08-15-2011, 05:11 AM
Gus!
In an posting i asked you if the pilot casting is brass. Now brass castings are an rather soft material capable of bending without breaking. So if you have the pilot removed from the loco, take some looks the pilot is really straight and square. If not bend it carefully untill it is straight. When now the pilot deck and the cow catcher are square and mounted in the correct height take a further look to the ladders. Bend them carefully upwards to the running boards.
As control use the steps in the ladders. They have to be in horizontal position. It may possible the gaps are now vanished.
If not, then you can decide what to do.
Make the steps longer by glueing some stripes on the sides of the ladder.
Or alternate the running board and make a step in it.
My 2 Cent
Lutz
In an posting i asked you if the pilot casting is brass. Now brass castings are an rather soft material capable of bending without breaking. So if you have the pilot removed from the loco, take some looks the pilot is really straight and square. If not bend it carefully untill it is straight. When now the pilot deck and the cow catcher are square and mounted in the correct height take a further look to the ladders. Bend them carefully upwards to the running boards.
As control use the steps in the ladders. They have to be in horizontal position. It may possible the gaps are now vanished.
If not, then you can decide what to do.
Make the steps longer by glueing some stripes on the sides of the ladder.
Or alternate the running board and make a step in it.
My 2 Cent
Lutz