One of the other list members kindly sent me a photo of the front of his 4-6-2, and, indeed, there were supposed to be pilot deck braces, which must have broken off some time before I got it but so imperceptibly that it was not evident until I started checking photos and drawings of the prototype.
Just got done unsoldering the bolted ends from the smokebox, grinding what must have been the broken stubs of the braces off them, drilling them and soldering brass wire into the ends and the assemblies back onto the smokebox, finding the correct length and orientation for the braces by trial and error. I am happy with the result, although perhaps the wire was slightly anemic, although I think not conspicuously so. But I am NOT going to redo them, having spent over two hours of very fiddly work. Discovered the sand pipes were not connected to the sanders while I was putting it all back together--not sure whether I had just not noticed that before or whether they were so lightly attached that they had worked loose in handling the superstructure. And replaced a cab handrail with a newly-fabricated one, having given up on trying to keep the damaged one soldered together at a bend. After all the work I've put into this (bought from another list member who tired of trying to put it to rights), I can't imagine parting with it. I'll leave it to my heirs to put it back into circulation--ideally about twenty-five years from now. Jace Kahn General Manager Ceres & Canisteo RR Co./Champlain County Traction Co. From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Subject: Re: OVL USRA 4-6-2 Date: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 20:09:24 -0700 Hi Jace -- Attached is a photo of my OMI 4-6-2 with pilot deck braces obviously in place, as I am sure they have been ever since coming out of the box with the Korean air still inside (I have had it since new)... I suspect the braces are not part of the smokebox detail casting, but just wire inserted into a drilled hole at that location. Someone commented that these don’t pull well. I will second that. My SWM 4-4-2 out pulls it, and it is not a strong loco! I haven’t tried to weight the 4-6-2 yet, partly because the motor is coreless and relatively fragile. As my friends know, I am not afraid of changing motors any more than I am of changing tenders. It’s just not something I really want to do right now with so many other, more pressing projects waiting for my time... Builders do make mistakes (mostly omissions). Attached is a photo of my P-B-L SP #18 4-6-0. Note there is no injector line to the boiler feed check valve (same on the other side) by a builder and importer who both have strong reputations for being the best. Oooops... Since this loco will get my special tender swap treatment plus a couple of other changes, I did not gripe. In fact, it’s getting painted as we write. Another photo showing it with a C-18 tender that I put behind it also attached. Hope this helps... Bill Winans
