Model Train Journal

Aaron (member 86TA355SR) said something nice today in the OST thread about my "farewell" column in the last regular issue of O Scale Trains. I appreciate the kind words and will use it as an opening to post the photos from that article that spotlight a few of the fine models of the many friends I have made in this hobby. I have three motivations here. One is to provide the photos in higher resolution, as everybody like big photos. Second, posting the photos allows for more background on the models than I could provide in the article. Finally, this also gives me (and others) a chance to post photos of other notable vintage or craftsmen models.

I will start with the photo called out by Aaron, which is the before and after of the Lobaugh D&H Challenger. A higher-resolution version of the photo can be seen by clicking the link under the photo:


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/zcq5lbeaqkx2w465frwz4/Figure-12-Lobaugh-D-H-Challenger.png?rlkey=zyhuq9pwy2yx1avd9fkc5tkkp

There is a whole thread here on this model, so I won't belabor it, but I did want to point out the two most important aspects of the story behind this restoration. The first is the repair and restoration of the boiler by Bob Turner. Without his skills and willingness to tackle the boiler, there is no project here. Though Bob gets the lion's share of credit, it took a village to get this project done front to back:
-- Dave "Scalecraft" Goodson picked up the model from the auction house, which had to occur on the day of the auction. Dave also picked all the lead shot out of the boiler. Tackling this tedium was very kind but, more importantly, the resulting weight reduction greatly reduced the risk of further damage from shipping.
-- RIchard Garberson carefully packed the model and shipped it to Bob.
-- Bob did the major repairs and applied the black paint.
-- Matt Forsyth provided the decals
-- My brother Pete DeBruin applied the decals. Note there are eleven separate decals per cab side(!)

Thanks to all who made this happen. For the record, I restored the chassis. I also applied the white striping, following Bob's recommended method of using a paint pen from the craft store (worked great!). I need to revisit this, as there is also supposed to be a white stripe under the cab.

Jim

What an amazing story of cooperation behind the restoration. I applaud everyone on your list.

R.K. Maroon wrote:I need to revisit this, as there is also supposed to be a white stripe under the cab.Jim

Is that all?

webenda wrote:Is that all?

Wayne! Always good to see you post here.

I believe you are pointing out that there are more stripes on this locomotive than I described. You are correct, of course. For one, it appears that the edge of the front pilot walkway should also be striped. On this model, the stripe goes all the way around:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/crhi6e5te05ht8uxnzxxs/D-H-Challenger-09.jpg?rlkey=m3yc6hyk2iv208ajno31mk3p7

Likewise, per this HO model, the stripe under the cab goes all the way around the back. I haven't found a clear photo of this on the prototype:


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/m6urrb2p0li3lvi57tnga/D-H-Challenger-04.jpg?rlkey=ienvm0hexdufhgwrme1m33vdi

As to stripes on the tires, there are photos showing the prototype with these stripes, there are also photos where the stripes are either covered in dirt and grime or simply not there. I'm going with "not there".

Jim

R.K. Maroon wrote:[ I'm going with "not there".Jim

OK

Jim,

Appreciate the additional details/information. Impressive effort to restore it (I remember reading the thread on MTJ).

Really enjoyed the article about the history of the models/O Scale. Well written.

Aaron

Here is another pre-war model that has been nicely restored:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/r03puewchc50nd9o2d2gg/Figure-11-Scale-Craft-2-8-2.png?rlkey=f8yc9h73vq9j4emwimnl03yx2

This is a Scale-Craft ATSF Mikado. It is from Dave "Scale-Craft" Goodson's collection. It is the nicest version of one of these I have seen, and I can attest it runs very smoothly and is surprisingly quiet. I think I have video somewhere, which I will post if I can find it.

This is a somewhat rare model. It was introduced not long before the war was therefore available only for a short time. Additionally, a lot of other models had been introduced by then so there was a lot of competition. Further, it doesn't seem that Santa Fe had achieved the level of popularity in the modeling community that it eventually did (thanks in part to the LIonel Warbonnet F's?). Finally, a lot of my fellow doorstop fans are down on this model. Aesthetics are in the eye of the beholder, but if few like it today perhaps few liked it then.

Having said all that -- I like this model a lot. Brother Pete has pointed out that the prototypes are often seen in photos with window shades, and that adding these might be a good way to dress it up a bit. I can see that.

Jim

Definitely a nice looking loco!

I was just running mine today, and how do you quit-ten them down, it makes a growling sound. Its other wise quite smooth.https://youtu.be/1e33B9q85GM?si=VH6sE00oYFeIuWGm

steamaheadstephen59 wrote:I was just running mine today, and how do you quit-ten them down, it makes a growling sound. Its other wise quite smooth.

Thanks for posting the video. I don't believe there are a lot of these running out there, so it's nice to see one tooling around the layout. Looks like you have a nice setup there. I look forward to seeing it as it progresses.

As to the growling, I would be interested in what others say, but I think yours is about average, assuming it has an open gearbox. You can try adjusting the depth of gear engagement, but this is often not easy to do and is no guarantee that things get better. The best way to quiet any old model with open gearing is to install a closed gearbox. This is easy for me to say, as my version of the same locomotive arrived with a closed gearbox. Here is a video clip of it in action during setup night at the local train show:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9rkgfvpg46gzj0ucu55ro/ATSF_01.mp4?rlkey=cfypgpa9ck6qfb1rfpyr1wne8&raw=1
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9rkgfvpg46gzj0ucu55ro/ATSF_01.mp4?rlkey=cfypgpa9ck6qfb1rfpyr1wne8

I've posted the link in two different formats, as Mac, PC, and pad users seem to have better success with one or the other.

I don't recall what flavor the gearbox is. I will inspect and report back. Or maybe Dave can recall?

Jim

I don’t think noise is directly related to closed vs. open gears. A well-machined set of gears will be quietest when there is no room for movement in the bearings holding either gear. Scale Craft models allow maximization because the bearings holding the wormshaft and axle are rigidly connected.

So:

Check these bearing areas - no lateral slop allowed (you do want free rotation, of course).

Check worm and worm shaft for minimal fore and aft looseness.

Yes, improper mesh can cause noise, but note that most postwar Lobaugh are improperly meshed, yet they run fine until the Bakelite gear gets chewed up.

Insidious noise sources:

All you need for incredible noise is improper clearance between motor and boiler shell.

Out of balance motors can be a problem, but this is rare.

Out of balance flywheels (usually not present on doorstops) is not at all unusual. Disconcertingly noisy.

Tighten that thing up. Replace hose with Toyota #0. Make sure no contact with boiler. Test run and report back.

It is really unusual for Scale Craft bearing blocks to be worn out. It is not an easy task to fix if they are - the worm shaft bearings would require a fixture, a very long ream, and pressed-in sleeves.

An alternate might be a new set, bolted to the frame. That, too, requires precision.

I started this thread back in January but didn't get as far as I had hoped. The idea was to post large-format versions of photos of some of my favorite vintage models. These photos appeared in my last O Scale Archaeology column, which appeared in the last regular issue of OST.

I posted this photo in some previous thread, but I really like the model so I'm going to do a re-run:


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/acnor1pjfvhueghqdsrpr/Figure-07-ATA-4-8-4-C-NW-H1-ZOOM-IN.jpg?rlkey=2f3noo989hwbeai4kjmtg59mn

This C&NW H1 Northern started life as an ATA kit, probably sometime in the years just after World War II. I first saw this on a visit to Alf Modine's house during 2015 OSW. Alf was tickled that I knew what it was. Alf didn't recall the name of the man who sold it to him (who was also the original builder), but the man told Alf that Tom Alsgard would let anybody who bought the kit come down to his shop on Saturday to use his tools and get some help building it. Alf restored and upgraded it into the beauty that it is.

That was the only time I saw Alf, but I did call him a few times before his death a year or two later. What a nice guy, and what a great modeler. I don't know who wound up with his scratch-built steamers, but they were something to see.

Jim

Alf was truly a nice person, and talented. Linda and I had a very pleasant dinner with him maybe 15 years ago or so.

One of the saddest OSW moments - someone stole one of Alf’s locomotives right out of the contest room. Alf was crestfallen - both for losing his handiwork and for the realization that anybody would do such a thing. I could almost feel his heartbreak.

Beautiful model, real craftsmanship. Impressive work some guys can do.

I have posted photos of a few of John Fisher's models here and there on this forum. John is one of my heroes, as he loved to restore vintage models but regularly went that extra mile to make them spectacular. John tells me that, of all the models that came out of his shop, this Scale-Craft SP Mountain is his favorite:


https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/8lglub3h3bd9rurhv5e68/Figure-08-Scale-Craft-4-8-2.jpg?rlkey=le91odvatvzjab1byfp0pkzol

The photo is a frame from a video. I may have posted it already, but...oh well. I like that it's an action shot, but I should also get a glamour shot in the light tent sometime.

Jim