MPC steam locomotive "The General" 1:25 scale by Popeye the Sailor - finished

[CDW]

That is one sharp looking train model, Denis. You have really done her justice. Seeing it all come together, it's very impressive indeed.

Where are you going to display it?

[popeye the sailor]

well........that was fast and painless.......I hope you weren't waiting too long            the finish of the base was in three more steps.   first the flat black addition.........

second.......the tops of the rials were painted with flat steel.....

I recalled I have a packet of underbrush,  put out by Woodlans Scenics.........perfect to get rid of those nasty injection marks

I do have some other type moss that I collected from the huge Oak tree in the field.......kind of looks like Cypress moss...but I might not add it.  I think this looks good enough.  I started to paint the drive wheels and painted the pins for the drive fenders.

a bit more to do on them and then I can get them on the loco.....finish off the drive train,  so to speak    then the fun of joining these two together,  which is going to call for a little more scratch building and modification.

[CDW]

Using that underbrush to hide the sink marks was a brilliant idea. Adds some realism that wouldn't have been there otherwise.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks CDW.........being 26 1/4 inches long..........there are a few places I can think of.    I'll post his display when finished    I have another model that is a bit longer than this one........can't wait to start that one,  considering what I want to do to it.   I've been trying nudge my way back to the ships.......I've been play'in with PE on the Arizona {even though I messed up the model},  and working on the winch for the Progress.  there's still more to go on this project anyway........   when I'm almost finished,  I'll put a wet finger to the air and see which way the wind blows   

 

thanks for the good word and to those who hit the like button   

[popeye the sailor]

I got the underbrush for the snow plow diorama 

the train itself is not finished........when I got the poor thing,  it looked like this

I had to buy the trucks and couplers for it separately.  the date is incorrect.......I've had this since 2010........started to work on it in January of 2011.  it has been short sessions after that.  the diorama came into the picture in 2015.  it was by luck that I remembered that I even had the underbrush stuff.

    the one thing I came away with,  working on this HO scale model,  is I could see how interesting the early scratch built train must have been.  these are some pretty cool kits.......don't let it fool you.......there's scratch building built in.   I'll get back to it one day   

[Canute]

Denis, nice job with the rails and the foliage on the ballast. The rails down by our depot in town look like that.

 

You going to put the coupler mount on the plow blade? If not, you need to point the plow into that siding. That's a big Ridgeway single track push plow, so no drive mechanism inside. Nothing but a stove to keep the operators warm. The train crew needs a coupler to hook up to, to pull and push the plow.

[popeye the sailor]

if I recall,  there is a coupler for the front........there is foil that is shaped across the front.  the gentleman who was building it had misshapen-ed it a little,  so I had to flatten it out again.  there are also two blades on the sides that have arms on them.  I had a bugger of a time finding good decals for it too.

    here are a couple pictures of what it looks like...

   

neither one used the foil.........the first one appears "planked",  and the second one looks like it was shaped with putty or filler and painted.  I really like the color.......it a good railway color.   I've seen lots of cars painted in this shade of red / brown.   I was thinking of doing a log here on it,  but the pictures are mostly blurry.....likely attributes to my early days of documentation     {then I got a better camera}.  I'm not sure who produced the one on the left,  but the K-10 is an Ambroid kit.

it's not finished yet.......still grab handles and rails to go on,  as well as the plow wings.

[CDW]

1 hour ago, popeye the sailor said:

    here are a couple pictures of what it looks like...

   

 

it's not finished yet.......still grab handles and rails to go on,  as well as the plow wings.

Oh wow. Now I get the picture...at first, I did not get a mental image of exactly how that model was going to look. Really cool and unique (to me) plow.

[popeye the sailor]

yep!  one of these days,  I'll get back to it.  I've been looking at some of the HO structures that I can add to it.  I might even look into a 'dummy' loco to model next to it.

 

I've been pick'in & paint'in of late on the General..........should have more to add very soon   

Edited June 19, 2019 by popeye the sailor

[Old Collingwood]

Really interesting work denis  -  lovely workmanship.

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks OC.........I think an update is due........give me a moment   

[popeye the sailor]

trying to get caught up with all the project I follow is a daunting affair.........I feel like Don Quixote    well.......the admiral wants to do errands today,  since it will be rainy tomorrow........so I'd better get the updates out of the way.   that's right......two!

 

the fenders are ready and the drive wheels are very close behind.......best to get the show on the road and get him on all eight    first thing was to lay him on his side.

next was to finish the paint on the wheels........the flat steel on the rail surface,  and the gold ring around the circumference.

the fenders and drive wheels are right and left.......so no mess ups allowed.   the fenders first.......

.....and then the drive wheels.   there is a tab on the shafts,  so both front drive wheels will be in sync with each other..........the rear axle is the same.  I touched up the drive rods while things were drying here..........then on went the left side drive wheels.

I had to take the picture on an angle so the glare would be less {stupid light}....doughhhhhh!  the other side was done at this time.......but I was too shaky with the camera and it was blurry.   as you can see here....they are in place as well.  I had a picture of it on the rails........but it was blurry too.  I'll get another one.

[CDW]

Now that I begin to realize how beautiful the old General really was, it makes me madder and madder them danged old Yanks stole her...Rebel Yell!!!  The South will rise again! 😄

[popeye the sailor]

so yea........he has all his wheels on now!  hey.....I'm psyched     now....I had cemented the coupler on the front of the tender.........but the tab somehow got moved to the right......gotta fix that.

it's gonna be a pain to hook them together......I bought a tool to help me with this.  I'm sure you've seen the large Charleston Chew candy bar,  for those who can't seem to get enough.........well,  I bought a tweezers,  since I don't have enough reach    darn thing is 12 inches long!!!

now I can put the pin in with ease    profound thought:   I think tweezers are actually chopsticks for the handicapped  {sorry.......I think of the weirdest things 

I had to break the tab on the tender and re-cement it.  thre are two safety chains that go along with the coupler.......I haven't made them yet......but I will be going with actual chain for them {not the plastic stuff}.   the drive rods are touched up and drying.   the one with the rounded head is the front rod........note the connection.  the hole is actually slotted,  so it will snap into place on the cross head.

the left side is assembled now............from the cross head to the front drive wheel........to the rear drive wheel,  connected by the pins painted bronze

by the time I got the other side assembled,  the General had had enough of this..............back on the track he went!

so.......a couple of minor touch ups..........and I can move on to the next few parts to add     thanks for look'in in!  I hope I can get by Hobby Lobby in our travels.......I need some flat black for the S&M   

[popeye the sailor]

awwww.......they really didn't hurt him........they didn't even know how to drive it!       the only one who knew backed out on them,  according to the article.  then it sat for a while......so by not being in use,  it helped to preserve him.   now he's as safe as a babe in his mother's arms.  heck ......I was more miffed about Paul McCarthy's bass! {interesting story about the Iconic Hoffner}  

[Canute]

Denis, nice work getting the fenders, wheels and drive rods on. That's can be a hassle.

 

The positioning of the side rods shouldn't match. This is called quartering. Can you get a shot of your engineer's side? The fireman's side is looking good. Engineer's side should be 90 degrees out of phase with the fireman's side.

 

Engines and most things mechanical were treated like works of art back then. Look at the boiler and piston work on the USN Picket Boat #1. Painting gear up in flashy colors was the norm. And lots of gold pin-striping, if they could swing it.

 

Keep up the good work.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Ken........good to see you pop in   I read somewhere that you were having a tough go.......hope it's not serious.   hope things get better.  yes,  there is a different positioning of the drive rods for each side.  this is why the wheels and axles were keyed with tabs and slots.  just like the compression engine....when one cylinder piston is down,  another is at top dead center to produce power.  I brought the General into the spare room where I would have sufficient light.

the drive wheels do turn..........I re-positioned them so it would show better.

I still have a few more parts to add to him.........the head lamp,  two pairs of steps,  the chains and water hoses for the tender,  and the metal deck plate that covers everything up {joins the loco to the tender}.  I have to do some mod for the hoses........for the life of me,  I can't see where to install them.

   I stripped out some thin electrical wire to get the hose I will need....same diameter and all..........the chain.....I got that covered    then there is the wood load I need to finish up on for the tender.   still a bit more to come.

 

 

unrelated to the General.........we went to Hobby Lobby today.   you'd swear it was my birthday     got some plywood.......

2-  1/4 x 8 x 36 Birch plywood

2-  1/8 x 12 x 24 hobby plywood

2-  1/4 x 12 x 24 hobby plywood

....picked up some flat black and gloss white for the Sox & Martin........get that back on the move,  some thinner,  and various small rattle cans of paint.......got some metal flake blue for the S&M roof while I was at it      I also got a couple shades of brown for a future project.  I should have picked up another Arizona kit.......there was one there,  but I settled on a Revell B25J Mitchell bomber in 1:48 scale.  what can I say........the budget director was standing right there....I didn't see her pull'in back the reins  

[hof00]

Hi Chap,

Saw this on "History" "Mysteries at thee Museum."

(Am I wrong?)

 

The "General" was hijacked to coin a phrase....

(Civil War?)

 

Cheers....HOF.

Edited June 22, 2019 by hof00

[popeye the sailor]

hard to say,  since I've not seen that show........but you are correct.   there are links to a few of the articles within the log...but all you need to do,  is a search on the General,  and you'll find it   

 

I did get the coupling between the loco and tender sorted out.   I'm working on the safety chains at the moment.  more on this soon    I've taken Tuesday off for the Admiral and my 31st Anniversary.  how she's put up with me for this long,  is a true test of patience...modeling or otherwise   

[CDW]

On 6/21/2019 at 6:24 AM, hof00 said:

Hi Chap,

Saw this on "History" "Mysteries at thee Museum."

(Am I wrong?)

 

The "General" was hijacked to coin a phrase....

(Civil War?)

 

Cheers....HOF.

I'm pretty sure that's the same History Channel show I watched about the theft of the General.

[popeye the sailor]

spent some time on the General......the coupling problem is solved......the pin will now go in!

the holes for the chain eye bolts were drilled in the tender.  I also managed to find suitable hose to replace the plastic hoses supplied in the kit.  I still don't know where to locate them.......there is no clear indication where to put them.  I will put them as close to the loco's water pipes as  I can.

the chains are now installed on the tender........now to locate hooks onto the loco near the coupler

it not much of an update.....more soon   

[Canute]

Denis, they should connect some outlets on the bottom of the water cistern of the tender and some water injectors on the engine. One injector on each side. Both engineer and fireman had control of the injector on their side. The fireman's job was to keep his fire hot and the water level set correctly. In hilly terrain, an engineer might get worried about water levels and pump more water into the engine. Steam was made in the space above the firebox. The problem with that was the fresh water was colder than what was already there, so the steam pressure could drop and the engine would slow down.

[Kevin]

how the hell did i miss the Loco build?

sorry, i will leave my popcorn on the front seat and walk back out

[popeye the sailor]

I figured that Ken........but there are no locator holes or pins anywhere.   I'm going to drill a hole on each side,  where the front tank lobes are and locate the hoses with brass pins.......then I can connect them to the pipes at the rear of the loco {at least they have pins}.  I would imagine they were opened a crack so water could trickle in.  it's the next thing to do.......I have installed the chains on the tender.

 

still more to go Kevin.........don't go away    glad to have you look'in in!

[src]

Dennis, you're almost done, she is looking great Murphy Moments not withstanding. Gotta love you some Duddley Do Right.

Druxy, thanks for the tip about spatter a few weeks back, just gotta look at things differently.

Sam

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Sam.......that was funny.   I was looking through videos about women being tied to train tracks,  when I stumbled onto it.   made me laugh like crazy      yep.......not too much longer to go............but there is still more to go.   a couple more logs at least   

[lmagna]

14 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

I was looking through videos about women being tied to train tracks

Does your admiral know about your browsing habits? 

[CDW]

30 minutes ago, lmagna said:

Does your admiral know about your browsing habits? 

Is this a quiz?

[lmagna]

Looking on line for pictures of little girls tied to railroad tracks seems like it may just be a little kinky but who am I to say. I have lead a fairly protected life. 🙄

[popeye the sailor]

you tube can be a scary place on it's own.......you ought to see what else the search brought up.   I looked for the big girls too Lou.......they got more 'kick'