Looking good, Dave!

Using a stock chassis to build a model on can sometimes present interesting challenges, especially if the proportions of the stock parts aren't exactly the same as the engine being modeled.

On real steam engines, looking from the side, the smokestack will be exactly in line with the center of the cylinders (use the little oiler on the steam chest as your centerline). In some of the photos, the stack looks to be placed aft of the cylinder centerline.

If this concerns you, you may have to "play around" a little with the length of the boiler, placement of the boiler bands, domes, etc. to get the stack to line up properly. Or maybe what I'm seing is just an illusion in the photos?

Well, I guess I've got some rearranging to do. I set the rear driver as my point of reference because of its proximity to the dropped cab and the desire for the two not to hit each other. I cut the boiler a little long just in case some adjustment was necessary.
Today my computer was tied up so effort went into something other than the cab. I painted wheels. I first mask them and then give them 2 coats of white primer.
[img]http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo345/CPTRR/Gurley-Kimball/Gurley031.jpg[/img]
Then comes Model Masters spray enamel, Guards Red.
[img]http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo345/CPTRR/Gurley-Kimball/Gurley032.jpg[/img]
Next I cut out a decal of the gold star.
[img]http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo345/CPTRR/Gurley-Kimball/Gurley033.jpg[/img]
I also fashioned a coupler into the cow catcher. This is an "O" scale coupler. That's enough for one day.
[img]http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/oo345/CPTRR/Gurley-Kimball/Gurley034.jpg[/img]

What kind of decal paper do you use?

Don't forge to flip that coupler around, Dave. It's upside down.

The decals that you see here and most that I have used in the past are printed at a local reprographic shop on vinyl that is rated for outdoor use. It is the same stuff that is used on automobiles. I recently purchased a custom dry transfer system that should be much more useful. When I get to that point (soon) I will show how it works and give a plug for the guy who makes it.

Ugh! This looked like the top side. The other side is open and unfinished looking. If you don't tell anyone, I certainly won't.

Dave, I've got a lot of O gauge couplers that are solid on top, made of metal. The shanks are broken (thanks to my boys) but would be perfectly usable for you. If you want, just PM me with an address, and I'll send you a couple.

Looks to me like the stack is mis-placed on the line where the smokebox begins.

This is what I mean about having to be flexible when using a stock chassis.

The model's driver wheelbase is longer than the Gurley's This means that if you want the cab to be at a certain place relative to the rear driver, while at the same time making sure the smokestack is aligned properly, then the boiler must be "stretched."

All the boiler details--from the steam dome, sand dome, bell, stack, and boiler bands must all be repositioned accordingly, in order to keep the proportions as respectable as possible. One method of "cheating" might be using slightly wider boiler bands--the model builder's version of fudging the margins on a term paper.

If done properly, no one will be able to notice any discrepancies.

Once again you have inspired me Steve! I thought that stretching the boiler would make it loose its character and that maybe leaving the stack behind the cylinders would be OK. But if you think that it can be accomplished without major sacrifice then I will pursue that option. Stay tuned.