A cab full of tungsten

The challenge with the 4-4-0 wheel arrangement is to move the weight distribution to the rear of the engine, toward the drivers. As I found previously, I need to squeeze a lot of weight into the cab. This weight takes the form of tungsten, 74% denser than lead and conveniently available from Woodland Scenics’ Pinecar […]

Cab roof for 622

More styrene has found its way into 622 with the addition of the cab roof. I formed this by heating some .015″ styrene in boiling water and fixing it to the outside of a can of Green Giant Niblets with rubber bands and some scraps of card. The Cricut made the carlines (the transverse members […]

Cab insulation

As with every other part of 622, the cab needs to be electrically split down the middle. So, the front and back of the cab are made of two layers – the inner phosphor bronze and the outer styrene. Before I could add the styrene, I had to correct the cab sides, however. The etching […]

622’s Cab Takes Form

I tell you what: this business of starting with etched parts is really a lot faster than forming parts yourself. I spent about an hour this morning laying out and forming the four key-holes that I use to screw the cab to the frame, and which somehow I forgot to include in the pattern. If […]

Improved cab design

A couple of weeks ago, The Boy and I were lucky to be invited to visit Dan Gelbart’s amazing lab. The Boy was so inspired, we’ve been working our way through Dan’s YouTube channel. There, Dan stresses the benefits of keyholes to facilitate removal of parts. As he says, they’re free with a water jet cutter, […]