No problem. I can understand wanting to be accurate. One thing that has me stumped (and currently stopped) on another project is a lack of prototype information on undercarriage details for a particular passenger prototype. I don't want to invest a lot of time into doing it totally wrong, but pretty soon I will probably give up and just do the closest job I can and move on. This is a neat project. I look forward to seeing more of it as it progresses.
Here's a test fitting of some side handrails I've been working on. These are mosly stock MP15DC handrails but the very first stanchion and the step railing come from an Atlas SD60 handrail set. The SD60's first stanchion is set farther back from the step railing than is the MP15DC's (which had to be shortened anyway) and this resulted in a more even distance between the first and second stanchions. Russ
Kalmbach's Diesel Cyclopedia Vol. 2 includes a drawing which shows the SW1500 40'-6" pilot face to pilot face (22 truck centers, 9'-3" truck center to pilot face) and 25" each end from pilot face to coupler pulling face. Dimensions are the same for both the AAR-B and Flexicoil trucks. Same book shows the SW1200 with the same dimensions except for pilot to coupler pulling face which is 23.5" The MP15DC in this book is shown with 24'-2" truck centers, 10'-2" truck center to pilot face, 25" pilot face to coupler pulling face. Cannot guarantee Kalmbach's accuracy but maybe this will help some.
Thanks! I appreciate the references for dimensions. That 40' 6" seems to short to me though. I see that's the length of a SW1200 and those look much shorter than SW1500's to me. Even the Athearn HO model is about a scale 6" longer than that. I still can't help but think the original pre-production SW1500 was shorter than production units but the dimensions for the original unit is what got published. Russ
Looks good Russ. My only comment is that the last stanchion looks a bit thinner than the rest, but that will probably be less noticeable when the unit is painted. How do you plan to join the handrail splice? Like you, I grew up watching these switchers work, so this is like seeing a long lost relative again. Best, Gary
Thanks, Gary! Yeah, that forward stanchion is a bit thinner but I think it will blend in OK once painted. The wide gap between stanchions that I would have had with the stock MP15DC stanchion there instead would have been much more obvious, so it's a good trade-off. I thought about doing brass stanchions and handrails but I got lazy! As far as joining the handrails, I think I've had fair success using an epoxy in the past. It won't be a super strong joint but it should hold together unless I accidentally press on them or something. Russ
I wish some clever entrepreneur made sturdy, closer-to-scale, after-market handrail sets for N scale diesels.... I agree that a different spacing would be much more glaring - your solution is good. This will be a great switcher! -Gary
Test fitting of heavily modified chassis taken from a Con-Cor/Kato "SW1500". The MP15DC fuel tank was shortened to 6 feet.... Unit will eventually receive Flexicoil trucks. Anyone, by chance, have any original wheels for these Con-Cor units lying around that they're willing to part with (without traction tires)? I took the traction tires off of the two that had them and now the diameter is a bit smaller than the rest. This results in a little bit of extra noise. Russ
The LL frame would lose all or close to all structural integrity one milled down to the proper width. It lacks the bottom lip that the CC frame has and this holds everything together. I must say I'm very pleased with the running quality of the CC drive. Russ
Is that the Kato chassis? The last run of those C-C units had Kato drives in them if I remember right. Art
Okay. I think I have one around here somewhere, along with my sanity. Those do run very well! Too bad we can't get Kato to dust off the design and release the SW1500/1001 on it. Art
Nothing much new except I installed an air reservoir on one side..... This was a bit of a chore because the air tanks need to be sanded to a very narrow profile to allow clearance for the frame. It turns out you only get one air reservoir when you order the part from Atlas, instead of a pair like I assumed. So, I have to wait for the other tank to procede. Since I was ordering more parts, I went ahead and ordered enough to build another SW1500. Maybe an ex-BN or lease unit this time. Russ PS- Sorry the picture is so small. Had to use a different camera.
You could do the unit that wore it's Kodachrome "warbonnet" scheme into 1999 or longer. I think it was 2575. You'd have to fade it quite a bit. Edit: Sorry it was MP15DC 2700 that wore it's SPSf paint into 1998 if not longer. You could still do the SPSF 2575 though.
Very tempting, Steve! However, I'm planning on going the easy route on the 2nd unit where I can keep the AAR trucks and the stock MP15DC light package. Perhaps something like.... BNSF 3456 Huh....just noticed the 3456 has 5 steps instead of 4. Never noticed that option on an SW1500 before. Guess it won't be that particular unit. Russ
I finally installed the SP-style lighting last night. I removed the styrene block I orignally installed in preparation for the nose headlight and opted for a headlight and housing that was taken from the stock Atlas MP15DC housing. The brass gyralight castings are from Miniatures by Eric. These brass castings are sized correctly and are perfect for this application. I still need to fabricate some marker light housings on the cab end and do some touch-up work around the lights. Uncoupling lever by BLMA. Russ
Looking at the sides of the engine, the extra lenth seems to come from two things. The pilot faces on the model are several inches thick where on the prototype its only about 1/2" The sandboxes behind the cab appear to be a bit larger on the model. I think there is a few extra inces between the front walkway and the hood front. Compaire the following photos:
