How many of you build new locomotives for your railroad?

[Anonymous]

anything w/ the spartan cab, i like.

[Anonymous]

BACK IN THE OLD DAYS.......yeah I know!!!! Everything was either built from scratch or a kit. The last engine I assembled was a Mantua Reading Goat. A few years after it was finished I installed a NWSL motor, gearbox &flywheel ( a tight fit) A few years later I added a decoder. It adds a new dimention to model railroading. I still have a Mantua logger kit on the shelf along with a Cary detail kit. I'll get to it someday

[TomDiehl]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jerry Leeds

BACK IN THE OLD DAYS.......yeah I know!!!! Everything was either built from scratch or a kit. The last engine I assembled was a Mantua Reading Goat. A few years after it was finished I installed a NWSL motor, gearbox &flywheel ( a tight fit) A few years later I added a decoder. It adds a new dimention to model railroading. I still have a Mantua logger kit on the shelf along with a Cary detail kit. I'll get to it someday

You too, Jerry?

Heck, I just finished a Bowser Challenger kit. Taking it to the club on Thursday for a test run. I've built several of the Mantua kits and this is my third Bowser. This is what I consider "building."

Add to that detailing, kitbashing, and custom painting jobs too numerous to mention.

[pike-62]

Here are picture and links to two engines I built / kitbashed. The first is a GE132 ton Centercab that was scratch built as much as possible.


The second one is a D&H RS3u that was kitbashed from an Atlas RS3.

There are How I did It pages on my web sit at the links below.

RS3 http://www.dansresincasting.com/RS3%20project.htm

132 Ton http://www.dansresincasting.com/GE132%20ton%20PG1.htm

I have done some other projects that I don't have listed currently on my site.

Dan Pikulski
www.DansResinCasting.com

[Anonymous]

I want to take a GP38-2 and put an AC4400 cab on it (GP38-2W) it looks like it'll fit if i cut the nose off a GP38-2. but I don't want to cut up the engines i have now so i'd just buy a GP38-2 shell and a AC4400 cab and put that on my GP38-2 frame

[cwclark]

I don't have the time to "scratch build" a locomotive, but i have kitbashed entirely my whole fleet..I do know my limitations and scratchbuilding a locomotive is one of them....I'll do kitbashing of locomotives and buildings until the cows come home ..but scratchbuilding a locomotive?...way out of my league!....my hat is off to all those "brass hats" out there...chuck

[Anonymous]

I've been toying with the idea of doing a high short hood SD50 as if the Southern didn't merge with the N&W until the 1990's. The closest I've thought about getting into a "scratchbuild" project is doing a GP39X which would involve everything new from the walkways up using as many Cannon & Co. parts as possible and maybe starting with an athearn GP50 shell.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by nhguy21

I also built a U18B out of a Atlas U23B and c30-7 shell. Came out decent.


Josh modeling the Maine Central in 1976

Josh, do you have any photos? I have kitbashed a U18B before, and have always wanted to try using an Atlas model.

Matt

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by uspscsx
[Josh, do you have any photos? I have kitbashed a U18B before, and have always wanted to try using an Atlas model.

Matt

A friend of mine found an old Lionel HO scale model of a U18B on eBay a while ago, a real rarity! He later found another one that wasn't in very good shape on eBay too. Might be worth while checking out eBay to find one and use the shell as a starting point.

bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

Bob, I keep a constant watch on any U18B that shows up on eBay. Somehow, that one must've slipped by. The last one I saw went for around $50.

Have you seen the unit? If so, is it at all close to the prototype?

One thing I notice about the old Lionel HO U18B's is their overly-clunky handrails. One hesitation I would have with buying one is handrail replacement. Other than modifying Athearn handrails, I'd probably have to custom build handrails.

Also, their roadnames were a bit odd. I think I've seen a SOO and a DRGW. You have to wonder why they didn't go ahead and use the prototypical roadnames.


Matt

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by uspscsx

Bob, I keep a constant watch on any U18B that shows up on eBay. Somehow, that one must've slipped by. The last one I saw went for around $50.

Have you seen the unit? If so, is it at all close to the prototype?

One thing I notice about the old Lionel HO U18B's is their overly-clunky handrails. One hesitation I would have with buying one is handrail replacement. Other than modifying Athearn handrails, I'd probably have to custom build handrails.

Also, their roadnames were a bit odd. I think I've seen a SOO and a DRGW. You have to wonder why they didn't go ahead and use the prototypical roadnames.


Matt

I took a few photos of the model, as my friend wanted to know the history of this Lionel HO scale engine. It says on the bottom "Moulded in Canada", and the motor is actually made by GE. Here's two shots of it, notice it did not come with handrails:



The model is wet because we were at a restaurant having breakfast with our club members, and he asked if I could check up on the model. We put it on the trunk of his car and I shot a few photos with my pocket digital camera, and it was lightly raining at the time.

And like you said, their road names were strange, as I don't think CP had them. The model has since been repainted in prototypical Maine Central colors.

Bob Boudreau

[West Coast S]

I know of others who coin their own drivers in S, machine their drive rods and gear. I dn't gp that far, I have a fantastic supplier in England who sells scale coined drivers and frame kits that are suitable for American steam. Now, when it comes to kitbash, how about this example: One bachman On30 2-6-0, remove drivers and replace with new scale axles machined from drill rod to S standards, requarter and remount tire assembly, replace factory gear bx (optional) replace pilot wheel with a S set from NWSL. Replace cab or modify the existing one depending how in scale you wi***o be, replace all domes and boiler fittings, widen/replace cylinder assembly, pilot is optional, there are as many ways to convert on these as there are prototypes.

Dave

[Anonymous]

Bob: You the man! Thanks. After comparing the Lionel and the prototype, it is surprisingly close.

As far as I know, the original railroads owning U18B's were SCL and MEC. I'm not too sure about NdeM, as I don't know when they received theirs.


Matt

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FundyNorthern

I've been doing it for a long time too:



Bob Boudreau

This photo is unreal. Did you photoshop your loco onto a pic of real track or something? This is incredible. The only thing that's got me 95% convinced it's a model is the diameter of the handrails, and the look of the coupler.

Wow.

[Anonymous]

I haven`t reached that stage of modeling yet.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CARRfan
[This photo is unreal. Did you photoshop your loco onto a pic of real track or something? This is incredible. The only thing that's got me 95% convinced it's a model is the diameter of the handrails, and the look of the coupler.

Wow.

Thanks! No the photo was taken in an actual railyard! It was posed on a small diorama with just track, the whole thing sitting on a portable table. The engine in the rear is real prototype one. Realism was attained by the use of a 28mm wide angle lens with a pinhole aperture, which gives almost infinite depth of field. HO scale model by the way, and all on film, no digital effects at all.

Taken way back when the railroad didn't really mind us railfans around the yard. Can't even get into it these days.

Bob Boudreau

[CPPedler]

Hi Bob,
I remember you telling me not too long ago that you had one of the Kaslo Kits for the C.P. SD40-2F Loco's , did you ever get round to building it ??? If you did what chassis did you use, because I have got one and the instructions recommend a Kato or an Athearn but as far as I can see, either requires quite a bit of modification. Just wondered what you thought????? Any observations??? CPPedler

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CPPedler

Hi Bob,
I remember you telling me not too long ago that you had one of the Kaslo Kits for the C.P. SD40-2F Loco's , did you ever get round to building it ??? If you did what chassis did you use, because I have got one and the instructions recommend a Kato or an Athearn but as far as I can see, either requires quite a bit of modification. Just wondered what you thought????? Any observations??? CPPedler

I have their kit for a CN SD50F, haven't started it yet, still on my "to do" pile. I'll be using an Athearn chassis because I had one on hand, but don't recall which one, probably their SD40-2T one. Can't offer much more than that at this time.

Bob Boudreau

[mopacforever]

I am working on a DD40 that I am putting a wide body cab on. It will look alot like a DD40x (Centurian) when its done, but I plan to tell people that it is a DD40 left over from UP when MoPac bought them out (I am modeling a what if railroad). It was in a wreck back in the 90s and had to be repaired with a new cab. There was an extra wide body cab laying around....MoPac would use anything and everything. I also have a U30C with an EMD cab that I modeled from a picture in a book.

I think doing these unusual things make your layout much more interesting, and fun. Its always fun to have people look at your trains and say WOW!, where did you get THAT one?

[icmr]

I have had a change in plans after my SD70 cab would not fit right I decided to make my engine a cabless unit. It will be a SD70B I will still make the SD70R and the SD70RCW sometime. I found out that my kato frame is bent.



Victor

Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]

[vsmith]

Son, this is the stuff I live for...[;)]

Given the dirth of products avalible in large scale if you want something you often have to build it yourself...some examples from my workshop


Class A Climax- flatcar w/ drive-blocks & bashed cab, boiler, tank etc


4-2-0 lokie – my first truely scratchbuilt engine


ALCO FA- ½ kitbash from a full FA-1 just for fun


Kitbashed gas critter


Another kitbashed critter


Kitbashed Porter finished since pic taken


Kitbashed speeder railbus, boxcar body, drive block, bashed details


Kitbashed Dunkirk geared lokie bashed from a flatcar, drive blocks, and an
AMT General locomotive kit

edit this is my next project. A G Price 16 wheeler from New Zealand

[:p]


Later[:D]

[Anonymous]

I like having the realism part. I have fun trying to make it exactly as it would look.[:D]

[Anonymous]

SD70B will be interesting

[TrainFreak409]

Vic: The 4-2-0 turned out great![:D] Too bad the 4-2-4 didn't work...Dern that overhang.[:p]

[icmr]

Overhang is a problem isnt it. Dingoix, it will be interesting. Looking good vsmith.



Victor

Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]

[Anonymous]

Long ago I built a 4-6-0 on the chassis of a Mantua 0-6-0T Shifter (tank lokie with unequal axle spacing). I turned the chassis front-to rear to match the prototype ten wheeler axle spacing and substituted larger wheels. Except for detail accessories, the rest was sratchebuilt. The boiler is a tissue paper and epoxy laminate formed over thick tape cores, cured while turning in a rotisserie motor; the cab and tender are styrene. The tender has a thin styrene wrapper for the rivet detail.

To this day I'm still happy with the outcome, but it's a bit of a lightweight since room for additional weight is limited.

[icmr]

I bet it was fun to build.



Victor

Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]