Re: Key Brass HOn3 D&RGW C18 2-8-0 #318 - won't run - help needed

Hello all,

It turns out that my C18 does run! I'd unscrewed the drawbar at one point, and when I screwed it back into place I'd accidentally let the tender power feed wire touch the loco's chassis - causing a short which had prevented it from running. I've now fixed this problem and the loco runs fine, if a bit squealingly! Some lubricant on the gears may solve that issue.

As it will be easy to do, with a scratchbuilt kerosene-style headlamp, and diamond-shaped stack (if I include this, as it looks a bit odd on the real loco), I plan to turn the loco out as C18 #319, as it appeared in the 1952 Western movie Denver & Rio Grande, where #319 carried the same 'Bumble Bee' (silver/black/chrome yellow/red) livery as still worn by C16 #268 at Gunnison, CO. Hollywood really had some strange ideas about what 19th Century Railroad liveries looked like (!).

Lettering I have bought from www.railfonts.com, and will use on the engine to recreate the black Roman 'D&RG,' 'Denver & Rio Grande Railroad' and '319' letters and numbers used in the movie.

I'll post photos of it when it is finished. But first, my C16 #223 will be shown first, in D&RGW black livery.

Kind regards,

Chris