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I was finally able to clear out enough time and off enough room to photograph my
N&W J-class steam engine (northern, 4-8-4) and consist.
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I wanted to build the N&W J class for some time, but the bullet streamlining
around the nose proved formidable. So there it sat on the back burner until I
stumbled onto the modified facet,
2463 (yeah, only afterwards
did I realize Steve B. invented that
same basic idea several
years earlier). After a quick mock up of the nose section with a pair of beat up
yellow 2463’s from the bottom of a storage box, I had the solution. I was
convinced that all of the other aesthetic details could be worked out and
started the design... but more on that process in an upcoming issue of
RailBricks. The end result is
shown here,
By the twilight of steam in the US, the northern wheel arrangement had become
one of the workhorses. And because Norfolk and Western was a coal hauling
railroad, they were determined to stick with steam. They managed to do so until
about 1960 too. The 14 J class steam engines were built in the N&W shops and
pulled most of the passenger trains on the N&W. The J class includes the last
passenger steam locomotive built in the US. The 611 is the only surviving J and
ran many excursions until she was re-retired in 1994. Click the two reference
images for more information on the J’s.
I think the model captures the look of the prototype, but judge for yourself.
While I thought the nose would be challenging, once I found the right piece it
turned out to be easy. I had no idea that the pilot would be an even bigger
challenge. How do you get that angle, and keep it light, and so forth. I’m happy
with the way the pilot turned out though. One feature of the model that had
bugged me from the start was the way the sheer walls of the boiler drop straight
to the running boards (deliberately not too obvious in most of the posted
photos). While taking these shots I became so fed up that I reworked the boiler
and I will post photos of the new boiler when I have a chance to take them. And
obviously, I did not even attempt the gold pinstriping, too narrow to resolve in
lego.
As for the mechanicals, after thorough R+D on the home layout, she runs like a
charm. Handles curves, switches, etc just fine, with the drivers spinning
smoothly throughout. This time I designed it for shows from the start and she
has the equalizers to handle ugly peaks in the track (I think I tested as high
as two plates at the junction of two straight tracks). She can probably run just
about anywhere the 10020 can. The drivers float on the pilot truck, so she can
handle curves with grace,
The forthcoming Railbricks article should show the drivers off of the boiler to
give you a better idea of how I worked it out. Oh, almost forgot, I was able to
fit the ladder from the ground up to the cab around the “drawbar” between the
engine and tender,
Now you can’t have a passenger engine without a consist, can you? Most of the
cars follow what has become my standard 6 wide design and they clearly show
heavy inspiration from the 10022. Though the fact that they are dark red is a
nice touch. On the head end I step the width down from an 8 wide engine (with a
few spots of 9) to a 7 wide tender 7 wide and then the 6 wide cars.
I did advance my style some on two of the cars, I am fond of the service door
(with guard rail) on the dinner,
and I spent quite some time working out the round end observation,
In addition to the obvious curvature, note the use of cheese bricks for
streamlined marker lamps (not prototypical, but so what) and the radio antennas
on the roof (which were prototypical).
The train debuted at BrickWorld, but I had to leave about the time most people
finished setting up, so few saw it there. It has been to one show since, at the
Ohio State Fair (note Gallagher’s bridge in the background of some of the photos).
Comments are welcome,
Enjoy,
Benn
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Message has 3 Replies:
 | | Re: N&W J-class steam locomotive
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| (...) You've built your self a pretty awesome train Ben. The Norfolk and Western J class is my opinion one of the most beautiful streamlined steamers built. Your solution for the running gear is very innovative and looks like it works quite well. (...) (15 years ago, 13-Nov-08, to lugnet.trains, FTX)
| | | Re: N&W J-class steam locomotive
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| (...) Benn, this is just brilliant! What a gorgeous train you've built! I absolutely love this locomotive, and I've wanted to build it for some time, myself. I never would have thought to float the drivers and not the trucks on the locomotive, but (...) (15 years ago, 13-Nov-08, to lugnet.trains, FTX)
| | | Re: N&W J-class steam locomotive
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| (...) I have to say, this looks pretty slick, I bet it looks fantastic in action. Clever work of the floating assembly of the fixed valve gear to drive wheels, I know that space is WAY tight! well done :) You really need some side hand rails along (...) (15 years ago, 19-Nov-08, to lugnet.trains, FTX)
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