The 3rd Rail C&O Allegheny Project Pt. 2

I finish my Allegheny project and put it to work hauling coal.
0:00 Tender disassembly and plans
6:40 EOB vs. ERR comparison
7:27 Vintage RS4 hardware options
9:24 Final board layout
11:38 Initial bench test
12:55 Headlight wiring
13:52 Tender step replacement
14:48 Printed boiler plugs
16:11 Kadee adapters and other 3D prints
18:04 Layout test
21:29 Brass caboose side quest
25:12 Weathering prep
27:14 Grimy Black report
27:43 Tender weathering
28:50 Address Dullcote issues
31:06 Driver weathering
32:15 Boiler streaking
33:56 Final drybrushing
35:07 Layout lighting lookover
35:26 Final run montage

[@lawrence142002]

I've been looking forward to this one. Norm, can I just say how much I enjoy your videos. I don't have the resources to actually get into the hobby, so I love checking out people's layouts, and yours is, by far my favorite.

[@Porschedude8]

He is the "Michelangelo" of the O gauge community... 🙏😊

[@asdfdsa45]

His detailing is second to none. Awesome.

[@asdfdsa45]

@@Porschedude8 That or Da Vinci, because he is always inventing something new in working a project.

[@trainman440]

Hey norm! I usually thin Dullcote by 50% with lac thinner and spray it at just 12-15psi to help prevent it from drying out midair. Give it a shot!

[@normstrains]

Good tip - I think reduced pressure can help cut down on the dusting. I may try to find some actual Testors thinner too.

[@mitchcornacchia968]

I mean if I could question you master NORM! Absolutely the best and most realistic layout out there. Bravo

[@SteamKing2160]

man love the whistle on the engine now got the same one in my Lionel 1999 OG Allegheny

[@jamescanter7358]

Very nice great sound fabulous weathering

[@FunWithHOScaleStuff]

Nice work. The engine, tender and caboose all look great.

[@mitchcornacchia968]

Beautiful work norm magnificent engine

[@Railway_Terrace_modelling]

Grimey black for the win! Top notch modelling as always. And I'll 2nd the advice to get closer with the airbrush to stop the paint drying before it hits the surface. If required I'll spray straight thinner at low pressure to get rid of the frosting that tends to happen with clear coats.

[@SuperVoxman]

Hi from London Norm , I love your attention to detail , and alway enjoy your videos . Please keep them coming .

[@johnnelligan4847]

Really enjoyed this project Norm, the 1658 looks great on the layout. That reverser link looks awesome, they move so synchronously. I totally agree, Id rather have features like this that sell the realism over having 45 whistle options.

[@user-th2qd8bk6z]

OMG - Please tell ALL the Tourist Railways your rule on White Wall Tires!!!!!!!!!! Pleeeease. Love the Video - wish I never slept through my electronics class in HS - it keeps me from some cool projects!!! Love the video - I couldn't wait for your part II.

[@MinotoPPT2]

Aw yeah! The weathering makes it look so good 😁

[@shafiqshabazz2462]

Great demonstration Sir... thank you...

[@johnagresta4062]

Thank god you removed the white stripe. I couldn’t agree more with you about whitewalls and white strips. I’ve said this a thousand times, your work is phenomenal!

[@Keystone-Bill]

Outstanding as always Norm!

[@johnandrus3901]

Nice! An amazing job on that Allegheny, for sure. The weathering and detail is top-notch. Getting rid of the white stripe was a good choice. Although I run conventional, I really enjoy seeing the scale equipment operate. Watching the action of the drive rods and linkage is just plain cool. Also, you really don't need five whistles and bells for good operation, one of each is enough. The whistle and cylinder steam is neat on the newer engines, though. Smoke is good if you have guests over who remember the classic Lionel steam engines, but not really necessary. Keeping the scale wheels on the caboose is a good choice. They should run fine on Gargraves and Atlas track, but it wouldn't be a good idea for those of us who run tubular. Either way, incredible work. An excellent video, as always.

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Watched both Part 1 & 2 Norm! Another great loco to your collection! Well done.

[@KeithHeilner]

While you had the engine opened up, I was thinking about DCC. My hope is the future will include programtic access to Lionel and MTH controllers via Python or C++ libraries, APIs, etc. Could you imagine the customized control we could create if they gave us this kind of access to a virtualized iPad/iPhone application. I also think it opens up the hobby to makers and others that could build some cool stuff.

[@normstrains]

I really like what I've seen from Blunami. Might be worth trying soon.

[@KeithHeilner]

@@normstrains Yeah, I reached out to them. They indicated they are not ready to do something like that. I may try some type of bluetooth analyzer and see if I can decode the commands. If I can replicate the commands going to the engine then I can roll my own.

[@davidstrainsandlego]

Love the reverse gear mototion, realy wish more manufacturers recreated the detail, I feel most manufacturers drive rod motion is pretty basic and static, this 3rd rail is nice though

[@robwillett7832]

Another great video Norm. Layout looks great

[@TwistedMacGyversTrains]

Hi Norm, I really enjoy your videos. This one was really good! 👍

[@Tom-zp9bc]

Have you tried Mr. Super Clear? I think it is better than Dull coat. Comes in different sheens and also UV protected version. Has a better spray nozzle.

[@1940limited]

When I saw part 1 my first thoughts were Norm has to weather this locomotive. Looks great now!

[@caseyjones1950]

Too bad CSX will probably never overhaul either of the 2 remaining H8's, like UP did the 4014. My guess the 1604 would be the most likely, if they ever put one back in operation?

[@PaintballGargoyle]

I want models in the future that don’t have such glaring space between tender and cab . I get you needed space and you had certain needs. But to see realism from The manufacture would be great For the Caboose maybe Marx brand?

[@normstrains]

Lionel has done an ok job on that with their kinematic drawbars. Keep in mind this model is 18 years old now. I also have to contend with that stiff tether.

[@allegheny48]

I really enjoyed this video. I have a 3rd Rail late Allegheny cab no. 1647. This group was the final class built and the only ones with the overfire jets on the firebox. I also find the moveable reverse gear neat and fun to watch. You did a fine job of weathering your engine. Have you considered adding the safety chains to the tender trucks? Thanks for the video and if you are ever in the Conneaut, OH area please stop in and visit our railroad museum and NKP 755.

[@normstrains]

I made it there once or twice when I lived in Erie. I was going to add the chains ⛓️ but there were no anchor points on the trucks that I could see. 🧐

[@billwashburn8568]

When spraying paint, any paint, it can dry as most will tell you the distance and air mix for non drying landing. I have found most modeling paint in a high rate air sprayer will dry at 9”, might want to get closer.

[@vettebecker1]

Awesome!!!❤❤

[@MMID303]

You are so talented! I love watching your videos, and your weathering is always so realistic.

[@normstrains]

Thanks man!

[@TheReadingRambler-gf3lf]

Sweet weathering you got on that Allegheny! I saw C&O 1604 while I was in Baltimore a few days ago. (P.S, where do you get all of these brass engines from?!)

[@normstrains]

Thanks! I find 3rd Rail through the usual sources like eBay at times, but lately I’ve been finding them at smaller auction houses or word of mouth.

[@sirbarongaming2138]

I love the Allegheny locomotives but why did their wheel arrangement have to be a demonic number like 666? Aside from the leading wheels

[@davevan8864]

FYI: I am not getting notifications.....I have it set up to......Thanks

[@jimschneider5193]

Believe it or not Krylon Matte straight out of the spray can is legit.

[@normstrains]

Hmm, maybe I'll try it on a freight car first!

[@PhilBender612]

Boy, I sure do love those reverse levers in action. Hey Norm, I didn't see what chuff generator you used, was it the ERR reed switch and magnet? Or does this have a cam and cherry switch? ... or Super chuffer/chuff gen? I recently did a err swap and I prefer John Wills super chuff and chuff gen products.

[@normstrains]

I kept the selectable switches. The smoke unit takes the same switched chuff line for puff control. It’s the original TAS unit. It works but I didn’t show it.

[@BrentNguyen46]

Amazing stuff! Would you care to share how you light the layout? (Types of lights, color type, intensity, etc.) I couldn’t help but notice this layout has one of the most realistic layout lighting out there!

[@normstrains]

Thanks, I run 5000K PAR20 LEDs.

[@dumbdrivers6144]

Nice steam trian

[@billwashburn8568]

Have to agree Norm smoke is overrated, but the realism you do offer with your layout is move seen realistic.

[@AlexBaldwin440]

Hey Norm, any plans to make a video explaining how you power your layout? I would really appreciate it as I am coming from HO to 3 rail O and it's a little confusing.

[@normstrains]

I could I suppose. It’s pretty simple though. I use three sets of Lionel 135W Powerhouses and Legacy Powermasters for my three track circuits (inner loop, outer loop, engine yard). Everything is common ground (U). I have some small transformers connected to common for lighting, signals and switch machines.

[@P_litzer]

I am considering switching to Kadee couplers, can they handle a O-36 turn?

[@normstrains]

Guess it depends on how you mount them and how long the car is. Some people will mount them the trucks for tighter radii and some guys open up the side of draft gear box for more swing.

[@ullscarf]

Please can someone tell me why steam effects aren't widely used by model railroaders?

[@normstrains]

I can’t speak for anyone else but ‘smoke’ in O gauge is oil based and very very messy…

[@av8tor1908]

What dull coat are you using?

[@normstrains]

Testors Dullcote.

[@av8tor1908]

@@normstrains I quit using it, didn’t like the “frosted effect”. I sprayed it at 18-20 psi & thinned slightly.with good results. If finish is rough it’s drying prior to surface contact.

[@Elios0000]

i have switched to Mr Color clear coats they are MUCH MUCH BETTER and easy to get now that Hobby Town carries them

[@normstrains]

I’ll have to try theirs sometime. I used their surfacer a few times. Kinda stinky but went on nice.

[@mitchcornacchia968]

Are some of the levers and gear not hooked up?

[@normstrains]

🤔 they should be! I f you’re referring to the movable reverse gear I expect some occasional adjustment as that drag link ‘wears in’.

[@DtheD740]

Too bad the sound does not match stroke ( is not synchronized)

[@normstrains]

Well it’s certainly triggered off of a 4 lobe cam. The driver phasing is ‘baked in’ to the chuff sound which is common to all the O gauge sound systems. Synching the chuff to the front crankpins wasn’t so critical to me on this project. The rate is correct, the phase is simulated, and the synch is close enough if that makes sense. It would be cool if there were articulated sounds that had two independent triggers but no such beast exists in O gauge.

[@superwarp12]

Why junk the EOB? if it’s work leave it until it blows up. It’s a better cruise than ERR

[@normstrains]

I don’t like the startups. Even if you can get it dialed in with the pulse settings, the starts are too abrupt.

[@garylevite6099]

@@normstrains Interesting, I've never had that problem. One thing I do with 3rdrail engines is change the gear on the motor shaft to a lower one for even slower crawls. ( forget what I go too), Don't junk the board, they are worth their weight in gold.

[@normstrains]

@@garylevite6099 no shortage of TAS EOB engines still running around my layout.

[@garylevite6099]

@@normstrains Keep up the fantastic work. Have you thought about having any of your engines upgraded to Legacy?

[@normstrains]

@@garylevite6099 I don’t want to listen to those creaky squeaky sounds anymore!!

[@asdfdsa45]

Well, it looks like I need a get a powered motherboard. I emailed John Will just now to see if he has a couple that I could buy. When I do an ERR upgrade, I've found that I like wiring the marker lights with the headlight, number board lights and the cab light.so I can turn them all off with AUX2 if desired. My firebox lights are wired in with the smoke-unit so when the smoke unit is turned off by the handheld, the firebox lights go off as well. If I want to operate long term without smoke, I switch the smoke unit off underneath the cab, this way, I can still have my fire LEDs on or off by way of the handheld. For my taste, the number board lights were too dim on my Allegheny so I changed them out for some 3 volt "Chip" LED's lightly dipped in Tamiya orange paint to give them that older, incandescent appearance yet brighter than the old LEDs. They are placed and glued in to where they give even lighting behind all four numbers. I recently did an ERR full upgrade for my 3rd Rail Big Boy but the ERR articulated whistle is of a Big Boy, so it was easy to do. Thank you Norm for making these videos. I'll keep you informed with the progress on my Allegheny. For 20 bucks, you couldn't go wrong with that brass caboose.

[@normstrains]

It seems to be just as loud. I also used in my K4. The original Lionel and the ERR seem to be the same except Lionel might use the separate sound pot.

[@asdfdsa45]

@@normstrains John is sending me a powered mother board which is not quite like yours but the tender will have all the space needed as you know. Right now, my Allegheny does run very smoothly but I'm concerned that the electronics may begin to fail. I have another 3rd Rail model, the C&O Greenbriar and it's electronics failed on me. It began which eight chuffs/revolution, then it would sporadically take off at high speed and ignore radio commands. I made sure all connections were good and my brother, who is an electronics engineer, said it sounds like I am the victim of a cold soldier joint but that it could be several things. I put ERR in it and now it performs so well. I gave it the royal treatment with the firebox fire lights and even added a working "work light" on top of the tender behind the coal bunker in the housing that 3rd Rail placed there but put no light into it. It's wired in with the reverse light. BTW, I adjusted the linkage on my Allegheny and it performs perfectly but I wonder for how long before they wear again. Anyways, thank you again for the videos of your Allegheny project, they have and will help me when I begin this ERR upgrade.