7mm US model dabblings

mickoo

Western Thunderer
John, cheers, I didn't know 3rd rail did early SP Mallets, especially the AM 2, I'll have to keep an eye out for one of those when I get my Xmas bonus :thumbs:

The Vandy I'll try and track down tonight as there's several versions. You don't often see photos of tenders back in the day, especially nice well lit views like this.

Photographers tended to use film on more important subject's like engines, so I expect this is an official photo. I just wish it had been a whaleback, still I grabbed it anyway.

As far as I know these are the only copies of these images, they didn't come from one of these copy houses you see on EBay but from an estate. I suspect there are copies and the original negatives will probably be in a state collection or something. I'll scan a few more tonight.

I don't think I have the time to scratch build a SP engine so may just opt for the best RTR I can find and afford and then detail as best possible. Later AC classes would of mixed with early diesels but possibly in the Black Widow scheme, can't remember exactly when the bloody nose came in. The AC-1 were extant by 1948 which I think was the first year the FT came out, you could probably justify a FT ABBA demo set alongside an AC-1 ;)
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Few more this evening.

First up a AM-2 Ex MM-2, rebuilt to simples and front truck changed to a bogie after a couple of accidents.

SP 3902.jpg

Photo was taken at Eugene OR Dec 7th 1938

Next up an AC-3, bit of an odd bird this one as it has been retro fitted with a bow fronted cab and low domed roof. I've not read or seen any other images of this modification, either on this engine or any other early AC's

SP 4037.jpg

Location is Klamath Falls OR June 9th 1948

Next up an AC-4, not many in this class, only ten engines formed the AC-4 class but they were the forefathers to all the modern cab forwards and set up the basic format for all to follow, namely 4-8-8-2. Front sheet was square from top to bottom, previously it was tapered below cab floor level and new high domed roofs became standard. Tenders also changed from whalebacks to large Vandys. Note angled flag stick holders on the front face below cab floor level.

SP 4104.jpg

No date or location given.

Finally for this evening one of the ultimate AC-12 cab forwards. Bow ended cab front, domed cab roof, enlarged intercooler grills, low level hooter, boxpox wheels and smoke box face flying pumps.

What's interesting about this one is the tender text, it's clearly not white, not even dirty white. Best guess is that it is red which I've not heard of before, except in diesel days when some SD's had red hood side lettering. Some AC's were painted with a red lead cab roof and grey boilers, though these were primarily for passenger runs and not used in the mountains, would need to check my notes as to which batch those were, but I do know they weren't AC-12's. Flag stick holders mounted vertically.

Tender design change yet again, to the modern slab sided high capacity versions, still pressurised and heated.

SP 4275.jpg

No date or location given.

Mick D
 

Big Train James

Western Thunderer
Mick,
Lot's of good info on this site. Germane to the current discussion, it looks like SP didn't have FT's, although the Cotton Belt subsidiary did receive five sets in 1944. SP themselves got F3's starting in 1947. I have no idea if the Cotton Belt units would have spent enough time on the SP system, and in the right locations, to mix with the cab forwards.

The Utahrails site also often has good info on western roads.
 

allegheny1600

Western Thunderer
Hi Mick, All,
Great photos and I'm glad you liked my old models, thanks! I didn't realise how rare such models as the AM-2 were but I did get a very good price for it, I must say. It went to a guy in Australia several years ago now.
Sadly, I don't really have the resources to model UK, US and EU in 0 scale so H0 is sufficient for me.

Anyway, IIRC SP's Bloody Nose scheme was introduced in 1958 so a bit too late to run alongside steam really but there's always modellers licence, perhaps?
Do you follow Tony Thompsons blog by any chance? He's a very good SP modeller whose posts are very entertaining and informative.
modeling the SP

Cheers,
John.
 

JasonD

Western Thunderer
Quick interrupt to remind you all about the Winchester Meet next Saturday 20th Oct. Dan Beresford has Piedmont Blues there and I've had another go round the garage with a broom to fill my biscuit tin with bits and pieces. How'd that RS1 get in the dust-pan? Hope to see you there and yes it used to take me a long time to get down there when I lived in Morecambe.
Winchester O Gauge Meet
Jason
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Managed to scan a few more SP photos in.

Carrying on with the cab forwards, not a great picture, only postcard size but it is an AC-1 :thumbs:

SP 4006.jpg

No date or location is given, but I know it's Dunsmuir CA and I'd hazard it's prewar. Dunsmuir is on my bucket list along with the Shasta route, hopefully next year but it's a long way north of Cajon. The shed in the background was called the Mallet shed, it still stood last year, but there was talk of UP pulling it down as the cladding is asbestos laden corrugation sheets, not steel.

Something smaller. Consolidation class C10.

2832 El Paso TX 1952
SP 2832.jpg

Next up a couple of Mountains (MT), both MT-3 class.

4430, Roseville CA 1955.
SP 4330.jpg

4342, San Francisco CA 1950.
SP 4342.jpg

Both engines have skyline casings, they were not originally fitted with them and both engines are unique in having Boxpox disc wheels on the main driver. Other engines in the class also received disc drivers, but these were universal type and differed in hole size and placements.

Next up Northern class or in SP terms, the Golden State class (GS), GS-1

4402 at Oakland CA 1955
SP 4402.jpg

Last up Santa Fe class engines, SP listed these as F class.

3684 (F4b) Roseville CA 1953
SP 3684.jpg

3692 (F4b) Ogden UT 1949
SP 3692.jpg

3718 (F5a) Los Angeles CA 1947
SP 3718.jpg
 
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mickoo

Western Thunderer
Having seen all these other layouts progressing I've decided to pull the proverbial out and have a go, the water looks lovely.

I've not got a lot of space but the idea is a fixed section in the corner and a movable section over the work bench, total length is about 3 m by 600 mm and height to the top board is currently 1.1 m.

Although the current section is fixed it might not be the actual baseboard of the layout as I'm toying with something like Becasse and some other Dutch/German guys are doing in Gauge 1.

Essentially they erect one large structure, like a ladder rack, and then drop the layout modules into it. The support structure houses the legs and the base boards are free to lift in and out. In my application this then means I can just lay the modules on top of my current set up, or remove them and it'll revert to the current guise of a photo bench. If I build the support rack then it could be taken elsewhere I.E. it's not a permanent home structure.

IMG_0030.jpg

It's not much yet, but it's a start and gives me an idea of the space I have to play with, this is the fixed section at 1.5 m. As for the actual layout, it'll almost certainly be US based (though I've a strong wish for a Euro industrial shunting layout) and end up as a industrial shunting sort of thing, though I am pondering a depot of some sort, steam/diesel cross over period or maybe a modern fuel rack affair, not sure yet and nothing is set in stone.
 

Overseer

Western Thunderer
A few photos from my recent brief visit to Toronto and Buffalo. First, I was amazed at the condition of the sleepers and spikes while standing at a station in suburban Toronto. Regular passenger trains and some freight run on this track, at least every second sleeper looks OK.
GO track.jpg
The passenger trains might be push pull but they are not small.
Go train.jpg

Looking down on the Buffalo Belt Line. This is a freight only line which sees quite heavy tonnages passing through the suburbs of Buffalo, NY.
Belt line track.jpg

And the only remaining rail connected factory on the Belt Line in Buffalo. There used to be dozens of sidings off the Belt Line. One of the conference activities was a tour of disused and reused factories along the Belt Line, very interesting but a bit depressing to see how much has gone. Buffalo's population is about a third or less of what it was at its peak before manufacturing moved away.
Buf Factory.jpg
A closer view of the siding, unloading outside and a second siding into a covered loading dock, could be an interesting model. The factory on the right of the tracks was the Wonder Bread bakery, now abandoned.
Buf Factory1.jpg

The former rail loading dock area between the factory and power house at the former Pierce Arrow car factory. This huge complex has had numerous tenants in parts of it since Pierce Arrow shut the doors in 1938.
Peirce Arrow.jpg
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Hi Mick, All,
Great photos and I'm glad you liked my old models, thanks! I didn't realise how rare such models as the AM-2 were but I did get a very good price for it, I must say. It went to a guy in Australia several years ago now.
Sadly, I don't really have the resources to model UK, US and EU in 0 scale so H0 is sufficient for me.

Anyway, IIRC SP's Bloody Nose scheme was introduced in 1958 so a bit too late to run alongside steam really but there's always modellers licence, perhaps?
Do you follow Tony Thompsons blog by any chance? He's a very good SP modeller whose posts are very entertaining and informative.
modeling the SP

Cheers,
John.
Going back to this, the site noted above I've got book marked and have read some articles, but a bigger and more prolific one I've been trawling through is this one.

Models and Kitbashes by NightOwlModeler: Modeling SP's Road Switchers (Part 1) - Small Steam Engines
 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
On reflection I pity the poor crew on that train. Unless they've changed the traction control relays on the GP35s, kicked the turbo on the GP20, cleaned the injectors on the GE and got ear defenders and a portable air-conditioning unit in the cab of the GP30 they'll be in for a long, hot, bothersome and probably ultimately futile day.

As enthusiasts we sometimes (often!) forget that, as in the UK, 'classic' traction was generally a complete pig to work with on a daily basis.

Steph
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
Another one from the collection, a little more modern this time.

SP 3163a.jpg

Lovely roster shot of Alcos bruiser C630 class.

Photo is taken at Colton CA Apr 15th 1978 and she's still looking in good shape. By this date she's been rebuilt as a heavy transfer engine, working in and around Los Angeles on yard transfer drags.
 

allegheny1600

Western Thunderer
Pretty Awesome!
Reminds me of the former header page on Stephs favourite site! I can't find it now but it was impressive, will this do instead?
http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/u-50_photos/9950_sp-u50-bob_dengler.jpg

Here's a small reason why I gave up 0 scale (sorry guys!);
45128732305_cfaab690a7_c.jpg


This is just a very quick & dirty shot of my Athearn model - very nearly 11½ inches in length and weighing 755g (over 1½Lbs) - imagine that in 1/48th?
I don't have the room or the cash!
 
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mickoo

Western Thunderer
Ahhhh, whirly bird!

Love em, both SP and more so UP and the later C-C models, I think both are available in O gauge but the running gear is pretty poor.

If I bend rule #1 I can just about justify a whirly bird alongside my Challenger, 3906 vacated in Feb 63, whirly birds came later in the year. I can justify turbines and the SD24/GP20 genre but not the monster U boats.

I am heading toward a generic out west depot, somewhere where UP, SP, ATSF and D&RG might have mixed, bit of a long shot getting all those together, but again, rule #1 will be enforced.
 
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