Having just received my 2 AS616 in B&LE orange and black I was hoping someone could tell me the cosmetic differences between the 616's and the DRS6-6-1500 that would be noticeable in HO scale. Bessemer ran 7 of the 6-6-1500 and if the differences are not that great I would rather use 7 of the 616 and just change the road numbers than try to find 7 of the Kato's 6-6-1500 undecorated then paint and decal those
Well as I understand it, the prototype differences were mainly internal. See for yourself:
AS-616:
DRS 6-6-1500:
I've had an MN&S DRS 6-6-1500 for many years that is actually a custom painted AS-616, no ones ever had a problem with it.
AFAIK Kato has never offered a Baldwin 6-6-1500 ?? Stewart engines came with Kato motors at one time, but I believe they use other motors now. Back in the nineties the Kato motored Stewarts were about the best running engines you could get, mine from that time are still great.
According to Diesel Spotters Guide, most of the AS616s had a thicker frame, sometimes with cutouts along the bottom for the truck brake cylinders. The earlier DRS-6-6-15s had cast frames instead of fabricated, which is why the design is different. From the pictures I would guess they are about 60% of the thickness of the later design. No idea what the B&LE versions might be ; check your pictures.
John.
Another spotting difference between the DRS-6-6-1500 and the AS-616 was that, in most cases, there were no battery boxes on the short hood end of the cab - in the case of this example, see how the walkway is lower to the right of the number 407 than it is to the left of the number. Of course, this also results in differences in the handrail configuration.
As for the photos of Stewart/Bowser engines posted above supposedly comparing the AS with the DRS, remember that even today, manufactureres often sell models painted and numbered for prototypes that are not exact matches of the manufactured model. The real EJ&E engine may have been a DRS, but the model is still an AS. Of course, there may have been some DRS's manufactured as Baldwin was moving to the AS series that may have been built with the newer features, but this spotting features is a good rule of thumb. For more info, Kalmbach's Diesels from Eddystone book has a lot of photos and information about these and all other Baldwin diesels. Plus, it's a pretty good read.
Tom
With Baldwins; you absolutely have to look at photos of each particular unit, both sides. Every diesel locomotive Baldwin built was slightly different.
potlatcher Another spotting difference between the DRS-6-6-1500 and the AS-616 was that, in most cases, there were no battery boxes on the short hood end of the cab - in the case of this example, see how the walkway is lower to the right of the number 407 than it is to the left of the number. Of course, this also results in differences in the handrail configuration.
OK but which one doesn't have the battery boxes?? Your pic of BN 407 doesn't state if it's an AS-616 or a DRS 6-6-1500.
potlatcher As for the photos of Stewart/Bowser engines posted above supposedly comparing the AS with the DRS, remember that even today, manufactureres often sell models painted and numbered for prototypes that are not exact matches of the manufactured model. The real EJ&E engine may have been a DRS, but the model is still an AS. Of course, there may have been some DRS's manufactured as Baldwin was moving to the AS series that may have been built with the newer features, but this spotting features is a good rule of thumb. For more info, Kalmbach's Diesels from Eddystone book has a lot of photos and information about these and all other Baldwin diesels. Plus, it's a pretty good read.
IIRC Stewart offered the AS-616 for about a decade before they came out with the DRS 6-6-1500, and they have always treated them as two different models. AFAIK they never offered a factory-decorated AS-616 pretending to be a DRS 6-6-1500.
My comment that the two engine's difference were mainly cosmetic was, as I recall, a paraphrase from "Diesels from Eddystone"...which I agree is an excellent book.
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