05/13/2007
| PENN CENTRAL U30B |
Photo from Fallen Flags web site.
Used with permission.
Used with permission.
The photo above is not the exact locomotive I am modeling, but I thought it was a very good representation of
a catalog GE U30B. I am not going to get into a history of the U30B, how many railroads owned and operated
them. All that information can be found in magazines and naturally can be had by going to the following web
site http://users.inna.net/~jaydeet/rosters.htm . As far as I know, all Penn Central U30B's were inherited from
the New York Central side of the merger.
The model is a kit bash between an Atlas U28B and the P2K U30B. This seems to be the optimum setup for
a good drive system and a quality molded shell. As for the fuel tank though, I needed to choose which one I
wanted to start with. The P2K one has nice details, but the height does not look right. If you look at the photo
above, notice how close to the rail head the bottom of the tank is. In order to get the top of the P2K tank at the
same point on the frame as the Atlas tank, the bottom of the fuel tank weight needs to be cut up by 0.050".
This raises the bottom of the tank off the rail head by a noticeable amount. By putting the P2K tank on without
cutting the bottom of the fuel tank weight, then the top of the P2K tank sits far to low off the frame. The Atlas
tank looks to be correct for the top of the tank in relation to the frame and the bottom of the tank in relation to
the rail head, the trade off are really weak details. I also chose to stay with the Atlas side frames even though
the brake cylinders are molded on. As you will see with this project, both the fuel tank and the truck side
frames will be modified to create a more prototypical looking model.
I am going to take my time building this model because I really want to put some fine detail work into it. I think
it will be a nice addition to my web site articles. Again, I hope you enjoy what you see and read in these pages
and with that said, it is time to get started. I am building two of these at the same time. As I do more research,
I will post prototype photos of the two I have chosen to model.
FRAME:
The frame is from an Atlas U28B. As with all my models, I start by setting up the frame so I can detail it. This
requires the usual milling job.
a catalog GE U30B. I am not going to get into a history of the U30B, how many railroads owned and operated
them. All that information can be found in magazines and naturally can be had by going to the following web
site http://users.inna.net/~jaydeet/rosters.htm . As far as I know, all Penn Central U30B's were inherited from
the New York Central side of the merger.
The model is a kit bash between an Atlas U28B and the P2K U30B. This seems to be the optimum setup for
a good drive system and a quality molded shell. As for the fuel tank though, I needed to choose which one I
wanted to start with. The P2K one has nice details, but the height does not look right. If you look at the photo
above, notice how close to the rail head the bottom of the tank is. In order to get the top of the P2K tank at the
same point on the frame as the Atlas tank, the bottom of the fuel tank weight needs to be cut up by 0.050".
This raises the bottom of the tank off the rail head by a noticeable amount. By putting the P2K tank on without
cutting the bottom of the fuel tank weight, then the top of the P2K tank sits far to low off the frame. The Atlas
tank looks to be correct for the top of the tank in relation to the frame and the bottom of the tank in relation to
the rail head, the trade off are really weak details. I also chose to stay with the Atlas side frames even though
the brake cylinders are molded on. As you will see with this project, both the fuel tank and the truck side
frames will be modified to create a more prototypical looking model.
I am going to take my time building this model because I really want to put some fine detail work into it. I think
it will be a nice addition to my web site articles. Again, I hope you enjoy what you see and read in these pages
and with that said, it is time to get started. I am building two of these at the same time. As I do more research,
I will post prototype photos of the two I have chosen to model.
FRAME:
The frame is from an Atlas U28B. As with all my models, I start by setting up the frame so I can detail it. This
requires the usual milling job.
The first thing I needed to do was to make the cuts that would allow the frame to sit snuggly into the P2K sill
unit. To do this I just removed 0.0075" off each side of the frame coupler pad. This is the part that sits
between the step wells. The I wanted to make it so you did not see the part of the frame that sticks down
below the sill that you can see through the step well. In the photo above, you can see this. It is where I thinned
the frame coupler pad. I can properly rebuild the frame rail that can be seen through the step well. This will all
be an optical illusion since the main frame rail will not set back as far as the frame rail behind the step wells.
With these frames, it is impossible to make a scale width frame all the way down. The photo below shows a
head on view of the frame coupler pad and how I thinned it.
unit. To do this I just removed 0.0075" off each side of the frame coupler pad. This is the part that sits
between the step wells. The I wanted to make it so you did not see the part of the frame that sticks down
below the sill that you can see through the step well. In the photo above, you can see this. It is where I thinned
the frame coupler pad. I can properly rebuild the frame rail that can be seen through the step well. This will all
be an optical illusion since the main frame rail will not set back as far as the frame rail behind the step wells.
With these frames, it is impossible to make a scale width frame all the way down. The photo below shows a
head on view of the frame coupler pad and how I thinned it.
After getting the frames ends setup and fitting the frame into the P2K sill unit, it was time to make the main
frame cuts. The cuts that go from one end of the frame to the other. I wanted to make the frame narrower so I
could set in a frame rail and not have it sticking out over the fuel tank to far. This cut took 0.060" off both sides.
The photo below shows the entire frame. You really cannot see much of a cut other than the frame area near
the fuel tank.
frame cuts. The cuts that go from one end of the frame to the other. I wanted to make the frame narrower so I
could set in a frame rail and not have it sticking out over the fuel tank to far. This cut took 0.060" off both sides.
The photo below shows the entire frame. You really cannot see much of a cut other than the frame area near
the fuel tank.
The next photo shows the area that sits in front of the fuel tank. As you can see, I cut the hump off even with
the bottom of the frame. Why Atlas put this pad there is a mystery to me. Maybe to just add thickness to the
area under the flywheel. It is not necessary, but it is there and I needed to remove it from both the front and
rear.
the bottom of the frame. Why Atlas put this pad there is a mystery to me. Maybe to just add thickness to the
area under the flywheel. It is not necessary, but it is there and I needed to remove it from both the front and
rear.
I am thinking of cutting this area down another 0.020" and then glue in a 0.020" styrene sheet so I have a
plastic to plastic gluing pad for the air reservoir details. If I decide to do this, I need to get it done before I start
detailing the fuel tank.
With the frame cuts done, I can now reattach the fuel tank. I decided to go with the Atlas fuel tank and will
rebuild it with much better details. I will use details from the P2K tank as well. First order of business was to
remove the air reservoirs. This in turn makes it so you have to glue the tank to the frame. I like mechanical
connections so I glued and screwed it in place as you can see in the photo below. I am sure you are probably
thinking that all those screws are overkill. You are correct. The screws are #2-56. Why did I put 5 screws in
place. Good question and I will answer it in a moment. First off at the front and rear between the tank and the
frame weight, I glued in a 0.020" piece of sheet styrene. This makes it so when the tank is installed, it is very
snug and there is no movement front to back. This is very important in the cutting steps. If there is any
movement or gap between the tank and the weight, when I go to square up the ends, the tank ends will
chatter and the milling bit will more than likely grab to much plastic and rip the ends open. When you start to
hear a slight flapping in the plastic, something bad is about to happen!
plastic to plastic gluing pad for the air reservoir details. If I decide to do this, I need to get it done before I start
detailing the fuel tank.
With the frame cuts done, I can now reattach the fuel tank. I decided to go with the Atlas fuel tank and will
rebuild it with much better details. I will use details from the P2K tank as well. First order of business was to
remove the air reservoirs. This in turn makes it so you have to glue the tank to the frame. I like mechanical
connections so I glued and screwed it in place as you can see in the photo below. I am sure you are probably
thinking that all those screws are overkill. You are correct. The screws are #2-56. Why did I put 5 screws in
place. Good question and I will answer it in a moment. First off at the front and rear between the tank and the
frame weight, I glued in a 0.020" piece of sheet styrene. This makes it so when the tank is installed, it is very
snug and there is no movement front to back. This is very important in the cutting steps. If there is any
movement or gap between the tank and the weight, when I go to square up the ends, the tank ends will
chatter and the milling bit will more than likely grab to much plastic and rip the ends open. When you start to
hear a slight flapping in the plastic, something bad is about to happen!
As you can see in the next photo, I cut a 0.020" deep notch in the frame. This was done at both ends of the
tank. I will glue a 0.020" sheet of styrene in the notch. This will allow me to better glue plastic to plastic when
installing the air reservoirs and brackets. I also squared up the tank ends in preparation for end plates.
tank. I will glue a 0.020" sheet of styrene in the notch. This will allow me to better glue plastic to plastic when
installing the air reservoirs and brackets. I also squared up the tank ends in preparation for end plates.
The final step in preparation of the frame and fuel tank is to cut a channel down the center of the tank. Now a
few steps up I said I would explain why I put so many screws in the tank. I explained earlier also about
flapping plastic. That is the reason I put so many screws. I am going to cut a channel out of the bottom of the
tank. You see, the bottom of GE tanks are not flat. They have an angle to them. The tanks angle down to the
center. I can only imagine this is to help facilitate with draining the tank. There is a drain plate at the front and
back. So since i am going to cut a channel, I need the tank bottom to be very secure up against the bottom of
the tank weight. As you can see in the photo below, I cut a 0.020" deep channel. I cut it out to the sides till
there was a 0.020" wide lip. I'll build a new tank bottom out of sheet styrene. Maybe I will try casting it. Pretty
simple part.
few steps up I said I would explain why I put so many screws in the tank. I explained earlier also about
flapping plastic. That is the reason I put so many screws. I am going to cut a channel out of the bottom of the
tank. You see, the bottom of GE tanks are not flat. They have an angle to them. The tanks angle down to the
center. I can only imagine this is to help facilitate with draining the tank. There is a drain plate at the front and
back. So since i am going to cut a channel, I need the tank bottom to be very secure up against the bottom of
the tank weight. As you can see in the photo below, I cut a 0.020" deep channel. I cut it out to the sides till
there was a 0.020" wide lip. I'll build a new tank bottom out of sheet styrene. Maybe I will try casting it. Pretty
simple part.
With the basic frame cuts done to both frames and the fuel tanks done to what you see above, I can now trim
the end sheets and start the detail work.
the end sheets and start the detail work.
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Since the last photo was taken, it has come to pass that I no longer want to try and make the angled bottom. It
is just not worth it to me right now and once the end sheets go on and all the detail is done, the angel is lost.
So for the sake of actually trying to get these two models done, I chose to compromise and forgo the angle
detail. I have trimmed the bottom flat and added a 0.020" sheet of styrene. In the next photo you will see this. I
trimmed it to size and contoured the edges. I also drilled the holes necessary for the motor mount screws.
is just not worth it to me right now and once the end sheets go on and all the detail is done, the angel is lost.
So for the sake of actually trying to get these two models done, I chose to compromise and forgo the angle
detail. I have trimmed the bottom flat and added a 0.020" sheet of styrene. In the next photo you will see this. I
trimmed it to size and contoured the edges. I also drilled the holes necessary for the motor mount screws.
Now the above photo shows a few things I have done not to mention rebuilding the bottom of the tank as I just
explained. In front of and behind the tank I cut a 0.020" deep channel in the frame. I then added 0,020" sheet
styrene to build it back up. I did this so when it came time to rebuild the air reservoirs I had a plastic to plastic
gluing surface which in turn gives me more fiddle time for getting them placed right. CA or Cyanopoxy does
not give you that fiddle time. I also glued the end sheets on. The end sheets do not go all the way to the top of
the fuel tank. The top of the end sheet is 6.25" down from the top of the tank. In the photo below you can see
this. Now on this frame as you can see in the photo below, the tank does not sit up against the bottom of the
frame. The top of the tank sits 0.020" below the bottom of the frame. In order to get my end sheet where I
wanted it I simply cut a strip of styrene 0.092" wide. I set this piece up against the frame and then put a sheet
of 0.010" sheet styrene up against it. I glued the sheet in place and the result is what you see. Now the top of
the end sheet is a scale 6.25" down from the top of the tank.
explained. In front of and behind the tank I cut a 0.020" deep channel in the frame. I then added 0,020" sheet
styrene to build it back up. I did this so when it came time to rebuild the air reservoirs I had a plastic to plastic
gluing surface which in turn gives me more fiddle time for getting them placed right. CA or Cyanopoxy does
not give you that fiddle time. I also glued the end sheets on. The end sheets do not go all the way to the top of
the fuel tank. The top of the end sheet is 6.25" down from the top of the tank. In the photo below you can see
this. Now on this frame as you can see in the photo below, the tank does not sit up against the bottom of the
frame. The top of the tank sits 0.020" below the bottom of the frame. In order to get my end sheet where I
wanted it I simply cut a strip of styrene 0.092" wide. I set this piece up against the frame and then put a sheet
of 0.010" sheet styrene up against it. I glued the sheet in place and the result is what you see. Now the top of
the end sheet is a scale 6.25" down from the top of the tank.
