Tintin in America (Steam Locomotive)

Greg Baker
So my bag of random trains showed up today. After some forensic detective work, I've discovered I ALMOST have a BR Mogul... minus one of the main wheel plates. It might not be perfect, but I think I can scratch up something to serve as a replacement. The kit was part of a "blind" eBay purchase that I was hopeful would land me a couple of very affordable Airfix train kits. It ALMOST worked, since the Mogul was the one I was really after, and I got 99% of the kit (albeit with the coal car partially, and poorly, already assembled).

The gamble paid off I think, because despite not quite getting all the Mogul, for less than half the price of a boxed kit, I now also have a complete kit for a Airfix Harrow... along with 50% or more of another spare one, as well as one bag of maybe 1/3 of some train kit bits.

It wouldn't be fun if it wasn't a challenge, right?

Alec K
If you say so Greg...😉

Greg Baker
Well, you've got to look on the bright side of life, right? 😄

Daniel Klink
Count me in for your next challenge 👍

Greg Baker
Thanks Daniel, hou're Always welcome.. Today's episode is entitled "how to swap smokestacks from an extra donor kit." It has lots of careful trimming and sanding involved.

Matthew A
Loving all the Tintin stuff. As I'm already working on a correction and detail set for the Airfix Fariey Battle I thought I might make one for the American long distance fighters in Jo and Zette. I had started making a DC-2 from destination New York but as I started I realized it's a Savoia-Marchetti S.81 transport and will have to be totally scratch built!

Donald Dickson II
Chugga chugga choo choooo!

Greg Baker
Thanks guys! Matthew - lots to unpack here... first up, any more info on this correction and detail set? I wasn't planning on diving into AJO and Zette, but there's one on my list under my Voir et Savoir collection of future projects. Also, according to my reference book, there is both a DC-3 in Destination New York, as well as a Dewoitine D.333 - which doesn't really in the scratchbuilding department I don't think.

Es-haq Khosravi
Awesome! I'm interested in this!

Greg Baker
Welcome aboard Es-haq! Thanks for tuning in!

Oh, and Matthew, not sure I follow regarding the S.81. I have one in the stash (Italeri) earmarked for a King Ottokar's Sceptre project... some modifications necessary, but not totally scratchbuilt.

Matthew A
Sorry I meant S.84 not to be confused with the SM.84. It looks a lot like a DC-2 as it has the head lights and two engines scribd.com/document/../Aerofan-1979-02-pdf
Unfortunately the blue rider books have a few errors and simplifications. I've been doing some research and should be sending them a message in time.

Greg Baker
Wow. I'm not sure how you can tell the difference between an S.84 and a DC-2 (or DC-3 for that matter) in real life, let alone off the printed page. I've been following the Blue Rider books quite religiously, but if you've got any specific alternate suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Spanjaard
I am in too, of course 🙂

bughunter
Greg under full steam 👍 I'm in!

Greg Baker
Welcome aboard the Scalemates Express! Next stop, more putty and sanding!

Greg Baker
Ever had one of those days where you spend an hour trying to figure why your train is not sitting level, and you keep repositioning and shimming, and glueing the side frame piece that you scratchbuilt? So you get frustrated, and start trimming out the axel holes, trying to get it to sit properly... and then randomly discover that, due to some mix-up in the "as-is" bag of locomotive parts you bought off eBay, one of the wheels is smaller than the other five? But then luckily, due to having a random bag of locomotive parts, you have a couple of spare wheels that ARE the same size! So then you can finally get on with scratchbuilding some pipes and bits?

Yeah, me neither... but I've heard that can happen.😉

Martin Oostrom
All aboard! Leaving Nutty Hill for Crazy Town! One way tickets only 👍

Matthew A
Have started adding a few projects of my own which should help explain some of the errors in the Blue Rider books.

Spanjaard
tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu tuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

Donald Dickson II
I am NOT sitting here snickering. Nope, not doing that. 😄

Its looking good sir. Your scratch building is awesome.

Tom ...
Oops nearly missed this train. Thankfully there are still tickets...

Chris Greathouse
toot toot

Greg Baker
The train puns sure seem to bring you all endless amounts of joy... so welcome aboard, please have your tickets read for inspection... 🙂

Matthew A
Glad to see your still on track despite the delay.

Greg Baker
Truly endless...😉

Spanjaard
we can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel 🙂

Martin Oostrom
Spanjaard is volunteering to be the stoker

Spanjaard
too bad I sent the application with your name on it 😛 coal is waiting!

Tom ...
I'm stoked just to be watching.

Matthew A
Here's hoping it doesn't get derailed by other projects

Matthew A
This build has some realy good points. I was hoping to let off some more steam with lots of one-liners, but have lost my train of thought. So I'll just chug off and remain a sleeper.

Greg Baker
Your tender thoughts are all most welcome! (3pts. To anyone who gets THAT one)

Matthew A
I apologize for my conduct. My third class comment was a little un guarded

Donald Dickson II
I am keeping my caboose in the corner while you people hurl bad puns.

Alec K
Ahh, the poetry of modeling...

Greg Baker
After the... issue... with the wheels, I decided to call a safety meeting with all the parts in attendance. Everyone was assigned a buddy and a piece of tape, so no one got lost. Had to call up a couple of understudy bits from my "bag-o-locomotives", But I also found a few unneeded stragglers and optional bits, so on average I'm still ahead of the game.

Actually, looking at the leftover bits gave me an idea, but I'm not going to start it until everything that's getting assembled for this build is safely glued in place. Safety is job 1!😉

Matthew A
At this junction you shouldn't need any putty if you don't mind the gap. Ok I'm off to the quiet zone now. But will still be on station if need more bad puns.

Chris Greathouse
I came to say something, but I lost my train of thought, oh well 😛 It's looking wheely good though 🙂

Greg Baker
Keep comin' boys! There's no way this build is getting sidetracked...

Greg Baker
Chugging right along... all the main parts are assembled. It's a good thing I'm going for a static display, not actually trying to have the wheels on the train go 'round (and 'round...). First off, the alignment of the middle wheels and the bar was not quite right due to the mix and match nature of the bag-o-locos source. So I needed to do a little surgery on the axel connector to make it all line up. Even then, the pins didn't quite fit in the slightly bigger holes. Then, while trying to assemble the last few bits, I discovered that there was no hole for part 35, even thought the instructions clearly show one... and no, it wasn't on the scratchbuilt side of the frame.😉

It looks like a train now, but there's still a few more details left to be done.

bughunter
It really look like a steam locomotive 👍 And you found a bigger base this time, which matches the others.

Greg Baker
Started painting the trim and some of the other details.

Daniel Klink
Wonderful work Greg! 👍

Greg Baker
I got so frustrated with my "Flying Jar" project that I had to walk away, and pick this one up again. I'm still waiting on a few rails to show up from eBay to finish it off with a display base, but I realized I'd almost forgotten the cow catcher and a few other little details.

Donald Dickson II
I was worried you had run out of steam on this one.

Greg Baker
Aannnnndddd... we're back.😉

Matthew A
First class work

Greg Baker
My train tracks showed up today, so I decided to take a break from pulling my hair out over electromagnets and get to work finishing off this locomotive. I needed the tracks to make sure the wheels were aligned and I was leaving enough room for the cow catcher. I also noticed I forgot to add a bit of railing along the side of the boiler, so I added a few more details. Just about ready for the final painting. I just need to wait for the base to dry.

Greg Baker
Rolling into the station now... The base and the tracks are painted so just a few details to touch up before assembly. You can't see it because of the lighting, but I added some contrast to the locomotive drive shafts. Another coat of black and a few extra details and this one will done. Luckily the passenger carriage I ordered off eBay appeared. I'm keen to slice it up and turn it into the runaway carriage that Tintin does the high dive from. 🙂

Martin Oostrom
That track is a disaster waiting to happen. The gap is sooooo large 😉

Tom ...
Maybe a little "cotton" smoke to give it some dynamism? Where there's fire...

Greg Baker
Heh, good eye, Martin. But once the rails are on, there will basically be no gap. As for the smoke... that's already on the list. 🙂

Greg Baker
Alrighty. Base finished, final details added... even though I almost forgot the lens for the lamps. We're all good... this one is finished.

Donald Dickson II
Sweet!!!!

Tom ...
You must be chuffed with the result. It's a beauty!

Greg Baker
I think you guys are just blowing smoke... urm... steam.😉

Martin Oostrom
Great job Greg. Nice save on the wheels,

Chris Greathouse
I'm steamed you got this one done! Congratz! I was following your tracks all along! Great way to conduct your passions and skills.

bughunter
Really nice result with the steam on top 👍

wilky
That's some train.
Even works upside down

Greg Baker
Heh... ok... let's try that again. 🙂 The one feature request I'd like Tim to implement is the basic photo editing... like rotating images. Now that everything is right side up, it should look better (but no guarantees...)

Donald Dickson II
The fact that you cobbled this together from a bag of parts and had it come out this nice speaks volumes to your talent sir. 🙂

Greg Baker
Thanks Hans and Don! It actually worked out better that way. I was disappointed that it was missing a major frame part, but in the end you really can't tell I just scratched a replacement out. Having a bunch of extra bits really gave me some options for things like the smoke stack, etc. Besides, the bag of parts did end up having at least one full kit in it, so I think I can squeeze out three locomotives for the price of less than one.😉

Spanjaard
beautiful loco. and i like a lot the smoke. maybe a few touches of airbrush black to give it some depth?

Chris Greathouse
@Spanjaard, that's a neat idea! Let's see what happens...

bughunter
You managed again to give the model a comic style 👍

Greg Baker
Well, that's what I was going for, so I'm glad it looks like I've succeeded. 🙂

I've seen a few Gundam/Macross models painted in such a way as to create an optical illusion that they're actually animation drawings. It was beyond my skill set, but certainly inspirational.

Spanjaard
Nice to have Tintin there now 🙂

Greg Baker
Yeah... he makes all the difference. I was quite worried about how I was going to put the pattern on that tiny shirt, but... a small black pen and that was that. One of those "worked way better/easier than you thought" moments that we all love.

Jennifer Franklin
I love Tintin, this is really creative and fun. Nice work. 👍 Way to overcome the challenges you had over the course of the build.

Villiers de Vos
Another beautiful addition to your Tintin-universe.

Neuling
Very nice indeed!

Rui S
I agree. Beautiful collection 👍

bughunter
The viewer can literally hear the locomotive whistling in his imagination!