NASG Dispatch Articles: Locomotives - Steam

2010 #2 April

12

Jerry Poniatowski

Painting and installing the backhead kit.

2011 #2 April

16

Norm Hinkle

This article describes taking an old American Flyer K5 that had been converted to scale using Nixon parts many years ago, and updating it with taking the chassis and parts from a new American Models K4 model.

1997 #6 December

12

Jeff Madden

The background story behind the American Models 4-6-2 locomotive, which is based on this B&O prototype. Includes drawings for the original and the 1930s version of the locomotive.

1994 #2 April

8

Gil Hulin

Dave Butterfield has built several fairly accurate SP engines from American Flyer parts, and some scratchbuilding, of course.

1989 #6 December

13

Prototype photos and S-scale drawings of this locomotive.

1983 #3 Summer

6

Sam Powell

This first installment covers selecting the proper drivers, the matching axle, the cylinder blocks, and the crosshead assemblies. Next, the author uses steel or aluminum U-shaped shelf brackets for the frame. Next up are making scale drawings.

2011 #2 April

10

Brooks Stover

The author takes an American Models 4-6-2 and details it for a B&O locomotive used for passenger railfan trips into his BC&G layout. Includes on prototype photo and many model photos indicating the details and changes he made to the model. The project also includes installing DCC and sound, and painting and weathering the model.

1989 #1 February

10

Joe Scales

This installment covers how to get a Rex 2-6-0 to run better.

1989 #2 April

22

Joe Scales

In this installment, the author covers how to check and fix whether or not driver wheels are truly round, whether they are quartered correctly, and whether or not the spacing is correct between the axles and the crank pins.

1983 #2 Spring

4

Sam Powell

The author tackles some design problems that they locomotives have to make them run smoother.

2017 #2 March

13

Steve Monson

The author examines the sources of noise in our steam locomotives, what we can do to improve their running abilities while keeping them quiet, and his conclusions after replacing and testing several motors. He used four different Rex steam locomotives for his tests.

2017 #4 July

12

Jim Martin

Paul Raham describes how he built his fleet of steam locomotives in a difficult-to-model time period of 1919.

2002 #6 December

8

Tom Hartrum

When the Rex product line was owned by Terry Putt, the author learned that Putt Trains offered three upgrade kits for his original model. One for the motor, one for the directional headlights, and one for the smoke unit. A replacement for the gear on the driver axle was also offered. The author describes how to install these upgrades, and how they improved his engine.

2007 #3 June

17

various authors

Photos by members of the S Scale Model Railway Society in the U.K. Includes two track plans of the club's members layouts.

2014 #3 June

6

Jeff Madden

The author encourages the reader to visit prototype steam locomotive operations.

1984 #1 Winter

10

Sam Powell

In this next installment of the series on how build your own steam locomotive, the author starts the work of building the frame and installing the driver wheels.

1984 #2 Spring

6

Sam Powell

In this installment the construction and installation of the side rods is accomplished, including how to resolve any binding. Also covered is drive quartering.

1984 #4 Fall

7

Sam Powell

This final installment of building a steam locomotive frame will deal with the main rod cylinder set and crosshead assembly.

2012 #6 December

27

Richard Churchill

The author describes how he built a diamond smokestack for his Franklin old-time A.F. locomotive.

2011 #3 June

11

David Heine

With this issue the "Sn3 Column" is renamed. This article covers the new P-B-L hybrid K-27, a ready-to-run Sn3 steam locomotive that features a combination of plastic and brass to reduce the cost (and the super fine detailing) as compared to pure brass models.

1996 #3 June

26

David Heine

The author describes how he built his Sn3 Heisler, by converting an IHC HO standard-gauge Heisler. There is a sidebar to includes the remaining text from the previous issue's article that got chopped off.

1996 #5 October

8

David Heine

What would it take to model in Sn42? The author recommends using HO-scale track, and some projects for conversion to S-scale.

1999 #1 February

20

David Heine

The author shares his research into prototype narrow-gauge steam locomotives. He also briefly describes the Sn3 models produced up until that time. Two prototype photos of locomotives are included.

1999 #3 June

20

David Heine

This column covers outside frame locomotives, Sn3 2-6-0 availability, achieving a "family look" among your equipment. Includes prototype photos of a Cumbres & Toltec K-36 outside frame 2-8-2.

2000 #3 June

26

David Heine

Using an MDC HO-scale Shay to build one for Sn3, and how to do the conversion. Includes final model photos.

2000 #5 October

24

David Heine

How to model in Sn3 and shifting your era to the early part of the 1900s.

2001 #2 April

22

David Heine

Narrow-gauge lines kept their rolling stock lettering to a minimum to save on money. Also covered are the possibility of kitbashing an HO-scale Bachmann Shay, and how an On30 Bachmann engine might be better suited for S-scale standard-gauge as a kitbash.

2001 #3 June

20

David Heine

The author provides tips and a bit of a product review of the Railmaster Exports 4-4-0 kit. Includes a model photo.

2006 #5 October

24

David Heine

Photos of the author's Sn2 equipment by Train & Trooper, as well as two P-B-L Sn3 pieces.

1986 #4 Fall

20

George Lloyd

The objective is for the reader to match the common name to the Whyte system's steam locomotive wheel arrangements listing. The answers were provided in the Spring 1987 issue.

1987 #2 Spring

6

George Lloyd

The answers to the reader quiz included in the Fall 1986 issue, to match up the common names to the Whyte steam locomotive wheel arrangements.