Sorry guys, I need help with another brass model I am considering. The price is very good. I would use my current Athearn Blue-Box PA1 chassis to power the model. I am considering the purchase to save me the trouble of installing all those grab irons. Plus, the pilot and the roof details look better than the Athearn shell. The fans on both are poor, but I think I have Detail Associates parts on hand to improve those.
It is an older model from Oriental that was made in Japan.
However, the nose just looks a little off to me.
What do you think?
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Here's a couple views for reference, Kevin:
D-H_19 by Edmund, on Flickr
ATSF_PA by Edmund, on Flickr
140529_74_spencer by lmyers83, on Flickr
Here's a nice side profile:
The PA by Don Kalkman, on Flickr
It's difficult to put my finger on what exactly seems "off". Maybe it it looks like the windshield is "squished" too much toward the center pillar?
I've looked at some of the Balboa imports in brass and they give me a headache to look at! It is a tough contour to fabricate from brass sheet, I'll give them that.
Good Luck, Ed
I think my problem is the roofline across the top of the windshields.
It looks kind of like an EMD F unit contour to me.
Yup, it's off.
Here's a shot of a PA:
Note that where the top of the nose curves down to the vertical sides, the height of that bend is pretty even. On the model, the height of the bend increases as it approaches the windows.
The "V" of the front of the windows on the model seems too sharp.
The more I compare, the more differences I see.
Ed
The grille surrounding the headlight seems too small, and doesn't have enough horizontal "elements" to it. With such a prominant feature you would at least want THAT to be correct.
Perhaps the small numberboards are a tad too forward as well? Hard to judge from that angle.
Cheers, Ed
gmpullmanThe grille surrounding the headlight seems too small, and doesn't have enough horizontal "elements" to it.
Great point. I had not even noticed that.
I have never liked the way the headlight grille lookes on the Athearn shell. It has no depth. I remember the headlight on my N scale Con-Cor/Kato PA looking a good bit better.
I am still really bummed about Rapido cancelling the undecorated PAs from production.
7j43kThe more I compare, the more differences I see.
Yes, I do too. I should not have looked that closely.
Oh well, better to know before I buy.
The windscreens are not tall enough and the centre pillar looks angled back more than in the prototype photos. Check the relative position of the top of the windscreen and the top of the quarterlight and cab side window...
Maybe you should just superdetail the Blue Box PA-1....
Peter
M636CMaybe you should just superdetail the Blue Box PA-1....
I am thinking the Proto 2000 PA might be the correct avenue. There are quite a few available right now.
From all the pictures it appears the number boards could be anywhere. Don't know if that is railroad specific.
From my untrained eye, I see two differences between the brass model and the prototype. One, the brass model hood is too flat compared to the rounded prototype. Two, the roof on the brass model is too pointed as it meets the windshield compared to the smoothly curved roof on the prototype.
Rich
Alton Junction
SeeYou190I am considering the purchase to save me the trouble of installing all those grab irons.
Gotta use up those 1000 #78 drill bits you purchased a few years back somehow, Kevin. Seriously, how many grab irons would it be?
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
SeeYou190I am thinking the Proto 2000 PA might be the correct avenue.
I have a spare shell if you'd like one to practice on. Think there may be a B unit around here somewhere, too. HAD an undecoreated one but gave it away some years ago.
PRR_PA_5755 by Edmund, on Flickr
Say the word and I'll send it your way, hopefully not via Sydney!
7j43kNote that where the top of the nose curves down to the vertical sides, the height of that bend is pretty even. On the model, the height of the bend increases as it approaches the windows. The "V" of the front of the windows on the model seems too sharp. The more I compare, the more differences I see. Ed
gmpullmangmpullman wrote the following post 12 hours ago: The grille surrounding the headlight seems too small, and doesn't have enough horizontal "elements" to it. With such a prominant feature you would at least want THAT to be correct.
I think that the two Eds have pretty-well nailed the discrepancies.
While I'm a big fan of most Alco diesels, the PAs have never been on that list.
Wayne
tstageGotta use up those 1000 #78 drill bits you purchased a few years back somehow, Kevin. Seriously, how many grab irons would it be?
I am down to about 500 of the drill bits now. I burned through hundreds of them building all those freight cars.
It is not the drilling on the Athearn shells that I don't want to do, it is the removal of the old cast-on grabs and bending custom length grabs I do not enjoy.
My Stewart/Kato F units did not have cast-on grab irons. Instead, the bodies are dimpled to fit the grabs in the Walthers F Unit dress up kit. This was brilliant, but not many shells were made this way.
gmpullmanI have a spare shell if you'd like one to practice on. Think there may be a B unit around here somewhere, too. HAD an undecoreated one but gave it away some years ago.
After the first few responses to this thread last night, I went to eBay and bought an undecorated Proto A and B unit. It seemed like the best approach, and they were only about $100.00 for both of them.
Thank you for the kind offer, but I pulled the trigger too quickly (as usual).
SeeYou190I think my problem is the roofline across the top of the windshields. It looks kind of like an EMD F unit contour to me.
-Matt
UPDATE: I should have read the entire thread and not bothered with this. Other sharp eyes confirmed it. Bravo.
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.