2-6-8-0 kitbash


BGW

New Member
I am working on a freelance 2-6-8-0 kitbash. It is running ,but needs some bugs work out. It start with a Mantua 2-6-6-2 with a extra driver added and a Rivarossi heavy pacific / mikado boiler shell. I had build a 2-6-6-2 some year back with a light pacific boiler,but the GN 2-6-8-0s looked interesting .

Here is a quick video showing a update.


 
I really like your 2-6-8-0! The GN had a number of this wheel configuration which were converted to single-expansion. They did have Belpaire fireboxes. The GN were not the first to use this wheel setup, however. Some time ago, before the Mantua 2-6-6-2 loggers came out, I kitbashed a couple of 2-6-6-2's from Mantua Prairie 2-6-2's, but could not actually power the front engine. The Burlington Route, which I model in the 1940-1960 period, had several 2-6-6-2's they inherited from the GN, and a single 2-8-8-2 they eventually rebuilt to 2-8-0's which worked better. The "Q" wasn't much on articulateds, except in the Black Hills of S. Dakota, relying more on ten-coupled 2-10-2's and 2-10-4's and finally in steam on their 4-8-4 dual service #56XX series. I kitbashed a number of these rigid wheelbase engines using Mantua Mikado and Pacifics. Ain't it fun?!
 
One thing about Mantua steam is there are tough engines. Maybe a little low on details but can run good. I have always be able to get one of there open frame motors going with cleaning and lube. Also there driver flanges ( Not trucks ) work on code 83 track unlike Rivarossi where I have had to grind down flanges to run one my layout. I have kept the open frame motor and drive tubes on the engine because it runs pretty good . I though about a belpaire firebox to look like a engine brought from GN . But had to go with what boiler would fit the length of the frame and work with the boiler weight mount. I have a Bachmann Hvy 4-8-2 but it is too long so went with the Rivarossi Heavy 4-6-2. My first project 2-6-6-2 used a BLI light pacific boiler looked good sorta like Sierra #38 , but I wanted a beefier boiler on the 2-6-8-0. Here is a video


I model a freelance transfer line set in the Twin cites ( Minneapolis/St Paul ) in the late 50s and early 60s . Called Twin city transfer loosely based on the Minnesota transfer Now Minnesota commercial railroad.
 
The GN 2-6-8-0's were converted from Mallet's to simple-expansion and lasted until the 1950's, basically at the end of the steam era.

The other neat thing about Mantua steam locomotives is their use of blind (flangeless) drivers between the flanged ones. My 2-10-2's and 2-10-4's can easily negotiate 18" radius curves. I do shim the blind drivers up .010" off the tops of the rails to prevent them from catching on the rail tops coming out of the curves. Unless you get down even with the tops of the rails with a light behind the locomotive, you can't see the gap between the drivers and the rails. Yes, the open-frame motors will work okay when the commutators are kept clean, but with the gear box instead of direct drive, and a can or coreless motor and a Soundtraxx Tsunammi sound decoder in the tender, you can get some really slow speeds and sound in DCC. As far as detailing is concerned, all it takes is some added details for appearance sake. The interesting thing about the Mantua engines is criticism that the boilers, especially the Mikado boilers are "unprototypically straight"! Well, it depends on the railroad you are modelling. I model the C.B.&Q., and their O-2 and O-3 Mikes are straight-topped! For that matter, so are the MoPac's. Burlington O-1 Mikes can be modelled by substituting the Pacific boilers. As I recall, Bowser or somebody had a USRA boiler that would fit the Mantua larger frames.

BTW, if you ever decide to get rid of your 2-6-8-0, let me know!;)
 
Yes I have seen some very nice looking Mantua engines. I remember a article back in the 80s Modelrailroader where a Guy put a Mantua Mike boiler on a 2-6-6-2 ,but do not remember the details now.

The fourth driver set that I added is blind ,I tried one with a flange and it hit. I cut the brake rigging off of a Bachmann engine and added it to the frame behind this driver. This looks more prototypal and hides the lack of a flange some what.

my 2-6-6-2 has the Mantua can motor with flywheel. I have seen some factory can motors for sale on ebay, may order one.
 
Tested the engine with a train. I think I well need to replace the drive tubes. They seem to be slipping after I ran the engine for a hour or so , then after sitting for some time I think it ran better again. So maybe with some heat they slip and I know I touched the gear shafts with oily hands.

 
Tested the engine with a train. I think I well need to replace the drive tubes. They seem to be slipping after I ran the engine for a hour or so , then after sitting for some time I think it ran better again. So maybe with some heat they slip and I know I touched the gear shafts with oily hands.

Are you talking about slippage on the drive shafts between the motor and the gear boxes? I haven't looked at the drive arrangement on the Mantua loggers 2-6-6-2's, but on my kitbashed locomotive, I've used various parts and pieces of Atherarn diesel drive shafts. These are keyed to the u-joints, and are slip-fit to eliminate backlash.

If the drivers are slipping, you might need to replace one driver with one that has a rubber traction tire...IF you can find a driver set so equipped.
 
It is the tube between the motor and 1st gear box. I believe as the motor heated up this transmitted to the motor shaft and with some oil residue caused the slipping. I had assembled and dissemble the drives on this engine many times one night chancing a cogging noise and got oil on my fingers after a while.
 
One thing that sometimes works (depending on the space between the motor shaft and the gearbox shaft is to use (if you can find them) Athearn diesel drive shaft components. Parts can be pressfit on the ends of the shafts, with universal and a longitudinal slipfit component to take up any backlash.

Right now I have a "problem" in having kitbashed too many Mantua steamers. No room left on the layout, nor on the bookshelves in the basement. Just finishing up on a Mike with a can motor. Probably ought to sell most of these, but hate hasling with ebay and shipping, etc.

Thinking of forming a "Mantua steamers kitbashers annonomous"! :p
 



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