My 25 ton GE diesel loco project with photos

[Jetrock]

For a few years, I have been struck with the idea of building a model of a small industrial locomotive that operates here in Sacramento--a 25 ton General Electric diesel-electric, operated by Simsmetal wrecking yard. I have seen it quite a few times inside the yard, and have risked hassling by employees to stick my camera through holes in the fence to snap some shots of this adorable little robin's egg blue beastie:

In the foreground are two old gon bodies used to hold something brown, rusty and probably unpleasant.

After some searching around and an instructive but essentially unsuccessful kitbash of a 44 tonner, I finally located the Grandt Line 25 ton end cab locomotive kit at a hobby shop in Chicago. I finished it up (except for an air horn, windows and couplers) this evening. It is definitely the tiniest HO scale locomotive I have ever built. As kits go it was pretty simple to assemble, although the tiny sizes of everything definitely pushed the limits of my dexterity and briefly made me consider switching to LGB scale. I broke a couple of the handrails but was able to improvise with some wire, and was happy to realize that the handrails on the prototype I am modeling are kind of banged up anyhow.


Here's a comparison shot with a General Electric 70 tonner, normally considered a fairly tiny locomotive:


I still need to get some Kadee #711 couplers. I just stuck a pair of #5s in the coupler holes for now, but they aren't actually attached to anything. So, I haven't been able to test its pulling power, tho I suspect it is not good for pulling more than a couple of cars--I suspect the prototype isn't much of a monster mover either. It does have a very good gearing-reduction system--going flat-out it runs at about 25-30 scale MPH. Not super smooth, but it's kind of amazing that something this dinky runs at all. If I can find a lighting kit small enough to install (there is just about NO free space) inside I might try to install headlights...other than that, I think the best possible improvement might be to find a couple of HO scale white-metal figurines to put in the back, because a metal figurine would add a little weight and improve running...one thing I noticed in test runs is that the infinitesimal weight of the locomotive body noticeably improves the tracking characteristics of the locomotive. I don't think I could get much in the way of weight into the body of the loco, but a couple of metal miniatures might work just as well.

[mlehman]

Nice job! I have at least one of these in my stockpile of kits, along with the somwhat similar HOn3 boxcab kit. I suspect that more people will be building these up, with the incrased interest in HOn3 due to the availability of RTR equipment.

I've wondered about lighting myself in this small package. Please post if you find something that works for you.

One thing that might be a solution to the weight problem is to have the plastic parts used as masters for a lost-wax brass casting. I think that PSC offers this, although there will obviously be some leadtime and expense involved. I'll ask on the HOn3 Yahoo list and see if anyone has any info on this. Like you say, just a littlle added weight makes a heck of a difference in such a small loco.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL

[Anonymous]

Nice little loco, but don't go much on where it's used. Simsmetal!!![V][tdn]

Those guys have butchered too many locos worldwide.

[Jetrock]

True enough...but one potential use of this critter is a Simsmetal-based mini layout, which I could populate entirely with junked equipment from my parts box and some rust-colored paint!

[Anonymous]

Yeah not a bad idea. Junk yards are rather cool.

For weight, is it possible to put some lead inside the underframe, sort of beside the coupler boxes? Cut it into small pieces and just glue in place.

[Darth Santa Fe]

Nice job![:D] It looks just like the real thing.[:D]

You said that it runs from 25-30 scale MPH at full speed. What kind of drive system did you put in it?

[MisterBeasley]

So, if it's a "robins egg blue beastie," are you going to give it number six sixty-six?

[Paul W. Beverung]

Jet: I think that you hit the nail right on the head. We had a GE 25 tonner here at the park one winter. It was 3ft gauge and was a heavy weight comparied to our steam locomotives. We used it that winter for the Christmas season and than sent it to Houston. So nice job.

[Jetrock]

Darth Santa Fe: It came with a small open-frame motor and gearing system. I may be underestimating the speed, but it seems to be fairly slow even when the motor is buzzing like a hornet's nest--not geared-loco slow, but acceptably poky. There are two reduction gears between the worm gear and the gear on the axle.

The gaping hole in the headlight screams out for a lighting kit of some sort, but the execution would be difficult: no way is there room for a constant lighting circuit, and the space available is pretty microscopic. If there is a suitably dinky enough light bulb I might try doing a simple lighting circuit.

[steamage]

What is the name of the company in Sacramento that has the engine? I would like to get some pictures of it too.

[bpickering]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jetrock

Darth Santa Fe: It came with a small open-frame motor and gearing system. I may be underestimating the speed, but it seems to be fairly slow even when the motor is buzzing like a hornet's nest--not geared-loco slow, but acceptably poky. There are two reduction gears between the worm gear and the gear on the axle.

The gaping hole in the headlight screams out for a lighting kit of some sort, but the execution would be difficult: no way is there room for a constant lighting circuit, and the space available is pretty microscopic. If there is a suitably dinky enough light bulb I might try doing a simple lighting circuit.

Is there room for a Z-scale decoder in there? Some decoders might be able to work on DC as well, even if you don't do DCC.

BrianPickering

[tatans]

I love the "rake" of the hood and the weathering (rusting) is superb, slick job ! ! !

[jwar]

Hi Jetrock... Is that the junk yard by the old SP shops in Sacramento...Nice job and I like the weathering....John

[mlehman]

I now have contact info on the manufacturer who offers the lost-plastic brass casting process. After I get details and costs, I will post that here in case anyone wants to pursue this. It should offer increased tractive effort for this neat little loco.

Here's the manufacturer:
http://home.onemain.com/~thebackshop/index2.htm

Here's a project in On3 similar to what could be done with the Grandt 25-ton loco:
http://home.inreach.com/jkitts/BrassEng.html

Regards,
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL

[Jetrock]

The location of this loco is typically at the eastern end of the Simsmetal lot, off of North B and 12th Street--typically on the end closer to the new Seventh Street cut-through. The spur off the SP mainline used to cross the street and run up an alley to serve industries in the Richards Boulevard area, including the city incinerator, but it was all torn up a couple of years ago. That's a neighborhood that would make an interesting switching layout!

I don't run DCC, but if I was to add a decoder I'd need to put it in the cab--the hood is COMPLETELY filled with motor. Plus I'd need to reroute power pickup, as it currently goes directly from the wheels to the motor, which would be extra pain. Somehow I don't think this is a suitable loco for DCC.

The Simsmetal junkyard has a "no photos" policy from within their property, but if you have a zoom lens there are spots where you can grab a shot from the public street. I wouldn't think of intruding on their property without permission.

[TrainFreak409]

That is quite an impressive, tiny little loco.

The little locomotives like that are always a pleasure to see, because they are so few and in between. I'd like to see some mass-produced ones in N scale...But that'll be microscopic in comparison to an HO model.[:(]

[Jetrock]

Nothing quite that small, but there are a few small N scale switchers: Bachmann makes a six-wheeled diesel-electric that runs acceptably well, and then there is the classic 0-4-0 "Dockside" in N scale.

[mlehman]

Here's what Dave Braun posted on the Yahoo HOn3 list:

"Go to,
http://home.onemain.com/~thebackshop/plastics.htm
<http://home.onemain.com/~thebackshop/plastics.htm>

This is NOT a
copy-casting situation, nor does it involve ethics or illegality of any
kind. Grandt Line has stated they have no problem with one of their
plastics being converted to brass for the private use of an individual.
Also, the precise shrink rate going from plastic to brass is exactly 1%,
not the "3 to 5%" as posted by someone. After you read the web page,
contact me off-list if you would like to use the service. Thanks.
Dave David W. Braun"

Dave sent me an email saying that they have done parts of this particular kit before, but he needed to check with the shop to quote me specifics. So it looks like this is one option to get a bit more tractive effort from the critter. And it's nice to know it's available for those special projects where having certain parts rendered in brass is desirable.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL

[Jetrock]

After a little testing and adding grease to the worm gears, I added #711 couplers and found that it will pull four cars without having to add weight...albeit, not smoothly. There is room for a few little bits of lead on either side of the couplers and maybe a lump of something in the cab. I shot some cheesy phone-cam video but am not sure how to upload it to the web for viewing...

[Jetrock]

Some video I took with my silly little phone-cam of the critter in action!

[Darth Santa Fe]

Neat![:D] That thing runs so quiet I couldn't even hear it![:o)] Is the engine finished now? Or does it still need some detail and painting?

[dragonriversteel]

Jetrock,

Very cool looking critter. I need to build one of these also. I prefer the larger locomotives, but for the mill, the smaller the better......

Great looking model!!!!!!!!

Patrick
Beaufort,SC
Dragon River Steel Corp {DRSC}

[Jetrock]

Not sure why the sound isn't working--it sounds suitably coffee-grinderish in person. I have added window glass and an air horn, so it is pretty much done as far as detailing goes--I just need to figure out more ways to add weights. Someone suggested adding lead foil to the roof of the cab, and there are a few other places where I can glue some weight here and there...we'll see. It still needs a break-in period, but I don't have a loop of track so I have not been able to do that yet.