I have around 12 of these locos and I'd really like to have E44's. If someone has real brass E44's they'd like to trade for my plastic E33's, I doubt you would have to twist my arm too much...
Failing that, has anybody ever considered kitbashing/converting the E33 into an E44? When you look at the two locos, they have a lot in common, but the E44 has additional trim pieces and a different nose than the E33. The E33 has additional underbody detail hidden behind side-skirt trim panels. These could be trimmed-back in a similar manner to the E44. I think if you could just do something to get that look you'd have a "good enough" representation of an E44...
Does anybody have any ideas how to go about it? (I'd like to hear the "real modeller's" view and then the "I'm a klutz" modeller's view...)
They are also a different lengths, both hoods have a different shape, they have different pantographs and may have different trucks.
Other than that they are identical.
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
dehusmanThey are also a different lengths, both hoods have a different shape, they have different pantographs and may have different trucks.Other than that they are identical.Dave H.
Turns out they're both exactly the same length. The hoods are the same shape, just have different nose and trim panels, but they do have different pantographs. That part is correct.
Here are the details:
Manufacturer: General ElectricClass: EL-CWeight: 174 tonsLength: 69 ft. 6 in.Height: 15 ft. 10 in.Horsepower: 3300Tractive effort: 98,500 lbs.Max. speed: 65 mph.Pennsylvania Railroad E44 Power type ElectricBuilder General ElectricBuild date 1960–1963AAR wheel arr. C-CUIC classification Co'Co'Gauge 4 ft 8½ in (1,435 mm)Length 69 ft 6 in (21.18 m)Width 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)Height 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m) over pantograph locked downAxle load 64,043 lb (29.0 t)Locomotive weight 384,600 lb (174.5 t)Electric system(s) 11 kV, AC, 25 HzCurrent collection method PantographTraction motors 6 of 733 hp (547 kW)Top speed 70 mph (113 km/h)Power output 4,400 hp (3.28 MW)Tractive effort Continuous: 55,500 lbf (246.9 kN);Maximum: 96,150 lbf (427.7 kN)
It also turns out that a Blueline RSD15 chassis is a very close match to the bachmann underframe. I haven't tried fitting the bachmann shell on the BLI chassis yet but holding them up side-by-side reveals the wheelbase is the same, the length is the same, the trucks are the same except more detailed. The details between the wheels (air tanks, etc) are different but wouldn't be hard to do up in styrene (or just move over the bachmann details). Then you would have a BLI runner under a nice E33 (or E44 assuming the conversion) shell.