Pennsy E6 build

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Andypullen
Posts: 2166
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Pennsy E6 build

Post by Andypullen »

Hello All,

This is a project that I've been interested in for many years. Since 1987 when Modeltec started running the construction series by Brian Gittins.

Actually, I started wanting to build on in 3/4" scale back in high school. 1981 or 1982. I had purchased some Coventry K-4 castings from a now deseased member of the CALS in west Baltimore. Another member of the CALS allowed me to borrow the prints that he had for the locomotive and I copied them.

The frames were started, the drivers were turned and a number of other parts were made and I purchased a set of castings for the Reading A5 in 1985. I put the E6 on the back burner.

Fast forward to 2019. I found a set of castings for the Saturated Steam E6 and purchased them. My wife and I drove to Minneapolis to pick up the castings. In the meantime I had started making parts for the locomotive using the drawings in Modeltec. I purchased 2 pieces of 5/8" hot rolled flat steel stock from Speedy Metals and had them drop shipped to a shop with a big Blanchard grinder in York, PA. The frames are 9/16" thick, so they ground them for me.
E6 frame burnouts.jpg
I also rough cut out the tender truck side frames and the lead truck frames.
E6 tender and lead truck burnouts.jpg
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
Andypullen
Posts: 2166
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Pennsy E6 build

Post by Andypullen »

I have other work in the shop that takes priority. So, a lot of the E6 parts are going to sit for awhile. Along with client work, I have my Reading A5 that needs to be put back together. The 1" Friends Atlantic that needs to be built. And, my Ma&Pa 2-8-0.

Here is the smokebox door:
E6 smokebox door.jpg
Here is the smokebox door with the number plate. John Hudak made the number plate for me. He does beautiful work!
92 plate on door.jpg
I was and still am missing castings for this project, and thankfully I have found a source for those parts. I've also learned how to use Fusion 360 and have had the tender plates made along with a number of solids that have been sent to a lost wax foundry to get cast in brass or bronze. This is the cab signal junction box that is typically bolted to the front of the cab; usually on the fireman's side. I also have a lid for it. This is the 3D printed one in brass from Shapeways. I now have castings for it.
Junction box.jpg
I'm moving slowly on this project at the moment. Working on getting the new shop set up.

Andy Pullen
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
Andypullen
Posts: 2166
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Pennsy E6 build

Post by Andypullen »

I started talking with Marty Knox as soon as I found out that I was definitely purchasing the castings and we have been working together to get this big part of the project done. He already posted photos of the boiler in another thread. I'm posting those photos here, too.
E6 boiler1.JPG
E6 boiler2.JPG
E6 boiler 3.JPG
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
JohnHudak
Posts: 1140
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 2:18 pm
Location: Ohio

Re: Pennsy E6 build

Post by JohnHudak »

Looking good Andy, Can’t wait to get the E and G together...!
Johnny O
Posts: 68
Joined: Wed Jul 20, 2011 5:02 pm
Location: Havertown

Re: Pennsy E6 build

Post by Johnny O »

I like the casting it looks sharp. What do you think of the Fusion 360 , I was using Draftsight for years till they pulled the plug on the free version. Still use Autocad LT a little at work but I’d like a program at home again.
Thanks for the pics.
Andypullen
Posts: 2166
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Pennsy E6 build

Post by Andypullen »

Hi Johnny,

It took me a little while to get Fusion to work right....Some yelling at the computer.....LOL. I've worked with SolidWorks at work and don't really like it. Fusion is a bit simpler. I think that I have it mostly figured out. There are some good tutorials on youtube. And some bad ones. Lars is particularly bad.

I have to take another photo of the tender plates that I did in Fusion. Chaski won't let me load it. I also did a set of tender plates for the K-4 in Minnesota. I uploaded them to Shapeways and had them done in brass. Why make a pattern and get them cast when I only need 1 of each. I'll take more photos when I get home.

Andy
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
Andypullen
Posts: 2166
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Pennsy E6 build

Post by Andypullen »

Here are some of the lost wax parts that I've been working on.
lost wax1.jpg
This is of locomotive brake cylinders and front heads...these are cast in bronze. The E6 needs 4 of these. I had 3 cast for my consolidation and one for my camelback. Plus 3 more for John Hudak's G5. The disks with the "slot" in them are sand dome lids. They still need the handles. These are cast in brass. 2 are needed for the E6 and 2 for the consolidation.
lost wax2.jpg
These are the tender class plates for my E6. The large plate goes on the back of the tender tank. The small plate goes on the rear sill of the tender. As I said, I also made a set for another Pennsy tender in brass for a K-4. If anybody wants/needs a set, let me know.
lost wax3.jpg
This photo shows the bottom of the sand dome lids. Also, both types of junction boxes. The one with the curved top is the cab signal junction box. I have 6 of these that need finish machining.

Andy
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
Asteamhead
Posts: 582
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 1:59 pm
Location: Germany, Duesseldorf

Re: Pennsy E6 build

Post by Asteamhead »

Hello Andy,
A good start of your project, indeed! Personally I like your excellent castings 8)
Carry on my friend
Asteamhead
partime
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Sep 24, 2014 8:12 pm
Location: Western Canada

Re: Pennsy E6 build

Post by partime »

Andy,
I still have much to learn about the many different locomotives that many of you model but after doing a little research on the Pennsy E6, it is quickly becoming a favorite! Your castings look great! All the best to you with your build!
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Steggy
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:19 pm
Location: JB Pritzker’s Hellhole
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Re: Pennsy E6 build

Post by Steggy »

Andypullen wrote: Sat Dec 19, 2020 4:57 pm I started talking with Marty Knox as soon as I found out that I was definitely purchasing the castings and we have been working together to get this big part of the project done. He already posted photos of the boiler in another thread. I'm posting those photos here, too.E6 boiler1.JPG E6 boiler2.JPG E6 boiler 3.JPG
Impressive-looking boiler.
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Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
Marty_Knox
Posts: 1724
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 6:50 pm
Location: Michigan, USA

Re: Pennsy E6 build

Post by Marty_Knox »

BigDumbDinosaur wrote: Sun Dec 27, 2020 9:52 pm Impressive-looking boiler.
Thank you! I have a thread on it, with more pictures, on the Chaski Live Steam board.
Andypullen
Posts: 2166
Joined: Thu May 22, 2003 8:17 am
Location: Bel Air, MD

Re: Pennsy E6 build

Post by Andypullen »

Thank you for the kind words!

Yes, Marty and Glenn are very talented. This is my 3rd boiler from Marty. He does the job the right way with the correct materials and processes.

I first read about the Pennsy's Super-Atlantic in "Pennsy Steam and Semaphores". Great read, btw. All the great photos of the class sold me back then....early 1980s. I'm an hour from Strasburg, PA. The museum there has #460 in the collection that was recently cosmetically restored. I wasn't happy with the way they did some things with the restoration, but, at least she's under roof now and is safe.

Another great book about the E6 class is "Apex of the Atlantics". Long out of print, but it turns up at train shows, on ebay and elsewhere.

Andy
Clausing 10x24, Sheldon 12" shaper, ProtoTrak AGE-2 control cnc on a BP clone, Reed Prentice 14" x 30", Sanford MG 610 surface grinder, Kalamazoo 610 bandsaw, Hardinge HSL speed lathe, Hardinge HC chucker, Kearney and Trecker #2K plain horizontal mill, Haas TL-1 lathe.
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