Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

What will be your next locomotive project?????

11751 views
58 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2007
  • 44 posts
Posted by rgappel on Monday, October 1, 2007 2:36 PM
GTW GP9r. I'm just waiting on railflyer to come out with the right cab.
  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Southwest US
  • 12,914 posts
Posted by tomikawaTT on Monday, October 1, 2007 2:48 PM

Mine is really quite straightforward.  I need to rig tether wires to hold the pantographs of my catenary motors (and EMU motor cars) at the proper height for the wire that isn't there.  They just don't look right running with the pans locked down.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with virtual 1500VDC catenary)

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: THE FAR, FAR REACHES OF THE WILD, WILD WEST!
  • 3,672 posts
Posted by R. T. POTEET on Monday, October 1, 2007 2:52 PM

Before I begin designing/building my next/new layout - I'm not quite sure just how much space and in what configuration I will have available so design/construction has to go on 'hold' for the moment - I am going to take care of some of my many 'don't-put-off-until-tomorrow-what-you-can-put-off-until-the-day-after' projects:

1) The motive power assets of the now-defunct Undec Railroad were recently acquired by my Seaboard and Western Virginia Railway and the company's paint shop will soon begin painting these into 'house road' colors. I need two color patterns here: all locomotives acquired before about 1990 carried a red over coral color scheme; in 1990 the S&WVRR went to a Value 3 or Value 4 gray over a green and salmon color scheme;

2) I have no non-covered wagon BB units on my motive power roster and I need to acquire some in order to give some balance to my locomotive fleet;

3) All of my 'house road' motive power needs to be superdetailed to give it unique corporate identity; and,

4) Because I have a relatively large number of SD35s and SD40s and U30Cs - I have thought of upgrading some of these to U33Cs a la a Ron Bearden article in an early N Scale Railroading magazine -  I have theoretically set my railroad in the early '90s however I have acquired some SD90s and C44-9Ws - I know, they are dash 9 dash 44CWs - and I would like to acquire some SD70s, SD70MACs, and AC4400s. This changes the date of my railroad to now and makes the SD35s and SD40s just a bit anachronistic. I will either have to eliminate them from my roster or create a coal-hauling shortline to which I can assign them. This will, of course, create another paint scheme which I will have to deal with, I have no trouble with my U30cs because I will, under these circumstances, lengthen the frame and truck centers and fit my bachmann dash 8s onto them.

This should keep me busy for a day or two! wouldn't you say?  

From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Northern Ca
  • 1,008 posts
Posted by jwar on Monday, October 1, 2007 2:58 PM
Being Im a clumsey ouffff...will have to be the Intermountain F3 B unit I droped this weekend. Broke the trucks side frame in half, top gear housing broke, fuel tank and a few other details. Currently building a locomotive shop with a drop pit and traction motor repair area.
John Warren's, Feather River Route WP and SP in HO
  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Elgin, IL
  • 3,677 posts
Posted by orsonroy on Monday, October 1, 2007 2:59 PM

 UP2CSX wrote:
Thanks. Mark and Rick. I'll see if I can hunt down a back issue of MM or that book. I'm assuming that no one has ever produced the safety screen as a detail part and it'll have to be scratchbuilt, correct? I've got "The Nickel Plate Road" by Rehor and it neither has a good picture of the sceens or ever explains why the NKP was the only railroad to use the. Do either of you know why NKP management decide they were important?

Actually, someone HAS made the parts. Years ago, Overland ran a series of SW's including NKP ones, and ran overages of the cages. Dick Yager of Oregon Rail Supply bought out their stock of parts, and has/had them for sale. Last I heard Dick was down to one or none, so you'll have to email or call him up and ask him about the parts (he's out of town right now, so it might be a couple of days before he answers!). I used to have two, but I think I sold them off to other NKP modelers.

And the NKP wasn't QUITE the only road to use the safety cages. They were originally built by the W&LE for their four diesel switchers after a paticularly nasty yard accident. When the NKP leased the Wheeling in 1949 they liked the practice and added the cages to most of their diesel switchers (except the FMs and Limas, I think). Additionally, the P&PU, which was partially owned by the NKP, added cages to some of their SW7s in the early 1950s.

 

 

Ray Breyer

Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Elgin, IL
  • 3,677 posts
Posted by orsonroy on Monday, October 1, 2007 3:02 PM

My project between now and spring will be three more of these:

Ray Breyer

Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943

  • Member since
    April 2004
  • From: North Idaho
  • 1,311 posts
Posted by jimrice4449 on Monday, October 1, 2007 3:09 PM
After a 2 or 3 year hiatus from loco painting, the impending Daylight cars from Athearn and PCI (yeah, right!) have gotten the juices going and gotten me moving on painting 2 SP Mt.4s from Sunset that I've had for DECADES.   The first one will be plain black and serve as the helper for my San Joaquin Daylight and the road engine for my Coast Mail.   When that's done, the second one will get the red and orange.   Maybe by then the cars will be available.   I've already got the RPO (an AHM kit bash of PRR RPO body and ACL coach clerestory roof) painted and ready to go.  Another 14-16 cars and I'm in buisness!
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Northern Ca
  • 1,008 posts
Posted by jwar on Monday, October 1, 2007 3:13 PM
 orsonroy wrote:

My project between now and spring will be three more of these:

Now that is an impressive project...Those are very classy locomotives, even for stinkpotters LOL...John
John Warren's, Feather River Route WP and SP in HO
  • Member since
    August 2007
  • From: Methuen, Taxachusetts
  • 189 posts
Posted by ArtOfRuin on Monday, October 1, 2007 8:33 PM
My NYC-to-D&H Sharknose superdetailing project has stalled due to work and such, but I will finish it. I have an Atlas P&W B40-8 I'm superdetailing next, than a Guilford C424, then a Walthers CSX GP9M I'm going to turn into an non-dynamic GRS GP7P. I'm on the lookout for a GP40-2 I'm going to turn into a Pan Am GP40-2LW but finding an undecorated one is next to impossible.
-Jonathan Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel, Is just a freight train coming your way - "No Leaf Clover," Metallica
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, October 1, 2007 9:07 PM

Doing something along richg's cab forward idea.  Mine's an HO 2-8-0 which will get a cab forward from yardbirds installed and turned into a oil burner.  Haven't decided if it will be a  0-8-2 , 2-8-2 or just a n 0-8-0 at this stage.  Figure to run the wires from the tender to appear to be oil lines. That should clean up some of the looks. 

The boys at the shop were busy this last weekend redoing the steps and add a front box. They still need to trim back the running board and securely mount the steps, but they said maybe getting it done by the weekend.

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Along the old Milwaukee Road.
  • 1,152 posts
Posted by CMSTPP on Monday, October 1, 2007 10:37 PM

Hi Dave. Good to see you out here.

I should have thought that you would be on an SP project. Would you possibly have any photos of that steam locomotive??

I have been weathering my locomotives.

U25B #5058 gets the treatment. This actually very little weathering compared to how the units actually worked. I won't be going all the way. This looks about right.

U28B #132 also gets the treatment. this one is the best of the group getting the weathering job.

And my new GP40. I just got this guy a couple of days ago...

Happy railroadingLaugh [(-D]

James

The Milwaukee Road From Miles City, Montana, to Avery, Idaho. The Mighty Milwaukee's Rocky Mountain Division. Visit: http://www.sd45.com/milwaukeeroad/index.htm
  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: Prattville AL
  • 705 posts
Posted by UP2CSX on Monday, October 1, 2007 10:49 PM
 orsonroy wrote:

 UP2CSX wrote:
Thanks. Mark and Rick. I'll see if I can hunt down a back issue of MM or that book. I'm assuming that no one has ever produced the safety screen as a detail part and it'll have to be scratchbuilt, correct? I've got "The Nickel Plate Road" by Rehor and it neither has a good picture of the sceens or ever explains why the NKP was the only railroad to use the. Do either of you know why NKP management decide they were important?

Actually, someone HAS made the parts. Years ago, Overland ran a series of SW's including NKP ones, and ran overages of the cages. Dick Yager of Oregon Rail Supply bought out their stock of parts, and has/had them for sale. Last I heard Dick was down to one or none, so you'll have to email or call him up and ask him about the parts (he's out of town right now, so it might be a couple of days before he answers!). I used to have two, but I think I sold them off to other NKP modelers.

And the NKP wasn't QUITE the only road to use the safety cages. They were originally built by the W&LE for their four diesel switchers after a paticularly nasty yard accident. When the NKP leased the Wheeling in 1949 they liked the practice and added the cages to most of their diesel switchers (except the FMs and Limas, I think). Additionally, the P&PU, which was partially owned by the NKP, added cages to some of their SW7s in the early 1950s.

 

 

Thanks, Ray. I knew the W&LE had them first but I've never been able to dig up any information on what they were supposed to do. Was it to protect the crew from shifting loads falling on the cab? They don't look all that strong in pictures but maybe they were beefier in real life. I lived close to NKP in the 50's and saw those screens but never really paid them much attention. I was looking at Berkshires and Bluebirds. Smile [:)] I'll contact Oregon Rail Supply and see if he has any left. Even one would give me a pattern for scratchbuilding since I have five NKP switchers that need them.

Regards, Jim
  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Memphis, Tennessee
  • 446 posts
Posted by SD60M on Monday, October 1, 2007 11:08 PM
Well its been really hard to do anything train related lately but im trying to add ditchlights to an athearn GP38-2 and then i'll be turning a P2K GP30 into a BN GP39M. I hope to start on them really soon!! 
Long Live The Burlington Northern!
  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Over There
  • 454 posts
Posted by CPRail modeler on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 9:56 AM

I have ALOT of projects. In fact, so many that I can't list them...

...but when my cash situation improves, I hope to have a AB or ABA set of MLW FA's on my tracks (if any). They will be painted in the maroon and grey scheme and detailed to attempt to match the prototype (locomotive #'s undecided).

Hopefully this one doesn't slip my mind...

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: Port Huron Michigan
  • 611 posts
Posted by oscaletrains on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 10:36 AM

i have a plan to take a ho mantua 2-6-6-2 and turn it into a 0-6-6-0 in on 30 this should be easy for my first loco kitbash, the ladders are over-sized and all i will have to do is remove the cab, refabricate a new one in o scale and replace the coal with wood.

then i plan to do the same to a ho/oo 4-4-0 mantua. 

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Elgin, IL
  • 3,677 posts
Posted by orsonroy on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 10:41 AM

 UP2CSX wrote:
Thanks, Ray. I knew the W&LE had them first but I've never been able to dig up any information on what they were supposed to do. Was it to protect the crew from shifting loads falling on the cab? They don't look all that strong in pictures but maybe they were beefier in real life. I lived close to NKP in the 50's and saw those screens but never really paid them much attention. I was looking at Berkshires and Bluebirds. Smile [:)] I'll contact Oregon Rail Supply and see if he has any left. Even one would give me a pattern for scratchbuilding since I have five NKP switchers that need them.

From what I remember reading, there was a fairly high speed crash in a Wheeling yard, and two crewmwmbers were thrown off a switcher platform onto the ground, and crushed by moving cars. After that all four Wheeling diesels got the safety cages. Since they were designed to keep people in an engine, they didn't have to be all that strong, and I think most of the cage was actually wire supported by a 1.5" pipe frame.

On NKP Alco switchers, they had end grabs which extended from the platform to the roof, instead of the cage on the EMDs.

Ray Breyer

Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: New York City
  • 324 posts
Posted by sfrailfan on Tuesday, October 2, 2007 4:10 PM
 davidmbedard wrote:

Working on my CP Rail motive fleet......SD40-2, SD40-2, SD40-2, SD40-2, SD40-2, SD40-2, SD40-2, SD40-2, SD40-2, SD40-2F, SD40-2, SD40, SD40-2, SD40-2.....etc......all said and done will be 35 of the units.  All are built with the new Athearn Shell and old mech. 



Interesting... I'm in the process of repowering old BB diesels with new motors....

To answer the question (I love these) My next small projects will be repowering an SD 40-2 SF unit (factory painted) and I will add details to it.

My next big project will be repowering and detailing an Athearn GP 40-2 which has the paint stripped away. On this one I will put every detail I can think of. New cannon cab, -even though I usually don't add this, cannon fans as well as the usual lift rings, grab irons, MU/air cables, atena, uncoupler bars smokey valley handrails you get the idea. It will be painted for BN, possibly BNSF patch. This should be started in 2-3 weeks. I will post some of what I've done on other diesels up till now tonight in a new post but nothing is 100% done.
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Huntsville, AR
  • 1,251 posts
Posted by oldline1 on Friday, August 18, 2017 9:37 AM

I have 2 locomotive projects scheduled next. I recently bought a Roco S-160 2-8-0 model. It's absolutely beautiful and runs like a Swiss watch. That has inspired me to complete one of my 4 Model Loco S-160 kits. They are awesome kits with smooth mechanisms and beautiful detail. Not hard to build but I just stopped on one and never got back to it. I need to finish at least one!

My 2nd project is one of my old PFM C&O H-6 2-6-6-2's. I just ordered the NWSL Hi-Lo gearing and 2032 motor for it. I want to get it running better and do a re-paint. It was bought as a very roughly treated engine and deserves better. The Western Maryland Scenic RR #1309 being rebuilt got me fired up to rebuild her and get a new Western Maryland Ry paint job.

Roger Huber

Deer Creek Locomotive Works

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, August 18, 2017 11:27 AM

Assembling the Powerhouse Mikado and United 2-6-2 that I took apart for painting!

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Staten Island NY
  • 1,734 posts
Posted by joe323 on Friday, August 18, 2017 12:41 PM

Modernizing NS 5555 a GP 38-2 from Bachmann to bring it into this century.

Joe Staten Island West 

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Northfield Center TWP, OH
  • 2,538 posts
Posted by dti406 on Friday, August 18, 2017 1:28 PM

Of the three projects I listed in this post 9 years ago, only one of them got done. The rest are still sitting on my workbench, but here is the one I completed.

Added various detail parts to match the prototype D&TSL GP7's.  Painted and decaled with Herald King Decals for these units.

Rick Jesionowski

Rule 1: This is my railroad.

Rule 2: I make the rules.

Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • From: Southern California
  • 1,682 posts
Posted by Lone Wolf and Santa Fe on Friday, August 18, 2017 2:00 PM

Wow this thread is old. Almost as old as this Central Pacific 4-4-0 Jupiter which I am restoring. I bought it on eBay. It was listed as new but it was used and missing pieces which were broken off. Needs the light fixed also, adding some extra details. I'm also going to try to change the wiring so the electrical pick up is not just coming from the tender's wheels but also the pilot wheels like a Rivarossi model.

http://www.trainweb.org/lonewolfsantafe/cprr.jpg

Modeling a fictional version of California set in the 1990s Lone Wolf and Santa Fe Railroad
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: New England
  • 6,241 posts
Posted by Jumijo on Friday, August 18, 2017 7:42 PM

I have a PFM Sakura Docksider 0-4-0 that I intend to detail and paint. 

Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • 15 posts
Posted by mr shay on Saturday, August 19, 2017 3:01 PM

I intend on cutting down a Bachmann Doodlebug and using it to create a diesel freight engine and adding sound.  I'll say it had a broken frame from a wreck and the passenger portion had to be cut down and it recieved a diesel engine from a scrapped tugboat and put into service hauling copper laden rock cars up in the Keweenaw Peninsula for emergency war effort. It'll look something like this  

 

doodlebug

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • 51 posts
Posted by SETH CRAWFORD on Saturday, August 19, 2017 3:42 PM

I'm technically working on it right now, just converted this thing to DCC and successfully changed the lights to LED. All that's left is to finish painting it and set the decals and I will have my own fantasy custom EMD SD45

 

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sliver City,Mich.
  • 708 posts
Posted by Catt on Saturday, August 19, 2017 8:23 PM

My next (actually current) locomotive project(s) is three Michigan Northern GP7s.One in HO,one in N and one in Z.

Johnathan(Catt) Edwards 100 % Michigan Made
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 19, 2017 8:37 PM

My current locomotive projects include:

A pair of GP40-2s one Athearn RTR, one Atlas.

A MEC 4-6-2 in brass (from ground up).  At least I have some prints.  I will probably do a pair of them.

A Brass 0-6-0 from Overland that doesnt run.

 

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!