I’ve been in a slump this summer for some reason, so in an attempt to get me out of it, I started this last night.
Actually, I had started this years ago and got as far as replacing some of the tubing/ handrails on the main body, but that’s it. So yesterday I glued it all together real quick and started painting.
This is Union Pacific’s 4-8-8-4 Big Boy. It’s the Revell Germany 1/87 kit. I used Tamiya acrylics for all the paint and weathered it with pastels, paint, and an oil wash.
It was a great success in getting me out of the slump; now I am prepared to start up again on a few stalled projects!
And this is the main picture I used for inspiration. I love how dirty this beast is:
It was a fun, quick build for the most part. I started this when I was in college, so probably 5 years ago. The kit has some pretty good detail, but there were a few areas that just had to be replaced. The handrails along the length of the boiler and on the top of the tender were just solid plastic. Removing those was a chore, but the result was worth it.
I think Revell has a couple of these big steamer kits, and I think I would build another and recommend them to others as well. The painting was the best part, and weathering it was just a blast!
Then again, I sure did miss out, being born in '94. I missed some of the greatest railroads (like Conrail) and some of the most spectacular locomotives (like a UP Big Boy, or or it’s cousin, the 4-6-6-4 Challenger) Oh, 100 Reefers, 50+ oil tankers, coal hoppers, boxcars, stockcars, and everything else!
[The rest of this thought edited to save everyone’s sanity. There’s too much info and numbers spewing out to understand][:|]
After working for a company that designs and builds the same kinda boilers that go on the front of these beasts i can appreciate how complicated they are, and how much power they can pump out. Seeing a 40tonne steam boiler hurtling along and those speeds is pretty phenomenal
These were designed in that fashon to give the crew better visibility of what was on the tracks ahead (as well as placing them in front of the soot and exaust, preventing any possibilities of crew suffocation due to the smoke) However, with placing the cab in the front, it traded better visibility for less safety (in a traditional steam locomotive, you would have the boioler, smokebox, and everything else to protect you in a grade crossing.)
[Info spewing from my mouth in words/minute: infinate right now]
I see I’m not the only frequent flyer of railpictures.net [:D] (I’m a big fan of the old ALCOS, as well as everything else)
Here’s some links with info on the Big Boy (I’d tell you myself, but then the forums would probably shut down due to too much info being posted at one time[;)])
Yeah, the real thing must be quite impressive. I was in St. Louis recently and did not know about the railroad museum there, otherwise i would have gone since they have one.
The kit measures at just under 19" long, and that’s in 1/87!
