Shapeways designer Mike has been making the Milwaukee Road "Little Joe's" for quite a few years. His first versions of the As-built and Re-built was only the engine shells, end decks and driver/pilot side frames. His first two, As-built and Re-build ones, I highly modified Kato GG1's by getting two additional GG1 trucks from Kato and cutting off an additional set of drivers and grafting onto the existing GG1 trucks as well as shorting the GG1 front and rear trucks. These I used the GG1 pantographs on. All top detail was scratched built using my Overland Brass Little Joe. Mike is now going to 3D print all the top detail from pictures I sent him as well as other picture sources. Mike went to the extreme with his newest release's. Using a Kato SD-90 internal parts, everything now snaps into his Little Joe chassis making for an unreal runner, plus a lot easier to build than the first releases. Besides getting a Kato SD-90/43 MAC, you'll also need to go to Kato's site and get an additional power truck for the two extra "Free Roller" drivers. The motor once the SD-90 mount is removed snaps into place. You have a choice of either direct drive, (shafts included), or cutting down the universal drive shafts as what I did. But will use the direct drive on his Re-built version, and if I like it better, will change the As-built one. The main chassis already has both pilot end trucks mounted, just need to place the wheel sets of your choice. I ended up using brass wheel sets for the additional weight. With the pivot of the end trucks, once soaked in either Goo Gone or Bestine, I always use Scalecoat II paint stripper for a five minute rotate soak then wash with dish washing liquid and an old tooth brush then a good rinsing, don't like or have patience for the 24 hour wait soak time. Carefully move both back and forth easily and slowly until both pivot freely. Besides the motor snapping into place, the set of drivers with the brass wipers once removed from the SD-90 just snaps into place, the free rolled driver also snaps into place. Once I had the chassis built, cover tops over the drive's, I then snapped both power trucks into place first running the pickup wires I soldered on both ends of the trucks brass pickup top tabs first through the small holes in the chassis and soldered them direct to the motor brush brass tabs. Also have a choice of bending the brass wipers and snapping them under the chassis. I just preferred direct wiring to the motor. Cover tops I also filled complete with Tungsten Putty. Little Joe body also snaps on the chassis. https://www.shapeways.com/product/9...arly-version?optionId=42663334&li=marketplace Short video of this newest Little Joe build. Also in the video is Mike's newest 3D printed and operating pantographs for the Milwaukee Road, very sturdy, hard to break.
Only one was ever rebuilt. After a wreck, the E78. There were slight modifications, here and there, to others.
Yeah, for some reason I got #E78 & E79 confused when I decaled it. Long since these pictures was taken, the numbers been changed to E78. One main change was to black out the windows on one end to hold electronics and a few other things. Then it had to be turned on the turntable from then on.
Warning, the following image is NSFW. I have a vague memory of seeing pictures of the rebuilt E78 with both cabs with glass. It must have been only a short period of time however as most images show that "b" cab blanked out. Here she is after the incident that required a complete makeover: Would sure make an interesting, if not sad, modelling project!! -Mike
WOW, never seen that picture before, have it saved now ! Well, your rebuilt version has the windows blacked out ----------------- ( ; Would be an unreal build, but only if you had a badly distorted 3D print of it.
