just incredible.

[tc1cat]

Nice engines! I have dreamed of building a large scale 3 truck Shay for many years. Just don't have the necessary equipment to do the job. Always love to see the Shay's drive train in motion as they go by you.

[steamer]

Good Morning. As I said there are not many pictures of my builds, as that never entered my mind to document them. The pictures were mostly of the real engines to give me an idea of the looks and size. Most of the time, I have been lucky to BS my way into the facilities to measure the real engines. Go Transit were very helpful and let me in there enough times to get all the dimensions of the F40 and here's a shot with my five year old.

The next is with two locomotives being built at the same time, F40 and CN 5703 4-6-4 Hudson. You can see that the forty is built from 20 gauge sheet metal and was spot welded with 20 gauge angle in the corners. Most of the detail on the body is evergreen plastic fastened with JB weld.

The steamer ended up like this

The only other shot of the F40 is really not worth posting but it's all I could find. This was taken after I painted it and the paint is the same as on the F40. The company the made the paint donated it after seeing the model.

As far as the detail goes cooling fans were small 12 volt motors, turned alum hubs, slit then at a 45 angle and JB in the blades. Never had a blade come back out. From memory I would say the engine with batteries was about 150 lbs. Hope this helps, but keep asking questions and I'll try to answer .
Rob