Post by speedbird on Jun 15, 2024 11:06:58 GMT -5
Greetings everyone.
It was high time that my Raton Past layout received some steam power.
While the ATSF never owned any USRA mikados, the AZL heavy mike is pretty close to the 3100 class. With a little work, and if you squint, can be built into a fairly decent stand-in. The 3100s were oil-burners, and they went through a fairly extensive rebuild program in the 1940s, six axle tenders, second sand dome etc etc. In order to do as little work as possible, I chose to model 3102 in her late 1930s appearance.
While I’m not stranger to scratch building steam locomotives, I didn’t want to be all summer on this project. A few modifications to the AZL mikado would do. Firstly I moved the headlight to the top of the boiler, and made a new bracket out of brass to hold it. The pilot was also rebuilt with running boards I made from brass. The tender was rebuilt with brass sheet and wire. If AZL ever wanted to replicate these 1930s oil tenders, a drop-in oil bunker would easily fit.
I painted everything with enamel and decal-ed the locomotive with the ATSF steam set from K4. The ATSF kept up their steam very well in the 1930s so weathering is minimal.
It was high time that my Raton Past layout received some steam power.
While the ATSF never owned any USRA mikados, the AZL heavy mike is pretty close to the 3100 class. With a little work, and if you squint, can be built into a fairly decent stand-in. The 3100s were oil-burners, and they went through a fairly extensive rebuild program in the 1940s, six axle tenders, second sand dome etc etc. In order to do as little work as possible, I chose to model 3102 in her late 1930s appearance.
While I’m not stranger to scratch building steam locomotives, I didn’t want to be all summer on this project. A few modifications to the AZL mikado would do. Firstly I moved the headlight to the top of the boiler, and made a new bracket out of brass to hold it. The pilot was also rebuilt with running boards I made from brass. The tender was rebuilt with brass sheet and wire. If AZL ever wanted to replicate these 1930s oil tenders, a drop-in oil bunker would easily fit.
I painted everything with enamel and decal-ed the locomotive with the ATSF steam set from K4. The ATSF kept up their steam very well in the 1930s so weathering is minimal.
