Accucraft Ruby modifications, G scale live steam Ruby kit bashing, side tanks removed, tender added

This is the 3rd in a series on the modifications made to the live steam locomotive operated by the Oyster Creek Garden Railroad. Today we will take a close look at the kit bashing changes made to the appearance of the locomotive.

The most obvious change was the replacement of the side tanks with a wooden catwalk, and the addition of a the Lehmann toy train tender. A Pilot truck was also added which changed the configuration from an 0-4-0 T to a 2-4-0.

A hook and loop coupler was added to the locomotive end beam to mate with the tender. The shovel, water hatch, light, and air tank were from the scrap box. Wood veneer was added to the platform and the coal bunker extension. A wooden end beam, with a knuckle coupler and steps removed from the locomotive, was added.

Grab rails on the 4 corners were made from 1/16 inch brass cotter pins, #2 washers, and 1/16 inch brass rod soldered together. Similar grab irons were added to the locomotive cab. Other cab details include wooden arm rests, sheet brass sun shades, and a hatch from the scrap box.

Grab irons were also added to the pilot beam. The pilot support rods are 1/16 brass wire. These steps, the number plate and the whistle from a brass detail supplier. The whistle is soldered to a sheet brass ring which slips into the steam dome.

The headlight and bell are from Accucraft. One lead of the headlight bulb is connected to chassis ground and the other to power by a high temperature instrumentation wire.

The bell, forward hand rail stanchions, and pilot support rods are attached through holes in the smoke box. It gets hot, but it is not a pressure vessel.
No holes were made in the boiler.

The aft handrail stanchions are drilled into the trim ring around the steam dome. The plumbing along the side of the boiler is held by small brass tabs which slip under the boiler straps.

The crew was made from Bachmann fireman figures. The fireman was cut to fit over the butane tank filler. The engineer’s left leg was removed to clear the Johnson bar linkage. His right leg sits on a pin in the cab floor.