Scale Craft Mountain

[sleepmac]

I see the first 3 photos fine. Don't see anything with the lower 3 links. One beautiful engine.
Oh, I'm using a 2019 iMac.

Dan Weinhold

[steamaheadstephen59]

Bob Im glad Im not the only one still using an ancient I pad, mostly to take pictures and send to my 11 year old apple desk top, by way of email. It shows those first three pics when I click the links.

[E7]

I think a pretty fair guess on why stuff does or doesn't work is the vintage of one's operating system.

[Dennis Holler]

That's a nice looking engine Stephen. I have a couple of basket case Scale Craft Mountains, one had the zinc drivers and they rotted, the other was two railed and the insultated tires rusted and pooped loose so I need to redo them. Seems like I see more engine's than tenders for these guys as well.

[Dennis Holler]

One thing I do notice or at least I have several locos that have the following issue. All three of the Mountain boilers I have seem to have been built a bit out of kilter. Either they weren't jigged well enough or something slipped when another joint was soldered. IT woul dseem like you almost would need to jig the whole major assembly together at one time and do it all with a small torch considering the thick material these SC loco boilers were made of.

[bob turner]

That's the secret. It doesn't take much: I use a 10-32 threaded rod, some blocks of wood, and a wrench on the nuts. If the boiler has a slit town the belly, hose clamps are useful.

You can pin the firebox to that casting with 2-56 F/H brass screws. Trim them flush after soldering.

Some of the lead cast tenders have deteriorated. They do not survive heavily corrosive environments. The Adams tender is a great replacement.

[R.K. Maroon]

I really need to take a better photo of this, but this will have to do for now:


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/aamxew9sw5mlgbn4419br/Figure-8-ScaleCraft-SP-Mountain.jpg?rlkey=778fi0fc25v7gvl6pjruxuutp

This was my first Scale-Craft Mountain. I found it, without a tender, in a dusty display cabinet in a back corner of The Red Caboose hobby shop in Midtown Manhattan during a weekend visit with friends in March 2018:


https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6e8wcgl5ny6enrmgueb87/Manhattan-Surprise.jpg?rlkey=m0pgs81rw7b9guqveuex1lqir

Allen Spitz, the long-time proprietor, was thrilled at the offer I made for it, but I thought I was on the low side, so we were both delighted at the deal. Can't ask for better than that. I had it in my backpack when I went through security at La Guardia. TSA was interested but let it (and me) through.

It seems to be a decent build and in pretty good condition. I am embarrassed to say I have not yet done anything with it. I will dig it out as time allows to get better photos of it, and will inspect it more closely while I have it out.

Jim

[steamaheadstephen59]

Bob Thats great idea, Im going to remember that one!! Dennis Its unfortunate about the drivers, there has to be a cast iron set out there just for you. Maroon I to felt I got a pretty good deal on mine too, even the postage to Australia was good! I do have a tender I scratch built, but its for the cab forward that went the wrong way, what did they call that?

[bob turner]

Lobaugh drivers work, if you can find a set. Axle holes need to be re-bored to 1/4".

I remember Allan from the 1980s. He chased me out of there once because I was a looky-loo, and never bought anything.

I have this "thing" about blind drivers. Someday I shall fix mine. I have heard that the Scale Craft boiler might be slightly more accurate than the Lobaugh boiler. Not hard to believe, but I have never measured.

I did a tender inventory a couple years ago - can't find it. If I have a surplus of lead tenders, I might be convinced to trade.

[E7]

I have this "thing" about blind drivers. Someday I shall fix mine.

How about the Pennsy Decapod. They started out with the 3 in the middle blind and then went to only the 3rd (middle) driver blind. I don't know how they stayed on the track with 6 out of 10 blind! Maybe they didn't!

[bob turner]

They are not a visual assault on the real thing, but our flanges are huge, compared to scale, and flangeless center drivers offend my sense of balance. My I1 has all flanged drivers for that reason.

[E7]

The problem is a whole different set of dynamics than the real world. I'm guessing everything could be "scaled" down to simulate the properties of the "REAL" thing, but what would the model cost. I'd rather live with the correct driver configuration (flanged or not) than incorrect flanges. Just personal taste as long as the thing stayed on the track. At least they aren't pizza cutters.

[E7]

They are not a visual assault on the real thing, but our flanges are huge, compared to scale, and flangeless center drivers offend my sense of balance. My I1 has all flanged drivers for that reason.

Tell me how the ones of the P48 boys are!

[E7]

As I ponder this whole bit of silliness, wouldn't oversize (I smell pizza) offend more, as with blinds there is nothing to see!

[steamaheadstephen59]

Im not a fan of blind drivers, but, after pulling down my layout ( in storage ) and setting up an oval of track which smaller curves, to get me by, Iv'e come to appreciate them somewhat.