[MOC] Great Northern Baldwin P-2 4-8-2 (modernized)

[ProvenceTristram]

So, the caveat here is that I'm pretty sure that the P-2s never carried their air compressors on the front of the boiler. Having said that, as those compressors on the nose - along with the green paint job - represent the signature "face" of a GN locomotive, I decided to utilize that look with this engine (besides, they COULD have carried the compressors there, so why not?). Also, the wheel spacing with the tender is crappy, but I am fairly certain there is nothing that can be done about it - you either wind up with trucks (bogies for you Europeans) that are astoundingly out of proportion to the tender itself, or you have trucks that feature no detail at all. Given this choice, I went with the former. 

Why didn't I just build the 4-8-4? Well, a couple of reasons - I am partial to mid-sized driving wheels, and it's a difference between 73" wheels on the P-2, and 80" on the 4-8-4. Also - and perhaps more pertinently - it seems like everyone does 4-8-4s and 2-8-4s. I almost never see any Mountain types in Lego, and wanted to do something at least slightly different. Oh, and in case anyone is wondering, the drivers are flipped inside out to mimic Big Ben's.

Prototype (with some shots of both a GN 4-8-4 and 2-8-2 to give you an idea of how the front should look):

 

 

Model in Bluerender (posed with a Milwaukee Road caboose, just to give a sense of scaling):

 

 

Photos without Bluerender, so the black will come through a bit better:

 

 

Edited November 2, 2018 by ProvenceTristram

[zephyr1934]

That looks really nice, with all sorts of great detailing (the hoses and piping coming up under the cab, etc.). One suggestion, for the sides of the fuel tank on the tender you might want to use this new piece to eliminate the studs on the side.

As for colors, I THINK the roof should be closer to dark red. And when I made my GN Northern based on the one in Havre, MT in my research it looks like dark green or possibly olive green would have been closer to prototypical. But I too went with sand green because it looks cool and is less likely to be mistaken for the EN. (nothing is wrong with the EN, I just wanted my build to look different from it)

[ALCO]

Wow! This looks really good! I have been working on one of these too. Though, am quite stuck on the front pony truck on 2584. Have you attempted this? Also I have been having trouble proportioning the water tank of the tender. I just can't get it to look right with the cat-walks on the sides toward the top.

How are you powering this? It looks like you have the power-train hidden pretty well.

[ProvenceTristram]

5 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

That looks really nice, with all sorts of great detailing (the hoses and piping coming up under the cab, etc.). One suggestion, for the sides of the fuel tank on the tender you might want to use this new piece to eliminate the studs on the side.

As for colors, I THINK the roof should be closer to dark red. And when I made my GN Northern based on the one in Havre, MT in my research it looks like dark green or possibly olive green would have been closer to prototypical. But I too went with sand green because it looks cool and is less likely to be mistaken for the EN. (nothing is wrong with the EN, I just wanted my build to look different from it)

Thanks! I don't think that part is available in LDD yet, is it? If I build it, though, I will definitely include the parts necessary to work those little triangles in.

As for the colors, after looking at all the photos, and bouncing between olive and sand, I think sand is the way I am going to go. The real kicker is that about 90% of the silver parts are actually available in those colors, but if I went all silver on those areas, I would have to do some painting - I am not sure how I feel about it.

As for the roof - I am not sure anyone is really certain about the colors. I mean, someone, somewhere probably is, but, like, models have their reds all over the spectrum. And the real-life examples are all suffering from sun fading. However, I will definitely take another look at it. 

3 hours ago, ALCO said:

Wow! This looks really good! I have been working on one of these too. Though, am quite stuck on the front pony truck on 2584. Have you attempted this? Also I have been having trouble proportioning the water tank of the tender. I just can't get it to look right with the cat-walks on the sides toward the top.

How are you powering this? It looks like you have the power-train hidden pretty well.

No, the pony truck on the P-2s is pretty easy, whereas the ones on the Northerns are, as you pointed out, much more difficult. My guess, though, is if I were doing one of the 4-8-4s, I would start with the 50254 wheels, rather than the larger ones. These might be too small to accurately match the diameter of those on the prototype, but when you're hiding them behind the details of the truck, it won't matter (and thus the easier fitting and smaller size will grant an advantage over the 57999 with no drawbacks). 

As for the power, I put a power functions battery box in the squared off portion of the tender, and then an LPF motor on its side in the round part. I prefer the idea of having the locomotive powered, but I didn't want to sacrifice the ability to pose minifigures in the cab in order to accomplish that. 

Edited November 2, 2018 by ProvenceTristram

[Vilhelm22]

Really nice MOC - if it’s what I think it is, I’d like to build one someday, though I don’t have the money right now, or the model with me.

https://www.hattons.co.uk/284586/Rivarossi_1230_Heavy_Mikado_2_8_2_in_Southern_Livery/StockDetail.aspx

This is Rivarossi 1230 - one of my several vintage Rivarossi US locomotives (I also have a no. 1200 4-6-6-4 Challenger and no. 1527 4-8-4 FEF).  Apart from the tender, I think this is the same locomotive.  From looking at Brickset, I think that (at least for this picture) dark orange would work well, though it is not a very common colour so some pieces may not be available.

Edited November 2, 2018 by Vilhelm22

[ProvenceTristram]

57 minutes ago, Vilhelm22 said:

Really nice MOC - if it’s what I think it is, I’d like to build one someday, though I don’t have the money right now, or the model with me.

https://www.hattons.co.uk/284586/Rivarossi_1230_Heavy_Mikado_2_8_2_in_Southern_Livery/StockDetail.aspx

This is Rivarossi 1230 - one of my several vintage Rivarossi US locomotives (I also have a no. 1200 4-6-6-4 Challenger and no. 1527 4-8-4 FEF).  Apart from the tender, I think this is the same locomotive.  From looking at Brickset, I think that (at least for this picture) dark orange would work well, though it is not a very common colour so some pieces may not be available.

They're similar. The Great Northern mountains were essentially just expanded mikes with bigger drivers and a four-wheel lead truck for better tracking at speed. So, yes, this could be very, very easily turned into a mikado.

Edited November 2, 2018 by ProvenceTristram

[ProvenceTristram]

5 hours ago, ALCO said:

Though, am quite stuck on the front pony truck on 2584. Have you attempted this?

Actually, I just went and took a look at this. At first swipe, this is what I came up with. Although light on the details, the lead trucks of the 4-8-4s are actually pretty nondescript. AND it's very low profile, which might allow it to turn under your cylinders.

I wend ahead and uploaded the digital designer file if you'd like it.

https://ufile.io/mkrgx 

Edited November 2, 2018 by ProvenceTristram

[ProvenceTristram]

Threw together a GN wooden caboose tonight. And yes, I know the side paneling is horizontal, rather than vertical on the real thing.

Proto:

Model:

 

[Roadmonkeytj]

I think the sand green works well.   I would agree the dark red would fit it better IMHO.  It really is a lovely engine...  Have you priced it yet to build?  Also the caboose is well done despite the plank direction 

[ProvenceTristram]

2 hours ago, Roadmonkeytj said:

I think the sand green works well.   I would agree the dark red would fit it better IMHO.  It really is a lovely engine...  Have you priced it yet to build?  Also the caboose is well done despite the plank direction 

God, no idea. At 1750 pieces, it's probably going to be 300-400 dollars.

[Roadmonkeytj]

1 hour ago, ProvenceTristram said:

God, no idea. At 1750 pieces, it's probably going to be 300-400 dollars.

I recently priced one of my moc's... It started at 480 ... Then I set price limits and it's down to 82 dollars lol

[ALCO]

On Friday, November 02, 2018 at 4:29 PM, ProvenceTristram said:

Actually, I just went and took a look at this. At first swipe, this is what I came up with. Although light on the details, the lead trucks of the 4-8-4s are actually pretty nondescript. AND it's very low profile, which might allow it to turn under your cylinders.

I wend ahead and uploaded the digital designer file if you'd like it.

https://ufile.io/mkrgx 

Wow! That actually looks really good! I'm quite stuck on the larger wheels but you have definitely helped bring some fresh ideas and a new perspective on my conundrum. I thank you! 

 

I love your locomotive and caboose! Can't wait to see these in real brick! I think Great Northern is vastly under-represented in brick, and the colors and equipment are so interesting to look at. Well done!

[zephyr1934]

I'd beware of the small train wheels on the pony truck like that. I've had them pop off at speed and cause a table dive. But if you are only running on the ground the impact will be much less spectacular (grin). Now have you tried building the caboose sideways to get the slats to go the right way?