non-prototype locomotives (Diesel or Steam)

[Anonymous]

A freelanced Daimler-GE, sounds like fun. Try using DASH-9 trucks if you want a modern 6 axle look. My brother built a custom "SGP-60MX" called a "Sheep" instead of a "Geep". He took a little GP-60 body and added modified Union Pacific styled SD-60M widecab. X for experimental. It was quite an intersting little diesel and it got a few laughs when it got caught in a tunnel. He made the wide cab angled out at the top wider than standard UP cab and didn't keep the tunnel clearance in mind while building it! He won't ever live that down. So make sure you don't forget about width on your loco either, or you could be hauling 2 trains with that Daimler.

[Anonymous]

By the way, I've been thinking of building a Garrat for my freelance (American!) railway, the Hazzard And Southern. This is just so I don't have a Mallet like everyone else, and Garrats can handle tighter turns than Mallets With equivalent power.

[Anonymous]

Well, the DCP1 was going to be produced in cooperation with GE. This is going to be of it's own design, which should make things easier, as it won't be based much on any prototype. The only proto features may be the fact that I want to use a six-axle GE frame, but most details that identify it as a GE will be hidden by side skirting except for the trucks. Do you have any ideas on what frames I should use?

[Anonymous]

First of all, the DCP1 very well could be a prototype if DaimlerChrysler decides to build a loco. It'd have a Mercedes Benz Diesel, one of the most sophistocated in the world, and I'll probably use GE trucks. (EMD is part of GM, Who is already a competitor in autos.)

[thirdrail1]

Freelancing Diesel locomotives is a lot more complicated than doing it with steam power, as the real railroads constantly modified their steam locomotives. The Diesel locomotive is a lot more complicated piece of machinery and a lot less forgiving of "shade tree mechanic" modifications. Yes, sheet metal has been modified (see ATSF's CF7's), but you are proposing to create a fictitious locomotive from a company that has just gotten out of the railroad business by selling its Adtranz division to Bombardier! But, model railroading is supposed to be fun, so have at it!

[sumpter250]

Non-prototype. I think the term used to be "freelanced", and can range from what Alco might have built if they had stayed in business, to a GPNCC1701 (the starship enterprise on blomberg trucks!)[I have seen one of these ]. I have been running an outside frame 36" gage 2-4-4-2 compound articulated for about 13 years. I'm currently working on a 2-6-6-2,and I have considered( as a jest ) a number of Walther's Pikers,and an Oscar, pulled by an A-B-A Hustler.
The "jokes" are easy, just build whatever and wait for the laughs. The "could have beens" are the toughest. These require a lot of research into what makes a locomotive really work, what trucks to use, what headlights,bells,whistle/horn,etc.
a DCP1 sounds probable, a DaimlerChrysler articulated sounds like a MercedesBends.

[Anonymous]

Im thinking of creating my own locomotive, the DaimlerChrysler MP1 (aka DCP1). A passenger loco, this Modern-era diesel is areodynamically shaped, and can match with any car shorter than a Superliner. Tell me about your non-proto locos in this discussion.