The "new" JJJ&E In N Scale

[Powersteamguy1790]

An Overhead View Of The 130' Turntable, And The Relationship Of The Service Tracks And Two Entry/Exit Tracks To The Turntable. I Used Arizona Rock & Mineral Black Cinder Yard Ballast In The Turntable Area And Switching Yard.




An full view of the turntable area and Switching Yard. This an early photo of this part of the layout. This side of the layout is 18' long.



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

[sdrees]

Hi Bob,

Pretty cool looking pictures of all those steam locomotives.

[Powersteamguy1790]

Hi Bob,

Pretty cool looking pictures of all those steam locomotives.

Thanks Steve. I'm happy to hear that you like all those steamers. The 18 foot switching yard can hold alot of cars and locomotives in N scale.

Stay cool and run steam......

[Powersteamguy1790]

A closeup of a ATSF Mallet # 1792 on mainline entering the turnaround area east of San Marino. Rosco's Engine Shop is in the immediate background. The Monterrey Mountains are in the distance.





Stay cool and run steam.....

[Powersteamguy1790]

These are two of the inner mainline tracks in the turnaround area east of San Marino. Large radii area a must on the "new" JJJ&E. This is a prerequisite for large steam locomotives to run flawlessly on the layout. A closer view of Milwaukee Hiawatha #1 with a direct view of Rosco's Engine Repair Shop. The Locomotive Maintenance Building is directly behind Rosco's Engine Repair. Rosco's Engine Repair Shop took me about 20 hours to build and weather.
 



Stay cool and run steam......

[Powersteamguy1790]

Many years ago I was able to purchase eight Japanese Micro-Ace 0-6-6-0's at a very reasonable cost per locomotive. Four were Micro-Ace A0651's and four were Micro-Ace A0652's. My cost per locomotive was slightly over $100 per locomotive. Today these locomotives cost significantly more since they are no longer in production and they have significant appeal to many N scale modelers.

The Micro-Ace 0-6-6-0 is much smaller than most N scale steam locomotives with similar wheel configurations. Aside from that, the 0-6-6-0 out performs most American steam locomotives. The Micro-Ace 0-6-6-0 has a typical Japanese look with a much smaller tender. The tender also has a rear truck with only one axle. ( See Photo # 1)




Despite the look of this locomotive, the Micro-Ace 0-6-6-0 can be easily Americanized. The first thing I did with this locomotive was to install Lenz min silver decoders in several of these locomotives. The installation was similar to the decoder installation in the kato Mikado. Once the motor is isolated the rest of the decoder installation was a snap.

I Americanized one Micro-Ace A0651 and one Micro-Ace A0652.  I decided to use a Spectrum long tender for each locomotive. This was an easy process and was easy to do once the original draw bar of of the 0-6-6-0 was lengthened and was connected to the long tender. I changed the front pilot of the Micro-Ace A0651 by using a front pilot from A Spectrum 2-6-6-2. Brass detail parts were added to each locomotive. This was easily bonded to the front pilot of the 0-6-6-0. I installed a MT Z scale #905 coupler on the new front pilot of the 0-6-6-0.
I changed the side panels under the cab of the locomotive as well. MT Z scale couplers were also installed on the rear of the new long tender. New decals were added and the ATSF road numbers now identify the 0-6-6-0. Before the decals were added , each locomotive and tender were repainted.




When working on the Micro-Ace A0652, I added many pewter detail parts. For the front pilot I used a pewter detail part from one of the GHQ detail kits for a Kato Mikado. MT Z scale #905 couplers were placed in the front pilot and on the rear of the long tender. I also added a Soundtraxx Micro-Tsunami sound decoder and mini oval speaker inside the tender along with a Lenz mini silver decoder for motor functions. I used two decoders as I normally do when I use sound in N scale as I am not fond of the motor functions of the Soundtraxx Micro Tsunami decoder.



If any of these Micro-Ace 0-6-6-0's becomes available on various auction sites, hobby shops or train shows, they are well worth purchasing.


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

[jbvb]

I like the looks of your steam fleet.  It sounds like you're willing and able to put in the effort to make them run well too.

[Powersteamguy1790]

I like the looks of your steam fleet.  It sounds like you're willing and able to put in the effort to make them run well too.

Thanks James for your comment. Keeping my large fleet of N Scale steam locomotives in good running order takes quite a bit of time. There are over 250 steam locomotives in the fleet and I try to run each one for a period of time every two months. Of course I do have my favorite steamers. My large diesel fleet requires no maintenance at all.

Stay cool and run steam......

[Powersteamguy1790]

The ATSF #4016 Mikado on the upper level of the "original" JJJ&E with the town of San Marino in the background. This layout was completely dismantled in February 2009 when I moved from Jupiter Florida to Frisco Texas. This photo appeared on the cover of the July_August 2007 issue of N Scale Magazine. The topic of this article in N Scale Magazine is :Installing A Lok-Sound Decoder In A Kato Mikado which at the time and still is the most difficult decoder installation in an N Scale steam locomotive.




Additional Photo's Of The ATSF Mikado #4016





The ATSF #4016 on my current layout, the "new" JJJ&E.




Stay cool and run steam......

[Powersteamguy1790]

A closeup of a weathered ATSF 2-6-6-2 articulated Mallet # 1175 on the mainline east of San Marino. I installed an ESU Lok-Sound Select Microdecoder and a Zimo mini cube speaker in the tender. There is an Icing Platform from North East models behind the steamer on a siding servicing refrigerated ATSF reefers. The Monterrey Mountains are in the background.




Stay cool and run steam......

[Powersteamguy1790]

Old Time Classic Photo Of A NP W-5  Class Oil Burning Mikado # 1825. This locomotive was kit bashed from a generic Kato Mikado using a GHQ pewter kit. I used a standard Mikado tender as there is a ESU Lok-Sound 3.5 decoder and a mini-oval speaker in the tender. Normally a short tender would be used making this locomotive a NP W-3 Class oil burning Mikado. This locomotive will pull over 60 cars easily on level track.







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

[Powersteamguy1790]

An Old Time Classic Photo of  A South Western Portland Cement Company # 12 Two Truck Shay.  This two truck Shay is moving very slowly up the long 1 1/2%  grade in the Monterrey Mountains. The gears on the engineers side of the locomotive are fascinating to watch in person. The maximum speed of # 12 Two Truck Shay is 10 MPH. I placed a Lenz 521W decoder in the back half of the cab of the Shay. The Lenz 521W decoder was the smallest decoder available at the time of installation.





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

[GPdemayo]

Hi Bob.....like the old saying goes, "a guy can't have enough steam locos". 

[Powersteamguy1790]

Hi Bob.....like the old saying goes, "a guy can't have enough steam locos". 

Yes Greg. Lots of steamers are great to have as well as a lot of work to keep in good running order. 

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

[Powersteamguy1790]

An old time classic panoramic photo of a Southern Ms-4 Mikado #4839 and freight consist on the inner mainline track in the center of San Marino.




Stay cool and run steam......