7mm Richards P48 US Thread

[richard carr]

Stephen,

no I didn't get a CN one, the version they did had the wide cab which I din't want. I don't know if CN had any narrow cab ones, I would have thought they would have done.
I have bought an undecorated one, but I haven't actually got that yet so I don;t know exactly what it is, it could be a tunnel motor.

The Mopac one is really nice, I just need to convert the final SP one.

If you are tempted he is still listing 2 SP ones and a CN one at the moment.

Richard

 

[richard carr]

Mick

thanks for that photo I'll get make sure that all the marker lights are in the direction of travel.

Richard

 

[richard carr]

Hi Jordan

The Sunset GP30 is a plastic body loco, with some brass parts for detailing. They have listed a SOO version with the Alco trucks, but that is no guarantee that they will actually produce it. The SOO SD40 got cancelled due to a lack of pre orders.


Richard

 

[mickoo]

CN certainly had Spartan cab SD20-2, not sure if they were Railroad specific orders from new or acquired stock from mergers (I think most were) but they are around to choose from.

I kinda like the Canada cab version with the big sun decks out front and back.

What does look odd are GE Dash 8's with the Canada cabs before GE added their own designed wide cab, both CN and BCR took that option.

 

[Stephen]

Stephen,

no I didn't get a CN one, the version they did had the wide cab which I din't want. I don't know if CN had any narrow cab ones, I would have thought they would have done.
I have bought an undecorated one, but I haven't actually got that yet so I don;t know exactly what it is, it could be a tunnel motor.

The Mopac one is really nice, I just need to convert the final SP one.

If you are tempted he is still listing 2 SP ones and a CN one at the moment.

Richard

Hi Richard,

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t gone back to the 3rd Rail website to see what they still had in stock…..!

But with a P10, another GP9, and maybe, just maybe, a break from the era for a KM4000, I really shouldn’t go down the SP SD40-2T, or when whole Canadian route…..I am however slightly kicking myself for not picking up that Atlas Alco C-series CN Co-Co in Chicago for $450….

Cheers,

Stephen

 

[timbowales]

Whilst folks are hijacking the thread to mention CN can I throw this handgrenade in?

It's a CN SD40-2W in deplorable condition at Squamish BC.
Even though I have a suitable shell I'm not skilled or brave enough to try and replicate it

 

[mickoo]

Hi Richard,

I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t gone back to the 3rd Rail website to see what they still had in stock…..!

But with a P10, another GP9, and maybe, just maybe, a break from the era for a KM4000, I really shouldn’t go down the SP SD40-2T, or when whole Canadian route…..I am however slightly kicking myself for not picking up that Atlas Alco C-series CN Co-Co in Chicago for $450….

Cheers,

Stephen

You know you want to, can't beat Zebra stripe CN units

Despite aiming mainly for BNSF/UP in my HO world, I do still seem to keep acquiring CN units , there's something about Canada cabs and Draper tapers that tick all the boxes.

 

[richard carr]

I wouldn't call that a hand grenade Tim, it looks great.

I am tempted but I can't buy one of every single version.

Maybe if there is a second run, the good news is they do go round 1m radius curves !

Richard

 

[mickoo]

Whilst folks are hijacking the thread to mention CN can I throw this handgrenade in?
View attachment 219085
It's a CN SD40-2W in deplorable condition at Squamish BC.
Even though I have a suitable shell I'm not skilled or brave enough to try and replicate it

One detail to note here is the engine intake snow cover which is common on CN and I think some CP units, I've a faint inkling SP might have fitted a handful and UP has some on their snow clearing units over Donner which I think might have been Ex SP units.

Something else I've just noticed and that's a door on the conductors rear side of the Canada cab, note notch in snow cover to allow door to fully open and depressed handrail to clear the door handle. I've not spotted that before and assumed they were like all other cabs with the brake mans seat tucked up in that corner.

Note also the end steps, they're of the 'ladder' type at both ends, I.E each rung is directly above the one below, typically Phase II engines had 'staircase' steps (the lower one juts out below the one above) for safety reasons. Tunnel motors have staircase at the front and ladder at the rear, simply because of the extended radiator section didn't allow enough space for a staircase type on the rear.

It looks like (quick scan of photos) both CN and CP opted for ladder type steps at both ends on their SD40's I'm going to make a best guess it's for climate reasons as vertical steps will accumulate less packed snow. Interestingly, even the CP rebuilt Eco SD40's still retain the ladder type, I would have thought staircase was a mandate now.

Both of Richards CP and SP units look to have the correct tooling for the steps specific to those two Railroads/units, more often as not you'll see staircase units painted in Canadian colours and that's your lot.

One further diversion whilst scanning CP units was this Elephant ear fitted unit, I'd have wagered heavily on SP had these and I'm not sure how many were fitted or for how long; but it opens up a little diversion from the run of the mill CP units.

 

[richard carr]

As I mentioned earlier the SD40s do have a few major flaws, the easiest to fix and most visible are the air tanks.
You can see in the photo above how they sit on the edge of the fuel tank and are fixed to the frames. The model looks like this



The tanks are too small, 6mm in diameter when they should be almost 8mms. They are also hidden away almost out of sight from some angles.

So I have 3D printed some replacement, tanks these are just test ones so I can hack them about to get them to fit and then redo the drawing so they come ready to use.






The original tanks are held in place by 2 wire pins so I will probably do the same, if not I shall glue the flattened top to the bottom of the frames.

 

[richard carr]

I'm finally back from the US trip to St Louis, I had another weekend there, this time in Kentucky and Ohio etc, full details are on the other thread.

The main two things I brought back from this trip are another pair of Sunset SD40s.

The first is a Norfolk and Western high nose version, these retained this livery until the late 80s.
NW was also a long hood forward line so something different to see.







It still has the same faults as the others .

The other one is undecorated








It is interesting to see how many parts are in fact brass castings.

the difficult thing is to decide what livery to paint it ?

 

[Jordan]

the difficult thing is to decide what livery to paint it ?

Well I know what livery I'd paint it.....

 

[Big Train James]

the difficult thing is to decide what livery to paint it ?

It depends how accurate you want the model to be. It looks like a CP unit, as I believe those are the only ones I've ever seen with the louvered doors at the back end. You could scrape/sand them off of course, and that would broaden the range of locos you could do. But you are also limited by some of the details, things like the nose length versus radiator screen style will dictate when the proto units were built and who had them.

I don't know if you want to do anything with the fans and guards, the radiator fans should have 8 blades rather than 10, and the guards should have flats on both sides of all fans, not just the middle one. Technically the radiator and dynamic fans have different guard bases, the radiator rings have a filleted bottom while the dynamic bases have square corners. Etc, etc, on and on, I really need to stop looking at these things.

You could actually replace the fans with either Atlas or PSC parts, but that may not be in your planned scope of work.

Jim

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Well I know what livery I'd paint it.....

Bandit....!

 

[Big Train James]

I vote for one of the BN/BNSF cabless wreck rebuild units, in particular BN 301. It would require the least amount of work to replicate. You would essentially just need to come up with the high short hood and a bit of extra sheet metal to replace the cab and low hood. Sub-base cabinets and the dynamic blister remain in place, plus it has the earlier radiator grilles. I don't think the 3rd Rail grilles look like either version, but they're closer to the early style since they are so flat.

I like Cascade Green, but for your era the BNSF scheme makes more sense.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1785885

Jim

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

My vote would be for ATSF yellow warbonnet - which would fit in with the SP.

https://www.railroadpictures.de/bilder/USA/USA-ATSF/SD40-2/komprimiert/SD40-2-5204-3.jpg

 

[mickoo]

I have a spare Atlas high nose, it might fit or be of use, of course I have to find it first



These days I'd be tempted to draw up and print a new one to be honest. Cab and nose for SP SD35 I've still got, yes I still have some O gauge left.



If you're doing a booster, then just draw up and print a cover between the new nose and existing body.



There are several boosters kicking around, I think some of the BNSF ones even ended up in pumpkin colours, possible with swoosh logos, not sure though.

 

[Big Train James]

My vote would be for ATSF yellow warbonnet - which would fit in with the SP.

Well, 3rd Rail are offering a second run of the same road names, and that includes the Santa Fe blue warbonnet. So I suppose Richard could just order one of those if he really wanted it. Now if you're talking about one with the 123" short hood, I'd be all for it. I do find the idea tempting to treat the undecorated model as a base for bashing into something not already offered. Easy for me to say as it's not my model.

I have a spare Atlas high nose, it might fit or be of use, of course I have to find it first

No need to cannibalize a good model, I've got several of the high hood parts in my stash that I could part with if the need arose. Unless you also have separate parts. I probably sent you some back in the day, but I don't remember now. But I do know where mine are.

Jim

 

[Jordan]

Assuming I'm looking on the right website, I couldn't see 'Undecorated' listed?
I've always thought that's a good idea - my SD40, GP9 and F7 (was an F9 shell) were all bought undecorated, and my Weaver/Atlas GP40 'kitbash' was also made from undecorated parts.

 

[mickoo]

No need to cannibalize a good model, I've got several of the high hood parts in my stash that I could part with if the need arose. Unless you also have separate parts. I probably sent you some back in the day, but I don't remember now. But I do know where mine are.

Jim

The model is already cannibalized, it's in the second shot