Fixing a brass Erie 2-8-4, Class S-4 for Erieman

[ACL1504]

Can't wait to hear the Erie and the Hudson with the new sound this Saturday. 

Saturday will be a fun day for sure.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Almost four years ago, on a forum long long ago, I did a thread on a brass loco that needed repairs and paint. It was on the old forum.

There seems to be an interest in reworking, repairing and repainting old brass on this forum.

If a few people are interested, I'll redo it on this thread.

Let me know here.

Tom

[Zephyrus52246]

I could send you a brass loco or two to tune/paint/install sound if you want to do a new thread.   


Jeff

[jimmillho]

I could send you a brass loco or two to tune/paint/install sound if you want to do a new thread.   


Jeff

Me too.

Jim

[sdrees]

Hi Tom,

Yes, I am interested in you redoing your post on repairing, painting, old brass locomotives.

[ak-milw]

I'd be up for it too

[Powersteamguy1790]

Tom:

I'm very interested in your tutorial on repairing and repainting brass locomotives. What works for HO scale works equally as well for N Scale. I have several N scale steamers that have to be repaired. I finished two, but there are a few others that need some attention.

Stay cool and run steam..........

[ACL1504]

I could send you a brass loco or two to tune/paint/install sound if you want to do a new thread.   


Jeff

Jeff,

Yes, you could but I'm retired and only do my own stuff now. If I weren't building an empire of my own I'd probably take you up on the offer.

However, you have a better guy than me helping you now.

Tom

[ACL1504]

I could send you a brass loco or two to tune/paint/install sound if you want to do a new thread.   


Jeff

Me too.

Jim

Jim,

You know the drill sir.

Tom

[ACL1504]

I could send you a brass loco or two to tune/paint/install sound if you want to do a new thread.   


Jeff

Me too.

Jim

Butty Jim,

You know the drill sir.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Steve, Andy and Bob,

You got it. I'll start it later this afternoon or tomorrow.



Tom

[ACL1504]

I have four videos to show ya'll of Frank's Erie S-4 Class Berkshire.

I'd like to discuss painting for a bit first. I was talking to Thom Driggers, tct855, concerning the color of locos. We both agreed that neither of us ever, ever painted a loco strictly black.

If the loco is black, you loose many of the details on the loco. Through the years, I've painted many different shades of black for customers. However, I can up with one that 98% of my customers liked. I called it Langford Engine Black.

A dark shade of gray, that looks black, will show details on the loco better.

For Scalecoat it is 14 parts Loco Black, 2 parts White and 4/5 parts Thinner and mixed very well. Now you know the paint formula I kept secret for years.

Never, and I mean never, ask your painter to paint the loco black. This is what I did with my customers, I simply said, "No problem, and then painted the brass with my Langford Engine Black" which is actually a very dark gray that looks black.

Another way to change the color is by adding a certain finish coat. I had four different finish coats I used depending what the customer "thought" they wanted.  Flat Finish will give the loco a lighter color gray look, Satin Finish, Semi-Gloss and Gloss. Each coat darkens the color as you go from Flat to Gloss.

The TCS WOW sound decoder was installed and programmed for Franks's Eire S-4 Berkshire. Add 2.5 more hours to the price.

ACL 1504    -     21.75 hrs. @ 25.00   =     $543.75

Unknown Guy -  21.75 hrs. @ 35.00   =     $761.25

Derrell(Darryl) - 21.75 hrs. @ 45.00   =     $978.75

Steve              -  21.75 hrs. @ 55.00   =     $1196.25

I've been misspelling Derrell's name for many years.

Videos after a Diet Pepsi break.

[ACL1504]

Erie S-4 Class Berkshire, #3349, approaches the Suwannee River Basin area. The engineer signals for the crossing at the lone Happy Hut prior to crossing the bascule bridge and the Suwannee River.

Since the loco wasn't on home rails, the Atlantic and Southern Mgmt. required the loco to have A&S RR crew members. Engineer Eaton at the throttle, Fireman DeMayo and yours truly on the camera. No idea who was in the caboose. The A&S had to lease an ACL caboose.

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[ACL1504]

All is well as the loco enters the Suwannee River Basin Curve. Engineer Eaton is advised by Fireman DeMayo that there is an unknown obstruction on the tracks ahead. Eaton immediately threw the brake lever. He loves to block crossing as all good engineers do.

As the curve was to the left, Engineer Eaton couldn't see the obstruction.

Look how smooth Engineer Eaton starts this loco.

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[ACL1504]

Eaton eases the S-4 around Eaton's Curve, yes he is related to the Crackers living on hill at the curve. He crosses the bridge and signals for the crossings at West Tahope.

You can hear another steamer taking on coal and a pair of Seaboard Geeps waiting to enter the mainline.

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