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Interesting looking center-cab diesel kitbash

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Posted by garya on Sunday, May 24, 2020 1:59 AM

azrail

The behemoths of center cab diesels were the Baldwin DT-6-6-20s, Santa Fe had 6, EJ&E had 25, Cotton Belt had 1. PRR had its own version, the RT-624 (24 units)

 

The MN&S (Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern) had 5.  They were still running by my high school in the '80s.

Gary

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, May 24, 2020 1:09 AM

azrail
The behemoths of center cab diesels were the Baldwin DT-6-6-20s, Santa Fe had 6, EJ&E had 25, Cotton Belt had 1. PRR had its own version, the RT-624 (24 units)

Thiose things are massive. I saw one in brass at a train show for $250.00, but I did not move fast enough to get it.

Good thing, I really do not need a locomotive that big.

I did not realize so many had been built. I would have thought 5-10 tops.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by azrail on Monday, April 20, 2020 11:43 PM

The behemoths of center cab diesels were the Baldwin DT-6-6-20s, Santa Fe had 6, EJ&E had 25, Cotton Belt had 1. PRR had its own version, the RT-624 (24 units)

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Posted by BRAKIE on Monday, April 20, 2020 10:19 PM

Kevin, I really like that center cab and the handrails ..Yeah

On another note.. Detroit Connecting was my first freelance switching railroad powered by 6 Alco  Models RS-1s painted black  with yellow frames and pilots with yellow lettering and numbers..  My decals came from Champ's  private road name  decals.  This was in '67.. 

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


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Posted by barrok on Monday, April 20, 2020 12:09 PM

Thanks, Kevin!  I have to figure out how to post a pic that shows up without using photobucket....

Modeling the Motor City

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, April 20, 2020 9:14 AM

barrok
The switcher on ebay is actually two Athearn Hustlers spliced together on an SW7 chassis.

Chuck, here is your picture without needing to be clicked:

Very nice job on the Athearn Hustler conversion work. Your locomotives looks great.

That is close. The fans on the example I posted look more like they are from a GP7 or GP9.

I have built two center cabs on Athearn SW chassis, both incomplete.

One used two Plymouth switcher hoods, and one used two shortened SW hoods and a Cannon & Company cab.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by barrok on Monday, April 20, 2020 8:21 AM

The switcher on ebay is actually  two Athearn Hustlers spliced together on an SW7 chassis. There was an article in a 70's Railroad Modeler magazine about making one of these.  I have actually made two of them for my railroad.  Click on that little box after the word actually to see a photo......

 

Chuck

 

Modeling the Motor City

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Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Monday, April 6, 2020 3:04 AM

Centercab Diesels were quite popular in East and West Germany in the 1960s up until a few years ago. In both parts of the then divided Germany, they replaced the steam engines on secondary lines.

West Germany:

East Germany:

Both types of locomotives had the centercab raised above the level of the hood for improved visibility.

There is even a narrow gauge version of the East German engine:

The brutish standard gauge Diesel riding on narrow gauge trucks sure looks odd!

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

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Posted by Southgate on Monday, April 6, 2020 2:54 AM

Hey, Kevin, I really like the looks of your "ugly" little locomotive. I'm yet another modeller who likes the unusual, especially home shops looking locos, but they have to be believable. With the matching fans and mufflers, I can see the internals resembling the GE and other centercabs.

And I can see why the model would be hard to power! Stay with it. The 4-4-0 I posted in your "treasures" thread only took me about 32 years to finish satisfactorily. AlmostEmbarrassed  Dan

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Posted by mlehman on Saturday, April 4, 2020 7:27 PM

SeeYou190

 Kevin,

Thanks, didn't realize it can still be controversial to like diesels in NG Wink naw, everyone has there own opinion. I like homely, which covers both sides of the argument. Huh?

It has an old style Athearn metal SW chassis  as they are easy to narrow-gauge. The shells might be Hustler-based, been a long time.

 
mlehman
Looks a lot like my #10

 

Mike, I love that locomotive of yours.

It has lots of features that appeal to me.

-Kevin

 

 

Pardon the funky iPad formatting...

Mike

Mike Lehman

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Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, April 4, 2020 3:23 PM

SeeYou190
 
richhotrain
Hmm, maybe so, but the design looks ugly to me 

That is OK. I love center-cab diesels even though they were unusual on North American railroads. I have kitbashed a couple, and will do more.

-Kevin 

Yeah, it's all a matter of personal preference. I'm sure some love it, some hate it. I merely dislike it.

Rich

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, April 4, 2020 3:10 PM

richhotrain
Hmm, maybe so, but the design looks ugly to me

That is OK. I love center-cab diesels even though they were unusual on North American railroads. I have kitbashed a couple, and will do more.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Saturday, April 4, 2020 3:04 PM

Looks like a Diesel operated by the Austrian Federal Railways.

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

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Posted by richhotrain on Saturday, April 4, 2020 2:10 PM

SeeYou190
 
mlehman
Looks a lot like my #10 

Mike, I love that locomotive of yours.

It has lots of features that appeal to me.

-Kevin 

Hmm, maybe so, but the design looks ugly to me. Sorry, just gotta be honest.

Rich

Alton Junction

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, April 4, 2020 1:08 PM

mlehman
Looks a lot like my #10

Mike, I love that locomotive of yours.

It has lots of features that appeal to me.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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    September 2003
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Posted by mlehman on Friday, April 3, 2020 10:47 PM

Looks a lot like my #10, which is HOn3.

 

Mike Lehman

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Posted by mvlandsw on Friday, April 3, 2020 8:05 PM

Looks like two Athearn Hustlers.

I have some unfinished projects that were started 50 years ago.

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Posted by richhotrain on Friday, April 3, 2020 5:08 PM

Amazing! 

Keep us posted.

Rich

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, April 3, 2020 4:58 PM

richhotrain
LOL. Surely you jest. 20 years?

No, completely serious.

It was originally designed for a pair of NWSL underfloor drives, a speaker, and a DCC sound decoder. This was never completed, and I lost interest in converting to DCC. This was supposed to be the "only" locomotive for my master bedroom layout.

When I decided to go to traditional drive, the Athearn underframe would not fit beneath the modified hoods.

I recently (finally) obtained an Overland Models brass drive for an SW-7, and it has very short gear towers, and will fit. However, I need to remove a lot of the fuel tank to make it fit.

Yes, 20+ years, and still not done.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by richhotrain on Friday, April 3, 2020 4:51 PM

SeeYou190

This is a center-cab locomotive kitbash I have been working on (for 20 years). 

LOL. Surely you jest. 20 years?

Rich

Alton Junction

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Interesting looking center-cab diesel kitbash
Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, April 3, 2020 4:01 PM

Sorry for the blurry image. I saw this on eBay.

I like this little center cab fantasy kitbash. It looks like an Alco cab with two cut-down long hoods from a GP7/9.

I wish there were better pictures. I have a soft spot for center-cab locomotives, and center-cupola cabooses.

This is a center-cab locomotive kitbash I have been working on (for 20 years).

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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