A Large Mason Bogie

Hi, 
 
When I joined MyLargeScale , about 8 years ago now, it was with the intention of building a Mason Bogie – that was done with the assistance from a lot of members: especially  David Fletcher who ran a long running Master Class on building them. My DSP #12 Como was the result, and I believe that David used all the knowledge he had so carefully put together with Accucraft in China, where it resulted in the (totally sold out) Mason Bogies that they are making. 
 
 
Amongst the huge amount of drawings that he has made there are a small set, for the larger versions, of which  the Denver & South Park bought 4 – these are the rarely photographed, 2 8 6 version, of which I believe there are only two photos. 
 
 
In conjunction with the 2 6 6 Masterclass there is enough to make one I believe, providing that you can source a motor and gearbox unit, that can act like Barry's original version that was also the pivot for the chassis.. Therefore having found a custom builder of that, and with some expansion of some of the drawings re the chassis for which David did 4 drawings of a ‘DIY chassis’ for the 2 6 6 version, in styrene I have started to build one. The drawings have as far as I am aware not been used at all, which is rather a waste, so now they will be!  My thanks are due to David for making the extra drawings otherwise I could not be even thinking/attempting to build one of them.  THANKS David!
 
The full size locomotive can be seen at   http://www.ironhorse129.com/Prototype/MasonBogie/dspp_286t.htm  which are the only known photos of them
 
The boiler is quite large being the same diameter as the 2 8 0 locomotives built for the DSP by Baldwin (and the subject of the latest Accucraft model)  at 60mm diameter. That was difficult to find so I made a two layer boiler to be 59mm diameter from some large waste water pipe (and I now know a source for such pipe!) and added some 1/2mm styrene to bring it up to 60mm. I have also made the slightly less fancy (than the 2 6 6 version) bell rig that Mason employed, and from 2002 dug out the Hartland domes that I had ordered back then (2 sand, 1 steam). Those were modified and added to as David’s drawings. Then it was out the plasticard  for the boiler front, headlight brackets (for the Hartland headlamp) much fiddling about with small pieces were involved here! 
 
 
I have ordered from the USA (Doug Bronson) a tender truck and a pilot as well, which he will kindly make on his laser cutter soon, and Barry (of Barry’s Big Trains) will sell me two pieces of his custom aluminum extrusion. Barry also returned the custom (designed by Jim Barron) driving wheels, complete with axles etc to me, for which I am very grateful, as they are a special design – Thank you Barry! 
 
Here are the first photos of my first steps building the loco, a trip to the model shop, emptied part of my cash reserves for ABS Plastruct so that is all now in stock; plasticard is easy, the other item is the cab: I ordered two (ages ago, one is on Como!), but the can still be bought from Doug Bronson if ordered – as a special order. The other essential item is the valve gear that as you will have guessed is also in stock, and is I believe still available from Harald Grosch in Germany.

My apologies for the somewhat poor photos - the light was not good at all! Nothing is yet fixed, it has just been pushed together!
 

 
The blue disc is the start of the Nesmith stack from the single good (official) photo of the locos' It will be the last one built #28 'Denver', and p[ainted in an approxiamtion of the American 'Lake' color - which is said to be like plain choclate.


 
 

 
The firebox utilised some of the offcut from the boiler and was re-scaled from the 2 6 6 version - its larger in diameter, and yes I duiidn't see the rear sandome was wonky!
Back to work - there is an awful lot to do! 
 

 
 
 

 
 

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Can't wait to see more - great project!

Mick

Hi, 
 

First here is a photo of the painted boiler with its atttachments just put in position - and balanced on the window cill of my house - its a bit cold to take photos outside!
 


 
Most of the week I have been working with tiny bits of tube and rod on the firebox, but first I dug out a Bachmann stack that, a long time ago, came from a friend in Germany: he had made it into a Nesmith design for his Mason Bogie, with a new top and then changed his mind and made another one – this time though it was a Congdon stack. I added the rivets and the re-painted (a dirty black – yes you can have such a color – there is a fair amount of brown in it). 
 
 
The result by my German friend is a very good resemblance, I added the base from the photo of a ‘Denver’ and it is made removable by insetting some dowel in the center and that goes into a cross piece tucked inside the boiler tube – here is a photo of it; the flat crosspiece seems slightly sloping – that will be due to the hole being slightly off centre! Centre it on the hole in the outer smokebox and check it to ensure it is straight.
 
 
 
 
The base of the stack is the same as the Baldwin 2 8 0 and is very ‘British’ in design fill the gap after bending the base to match the smokebox radii with filler and finish it off with a plastic filler – so it can be sanded both smooth and having a multi radius curve to it. I then added the vertical pieces from strip, and again filled the rear edge.
 
The two white disks are the locations for the front handrail stanchions which will be made much later!
 
The boiler and smokebox were the painted –  the boiler is polished aluminum from Humbrol (being a lighter color than ‘polished steel’ in the same range) The silver then being varnished for protection. There is a drawing of the front of the 2 8 6's in an American book by Art Wallace on Mason locomotives - they are much simpler than the ones used on the 2 6 6's.
 
Here is a photo -
 
 
 
This is a slightly 'top view' the headlight is from Hartland, with plasticard brackets underneath it. Note the locations for the front (& only) handrail stanchion.
 
 
The brown colored disc is for the builders plate, to be fitted in due course.   
  
 
Now back to the firebox, this firebox follows the methods in David Fletcher’s original ‘Masterclass’ but is slightly larger. I used a section left over for the curved top and the rest is bits of plastic – lots of bits: no I haven’t counted them but it’s a large number of bits rest assured!.
 
The steam pipe on these locos seems to be inside the boiler and firebox so is different to the original Mason Bogies; especially that means that the pressure gauge and any assorted pipe work come directly out of the firebox and not the horizontal steam pipe, so the pressure gauge sits directly on the firebox top and the throttle is through the back of the firebox.
 
The pressure gauge has a oil lamp in front of it,  made from a small bits of clear rod sanded to shape, then painted a thin white color. The injectors are made from tiny bits of square plastic section, some even tinier bits of tube and the pipes are from Evergreen plastic 1.5mm rod, bits of wire are added at the end.  
 
This loco has the original ‘Eames’ vacuum brake system so it is a quite different set of pipes in the cab to my last loco which I fitted with air brakes; David documented it all (for the 2 6 6 Bogies) but no steam pipe means some slight alterations en route. The system is a collection of small bits of tube, wire  and rod, fitted to the engineers side, and is complete except for the exhaust extension  - that will wait till the cab is done but I think it is in the right position. Both this and the main pressure gauge have a printed front that came from an MLS member, a long time ago they were dutifully stored on the computer: that was changed and they migrated to the new one – now they have started to be used.  
  
I added to the tray above the fire door an oil can and a small pot of grease. The valve wheels are from a Bachmann big hauler, with small press studs for the injector piping (which is painted white – representing insulation) the rest of the piping is painted copper color on an Indian red base as the copper paint is very thin.   
 
   
 
I am going to attempt a chassis from 3 layers of styrene (2, 2 & 1mm) the latter being cut like a bar frame design: I have some 'top hat' brass bearings that are the same bore as the Jim Barron axles to use in the chassis - the 2 8 6 versions added another axle to the 2 6 6 with the same dimenesion between axles (49mm) so a double copy(check the scale to see it is still correct!) has been 'cut and glued'; this will be used to make it from David's original DIY chassis drawings. 
 
Yours Peter.

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Very nice work Peter really love the work you've done with the fire box 

Here are some photos of what has been made so far in the build. Most of the subassemblies are complete except for the most complicated – the underframe and valve gear.
 
The tender has a removable coal load, and fits tightly into the rear of the cab, which is one of the original kits by Vance Bass. I had to trim off some of the wood at the bottom of the rear side windows and the vertical pieces blow them as the tender is larger that the one used on the 2 6 6 ‘s. I am told that the 2 8 6 cab was larger than the 2 6 6 .
 

 

 

 
The cab roof is made and will be removable. The tender deck has also been made and  the lower firebox/vacumn brake and frames that fit onto it are also done. The Eames vacumn brake is the unit inside the outer frame rails with a dirty tan color leather bag. The other major unit is still being built is the tender truck is from the kit by Doug Bronson, and is very good, I hope to fit it with some LGB plunger pickups.
 
Moving to the front the pilot deck and pilot (also a Doug Bronson kit) are finished; I have added 1mm to each side moving out the cylinders to gain some extra space behind the slide bars: the original 2 6 6 was very tight here (I had to grind off some of the crank pin head) and thus the cross piece for the back of the slide bars will also have to be that 2mm extra width in the center.
 
Finally a couple of photos, with the parts just placed in their locations – isn’t it looong! YES I know there is dip in the second view, it will not be there when all are fitted correctly and bolted in their locations.

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Some more photos - this time of the cab, this is a kit by Vanve Bass in the USA. When I was building the first Mason Bogie I bought a couple of cab kits, this is the second one. The cab on the 2 9 6  is slightly different - the tender is muchlarger; so some minor alterations were made to allow it to fit,  
 

 

 

 
The last two photos show the tender unit in position tucked inside the raer of the cab; the cab from the ouyside appears quite large, but inside does not have much room when everthing is in position.
  
 

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Moving to the front of the loco - here are a couple of photos of the pilot deck, with the cylinders attached.
 
 
 

 
The previous loco was very tight at the back of the slidebars, to alleviate that this one has 1mm added each side of the centreline, there will also be the same added top the crosspiece for the outer end bracket for the slidebars.
 
The pilot (or in the vernacular - cowcatcher) is also a Doug Bronson laser cut plywood kit, which has been a great timesaver.
 
 

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Hi,
 
A final set of photos, the tender deck was made and also the lower firebox, attatched to this is the Eames vacumn brake cylinder, which was eventually replaced with the Westinghouse air brake sysyem. The Denver & South Parkk RR ran from 5000 feet to 11000 feet so the vac, system was not really able to cope, it was said to be OK for up to 6 vehicles.
 

 
The vac. unit is the one with the dirty tan (the leather diagphram) rear cover.  There is still painting to complete and also an aluminium section to add here. the tender truck is fitted at about the end of the sloping supports outer end.
 
Finally a couple of photos of the units roughly placed together nonare fixed, so that explains the dip in the second one! That will be eliminated in due course.
 

 

 
and with the chimmney & domes etc in position.  Its a looong loco but the wheelbase is quite short for it (147mm).  My 2 8 0 which goes round my curves is longer, also the two centre axles are in true American Narrow Guage fashion flangesless.
 
 

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Hi,
 
Its been quite a time since I said anything about #28 – other things have been getting in the way, demanding attention, and I have been waiting for some extra parts as well.
 
But now the Walschaerts valve gear has been assembled on the chassis; clearances are, to say the least, tight in several places; I am glad I added 2mm to the width of the cylinders!  I still needed to reduce the depth of the bolt head for the front axle to have some clearance there.
 
Some parts had to be made, David Fletcher provided the drawings, and I had in stock some 1mm thick brass to cut them out from. I still had some difficulties – no doubt as a result of me making things slightly wrong somewhere along the building!
 
Now some solder is needed to fix the nuts securely and then the excess can be rernoved from the bolts. Barry (of Barry’s Big Trains)  kindly provided me with both some extra long bolts, and some of his custom made channel as well – the bolts were needed, and also Rich Schiffman and friends also sent me some – the size is not available here in the UK. The channel will also be needed to allow for the extra axle over the 2 6 6.
 
The coupling rods are made from K&S brass tube and the rear portion, between axles 3 & 4 has a hinge; axle 4 also has some stiff wire springs for it.
 
Here are some photos of the chassis
 

 

 

 

Everything moves, though some fine tuning is still needed, that requires some assembly of the boiler, running boards and cab - so that I can attach the vertical tubes to the cross shaft (across the top of the boiler) and the reversing rod (American name for it is 'Johnson bar' )  back to the cab. Most are made, assembly is the time consuming bit - after the valve gear!
 
The final rod - from the curved link back to axle 3 looks to be sloping outwards - it isn't the one to the disc on the slider does slope slightly - I reduced that by thickening the rear of it. That kept the vale rod (at the back of it) straight.
 
Yours Peter. 
 
 
 

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Peter that is some very nice looking valve gear - fantastic scratchbuilding

Nice to catch up on your progress Peter - fascinating project

Great stuff Peter  !!!
 

 
 

Very nice project coming on very well.  Alyn

Great looking loco Peter Coming along very nicely 

Hi,
 

 
 
At last my 2 8 6 has been put together; the valve gear was somewhat complicated to get working OK, I had to make some parts, which meant that the 1mm thick brass I bought a while ago came in very useful. There are a few bits still to add, and some bolts to be soldered tight and the unwanted bits then cut off.
 
Other things have been getting in the way of loco building as well (including preserving fruit from the garden, which had a very good crop of apples this year). The freezers are now full, and the jam store is also full up!
 
Back to #28 - I have weighted it with lead with it being fitted inside the three parts of the firebox, inside the cab, below the cab, and at the back of the boiler, so the total weight is 8 pounds or so. The cab is fully fitted and taking a leaf from Jim Barron’s model I have left the cab roof loose so it can all be seen, a couple of photos included below.
 
David Fletcher, in Australia,  will soon (he is rather busy, so his time is in short supply) work his magic with his CAD program and make the masters for the decals, which are to be for the last one of four that were built for the Denver, South Park  & Pacific. RR -  #28 ‘Denver’.
 
When those are fitted I will add a final photo or two. Meanwhile, thanks are due to both Barrie of Barry’s Big Trains for the extra bolts and aluminum sections, and also to Allen at Missouri Locomotives Co., for some more bolts – the loco uses ‘4-40’ bolts -  that is a size unknown over here in England.  They have all been most useful.
 
David Fletcher, all that time ago (the drawing were made in 2002) must have wondered  if it was worth making them after myself and other modelers of the Mason Bogie Masterclass badgered him for a set: they were (understandably) ) not as complete as the 2 6 6 versions, but there has been enough to work with – The outside Walschaerts valve gear is different and it did cause some head scratching, some of it will have been as a result of some minor errors that I think have crept in somewhere but they have been sorted out (I hope).
 
Some years ago I laid in the extra bits, which have finally been used in this loco, and some more parts made by me at the same time, saving a lot of work.  David gets a great BIG ‘Thank You’ for all the work he did on these Mason Bogies. This loco is I think, the only FN3 scale (it started out as G scale but things changed en route) model.
 
Here in the rainy Northwest of England we have had for the last 5 days or so a weather front off a Low Pressure area sat over us; that means rain; not heavy but persistent, and it  really never stopped.  Yesterday it finally moved off a bit and we have had both dry weather and some sun; that was sufficient to get out the camera and take some photos of the loco on my track.
 
Here they are, its time for me to save some words, though there are some extended captions -
 

 
the cameraman is down with the weeds with number 28 rounding one of the curves on my layout.
 

 
From the rear, that tender is large, and will have ' Denver' - the name of the loco in its centre. That is the last one of fiour that were built for the Denver South Park & Pacific RR.


 
Back to ground level for the cameraman (me) with the loco approaching the location of my first bridge.
 

 
Sat on the trestle.
 

 
The cab roof is removable - here is the inside of the cab - the internal framework for the cab was added to the laser cut kit for the cab; there are a couple of ropes for the bell, and in the centre the cord, with some heatshrink tubing around the centre of it for the whistle. This cord contimnues forweard with a piece of 1mm wire curving forwards and upwards to the whistle. The builders photo shows a straight rod here, but that was very close to the top of the rear sand dome: possibly as a result of me using the domes from the Hartland Loco Works range, to allow clearance for the crew to add sand I made my version. 

 
The fireman's side of the loco
 

 
a  close-up - on my trestle.
 

 
A final one - of both of my Mason Bogies, built with the assistance of 'www.myLargescale.com', and of course the Internet. There will be some more when the transfers are added.
 
 
Yours Peter. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Very Very impressive Peter.

Superb , absolutley marvellous.

Very nice indeed and lovely to see both locos!

Fantastic work Peter Love it
Did you have any joy with your Bachamann 4-4-0 motor and gear box

WOW!!!!!!
 
B****y fantastic!