New pictures of assembled M-10005 A-unit

Finally a sunny day made it possible to assemble the A-unit outside and make a photo-session as well as some measurements with the unit on rails (the critical dimension is the distance of the pilot to the top of the rails).

And a detailed view of the compressed air cooler on the top of the unit

The future engineer also took the opportunity to pose with his workhorse (some older guys might recognize the old 'Big Jim'-action figure).

M-10005: pilot's construction

Another 'critical' & distinctive part has been basically finished - the pilot.
While the circumference shape changes from almost tangent (at the unit's side) with a decreasing radius into the tip of the item the vertical orientation is twisted from almost vertical (once again at the side) into a significant angle at the tip.
From a test-sample from wood and cardboard the basic shapes of ribs/frames at the upper and lower position were evaluated.
First a basic main frame from square tubes was constructed and test-fitted onto the unit's chassis.
Flat bar irons (thickness app. 1/10 of an inch) were welded and ground into the determined shape of the ribs. These were welded onto the basic main.
The pilot's panels were cut from a iron stove-pipe (8" diameter) and bent into the shape given by the ribs (with deliberate use of a hammer). The panels were welded to the ribs finally while fixed by heavy clamps.
Finally the pilot was cut & ground into the prototypical shape.

Some sanding was necessary to adapt the overlap of the shell to the new pilot - some re-laminating of the overlapping area will be necessary. But basically the pilot now fits the shell.

M-10005: test-assembly

Some pictures of the a preliminary assembly of trucks, frame & shell (due to space restrictions this is much easier to be done outside):

side views

 

 

 

and a better view of the exhaust manifold

M-10005: updated front

Some pix of the current status of the nose-area:

A smaller headlight-tube was mounted - it starts with a circular cross-section and changes smoothly into an almost square cross-section close to the windows.

Additionally the raised section alongside the headlight 'tube' and between the grills was fabricated.

 The countersunk manifold (16 inlets, 4 outlets) in the lowered area and inlet-grids alongside were fitted into the removable, central roof-section.

The window-frames as well as the door-frames were set into the shell - now the several portholes' frames are under construction

More photos from Adliswil

The collection of 1/29-projects:

Aerotrain's LWT12:

And it's observation car:

KM ML 4000CC - update

Photos taken during the US-convention in Adliswil/Switzerland last weekend

The trucks' side frames are still under construction - however, the main components of suspension & axle bearings are attached.

M-10005: front grill

During the very tedious work on paint touch-ups on the KM caused by a 'catastrophe' during the attempt of using liquid tape as simulation of the rubber-gasket on the shell , I got some solace by working on the M-10005's front grills...it seems that they are close to the prototype and even (almost) symmetrically on left and right. Since the front end of the nose consists of compound curves in every direction, shaping the frame and the horizontal ribs was a trial-and error process.

Additionally the door frames and further grills on the side were attached.

Update on KM's paint-job

Almost finished (some faults caused by over-spray have to be corrected).

Next step will be the rubber-decoupling around the cab - I intend to use liquid electrical tape for this

M-10005: shells of A&B-unit

M-10005's shell - update

The housing for the headlight (copper tube) was fitted into the nose as well as the housing for the vertical warning light on the cab.

Cut-outs for the exhaust-system were made in the roof; for the photo, the roughly shaped insert part (which will carry the exhaust-muffler like a tray) was placed provisionally.

Current status of the paint job on the KM

The black stripe between Aspen gold and the lower silver area is still missing.

M-10005 - shell

 Cut-out for windows and grill are roughly made....

And with the cut-out's for the front-grills...

And a look into the interior of the shell - the foam-'plug' was rather easy to remove with hot-cutter, chisel etc.

EMC M-10005 - progress on shell (A-unit)

nose and cab area

side-view of nose

side-view total

Update on paint-job

Painting BLW's 'Blue Goose'

Paint job isn't finished - the separation between gray and blue in the cab's door area has to be shifted a bit downwards to become straight. However, the slightly downwards orientation below the side windows is prototypically - as the slightly inclined upper separation over the side grills.
And yes, the chrome trim is missing on the nose.