This Definately Ain't a SD45

[Erik C Lindgren]

As I stated on the training wheel central -FABULOUS WORK!

[Jay Criswell]

Thanks Erik.

Looks like I may be on jury duty for a while so that won't help get these things done.

Jay

[aterry11]

Didn't AHM make this in HO? I seem to remember a similar engine on sale at the Woolworth after christmas train blow out back in the day. Family lines or SCL??? Thank you for sharing photos of your Killer work.. I continue to drool with amazement. on average whats the time frame for a build of this magnitude? Research, sourcing parts ,and assembly??

[J. S. Bach]

Didn't AHM make this in HO? I seem to remember a similar engine on sale at the Woolworth after christmas train blow out back in the day.

Yes they did in SP and D&RGW:










I got this at a local train show for $5.00 because "It does not run, there is no motor in it so give me five bucks." My plan is to re-power it with Athearn or someone else's drive. But that is a future project after the Varney/Penn Line/Bowser dual motor/twelve wheel drive GG1 conversion.

edit to add "GG1".

[big bad jim]

Didn't AHM make this in HO? I seem to remember a similar engine on sale at the Woolworth after christmas train blow out back in the day. Family lines or SCL??? Thank you for sharing photos of your Killer work.. I continue to drool with amazement. on average whats the time frame for a build of this magnitude? Research, sourcing parts ,and assembly??

Also made available in O scale by Brother Love. There's a thread or two on Ogr about it.
Jim

[Jay Criswell]

Yep, he did make them for John out of plastic. I've seen them first hand and they were very nice but they were just the bodies. I seriously can't remember if I built a mechanism for one of them or not. I'll have to ask him. I do know the trucks are completely different and he had to create them just for those two models.

Malcolm built the early version, manufactured for the SP & the RG. We're modeling the later version.

Jay

[aterry11]

Is the early version carbody? and the later veranda , or tunnel? And yes your production and fidelity looks devastating.

[Jay Criswell]

I don't recall offhand but the first version had a European look to it. I know they had different names for the two versions. On the first version everything on top slanted inward to clear the smaller tunnels found over there. In other words, they had to build them so when they test ran them they'd fit in the confines of European railroads. The later version looks totally different.

There is a very fine book on the subject available from the Southern Pacific Historical Society. Their site is down right now (says it's closed for inventory) but Karen's was selling them also. The following attachment is in no way an advertisement nor a solicitation http://www.karensbooks.com/store/produc ... ctID=11470

Jay

[J. S. Bach]

Didn't AHM make this in HO? I seem to remember a similar engine on sale at the Woolworth after christmas train blow out back in the day. Family lines or SCL???

What you probably saw was a GE BQ-23-7; a B-23-7 with what is now called a safety cab or comfort cab. Only ten were made, all went to SCL and some (or all) lasted into the CSX era. I am thinking that it was Bachmann that made them in HO. The bodies were fairly decent but had the typical drive; they were relatively easy to re-power with an Athearn drive as Athearn offered a four-axle GE motor.

[DeBruin]

Dave the yellow and black carbody JS has attached in his posts is indeed the HO AHM model , like so much of Rivarossi's other choices I'm sure I speak for many here as being bewildered by this model choice when I saw it in the hobby shop or the perennial monthly MR adverts as a kid. Malcolm's (very cool) version is of the same turret cab-ed Maybach engined early version. I thought SP picked these up from the Grande after the DRG&W declared them fushitsa, and did not in fact order them from the builder themselves. Anyone got this right?
I like 'em, Cavenaugh devotes three pages in his NYC Sys. gone but not forgotten to their demo on the NYC, fascinating stuff.

[Jay Criswell]

Jim,

They both ordered the early version at the same time but only SP stuck with them (for a least a little while longer) and ordered the second version. The departments responsible for purchasing new locos worked together with KM. After the Rio Grande gave up on them they sold the early units to SP.

Jay

[Jay Criswell]

This is the early version. Malcolm made the body, John made the trucks, plow and numerous SP detail parts. The drive was a reused Doug Cockerham. I did something on it but damned if I remember what it was.




I may post photos of the latter versions tomorrow. These were a run of three models that were finished years ago and should give you an idea of what the current run will look like when completed.

Jay

[aterry11]

Dems some mighty fine trucks although strange looking. Love the I beam really industrial. please more photos!!!

[Jay Criswell]

This is what the completed model should look like. This is one of three built years ago using the same components (except for the Cockerham Drive).







Oh Joy!

Jay

[E7]

Jay, Great stuff, and looking as good as anything that came out of S.K.

Looking at those drives, I recall seeing images of a honking big can motor and belt drive in a brass chassis on one of these forums labeled as a "Cockerham" drive.

My metal working talents on a scale of 1 to 10 are a minus 5.....any tips/references on where to start to acquire the needed skills?

Thanks,
Rich