HOn30 Tribute Diesels

[Jerry]

Beautiful work Bernd!

Jerry

[Bernd]

Moving on with the thread.

To power these I am using the trucks from an N scale DD40 engine. The original came with two motors. The motors were to small for my needs so I modified each truck for a larger motor.

I first started out with a friction drive. This idea came from a British modeler who sells products for small scale and narrow-gauge builders. LINK: Nigel Lawton

These are all the parts for the friction drive.



The assembled drive.



Upon testing the drive, I found that there was not enough pressure of the motor drive shaft pressing on the rubber wheel to drive the brass chassis. Probably won't pull to many cars either. So I went with a belt drive. Something the Nigel Lawton also sells. I did make my own pulleys but bought the neoprene drive belts from him because I could not source it in the USA.





Next I turned my attention to adding air tanks to the roof with their associated cooling pipes. The pencil helps with size of how big a drill was used to drill holes for the hold down wire.





The wires were twisted to hold down the piping and soldered.



Added two exhaust pipes made from copper tubing and brass tubing. Plus added two fuel tanks and associated lines.





Added handrails. here you can better see the sliding doors installed.







The finished chassis' and roof's.



Getting them ready for paint. The you can readily see the difference between the vapor blasted parts to the original tarnished parts.



The finish paint job.



And I screwed up. The decal that was to go on the sides needed a white background. So I had to repaint the sides white and mask off where the decal was to go.



And then I didn't get a perfect round area either.





At least the decals came out nice.



This is how they will be paired up to run.



Now I needed to take care of the windows. I figured a red window frame would be appropriate for a green engine.







To make those windows I used my CAD and printed out the windows on some heavy construction paper.



Paint them red and added glass.



And here's the reason for two engines. I used Geezer's wife's name for the other engine. These names were done in my photo edit program and added to the picture. Now decals were ever made.



And here's to a great guy that I got to know on the Railroad Line forum.



Rest in Peace Brother Bill.

Bernd