Bob's Big Boy....

[shaygetz]

Betcha thought it was a thread on buildin' a burger joint

I got this Big Boy last year. The circa 1990s tender is mismatched to the circa 1970s loco and it had several prominent details missing including an airpump, a number board and a cab hand rail. After a year and a half of searching Ebay for the parts and determining that there are serious coocoos out there willing to part with serious coin for said parts, I figured I'll scribble and scrabble what I can outta mine junk box then weather it to make the two different era parts meld as one.

 

[shaygetz]

First thing I had to do was renumber the tender from 3985 to 4005. I did this by simply painting over the original numbers, then apply new ones one by one from some Woodland Scenics 1/8" Gothic White Numbers. Though slightly thicker than the originals, I'm just ducky with how it came out.

 

[shaygetz]

Then I had to do the unthinkable---paint parts of my loco with a graphite color on the smokebox and firebox. I haven't weathered a steamer in years and I've NEVER dared think of doing a Rivarossi loco. Alas, to make the two very different era parts work I have to take desparate measures. At this time I also replaced the missing left side air pump. The number boards are Kemtron castings, found after searching thru several hundred castings in a box at a GATS vender's booth. My paint is a 1 to 4 mix of flat black and silver. It picks up a great graphite tone to it once finished with clear flat.

 

[UP SD40-2]

shaygetz, OUTSTANDING!, job on the tender!:thumb: i see your tender was to a Challenger, and was put on the Big Boy. most would NEVER know:thumb:. in fact, i wouldnt have if i didnt see the #3985 that engine looks like an old Rivarossi, is it? i have one, but my wheel sets are darker black. i bought mine from a show 2yrs ago, sadly it runs like crap, but i wouldnt part with her. NICE ENGINE shaygetz!!!:thumb: -Deano

 

[UP SD40-2]

OOPS! sorry Bob, i posted before you was finishedops:. i see it is a Rivarossi! i think you have done an AWESOME job on it!!!:thumb: :thumb: :thumb: THANKS!!! -Deano

 

[shaygetz]

i see your tender was to a Challenger, and was put on the Big Boy. most would NEVER know:thumb:. in fact, i wouldnt have if i didnt see the #3985 Deano

Ahhhhhh...that would explain the silver "hubcaps":thumb: One of those "Duh" moments...werkin' thru mah bwain wonderin' what number series the Big Boyz started with

Thanks for the kind words.

 

[jim currie]

Bob have you tried Yardbird trains for parts?

 

[Chessie6459]

Looks Great Bob. Nicely Done.:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

Looks great Bob.
Those Rivarossi parts are getting hard to find.
I have a few more Rivarossi locos to piece together to complete my collection for my museum.

 

[oleirish]

Bob
Do what I did I bought an bigboy plastic kit and used the parts from it. It is HO scale by revell,works for me!
JIM

 

[shaygetz]

Thanks guys...I haven't tried Yardbird Trains, Jim, but I'll look into it. NOS parts are available thru Golf Manor Hobbies in Cleveland but they are so expensive.

I have no problem sliding Monogram parts in where they fit, in fact, I repaired a Rivarossi Hudson tender's steps and end beam that way. Worked real well.:thumb:

The decoder install was a snap as the motor is already isolated from the frame---almost plug and play. I did have to cut clearance thru the backhead in the cab to fit around the wiring. The headlight is powered from the track and, with its beautiful yellow glow, will remain that way for now. She runs like a champ...video to follow. I'll start weathering her tomorrow.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Whew! When I saw the title of the thread, I thought you had turned into a perv!

 

[shaygetz]

Whew! When I saw the title of the thread, I thought you had turned into a perv!

Ya hadda have at least one of those burger joints near ya in Joisey...:thumb:

I couldn't rest until I numbered the boards. I used dry transfers, rubbing them just enough to loosen them from the backing. Then, once properly arranged, I fixed them in place with flat paint brushed over them. Needless to say, a long, low wail went out when I noticed one of the marker lights went to carpet purgatory during the processwall1

 

[Gil Finn]

Not good!

I didn't have breakfast and here it is past lunch..you got me think of a sandwich. sign1

 

[cidchase]

'at ain't no sammich yer thinkin' on, big boy!

 

[shaygetz]

OK, OK, back to the work at hand....

After finding suitable scrap box marker replacements, the task of weathering was at hand. Because I have asthmatic children and a hyper allergic mother-in-law in the house, I've been experimenting with acrylic latex craft paint like those found at Wal Mart.

I start by pulling bits of paint into damp (but not wet) brushes to cover the overall locomotive in a light, streaky haze of grey, in this case Hippo Grey. I then add more streaks using more paint and less water as needed. I then get a baked steel look from Burnt Sienna applied the same way to areas that see lots of hot sun. I just be careful to do it enough to make the look of a hard working, well maintained but not decrepid loco. The base for soot was done by dabbling near straight Black and Dapple Grey.

 

[shaygetz]

Next I paint the handrails and apply a dusting of powered pastel chalks. This tends to soften the streaky look. I do my own by scraping an Xacto knife blade along the length of a stick of chalk. I poke a stiff bristle brush into the chalk dust and dapple it on where I want it, in this case to enhance the rusted baked steel and the soot around the stack. Use about 2-3 times as much as you think you need as, once painted with clear flat, it fades to about 1/3 of its tone. I then painted the handrails with Floquil Black. Once weathered, I spray the whole thing with Krylon #1311 Matte Finish and touchup the coal with an acrylic Gloss Black.

On to final assembly...

 

[NCMRailroad]

Hi Everyone,
Just lookin for a website on how to make "realistic" trees (Fir, Cedars...) Any suggestions??? (HO Scale prefered!)
thx
Wm

 

[shaygetz]

Hi Everyone,
Just lookin for a website on how to make "realistic" trees (Fir, Cedars...) Any suggestions??? (HO Scale prefered!)
thx
Wm

Welcome to The Gauge, Wm.

You might want to start your own thread in the "HO Scale Model Trains" forum as your question won't easily be found in a thread with an unrelated topic.:thumb:

 

[MilesWestern]

Fantastic weathering shaygetz, it looks real! :thumb: