Hello All, and Happy Thanksgiving! I've been working on a Baldwin DRS1500/AS16 for several months now, I received my test print yesterday! Some things came out far better than I had hoped, but some still need work. This is a kit that I plan to release, so I thought it might be best to open up the floor and hear your opinions on my revisions. As you can see, the basic layout of the model is in three pieces, the cab, hood, and sill. Very similar to many of the Atlas models. The sill is a bit flimsy, so I will be making it a bit thicker on the next run. I did not draw out any "cast on detail" on the sill, instead, I drew holes to add grab irons, and coupler lift bars from BLMA. I was extremely pleased with how the hood came out, in fact the only changes I might make is to enlarge the headlight openings. As with the sill, I didn't draw hand rails or grab irons, I drew holes to add grab irons, and hand rails using BLMA eyebolts to hold them in place. The cab will need a bit of revision, as it is clearly too short. I could add holes for BLMA sunshades, but if your prototype didn't have sunshades, the holes would be noticeable. My biggest complaint so far is that none of the grills on the long hood came out. Is there an etched brass grill option out there that would work for a Baldwin locomotive? Finally, I've tried several times to print handrails for this model, and none of the variations are consistent. The stanchions come out pretty reliably, but the handrail does not. I think I will try printing just stanchions with holes in the top so that the modeler can make their own wire handrails. Thoughts? Now on to the biggest problem! The truck centers on the Baldwin are 32' 3". I had planned on using an Atlas RS-11 drive, thinking that the 1" difference in truck centers (6" on each end) wouldn't bee that noticeable..... well... It is. What are the options out there for a drive for this model? It has been my experience with this technology, that producing kits with a "multi media" approach - using cast, and etched detail parts instead of printing fine details - can yield really fine models. Thanks for your input!
Looks good! I'm planning on using Atlas GP-35 chassis with Atlas 6 wheel trucks fitted on mine. That's the closest truck spacing I could find. I'm working on shrinking the whole shell down from HO scale. I recommend photo-etched handrails and stanchions. I've already got the artwork ready for the DRS-6-6-1500 version of the shell I am working on. I think RP material is too brittle make stanchions out of that will hold up to everyday handling. For the grilles on the sides of the long hood, you could shrink them down from HO scale and have a separate cast resin part that gets inserted into a hole or depression.
Great workup so far piperguy. I thought of Plano I think the company is called that makes etch metal detail parts like grilles for different applications that I have used before. They look nice and may have one that fits that application. Just a thought. The handrails I would think of using Brass wire of the appropriate thickness with pre made stanchions. I sure would be interested in one of these kits if you do go through with it. Keep it going looks great
Hi I plan to make a Rayonier AS-616. The chassis I will use is an Atlas/Kato RS-1, which accepts the Atlas RSD-12 trucks. I have a set of Randy's Commonwealth side frames on mine already, and they look great. My preference would be a basic shell with various grill and door options. Rayonier's AS-616's were ex-SP, and the hood doors are different from the one's on your fine looking rendition. Most of them also had the large extra headlight and raised body work from Pacific Electric days. I would also like dimples for drilling and attaching my own grabs. Most modellers who buy these are into serious modelling and likely wouldn't object to adding their own details. Conversely, it's not difficult to remove cast on grabs either. Just my thoughts. Thanks for offering some more modelling options for those of us who prefer classic diesels. Cheers Steve
Steve- I also would like to do a Rayonier AS 616 too. However, you are not entirely correct that the Rayonier locos were all ex SPs. Take a look at the light configuration on units 45, 76, and 90. These all have the big extra large headlight. On unit 70 this is NOT the case. I think 70 was bought new were the others were bought second hand from SP. One of these units, I cant remeber which one was taken apart and shipped to Trona Ry. The others were parted out and scrapped at Crane Creek shops around 1986. Somewhere my dad has some pictures of the scrapping taking place as he was hauling logs into Crane Creek at the time. If I made a Rayonier train, I would then have 2 big logging RRs in my collection. I already have a Chehalis Western train. A Rayonier train would be a GREAT addition. Ryan
I'm also looking to build AS-616's but for the Southern Pacific. Just like M&E Alco, I was going to use the Atlas RSD-12 trucks but I haven't gotten the side frames yet. I also want to do an A and a B unit. Adding detail parts are not a problem...grab irons and the like, in fact I would rather add them myself. Personally, I think that etched brass handrails and stanchions are a better and more durable idea. The difference of the PE (ex-SP) AS616s is that they had dynamic brakes in the short hood. The hoods were changed to allow air intake to cool the brakes which also raised the classification lights to the very top of the hood. SP also modified the long hood air intakes as well to allow the engines to breath better during the course of the engines lives causing problems with how to paint the 'wings' on the sides.
Hi The following table is from an SP site. The Rayonier AS-616's all had the high headlight, except #70. #14 was different, but still had the lights. I thought they came from Pacific Electric like that, but can't find any evidence of this. I'm quite happy to build the high headlights myself, as long as I can get a shell that closely resembles the ex-SP ones. I would build #45, as I have more photos of this one. Randy's Commonwealth truck frames were designed for the Atlas C-628/630 trucks, so they are slightly long on the older RSD frames. Acceptable to to me though. Thanks and good luck with your project. Cheers Steve [TABLE="width: 769"] [TR] [TD]Delivered [/TD] [TD]as [/TD] [TD]vacated [/TD] [TD]notes [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Sep-50 [/TD] [TD]5239 [/TD] [TD]1964 [/TD] [TD]sold to Oregon & Northwestern as their #2 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Apr-51 [/TD] [TD]5249 [/TD] [TD]1960 [/TD] [TD]sold to Trona RR. CA. as their #53 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Oct-51 [/TD] [TD]5250 [/TD] [TD]1962 [/TD] [TD]sold to Kaiser Bauxite, Jamaica. as their #106, later #5106 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Oct-51 [/TD] [TD]5251 [/TD] [TD]1961 [/TD] [TD]sold to Kaiser Bauxite, Jamaica. as their #105, later #5105, onsold to Aluminum Partners of Jamaica as their #17871 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]3/04/1952 [/TD] [TD]5253 [/TD] [TD]1963 [/TD] [TD]sold to McCloud River as their #34, resold 1969 to Oregon & Northwestern as their #4 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Feb-52 [/TD] [TD]5272 [/TD] [TD]1967 [/TD] [TD]to ITT-Rayonier, Grays Harbor, Washington as their #70 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]May-52 [/TD] [TD]5273 [/TD] [TD]1961 [/TD] [TD]to ITT-Rayonier, Grays Harbor, Washington as their #45 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]May-52 [/TD] [TD]5274 [/TD] [TD]1968 [/TD] [TD]sold to Oregon & Northwestern as their #3 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]May-52 [/TD] [TD]5275 [/TD] [TD]1962 [/TD] [TD]to ITT-Rayonier, Grays Harbor, Washington as their #90 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]May-52 [/TD] [TD]5276 [/TD] [TD]1968 [/TD] [TD]to ITT-Rayonier, Grays Harbor, Washington as their #76 [/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD]Jun-52 [/TD] [TD]1012B [/TD] [TD]Kaiser Steel [/TD] [TD]Serial # 75357. To Rayonier as #14, To Trona as #54, To Johnson Terminal(OK) as #54, To SMS as #554 [/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE]
Yes. The Atlas GP30/35 has 32' truck centers AND you get the benefit that Alco trimount trucks should fit in it.
Ron- Does it matter what version of the Atlas GP30/35 you use? Is there a difference in the mechaisms on the Atlas/Kato vs the current Atlas version other than the updated motors? Ryan
The newer Atlas GP30/35 "Masterline" mechanisms are DCC ready, and the frame is different in some dimensions. They fit the old GP30/35 shells just fine, but in terms of fitting a custom shell who can say if the dimensions that vary would have an effect (probably not, as the DCC mech appears to have removed material rather than added). On the other hand, the Atlas "Classic" GP30/35 mechanisms are identical to the Kato in terms of dimensions.
I don't think so- I'm only going by memory. But the RSD 4/5 truck centers measure out to something like 29 or 30'
If you want handrails bad enough I can do them in wire as custom work, usually about $35 a locomotive - soldered brass wire. See the randgust.com web page. They go on AFTER the shell has been finished and painted, they are made right on the shell. I think the Shapeways stuff has come a long way, but handrails and grabs are still a sore spot. That's one of the reasons I pulled the trigger on the CF7 project and went with a fully etched-brass handrail and detail set instead of redoing it via Shapeways. It was really worth it and I'm glad I did it that way. If you think you'll get enough volume to justify at least 50-100 sets PM me and I'll put you in touch with my photoetcher. If you're really good in AutoCad you can run your own artwork, I'll admit I wasn't.
I had a request to dust off my old Commonwealth 6-wheel resin sideframes that I designed to fit the Atlas truck spacing. The molds are still good. One of the things you can do in resin that you can't do in FUD is inserts. I insert the brass wire in the molds and then pour around it so that the brake rigging is fully detailed with .010 wire. I'll do 4 for $8, contact me via the randgust web page.
The short story is not really, it's taken a back burner to several other projects. The main issue with this project is that there isn't a great drive for the model. I have an Atlas GP35 drive, which is ok for truck spacing, but has some serious clearance issues inside the shell. The frame would take some major milling to get the shell to sit low enough, not to mention getting a fuel tank to fit appropriately! I've also run into trouble with grills. The resolution of the 3D printed grills is not adequate, so I've been seeking out other options there. On top of all this, there are so many variations on this particular unit, that my model would only be correct for SOME of Western Maryland's Baldwin units which I set out to model. The FUD material is very good, but it can be a bit of a pain to work with if you wanted to do major kit bashing work. It is brittle, and tends chip or crack if you are cutting it with an xacto blad. I had some issues with the print-ability of the cab, which I'd be happy to fix. If there is enough interest despite these issues, I'd be happy to release my model as a sort of base line model to build from.
