Dean Lowe and I spent a few weeks gathering data and comparing notes because we built our Porters for a special upcoming OR project. We wanted our models to be reasonably accurate reflections of actual production engines. We dug into back issues of the Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette for plans, photos, and inspiration. Little Railways' owner, Tony Ferraro, sent copies of various H.K. Porter catalogue pages from different eras. We considered every detail, balancing absolute fidelity against practicality and construction time, and arrived at two basic versions.

Then we talked for a couple of hours about how to implement our modifications. As usual, Dean already had his Porter in pieces before I had even found one in a hobby shop. He was partial to the 1910 style so he built that one. Since all editors are lazy, I preferred the 1890 model for my first Porter because it involves less work. What's more, I managed to entice "Do It Yourself Dave" Cummins into helping me, and eliminated even more work.

First, here is Dean's story:

DEAN'S 20TH CENTURY VERSION

I began doing some research on the appealing little Porter while waiting for its release. I pored over photos, Grandt Line ads, as well as drawings and photocopies of original Porter catalogues "Uncle Russ" sent over. I realized the Porter actually came in two distinct versions.

The earlier (1880s-1890s) version had cab sides with plain, horizontally divided panels, a sand dome with straight sides and a cone-shaped lid, and cab grab irons similar to those found on the side of a box car. The later (1900s) version had panels with vertical planking on the cab sides, a taper-sided sand dome with a round top, and longer, post-mounted cab hand rails.

The research convinced me to model at least one engine from each era. When the Porters finally arrived at hobby shops I brought home two. The extensive measurements Russ and I took showed the engine was very close to an 8-ton prototype in 1:20.3 (15mm) scale. It is probably the most faithful model of an American locomotive Lehmann has ever produced. As a result, it takes very little modification and few details to produce quite an accurate model.

MODIFYING THE CAB

The first change was to the cab sides. I used a rotary file in a Dremel motor tool to remove the raised panel divider. I cut new siding inserts for all cab panels from .020 styrene with 1/8-inch groove spacing. I glued them on with CA (superglue).

Next I removed the windows so I could repaint the white frames. In retrospect I might not do that again. The glue the Korean manufacturer used is so strong it makes removal without damage to the "glass" pieces almost impossible. Next time I may remove only the rear side windows and mask the rest.

I like the appearance of open rear windows so I built up two side windows. I used .015 clear styrene for the glass and 1/8-inch wide by .020-inch thick styrene strip for the framing. After I painted the framing I glued the windows inside the cab in a partly open position.

OTHER CHANGES

Next came the sand dome. I cut off the molded-on dome with a razor saw, removed the burrs from the resulting hole in the tank shell, and measured the opening with a caliper. Then I machined a new, round dome from Delrin plastic and added a register to fit into the opening. The result was so pleasing I produced the dome in quantity for Trackside Details and it is currently available.

Once I glued the new dome in place I formed new sand lines from .078-inch diameter brass wire. The lines now go down the sides of the tank to the front edge of the rear wheels, not into the cab as Lehmann has done!

The stock bell seemed slightly incorrect but the alternatives were worse. The bells from Trackside Details are too large. The bell from Cal-Scale is too small. So I smoothed and rounded the existing bell yoke with a file and repositioned the pull-cord arm. Then I painted the yoke the same shade of black I used on the engine and sprayed the bell's too-shiny brass plating with Testor's Dullcote.

The last major change was to replace the Lehmann hook and loop couplers with a pair of Ozark Miniatures Number OM-106 link and pin coupler pockets. I built up the top of the front end beam and the bottom of the rear end beam with styrene to match the height of the coupler pocket castings. The new couplers look terrific but they do place severe limitations on switching operation. I prefer just to watch my trains run so that is a minor disadvantage for me.

PAINT AND DETAILS

I wanted my Porter to have a recently purchased look so I sprayed the cab, saddle tank, and brass headlight rim with Floquil Engine Black, then lightly misted them with Testor's Glosscote. The resulting finish appears only slightly used. I left the end beams flat black and sprayed the drivers and rods Krylon Semi-Flat Black because it gives a slightly oily look. I sprayed the silver smokebox and stack with Dullcote to take off the shine. I brush-painted the window frames with Testor's Flat Black before gluing them back into place.

After painting and reassembly, I added a few small details. A Trackside TD-87 whistle replaced the Lehmann casting, along with a pull cord made from coarse thread. I mounted a Trackside Details TD-81 lube tray and TD-2 oil can on the fireman's side of the backhead. [The backhead is the part of the boiler that extends into the cab. The fireman's side is on the left as you look into the cab from the rear of the engine.--Ed.] I also cut up a few twigs and glued them into a wood pile inside the cab so the loco would have some fuel. I substituted the brass number plate from a Delton C-16 for the plastic one on the Porter. I bent some .046-inch diameter brass rod into lubricator lines to replace the cast brass lubricator cups on top of the cylinder steam chests. And on the front and rear end beams, I added footboards of real wood along with brackets of shim brass. I secured them with nut-bolt-washer castings as in the photographs. The final touch was a Trackside Details TD-3 water bag hanging outside the cab and dusting on some Grimy Black and Roof Brown with an airbrush.

The Lehmann engineer is too small. A better choice might be Rara Avis' metal figure with the derby hat or, possibly, a Bachmann "G" Man. I tried the "G" Man with a lantern in his hand, removed the lantern, and positioned his movable arm to rest on the window sill.

Now Uncle Russ will tell about his Porter.

UNCLE RUSS' 1890 VERSION

Actually, Do It Yourself Dave did all the hard work on this engine; I concentrated on the painting and detailing.

As I rummaged through my desk for detail parts, Dave snapped the windows out of the cab and cleaned up any ragged edges. (The solvent Lehmann uses on the windows is intimidatingly strong; prepare yourself for a struggle.) While I agree with Dean about wishing it were unnecessary to remove the windows, I think the only way to repaint the garish white frames effectively is to brush not only the front and back but the outside edges. Otherwise white may show through. The painting is easy because the frames are plastic ridges with plenty of relief. Yes, I did the painting without Dave's help, using Pactra Flat Black acrylic.

PREPARING THE ENGINE

I removed all the brass and plastic castings from the superstructure and Dave bent the sand and lubricator lines from brass rod. We used the same rod sizes as Dean did. We removed the horrid white lettering from the body with fine steel wool; nothing else seems to work. We filled the handrail post holes with .030 styrene rod and Squadron Green filler putty. After 45 minutes we sanded everything smooth with 600 grit wet or dry sandpaper and drilled new holes for Trackside Details TD-21 stanchions. The set comes with two sizes (the other pieces are flag holders). Use the two longer stanchions on the tank.

Dave tried reshaping the bell yoke with a small file. We suggest you avoid that; the change in appearance is negligible. Meanwhile, I used CA to attach the remaining four TD-21 medium length stanchions to the existing holes in the rear of the cab, making sure the holes lined up and the stanchions were exactly perpendicular to the wall. We cut handrails from .046 brass rod, dressed off the ends with a file, and glued them in place with CA.

Dave whacked off the little "nipple" from the top of the sand dome and filed the top dead flat. I cemented the Trackside Details lid in place.

Dave wrestled the sand lines into position and I dolled up the bell. As Dean points out, you're stuck with the Lehmann bell; no other casting seems quite the right size.

The straight pins in some new shirts come with little plastic balls on the blunt end. The clapper and the ornament on top of the yoke are such pins. I just cut them to length, drilled one .020 hole inside the bell, another on top of the yoke, and glued the pins in place. I cut off the bell's pull arm, fashioned a new one from .020 styrene, drilled a hole at the top for a cord, and pinned and cemented the arm to the correct side of the yoke. The cord is .015 brass wire. I colored it with Hobby Black. I drilled a hole in the front of the cab and bent the wire to fit but installed it after I painted the model. Same with the whistle cord. Incidentally, we used the TD-87 whistle, too. Pete Thorp says it is closest to original equipment.

Then Dave went home, leaving me with a table full of Porter parts.

PAINT AND PREPARATION

You'd think it might be time to whip out the old spray can. But no. We still have lots to do.

First, the headlight. Pry off the brass rim and the lens. Then, if you are as compulsive as I am, you may want to add the little handles to the housing. The photo of a Eureka Mills Porter in the November/December 1987 Gazette provided the inspiration for my model; it had the little handles so mine had to have them, too. I used .020 brass wire. Such nitpicky little details eat up time. Bending and installing the handles took almost 30 minutes.

Then, the end beams. The front beam should have a sheet metal wrapper. It is unclear whether Porter also sheathed the top of the beam or left the wood exposed. I decided to model the contrast, so I dragged a fine-tooth razor saw across the top to scribe in wood grain. The rear beam really should be wood so I gave it the same treatment. I cut rings, chips, and cracks into the ends with the Number 11 blade of an X-acto knife.

I also hand painted the window frames as I described above. And I pirated the beautiful brass number plate from a Delton C-16 to replace Lehmann's slightly oversize plastic part. I colored the center with Hobby Black and added the number with a Woodland Scenics gold dry transfer.

Now it's time to paint.

My procedure was the opposite of Dean's: Krylon Semi-Flat Black for the superstructure and Floquil Engine Black for the chassis, rods, and wheels.

A four-year-old could paint the cab, tank, and details. Just point the can and shoot.

The mechanism takes more skill. I painted it without disassembling it. I was afraid of stripping the threads in the plastic wheel centers.

My second concern was making the paint stick to that ghastly chrome plating on the side and main rods and brake rigging. Normally, we would roughen them with 220 grit sandpaper to provide better adherence for the paint. But the Lehmann plating is very tough. Dean and I found sanding almost useless.

The solution? Floquil Crystal-Cote.

Put the mechanism on blocks, attach leads to the track sliders, apply enough power to turn the wheels slowly, and airbrush on the Engine Black. I used a standard mixture of 70-percent paint to 30-percent Diosol thinner. Keep the paint away from the piston and piston guide. When you have finished, the mechanism will look better than it did, but still awful. Then airbrush on the Crystal-Cote. It will seal on the paint and resist chipping or flaking. Clean the wheel treads and flanges, pistons, and piston guides with Diosol. Everything will look new and somewhat glossy so airbrush it all lightly with Testor's Dullcote.

WEATHERING AND ASSEMBLY

I weathered my Porter both before and after assembly. I used only an airbrush and a very dilute mixture of Floquil Grimy Black and Diosol.

With the mechanism still on blocks and the wheels turning, I misted on the Grimy Black. Use a light touch. The idea is only to suggest color. The result shows in the photos. The color will highlight the underbody hardware but still allow some gloss to show through. The effect? Oily grime, even on the piston.

I also dusted the top of the tank and the roof. The smokebox and stack received a little more color. And I applied streaks to the tank sides and cylinders.

Let everything dry for a day or two.

Now it's time to put the pieces together, take the loco back out to the paint shop, and carefully apply another coat of very dilute Grimy Black. I aimed the airbrush up at the engine from below, added a little more grime to the smokebox, bell and whistle, and dropped a layer of soot on the roof.

The valve handles inside the cab are flat red and the Johnson bar is black.

The weathering in the photo of my Porter looks very similar to that on the Eureka Mill Porter in the Gazette photo. Both appear well maintained but a little dirty.

FINAL DETAILS

Please ignore the couplers on my Porter. Visually, link and pins would be ideal but I think I'll use Kadees because they make operation so much more enjoyable.

I made a couple of boxes from stripwood: One for the engineer to sit on, the other to hold tools. The woodpile consists of twigs. The oil can and wrench are 1:20 scale castings from Little Railways. The oil rag is a piece of Kleenex. I stained it with dilute light blue acrylic. The arm rest in the open cab window is a piece of stripwood with a .020 styrene "cushion". I applied a dilute wash of alcohol and India ink to everything except the metal castings; they took a bath in Hobby Black.

Dean makes everything sound so quick and simple. After Do It Yourself Dave left, I must have spent another fifteen hours working on my Porter.

But I secretly enjoyed it.