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Supermodified HO Scale Delaware and Hudson RS-3m

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  • Member since
    March 2020
  • 86 posts
Posted by FlattenedQuarter on Monday, October 4, 2021 9:12 PM

Awesome that you finished it, also awesome that you kept it all this time. On a different but similar track, this week I finished a rocking horse for my granddaughter that my brother in-law started for his niece 57 years ago. He didn't complete it for his children either. He was cleaning out his basement this summer and dumped it on me in pieces lol.

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • 19 posts
Posted by nyoandw on Monday, October 4, 2021 8:19 PM

Thanks!  I watched a few of your videos.  Great prototype action, and I liked the RS-3 in your Massena train show video.  If you really want an RS-3m, this is the way to start https://www.pnwresins.com/collections/ho-scale-train-locomotive-engine-shells/products/rs3u-chopnose-engine-shell   It's very close to what the real thing is/was.  It needs just a few corrections, such as to the door on the front of the short hood - right now it is only suited to a person perhaps 2 feet tall going through it!  Add some paint, Microscale decals, and an Atlas RS-3 chassis, and you are good to go!  BTW, one of the earlier responses to this post suggested I put Atlas running gear under mine.  However, the AHM shell is just a bit shorter than the Atlas shell, so getting my shell to fit would require a lot of work, so mine will remain a dummy.

  • Member since
    April 2018
  • From: Northern NY (Think Upstate but even more)
  • 1,306 posts
Posted by Harrison on Monday, October 4, 2021 7:14 AM

Incredible job!!! Now, any chance you could do one for me? Smile, Wink & Grin

Harrison

Homeschooler living In upstate NY a.k.a Northern NY.

Modeling the D&H in 1978.

Route of the famous "Montreal Limited"

My YouTube

  • Member since
    August 2020
  • 581 posts
Posted by Southgate 2 on Monday, October 4, 2021 12:21 AM

What a handsome locomotive. I also like that you followed through on a decades old project. Dan

  • Member since
    November 2015
  • 1,345 posts
Posted by ATSFGuy on Sunday, October 3, 2021 7:40 PM

Great Job and attention to detail! Smile

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Friday, October 1, 2021 1:30 AM

JDawg

Amazing work even despite the AHM shell!

 
I agree...very nicely-done!
 
Wayne
  • Member since
    May 2014
  • From: Pennsylvania
  • 1,154 posts
Posted by Trainman440 on Thursday, September 30, 2021 10:39 PM

Wow, that loco is stunning! Would have no idea it came from an AHM model. 

A shame its a dummy, maybe you could put the shell over an Atlas chassis or something...

Charles

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO

Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440

Instagram (where I share projects!): https://www.instagram.com/trainman440

  • Member since
    September 2020
  • 432 posts
Posted by JDawg on Thursday, September 30, 2021 5:22 PM

Amazing work even despite the AHM shell!

JJF


Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing. Smile, Wink & Grin

Yesterday is History.

Tomorrow is a Mystery.

But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present. 

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, September 30, 2021 4:28 PM

Nice!

I love the fact the project took 4 decades! I have one I started over 25 years ago... maybe I will finish it in the next 15!

Great job on the model.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    November 2006
  • 19 posts
Supermodified HO Scale Delaware and Hudson RS-3m
Posted by nyoandw on Thursday, September 30, 2021 2:56 PM

Back in 1975 and 1976 the D&H had eight RS-3 locos re-engined by Morrison Knudsen, and chopped their noses at the same time.  These locos were called the RS-3m.  I was 16 at the time, and loved customizing model cars, so I figured I could take an AHM RS-2 and turn it into a D&H RS-3m.  Nowadays you can just buy a resin shell of the RS-3m, but that was not an option back then.  Also, the AHM RS-2 was not that well designed, so if given a choice you would start with a better shell, but this is what I had to work with.  I chopped the nose, added the dynamic brake box and battery boxes, filled in the pilots, and then stopped work and carted the partly completed loco around ever since.  During the pandemic quarantine I decided to finish the job.  So here is my RS-3m, completed 45 years after I started it!  

The AHM drive was crude, and there was not room for it in the shell anyway, so used a second non-powered truck to turn this unit into a dummy.  I have an Atlas D&H RS-11 to pair with it.  The RS-3 has a two function decoder in it for the headlights, and the RS-11 provides the motive power and sound.     I picked up this used Santa Fe unit to get the second truck I needed.  I don't have a model railroad, so I am not sure how much use this will get, but I was glad to finish it and honor the vision of my 16 year old self.

Somewhere along the way I got this picture of RS-3m 503, so that is the number I

 put on my engine.

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