What non-auto model did you get today?

[stavanzer]

Neat Loco, Steve.

Rum lookin' little Thing, isn't it?

[Ace-Garageguy]

Pretty stoked about this pair of Roco/AHM/Rivarossi/Model Power HO scale "sharknose" diesels in the old Delaware and Hudson livery, one powered and one dummy, in quite nice condition...both of 'em for about what one dummy in incorrect colors usually trades for.

The really interesting thing is that the D&H only ever had two of these, both bought used, and only kept them for 4 years. They are now the only two surviving Sharks on the planet...still in the D&H livery minus the lettering and heralds, and slated to go to a railroad museum when the current owner, who saved them from the scrapper's torch, dies.

Kinda hard to believe that somebody at the model company that produced them knew as much about these two particular locomotives' obscure history, and cared enough, to have them factory-finished in these colors...and to even get the unit number of the last one to run, 1216, put on the side.

I also snagged this pair of runners in an equally sweet deal. The gray one is an HO scale Rivarossi Krauss-Maffei ML-4000 diesel-hydraulic locomotive, in Southern Pacific colors. 

SP bought several of the German-built ML-4000s in 1961 as an experiment. Most US locomotives at the time were (and still are) diesel-electric, with the diesel engine driving a generator supplying electricity to drive the axle motors, rather like a hybrid automobile (without any batteries). But the ML-4000 Krauss units are diesel-hydraulic. The engine drives a hydraulic pump that transmits power to hydraulic axle motors, more like some earth-moving equipment than conventional locomotives.

The German diesel-hydraulic locomotives didn't work as well as was hoped in mountain service, and as American diesel-electric locomotives began offering more horsepower and reliability, the Krauss units were phased out in 1967 and most were eventually scrapped. None were saved in original form, although in 2017, the one that had been converted to a camera car began a lengthy rebuild by mostly volunteer labor, with salvaged mechanical parts and a newly-fabricated cab to return it to its original appearance. It made its first run in 2019 pulling a railfan excursion train, and the restoration work is still ongoing to the best of my current knowledge.

 

The green and yellow one is an HO scale EMD E7A passenger locomotive, also from Model Power, in Chicago and North Western colors. The EMD (part of General Motors at the time) E7 was among the first diesel passenger locomotives built following WW II, and the first of the E-series to share the "bulldog" nose of the wildly successful F-series of EMD freight locomotives. C&NW had 26 of them. Though I haven't run it yet, the Model Power E7 is reputed to be one of the strongest pulling locomotives in HO scale, being equipped with a large motor suitable for O-scale locos, a geared 12-wheel drive...and it's heavy.

Of all the 429 EMD E7 A-units built, only one escaped scrapping. It has been cosmetically restored, and lives at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.

                                     

These four models appear to have come from a collection of someone who loved vintage, historic, and obscure machines as much as I do. They also appear to have been owned more recently by someone who viewed them as children's toys, and let then get a little dinged up. But they'll be well cared for as long as I have them.

Edited April 14, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy
TYPO

[Earl Marischal]

5 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Pretty stoked about this pair of Roco/AHM/Rivarossi/Model Power HO scale "sharknose" diesels in the old Delaware and Hudson livery, one powered and one dummy, in quite nice condition...both of 'em for about what one dummy in incorrect colors usually trades for.

The really interesting thing is that the D&H only ever had two of these, both bought used, and only kept them for 4 years. They are now the only two surviving Sharks on the planet...still in the D&H livery minus the lettering and heralds, and slated to go to a railroad museum when the current owner, who saved them from the scrapper's torch, dies.

Kinda hard to believe that somebody at the model company that produced them knew as much about these two particular locomotives' obscure history, and cared enough, to have them factory-finished in these colors...and to even get the unit number of the last one to run, 1216, put on the side.

I also snagged this pair of runners in an equally sweet deal. The gray one is an HO scale Rivarossi Krauss-Maffei ML-4000 diesel-hydraulic locomotive, in Southern Pacific colors. 

SP bought several of the German-built ML-4000s in 1961 as an experiment. Most US locomotives at the time were (and still are) diesel-electric, with the diesel engine driving a generator supplying electricity to drive the axle motors, rather like a hybrid automobile (without any batteries). But the ML-4000 Krauss units are diesel-hydraulic. The engine drives a hydraulic pump that transmits power to hydraulic axle motors, more like some earth-moving equipment than conventional locomotives.

The German diesel-hydraulic locomotives didn't work as well as was hoped in mountain service, and as American diesel-electric locomotives began offering more horsepower and reliability, the Krauss units were phased out in 1967 and eventually scrapped. None were saved, although in 2017, one that had been converted to a camera car was rebuilt with salvaged mechanical parts and a newly-fabricated cab to return it to its original appearance, and made its first run in 2019, pulling a railfan excursion train.

 

The green and yellow one is an HO scale EMD E7A passenger locomotive, also from Model Power, in Chicago and North Western colors. The EMD (part of General Motors at the time) E7 was among the first diesel passenger locomotives built following WW II, and the first of the E-series to share the "bulldog" nose of the wildly successful F-series of EMD freight locomotives. C&NW had 26 of them. Though I haven't run it yet, the Model Power E7 is reputed to be one of the strongest pulling locomotives in HO scale, being equipped with a large motor suitable for O-scale locos, a geared 12-wheel drive...and it's heavy.

Of all the 429 EMD E7 A-units built, only one escaped scrapping. It has been cosmetically restored, and lives at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.

                                     

These four models appear to have come from a collection of someone who loved vintage, historic, and obscure machines as much as I do. They also appear to have been owned more recently by someone who viewed them as children's toys, and let then get a little dinged up. But they'll be well cared for as long as I have them.

Nice haul there Bill. I presume you are aware that Piko have recently released a new version of the Krauss Maffei loco?

steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

4 hours ago, Earl Marischal said:

Nice haul there Bill. I presume you are aware that Piko have recently released a new version of the Krauss Maffei loco?

steve

Thanks Steve.

Honestly, I wasn't aware of the new PIKO model until this one came up sor sale, when I researched what else was out there before deciding how high I'd bid to get it.

The PIKO model is beautiful, with a level of detail that far surpasses the one I have...but at less than 10% of the cost of the new release, I can live with the old one...and of course up-detail it at some point, maybe.

There are a few people out there offering the model I acquired for almost as much as the PIKO version, and if you really have money to burn, which I don't, there's a brass Korean-made one from Overland at well over $500, and a later "hood unit" version from the same maker currently bidding at $750.

Model trains have become a "rich man's hobby" in the minds of a lot of people, due to prices for top-line equipment and the space required to build a big layout, and that's kindof sad. While even at its most cost-conscious it's more expensive than collecting string, if one knows what one wants to do, has realistic goals, and has an understanding of the options, a whole lot of fun can be had with a 4'X8' layout running salvaged "toy-train" equipment that can be upgraded cost-effectively to look and perform almost as good as the cost-no-object stuff, and scratch-building is still an option too, of course.

It's a lot like the way that building a hot-rod is perceived as something only a rich guy can do by those who forget that, for a while at least, it's still possible to build a very nice rod from mostly junkyard parts...just like it was in the beginning.   

[Ace-Garageguy]

This one came in with a buncha other stuff, mostly broken but salvageable. It had some broken steps I'll have to fabricate, as the pieces are long gone, and missing railings, but I'll be upgrading them along with their stanchions anyway, so no biggie. And as far as I'm currently aware, Santa Fe never owned any, but she'll be getting repainted after the repairs/upgrades.

It's a Mehano-made HO scale Alco C-415  high-cab switcher. Only 26 were made in reality, so it's a kinda rare beast. Real ones could be had with three different cab heights, and this is the highest...making it even more rare in reality.

It was filthy and didn't run, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it has a geared 8-wheel drive system. A Q&D cleaning and light servicing of the electrical pickups and brushes, and she moves again...and gives every indication of being a smooth, strong puller after a complete service.

                                              

EDIT: Just for reference, this is the same model (not mine) that has been upgraded with more correct pilots, custom paint, frame-mounted Kadee couplers, almost-scale-correct railings, and numerous other details. Just about as nice looking as a brass one costing well over a thousand bucks.

Edited April 20, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy
TYPO

[TonyK]

Trains are always interesting to me. Thanks for the bit of history on the real and replica trains.

[Ace-Garageguy]

Several 3D printed HO scale Baldwin 6 and 8 cylinder turbocharged diesel prime movers, as shop props for a locomotive repair facility...

...with one of the eights slated to live under the engine hood in a rebuild of one of my recently acquired Sharks to represent this somewhat famous locomotive, ex-Delaware and Hudson 1216, below. It's one of only two Baldwin "sharknose" locomotives left on the planet, and could possibly be restored to running condition within the next few years...maybe along with her sister 1205. Though 1216 broke her crankshaft, train lore has it that the current owner has acquired enough salvaged parts from scrappers to put a complete engine together.

Interestingly, the two remaining and irreplaceable Sharks, originally owned by the New York Central, eventually found their way to the Monongahela Railway where they were worked almost to death hauling coal drags. The last two running units had been sent to be scrapped by the Monongahela, but were saved from being cut up when the Delaware and Hudson traded the scrap dealer who had them an equivalent weight of scrap-steel, in the form of worn out railroad box cars that really had no other value. When working on the Monongahela, the Sharks were painted an uninspired black with a short white stripe.

In 1974, a model railroader named Jay Winn was approached to design a new paint scheme for the real ones on the D&H...and that is what you see below.

Here's the story:   https://bridge-line.org/sharkpaint

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyway, the printed Baldwin prime movers are quite nice, far more detailed than I'd be able to scratch with reasonable effort. Same guy makes other railroad diesel prime movers from EMD, GE, etc., traction motors, and other cool stuff.            

EDIT: After digging online for a while, I finally found some actual Baldwin locomotive works drawings showing component location...drawn to scale.

Unfortunately, after running some numbers, it appears initially that the 3D printed prime movers I bought are significantly underscale. More later after I double and triple check my own measurements and scaling...

Edited April 20, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

[RSchnell]

I got impatient waiting for the new tool 1/72 B-24 from Airfix to hit the States, so I ordered 2 from Hannant's in the UK. I missed out on the Walrus the first time it was ran, so I snagged one of those too.  With the exchange rate & shipping it still worked out cost wise the same as buying these in the US, maybe even a few dollars cheaper. 

As for the B-24 kit, it is very nice as you'd expect from the new tool Airfix stuff. The Walrus looks just as nice. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'd wanted to be able to do some heavy weathering on HO-scale locomotives and rolling stock, to simulate dead-line rescues waiting for rebuild/restoration in a holding yard on my planned layout.

I'd also wanted it to be easily reversible, as the cheap broken/bodged/parts-missing "junk" I'll be filling the yard with will be stripped, rebuilt, and upgraded one at a time.

After some experimenting, I find this stuff works very well for part of what I have in mind.

[FoMoCo66]

On 4/20/2024 at 12:43 PM, Ace-Garageguy said:

Several 3D printed HO scale Baldwin 6 and 8 cylinder turbocharged diesel prime movers, as shop props for a locomotive repair facility...

...with one of the eights slated to live under the engine hood in a rebuild of one of my recently acquired Sharks to represent this somewhat famous locomotive, ex-Delaware and Hudson 1216, below. It's one of only two Baldwin "sharknose" locomotives left on the planet, and could possibly be restored to running condition within the next few years...maybe along with her sister 1205. Though 1216 broke her crankshaft, train lore has it that the current owner has acquired enough salvaged parts from scrappers to put a complete engine together.

Interestingly, the two remaining and irreplaceable Sharks, originally owned by the New York Central, eventually found their way to the Monongahela Railway where they were worked almost to death hauling coal drags. The last two running units had been sent to be scrapped by the Monongahela, but were saved from being cut up when the Delaware and Hudson traded the scrap dealer who had them an equivalent weight of scrap-steel, in the form of worn out railroad box cars that really had no other value. When working on the Monongahela, the Sharks were painted an uninspired black with a short white stripe.

In 1974, a model railroader named Jay Winn was approached to design a new paint scheme for the real ones on the D&H...and that is what you see below.

Here's the story:   https://bridge-line.org/sharkpaint

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyway, the printed Baldwin prime movers are quite nice, far more detailed than I'd be able to scratch with reasonable effort. Same guy makes other railroad diesel prime movers from EMD, GE, etc., traction motors, and other cool stuff.            

EDIT: After digging online for a while, I finally found some actual Baldwin locomotive works drawings showing component location...drawn to scale.

Unfortunately, after running some numbers, it appears initially that the 3D printed prime movers I bought are significantly underscale. More later after I double and triple check my own measurements and scaling...

Do you have a WIP on this project?

[Ace-Garageguy]

Not a model, just a reference book:

[Ace-Garageguy]

This is probably THE most challenging model I've added to my collection of very old "craftsman kits" to date, an HO scale Ideal Models Bucyrus-Erie 150 ton railroad crane. I believe it dates from at least 60-70 years back (check the "deco" box-art, different from later versions of the same kit). It's made from embossed foil-coated cardstock overlays that have to be precisely cut out and glued over thicker pre-punched cardstock and balsa underlayments. Even the pulley sheaves get built up from pre-punched cardstock rounds. The boom braces have to be cut and formed from bamboo strip stock, and the steps and grabs have to be formed from wire.

It builds up to look like this, and boy howdy, are there a lot of opportunities to bugger it hopelessly.

It is similar when completed to the HO scale Gould/Tichy injection-molded styrene 120-ton Brownhoist railroad crane, widely regarded as one of the best engineered and most complex plastic models ever produced (I have several, and they are spectacular when finished).

 

Edited May 19, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy
TYPO

[Ace-Garageguy]

From the same vendor I also got a partially assembled HO scale Ulrich outside-braced wooden boxcar kit dating from the early 1950s. The "steel" bracing and ends are cast metal, the sides are milled, scribed wood that's factory painted and screen-printed, the structure is balsa and basswood, doors and some detail parts are stamped steel, and others are diecast metal or wire.

 

The steel-braced wooden boxcars were a transitional design from the early 1900s between all wood and all steel cars, and many saw real-world service late into the 1960s and beyond.

                                                   

These can be found built-up, but I usually avoid them as some period adhesives weren't great, many were built by ham-handed modelers with resulting poor fit and finish...and dismantling them for restoration often just isn't possible without significant damage to long out-of-production parts.

Virgin kits, on the other hand, can build up to rival any of the high-end ready-to-run stuff available today, with upgrades like Kadee couplers, etc.

This gives an idea of what a much nicer than average long-ago built-up from this particular kit looks like.

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Earl Marischal]

6 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

This is probably THE most challenging model I've added to my collection of very old "craftsman kits" to date, an HO scale Ideal Models Bucyrus-Erie 150 ton railroad crane. I believe it dates from at least 60-70 years back (check the "deco" box-art, different from later versions of the same kit). It's made from embossed foil-coated cardstock overlays that have to be precisely cut out and glued over thicker pre-punched cardstock and balsa underlayments. Even the pulley sheaves get built up from pre-punched cardstock rounds. The boom braces have to be cut and formed from bamboo strip stock, and the steps and grabs have to be formed from wire.

It builds up to look like this, and boy howdy, are there a lot of opportunities to bugger it hopelessly.

It is similar when completed to the HO scale Gould/Tichy injection-molded styrene 120-ton Brownhoist railroad crane, widely regarded as one of the best engineered and most complex plastic models ever produced (I have several, and they are spectacular when finished).

 

Good luck with that crane Bill. I had an Athearn plastic kit version but I ended up selling it unstarted!

steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

10 hours ago, Earl Marischal said:

Good luck with that crane Bill...

Thanks. I think the first thing to do (if I actually build it) is to laminate the embossed foil-covered parts onto .020" or .030" sheet styrene to give it better dimensional stability.

Cardstock is notoriously unstable with humidity changes, leading to unpredictable warping and crawling around.

Now that I think of it, getting the foil-covered parts totally dry and coating them in epoxy to seal them from humidity changes would be prudent as well. My magic, clear airplane epoxy can be sprayed as thin as paint, without obscuring printed and embossed details.

With the sealed parts laminated on styrene sheet, building the thing should be much easier than trying to glue a bunch of floppy cardboard parts together neatly.

There's enough extra material in the kit to experiment with sealing and laminating and assembly processes.

Substitute styrene strip stock for the bamboo, and turn the pulleys from soft metal or plastic on the lathe...yeah, I think we're developing a plan.    

Edited May 19, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

On 5/16/2024 at 8:29 AM, FoMoCo66 said:

Do you have a WIP on this project?

Not yet. It'll be several months at least before I can start on it.

[Brian Austin]

I recently ordered this lovely paperweight online.  It's an old All-Nation O Gauge Ten Wheeler built metal kit.  From what I've read, it was a popular model in its time, but you don't find much solid info on them online.  So far I've confirmed the seller's description stating it didn't run.  The motor might be dead, or there's a short somewhere.  Motor is an open frame design made by Pittman for All-Nation.  I have already separated the chassis from the boiler, along with the motor subframe.

IIRC this thing weighs about 6 and a half pounds in total.

 

 

Edited May 20, 2024 by Brian Austin

[Ace-Garageguy]

8 hours ago, Brian Austin said:

...So far I've confirmed the seller's description stating it didn't run.  The motor might be dead, or there's a short somewhere.  Motor is an open frame design made by Pittman for All-Nation.  I have already separated the chassis from the boiler, along with the motor subframe.

Nice old locomotive.

Those massive old Pittman motors are pretty much indestructible.

Assuming the windings on the armature aren't shorted (which very rarely happens) or broken (again rare), all it probably needs is to have the commutator cleaned and the brushes either adjusted (spring tension) or replaced.

Brushes are usually available somewhere from specialist suppliers, though it can take some effort to find the right ones, and old hardware stores sometimes have dusty boxes of electric motor brushes with something that can be made to work.

If you check the armature windings with an ohmmeter for shorts and opens and it's OK, it will run again with a minimum of effort. 

Worst case...rewind the armature. I was doing it on hot-rod slot cars when I was 12.

Edited May 20, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Bugatti Fan]

I received H G Wells ' Invisible Kit !

[Ace-Garageguy]

NOS Athearn HO scale Alco PA1 locomotive shell in Delaware & Hudson livery. I'm pretty sure this shell is out of production, as more recent Proto 2000 PA models from Walthers are essentially vastly upgraded Athearn models, with separate handrails, knuckle-style couplers that are NOT truck mounted, etc. I have a new Proto "DCC-ready" chassis to go under this old girl. The new chassis is complete with all the upgrades to make this vintage shell the equal of a gennie Proto 2000 unit.

The D&H is rapidly becoming my all time favorite of the "fallen flag" railroads because of their habit of buying some very interesting used locomotives and then rebuilding them, including four Alco PAs, plus saving the last two remaining Baldwin "Sharks" from the scrapper and returning them to revenue service.

                                       

The model, carrying number 19, is representative of one of the four real PA locomotives bought used by D&H and rebuilt, shown below in 1978.

 

Edited May 23, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Earl Marischal]

10 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

NOS Athearn HO scale Alco PA1 locomotive shell in Delaware & Hudson livery. I'm pretty sure this shell is out of production, as more recent Proto 2000 PA models from Walthers are essentially vastly upgraded Athearn models, with separate handrails, knuckle-style couplers that are NOT truck mounted, etc. I have a new Proto "DCC-ready" chassis to go under this old girl. The new chassis is complete with all the upgrades to make this vintage shell the equal of a gennie Proto 2000 unit.

The D&H is rapidly becoming my all time favorite of the "fallen flag" railroads because of their habit of buying some very interesting used locomotives and then rebuilding them, including four Alco PAs, plus saving the last two remaining Baldwin "Sharks" from the scrapper and returning them to revenue service.

                                       

The model, carrying number 19, is representative of one of the four real PA locomotives bought used by D&H and rebuilt, shown below in 1978.

 

Nice score.

Back in 1996, I had a drive of a PA that was at the Mexican National Railway Museum in Puebla. During my Mexican trip I also saw the one that was eventually repatriated to the US.

steve

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

This was waiting when I got in, an almost-new HO scale Proto 2000 Alco PA power-chassis and body shell, never assembled.

Looks like the earlier Athearn D&H PA shell (above) will be pretty much a drop-on swap once the front coupler is removed...pretty much as I'd expected. Maybe a small bit of clearancing inside the shell, as well.

BIG THANKS to Steve Grantham for those photos of a PA with her innards exposed, too. 

[Big John]

On 5/23/2024 at 10:50 AM, Bugatti Fan said:

I received H G Wells ' Invisible Kit !

Great details, Thanks for the pics!

[Brian Austin]

I recently got another old O Scale "doorstop".  This is a kit build, but I'm not sure of the manufacturer.  Lobaugh and All Nation offered similar ones, but both seem to be different from mine in various aspects.

It has a big honkin' Pittman open frame motor that does work.  It took a week or two of sorting out the various problems but the loco is running now.  One mildly amusing problem is that the tender is crooked in various aspects. It definitely looks hand made.  I should paint it black but the whole thing has an interesting patina.  Judging by the spoiler on the cab roof, this loco must have the Sports Package.  ?

Edited June 25, 2024 by Brian Austin

[Ace-Garageguy]

Another brass HO rescue...this time a Southern Railway 4-6-2 Ps-4 by United Scale Models.

In excellent condition these go for around $500, but this one needs help, is missing the trailing truck on the locomotive and part of a tender truck, so I got it for a fraction of that.

I'm always amazed that people hack and bodge and lose parts from expensive, beautiful models like this, but I guess...Oh well. No need to go there.

One interesting thing is that the Southern Railroad's Ps-4s paint scheme was inspired by the London and North Eastern Railway (UK) colors in 1925.

Though they were in service from the mid-1920s and were extensively modified and updated through the years, by 1952 all 64 of them had been replaced by diesels and were on the scrap line. One was saved by an enthusiastic railfan and a Southern board member. Number 1401 was cosmetically restored and lives on as a static display at the Smithsonian, the only one of her kind left anywhere on Earth.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Railway_Ps-4_class

 

 

Edited June 29, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy