My ATSF Trix Mikado

[cnw1961]

Nearly three months ago I started to convert my Trix Mikado from NYC to ATSF. I couldn’t finish it until now, because I had to wait three months for the decals to be delivered :curse: . I know, that I cannot turn the Trix Mikado into a real ATSF version, but if you just take a quick look and it looks like an ATSF class 3100 engine, it’s good enough for me.

To convert the engine, I removed the NYC lettering, painted the smoke box front and the smoke stack silver, replaced the bell and the headlight, added a number plate to the front of the smoke box and converted the tender from coal to oil. I weathered the loco to remove the shiny new look of the Trix Mike.

 

[cn nutbar]

beautiful locomotive kurt---i'll bet it looks great in helper service with those excellent FT's of yours---thanks for sharing---hope to see more

 

[steamhead]

Wow...!!! That's one gorgeous Mike. I got a Mantua kit with upgraded drive train waiting in its box. If it turns out half as nice as this one, I'll be plenty satisfied...!
BTW, where did you get your detail parts?? What color did you use for the smoke box?? I specially like the subtle weathering...Great job...!!! :thumb:

 

[Nazgul]

more...more...more...!!!!
I want to see more pics of that beautiful mikado on the layout!
The conversion, the weathering, and the re-lettering looks just "RIGHT":thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Another great job, Kurt!
you should also post pics of this on the weathering thread.......

 

[cnw1961]

cn nutbar, your kind words about my Mike mean a lot to me as they come from a steam connoisseur . Gus, thank you for your nice comment. The detail parts are made by Cal Scale. I ordered them from Walthers. I used Revell airbrush paints. I mixed two shades of grey for the boiler and the color for the smoke box front and smoke stack is alluminium. Steve, thank you once again. I would like to show some more pics of the Mikado on my layout, but I have to do some work on the layout first. After all the work on my engines and the turntable I have to (scratch)build some structures for the layout now.

 

[viperman]

Kurt, I really don't know much at all about steam. With that said, I looks like an ATSF to me! I'd say a job well done

 

[CCT70]

Wow! Looks FANTASTIC! :thumb:

 

[cnw1961]

Steven, CCT70, thank you for your nice comments.

 

[doctorwayne]

Very nice conversion job, Kurt. I'm not familiar with the prototype, but the work you did on the tender alone says "Santa Fe" (all the way), and the weathering ties it all together very nicely.:thumb: :thumb:

Wayne

 

[cnw1961]

Wayne, if the engine says "Santa Fe", the conversion was a success. Thank you for the confirmation .

 

[trainwhiz20]

cnw... I envy your skills and that looks more like a ATSF Mike than anything I've seen so far.

It doesn't matter if it doesn't match the 3100 class exactly, it's still quite an accomplishment!

Now that I've returned my BLI Mike and have to start from scratch... this is a great model for myself, but I couldn't bring myself to tamper with a $200 locomotive, and I don't think I'm ready for such a leap as a modeler. It's a shame I can't follow in your footsteps to have such a locomotive on my layout.

Great pictures, and would love to see more! Keep up the good work, I'm thoroughly interested!:thumb:

 

[UP SD40-2]

Kurt, all i can say is WOW!!!...OUTSTANDING JOB!:thumb: you ARE truly a craftsman:thumb:. the conversion is FANTASTIC, and the weathering is slap AWESOME!:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
GREAT JOB KURT!!!:thumb: -Deano

 

[cnw1961]

trainwhiz20, thank you. Sorry to here about your BLI Mike, but I think that was just bad luck and you should give it a second chance. I had planned to buy a BLI myself, but four months ago they had some blow out sales of the Trix Mikado here in Germany. I got mine for only $135. That’s why I decided to try the conversion. Deano, I don’t know if I really deserve this praise , but none the less it feels good . Thank you .

 

[Russ Bellinis]

It looks great Kurt. The 3100's were closer to a heavy mike than the light mike. I think Rivarossi made a model of the 3100 series in ho scale. The light mike is very close to the Santa Fe #1798 & #1799. It was a small class of only 2 units. The most significant spotting difference I've seen between the #1798 and the USRA light mike is the air pump mounted on the left side of the engine is mounted just below the walkway, so that the walkway is flat from cab to pilot. On the Santa Fe engine the air compressor is mounted about halfway up the walkway, and the walkway ends on one side of the air compressor, steps up over the top of the compressor, and then steps back down to the original level once past the compressor. I have an Athearn Genesis USRA mike that I'm going to paint as #1798. It is close enough to suit me so I won't worry if a rivet counter shows me where it isn't right, and I'm not going to try to move the air pump either!