Posted by Alan on 4th November 2013 in
Model Railways |
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Accepting that there’s already two unfinished projects in this blog, I thought I’d show you the next Work In Progress, which is a Backwoods Miniatures Doodlebug conversion on the Bachmann 0n30 combine.
The kit is a brass conversion, in which parts have to be folded and soldered. That was a challenge to me, as I’d not done such a model thus far.
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The front pilot is an interesting exercise in soldering, folding up nicely and creating a strong component of the kit. However, watch out for clearances because that brass creates a nice short circuit if it touches the rails!
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The three layers of etched brass solder together cleanly to create a very stiff front cab but I can’t help but feel that this could have been more easily achieved with a resin casting.
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Internally, I’ve changed quite a bit, mainly as a result of building this for a digital layout. The copper tape is to carry the supply from the rear pickups, once fitted, under the floor. The cab front has been bolted to the chassis rather than glued to the body, and the chassis has been cut away to permit free movement of the decoder wires.
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In the roof, the lighting has been changed from the single bulb to two, soon to be three, LEDs. Again, I’m using copper tape to minimise trailing wires all over the place. The decoder itself will be tucked up inside the cab roof.
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Close-up photographs can be very cruel, this one showing the decoder wiring through the baggage compartment door!
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In the head-on shot, I have yet to add the black chevrons or the radiator to the front, the space for which I’ve used to temporarily record the assigned number.
There’s lots still to do but it’s proven itself having run at the weekend on the Rio Florida Logging Co section exhibited at the Wimbledon MRC show.
Tags: Backwoods Miniatures, Brass Etch, Decoder FItted, Doodlebug, LED Lighting, No 49
1 Comment
Hi Alan,
Interesting. Would it be possible to change the colour of the captions though? As they are dark grey you cannot read them through the photo. Thanks. What power pack did you use? You said on On30 Railroading that there were better options than the Spud. I was going to use an Underground Ernie chassis on mine.
Richard