FINISHED - BR-52 Steam Locomotive by CDW - Trumpeter - 1:35 Scale

[popeye the sailor]

some kits are like that.......the photo etch seems to have a better chance of embellishment on ship models.   planes are probably a second choice........seemingly split with car kits.  much of it though is the manufacturer..how in tune are they to the added detail that would create a decent replica.   molded detail is perhaps my biggest peeve.......a lot of it could have been 'stand alone', thus quelling the need for photo etch.  you've added some nice aspects......the window canopies and such.  did Trumpeter supply the faces for the gauges?  outlining the detail of the pipes and knobs the way you did is nice........hard decision to make,  especially when pictures show hardly any of that detail depiction.  it's a good road to take though,  highlighting detail in layers produces a stunning model in the end.

 

I am quite envious that you have the Leopold 

[CDW]

Step 15 calls for installation of pre-formed piping from the kit. The kit piping is cast in a vinyl material that cannot be glued, making it totally unsuitable.

To work around this conundrum, I am using thin solder to re create the piping with the kit parts as a template. If I had some appropriate sized soft copper wire, I could have used that in lieu of solder but solder is nice because of how pliable it is.

The bands that hold the piping together are made from scrap photo etch sprue. A header was made from styrene plastic strip stock.

 

[CDW]

Oh, by the way, I am told the purpose of the piping was to distribute sand upon the track rails ahead of the wheels...to give traction when needed, like possibly in snowy/ice conditions. 

Once the wheels have been installed, the piping will be cut to the appropriate lengths.

Edited November 5, 2019 by CDW

[lmagna]

Do you have any idea what the longevity of solder is, even when painted? I would think it would oxidize fairly quickly.  I think I would have looked around to see if there was some beading wire at the local craft shop that would have filled the bill. 

 

Great looking work as always though. I always enjoy following your builds. Not only for their novel subject matter, but because of the excellent craftsmanship you are able to obtain. 

[CDW]

Just now, lmagna said:

Do you have any idea what the longevity of solder is, even when painted?

No, I don't know exactly. However, deterioration of the core is one thing and deterioration of the lead/tin quite another. I have no doubt the solder will be around longer than probably either you or I. However, it's suitability for joining a bond as solder has a short shelf life.

I have some very old solder around and deterioration of it has not happened in more than 10, maybe even 20 years.

[popeye the sailor]

considering the life span of a model,  it may not be that big of a problem.   painting it will buy you enough time I think    a few pictures back,  I do believe that the tubes can be seen down where the wheels will be located.    I was going to mention it,  but I figured this would come to light sooner or later.   it is an interesting concept.  that's crazy to supply parts that can't be used........someone had to have built the proto type model.  I'm sure they might have had a few choice words about it.   apparently it didn't cause them to use a much friendlier material.   they're not the only model company to supply unacceptable parts.......the hoses on the Revell kits lead a lot to be desired as well..   the funny car I did showed that     stiff tubes and broken locator pins.......I had to modify some of them.......even to the point of putting wire inside the hoses so they would conform to the shape I needed.

 

as for the life span of a model......it varies.  the wife dusted it and it fell apart........the cat bumped into it........the grand kids got to it.......the pratfalls are endless   I do have 1 major birthday.......the Nordkap turned 10 years old this past June.

[CDW]

Steps 16 and 17

 

And now we've got wheels! (at least on one side)

 

[mtaylor]

Looks impressive.  Well done, CDW.

[popeye the sailor]

...you sure you weren't a plumber in a past life.....looks real good  

[CDW]

Thanks again for the kind comments guys. 

 

I need to take back some of the disparaging things I said about the Trumpeter vinyl parts...I did find a glue that worked with it. Perseverance pays off every now and then. 🙂

Here on this side is the Trumpeter vinyl piping using E-6000 glue to bond it to the plastic parts.

 

I added the wheels and other parts to the side that was unfinished (steps 16 and 17).

After this, will do some more shading and highlights before moving on to the next steps of construction.

 

Edited November 6, 2019 by CDW

[CDW]

Step 18 involves construction of the brake linkage system, a couple of ladders and braces.

The brake linkage system is well modeled with this kit. It appears the brakes were air (or steam) assisted. You can see the boosters at the rear of the loco tying into the linkage.

 

[lmagna]

5 hours ago, CDW said:

It appears the brakes were air (or steam) assisted.

I suspect it was probably steam. Something this monster appears to have had in abundance.

 

I was never a real locomotive fan in all of my modeling years but watching Denis's, Dan's and your Steam locomotive builds, I am starting to gain a fondness for these brutes. I don't think I would put the more modern diesel trains in the same category. It is kind of like comparing a modern jet fighter to the older WWII counterparts. They are sleeker, faster, certainly more powerful, but in many  ways don't have the business like yet  still pleasing form of the older planes. (With the possible exception of the Warthog and Harriers) I suppose the same argument could be made for ships as well. Sometimes the older stuff just can't be matched.

[CDW]

Steps 19, 20, and 21.

 

The details are piling up with each successive step completed. Before it's all done, it's going to be difficult to pick up this model without running the risk of knocking off some small part.

I suppose these are called the drive mechanism. Someone with more railroad knowledge will need to help me with terminology.

 

 

[Canute]

The side rods connect the drivers to the main drive wheel, which is the one driver the main rod( E13) connects to, via the main crank pin (F42). The valve gear is the linkage above the main rod, what was in your step 19. It adjusts the steam admitted to the cylinders to generate tractive effort. I'm away from my steam cyclopedia, so I can't fill in a lot about the  stuff you're working on.

 

Like the paint scheme. I have a BH-50, I think, but it's in HO scale and uses the black and red scheme.

[CDW]

Thanks for the primer, Ken. 

For a while now, I have been eyeballing Japanese steam locomotives. They had some very interesting looking machines, similar to the Br-52 but more modern I think. Certainly big locomotives, the Japanese ones.

[popeye the sailor]

look'in great..........really like the paint as well.  you've done some super weathering  

[CDW]

Just now, popeye the sailor said:

look'in great..........really like the paint as well.  you've done some super weathering  

Thanks Denis. I'm chuggin' along on this thing...some of the weathering I can't/won't do until it's all together and assembly completed. There's only a couple more steps to go before the locomotive is finished and it's time to start the coal tender.

I've been eye-balling a short sided gondola car, to use it as the basis for a quad 20mm anti aircraft gun platform and put it at the front of the train. Also, I think this model needs some figures, so I am going to be on the lookout for something interesting in that regard. 

[popeye the sailor]

GOODIE!!!!!!! a diorama    hmmmmm.........add a passenger car {armored of course} and the Leopold,  and you can have your own mobile base camp!  

[CDW]

Steps 22, 23, minus the railings along the length of the boiler. Will add those last, once I do not need to handle the model to finish it. They will get knocked off for sure if I add them now. Builder's preference.

 

[CDW]

Applied some subtle dry brushing with iron (color) to bring out and highlight the rivets, bolt heads, and other raised details. Can you detect what was done in the photos? I wanted to keep it subtle, maybe it's too subtle?

 

 

[lmagna]

It's looking very nice Craig.

 

What I would envision for an engine like this would be a little more molted coloring with some areas more dull than others as the crews probably kept the overall finish to a reasonably good standard on the large surface areas of the upper engine. But this maintenance would show as some areas being cleaner or shinier than others as they had newer paint in that area than some of the less worn areas. The overall engine would still be relatively clean but the coloring would not be completely even from one end to another, Different cans of paint that were not perfectly color matched would possibly be noticeable. 

 

Then there would be the lower running gear parts of the engine. These parts would have to show signs of at least some staining from the constant oiling needed. Some of this staining would also take the form of dust or dirt mixed into the oil and making dark colors in the nooks and crannies where it was almost impossible to wipe away perfectly. In the areas where it was easier to wipe the oil staining more effectively one would think that there would be more of a satin finish to the paint in that area caused by oil residue. 

 

Again, I know very little about trains, but steam power is a relatively labor intensive power source and between oil, steam, heat, dust and sand and of course coal dust and soot, I think it would be hard to keep a working engine from looking totally uniform over the entire surface. Unfortunately all the pictures we get to see are of museum trains that are driven little and polished a lot.

 

Just an opinion that is probably worth less than what you paid for it.

[CDW]

Yeah, I like the idea of having a mix of flat, satin, and maybe a shiny area or two. As well, all those pivot points on the drive mechanisms had oil reservoirs and would definitively show signs of oil/grease that had oozed out at those pivot points. I had plans to add all that at/before the end of the build. This right now is a mater of adding the layers of shading/color one layer at a time. So far, I have my dark gray base color, the main field grey color, a brown wash, then iron color highlights by dry brushing to bring out the bolts, rivets, and edges.

[amateur]

Don't overdo it: rule number 1 was to keep your machine as clean as possible. There willbe some buildup of grease, but on theotherhand, that is in spots that are easily accesible, so the driver wa/able to remove the build-up. The constant maintenace results in a rather evenly shine of the wheelfronts and driving shafts. the sand is not in contac with the machine: it is deposited on the rails, so no sand on the machine.

Finally: trains get an amount of dust, but are not in contac with real dirt. So it shows up as a dusty film, mianly on the upper parts. 

 

you have to check the position of the fill-caps for the water and coal: those do show up quite clearly. Check out some of the railroad-building sites: subtle weathering is in my view far more effective than the 'shouting out' version.

 

Jan

Edited November 9, 2019 by amateur

[popeye the sailor]

I think you nailed it........you've done a really sweet job to this piece  

[CDW]

Thanks again for the comments and suggestions.

 

Here, we've completed steps 24, 25, and 26. With these steps, general assembly and painting of the locomotive is now complete. Decals are yet to be added and will do so at the conclusion of building/painting the coal tender. There may be some detail painting added before it's all said and done, but there's still so much to be done with the coal tender, the Leopold rail gun, and possibly a flat car with an anti aircraft gun. All these of course will be displayed upon a set of track that also must be built and painted.

 

[druxey]

Everything 'sits down' visually very nicely except for those red handwheels. Should they be softened down a little?

[CDW]

Just now, druxey said:

Everything 'sits down' visually very nicely except for those red handwheels. Should they be softened down a little?

I'm not crazy about that red either. I followed the color call-out for those...maybe a dull coat would tone it down some. If not, I will paint over them with field grey.

[lmagna]

Seems like it would make little difference anyway. I am still trying to see the advantage of the camouflage in the first place. All the pilot or attacker needed to do was follow the tracks to where the long line of rail cars came to an end, and where an almost 100 foot long thing that was belching smoke and HAD to follow the steel rails that were in front of it was located! Seems like it was something that would be rather hard to miss no matter what color the handles were.

 

On the other hand I was wondering about another feature on this locomotive that made the camo and general paint scheme make more sense. At least to me. The plate on the top of the stack that looks like it could cover the stack opening quickly. Is it possible that they could flip this over the stack eliminating the escaping steam and smoke while bringing the train to a stop so it's location would not be as obvious? Then additional flatcars with AA guns could operate as stationary AA batteries and better defend the train. I that case I suppose the red handles could matter a little more.

 

Sorry for spouting off and interrupting the flow of the build.  Guess that is just who I am.

[CDW]

Today was the beginning of the coal tender construction. The focus was on steps 1, 2, and 3.

The construction of these steps was very straight forward with no issues at all. Assembly went quite fast. After everything was assembled, gave it all the base color coat of field grey.

I like the way Trumpeter gave a detailed rendering of the suspension on this model. It adds something to see in an otherwise dull part of the model.

 

It's going to be a fairly quick build to finish this coal tender. Will probably go ahead and start the Leopold rail gun after the tender is completed so as to present the entire model as I originally conceived of it when I bought these items years ago. I think I've had these items in my to-do pile for 10 or 15 years. The model came out in 2005 and I believe I bought it when it first came out.

 

[Roger Pellett]

What was the purpose of the “blinder” plates on either side of the front of the locomotive?

 

Roger