EXTERNAL: Re:

Thu Jan 21 11:04:17 EST 2021

Eric, please consider posting that complete explanation to the Virginian IO
Group.  A good number of people have AE's that they'd like to get
running decently.  Thanks.

Frank Bongiovanni

On Thu, Jan 21, 2021 at 9:49 AM NW Modeling List via NW-Modeling-List <
nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

> Frank, Jim, Jim:
>
>
>
> Thank you for your kind words.  I was just the visionary on these models;
> Jan Willard and Matt Callahan have been the artisans.
>
>
>
> I started out by sending the model to NWSL for driveline remediation about
> 8 years ago.  A guy named Derrell Poole (who also owns 7th Street Shops)
> worked on it, putting in the NWSL Hi=Lo gearbox arrangement and an NWSL
> motor.  This was intended to get all the gearbox and motor shafts into a
> single line, and did accomplish that objective.  Ho more driveline kink
> mediated by a flexible coupling.  He also put in softer springs as well.
> When I got the model back, the front of the boiler (which NJCB just
> cantilevered off the back engine) drooped down onto the front engine,
> because of the softer springs on the front axles of the back engine.  The
> NWSL motor wasn’t anything to write home about either.  The model was
> essentially useless, after having spent a lot of money on the mods.
>
>
>
> I knew that I needed to transfer a good portion of the boiler weight to
> the front engine (that would fix the drooping problem and improve
> traction).  At first I was afraid to do this without providing any vertical
> compliance, so I researched pogo pins to find one (or even a pair) that
> would fit into the boiler diameter while transferring a nominal 1 pound or
> so of weight.  I could not find any that robust.
>
>
>
> Howard Zane recommended Jan to me for a different project, but at some
> point Jan and I started talking about the AE.  We discussed the driveline,
> and I also indicated that I’d love a model of 806.  Jan said that he’d like
> to take a look at it, and he had elegantly solved a different problem for
> me on another model.  My objectives to Jan were:  “Find a good way of
> eliminating the boiler droop and apply weight to the front engine, and make
> it run well.  Accomplish the 806 mods if you feel like you can do them.”
> Jan asked whether my layout had smooth vertical transitions between
> grades.  I don’t have a layout yet, but we then talked about the vertical
> compliance of each axle due to the springs, and we reasoned that if I paid
> good attention to those vertical transitions in laying trackwork, the axle
> springs should be sufficient.  We’ll see about that in time, but I agreed
> to making the sliding bearing between the front of the boiler and the front
> engine without vertical compliance.  I sourced a large boiler cradle
> casting from PSC, and Jan fabbed the rest of the necessary parts from
> scratch, working diligently to establish the correct distance between
> boiler and frame.  Because of the non-compliance in the vertical direction,
> I can now put as much weight in the boiler as will fit (I calculate that to
> be nearly 2 lbs of eutectic low melting point alloy).  He also completely
> re-worked the NWSL gearboxes (Boy, do I wish I had gone with Boo Rim
> gearboxes from the start—the current NWSLs are not much to write home about
> any more!), shimmed them between the frame rails, and then told me that the
> NWSL motor wasn’t good enough either.  We decided on the biggest Faulhaber
> he could fit.  Wow, what a difference that swap made!  I’ve learned over
> the years, and many remotorings, that Faulhaber, Escap, and Maxon A-Max
> motors are just better than anything else I’ve used or specified, and by
> now I probably have 35-40 models with one or the other of these extremely
> fine motors.
>
>
>
> I don’t think we took any photos of the driveline before the model went to
> Matt for paint, sorry.  If I ever take the model apart, I’ll send photos.
>
>
>
> However, I then tasked Jan to completely re-do the driveline on an Alco
> Models Jawn Henry.  My spec to him was “Make this model capable of taking
> 36” radius curves, #6 switches, and make it quiet.”  He has completed that
> effort, and he took pics throughout that process.  I gave Jan the model,
> and 4 Atlas Train Master drive trucks, with worm gears and shafts, and a
> huge 23x42 dual-shaft Faulhaber motor.  Jan figured out how to attach the
> trucks, mount the motor, re-shaft the worms, fit PSC (Boo Rim)
> spline/universals into the model, and change out the cab steps to allow
> enough swing.  36” and #6 are at the absolute limit of capability; the
> model really prefers 37”+ radius (which will work fine for me, as I’m
> planning minimum 44” and #8 on my main lines), and the model is now both
> quiet and smooth as silk.  I’d put it up against the DP model for running
> qualities, and bet that I could pull two of them in a tug of war--Jan says
> it will pull up the rails.  It gets shipped to me later this week, and then
> I will complete the decal work for my model and a friend’s.  Then into the
> paint queue (which admittedly is now well over a year, even for a model
> this important to my collection, even considering that I currently work
> with 4 very fine painters.)  I will post some interim photos of the
> driveline work within a week.
>
>
>
> FWIW, Jan has remotored nearly 20 of my models at this point, and we
> always go for adding a backhead when that’s possible.  He installed an
> A-Max motor, Boo Rim gearbox, and backhead into an NWSL E-2a, which makes
> that model about 1000% better in appearance and running qualities, and a
> now valued member of my collection.  To give you some idea of what Jan is
> capable of, he added a motor and backhead to a Westside PRR G-5 4-6-0,
> which required that he move the gearbox to the front driver axle (from its
> original middle driver axle position), rebuild the cross-frame stays, and
> modify the valve gear hanger, to allow the motor to be mounted far enough
> forward to allow inclusion of the backhead in its proper place.  That’s
> another model that has gone from an embarrassment to a valued member of my
> collection.  I cancelled my order for DP’s G-5, which Jack “announced” over
> 6 years ago and is *still* not in production, without any regret.  Jan
> has also done several cosmetic mod projects for me.  I made the parts, and
> Jan assembled them, to convert a Key Rutland G-34 into the streamstyled
> #28, “The Whippet”.  I just had to do this project, because where else in
> the world than New England would there have been a streamstyled,
> low-drivered Consolidation—with slant cylinders, no less?  Paint on The
> Whippet will get done this year.  The E-2a maybe next year.
>
>
>
> Finally, the attached eye candy was executed by Gwynne Burch.  It started
> as a Sunset USRA heavy 2-10-2 (Samhongsa, nice model) and a Balboa UP
> Vanderbilt tender.  The goal was to accurately represent an ACL Q-1, of
> which (unsurprisingly) no model was ever produced.  The most significant
> mods were to the tender, to represent what I’d nominate as the ugliest
> tender ever delivered with a US steam locomotive; the air pumps were also
> doubled up and the Fireman’s running boards modded accordingly.  And then,
> given the magnificent work Gwynne did on the mods, I just had to have it
> done in its delivery paint scheme, which Gwynne also did, using my decals.
> (Note the unpainted rod knuckles.)
>
>
>
> Damn, I love this hobby!
>
>
>
> Best,
>
>
>
> -Eric Bott
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* NW-Modeling-List <nw-modeling-list-bounces at nwhs.org> *On Behalf
> Of *NW Modeling List
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 21, 2021 06:40
> *To:* NW Modeling List <nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org>
> *Subject:* EXTERNAL: Re:
>
>
>
> Great modeling; good work Eric; thanks for sharing.
>
>
>
> Jim Brewer
>
>
>
> On Thu, Jan 21, 2021 at 6:26 AM NW Modeling List <
> nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>
> Eric; incredibly nice. Fine work.  Uh, pictures of the AE Drive as
> modified?  Over the years there has been much discussion, especially on the
> Virginian list, of that really subpar drive in what was, at that time, an
> expensive locomotive.
>
>
>
> Frank Bongiovanni
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jan 20, 2021 at 8:21 PM NW Modeling List via NW-Modeling-List <
> nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org> wrote:
>
> Some past and present projects.
>
>
>
> VGN #806 was, of course, the only AE to have been modified.  No model was
> imported of this configuration, which makes it a fun target for
> modification of the NJCB model (which had a truly wretched factory
> driveline implementation.)  New Hi-Lo gearboxes, a Faulhaber motor, and
> addition of a sliding bearing between the forward part of the boiler and
> the front engine, moving the air pumps to “flying pump” configuration,
> scratchbuilding a new smokebox front, trimming the front running boards,
> and installing a Worthington BL FWH and associated plumbing where the air
> pumps used to be, were done by Jan Willard.  Outstanding paint by Matt
> Callahan.  The decals are mine.
>
>
>
> The MBs only required minor modification—filling in the pilot step hangers
> with sheet metal, to accept the later striping applied to MBs.  Matt did
> these mods, and threw the paint.  My decals here, too.
>
>
>
> Matt also did the DCC/Sound/Current Keeper installations on the 3 models.
>
>
>
> Best,
>
>
>
> -Eric Bott
>
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