Model Building continues

While working on the bridge, I had to finish some tenders that have languished for years. I owed a friend a finished tender after he provided parts for two of them, Class 70f70 tenders, used behind some PRR 2-8-0's. I also had a class 80F80 that he provided that needed a frame and tail beam. So, I spent about a month of free time getting them done. I had built the bodies about 2 years ago and now had to get them done by May. Nothing like a deadline to focus your efforts. So, here is the rear of the 80F80, sporting its class plate and new tail beam and frame. The tender was made in Japan for a failed project in about 1985. The tarnish shows that age.

I made up the trucks from casting I had made from a master I had found. The sides are photoetched brass.

The top deck needed some repair work and I have to add a headlight and platform to complete it. I may extend the coal boards as well.

The front deck of the tender is made for a Crawford stoker that was on the H10 class of locomotive.

Last view where I had to move some underbody detail.

Now for the big job. On this one, a 70F70, all I had was a bag of parts for the two tenders. I used the previous tender as a master, to see what the Japanese builder had in mind when he made the parts. I had to use a torch, a resistance soldering unit, two size irons including a big 80 watt one, and a soldering gun. Parts had to be made on the lathe and I had to make some jigs to hold everything together, especially the tail beam assembly which was made from about 20 parts! It took a lot of celaning as I went along as the tarnish inhibited any soldering efforts.

I had to fabricate some parts, like the ladder and the piping, grabs, etc. The class plate came from Ted Stepek. The ladder was very interesting and I am happy I can now do that for some other projects. This took me about 2 months to get to work right. Frank Miller and Jim Mucka gave a lot of technical advice in this area.