http://www.thedieselshop.us/BLH_AS616.HTML This shows the units with "A" numbers (presumably the B-units) built in 1951 and the others in 1953. Doesn't make too much sense.
Those are the "A" units. The "B" units are further down that same page. MILW did buy more AS616, six additional units, built August and September of 1953.
A friend sent me this link: http://www.pacific-western-rail.com/view_product.php?ProductID=167621 Photo date is early May of 1951. The units look brand new and the site has me thinking MILW's West Milwaukee Shops. I'm betting they've just been delivered, within days of this picture. Paint scheme showing is orange with maroon band.
Hmmm .. an AB set would look pretty cool in the grey scheme. Yes, the pic was taken in the valley. Randy
It would really be nice to see this model come to pass. One that I've wanted to see for years. Question what frame would be a fit? With the truck config? Doesn't have to be a perfect fit but the number of trucks. Thanks for the response ahead of time
The Atlas RSD4/5 frame is very close for the wheelbase and overall length. Body width is close too, so I would expect the Alco frame to fit ok inside a AS616 body with very little work needed. The RSD trucks work for the Ph3 versions, but you would need the Commonwealth sideframes for earlier units. You could even use the same front and rear handrails as well. Peter
the Magma #10 was the McCloud railroad DRS-6-6-1500, and the SMS lins has a running AS-616 that they got from the Trona
I'd consider it an interesting addition, worthy of a shell or two. But I'd have to also buy a suitable donor mechanism.
These units should have been getting close to the last received with gray tops. We might need to scan through an all-time diesel roster. No later than 1952 was when the simple orange and black took over, (at least with first SD7 deliveries), and was also the last year for new equipment with a full name herald.
Thanks Peter appreciate the info. Will have to pick up one of those if this project comes to be. Because I sure would love one in SP
I'd be in for a few. Especially if the commenwealth truck could be worked out. SP all the way. Cabs and boosters.
In case you missed it in the "Workbench" thread, I have one shell that is getting close: I shrunk the cab and walkways separately, but to make the gaps look better I glued them back together in N scale size. I think I am going to grind this cab off and replace it with a better one after looking at it. I also need to work on some etched brass handrails. I would really like to use round wire for the handrails so I'll probably design one version for wire and another version with the whole thing etched. I also need to make a thicker frame with notches in it for the AS-616s that the C&O had.
Also ITT Rayonier had several too. I believe they had a total of 5? One of which, #76 was painted in a bi-centenial scheme too. This would fill a MAJOR void in N scale to have a couple of these running around the layout.
When Trona shed itself of the Baldwins, they wound up at the Port of Muskogee, but their wheelbase and the railroad's sharp curves didn't go together too well. The AS616s and assorted spare parts went to SMS. Somewhere in my collection of slides I have a couple of pics of the "Muskogee Baldwins" wearing blue & white. The white GP9s that are here now are OK, but just don't have the exotic air of the AS616s.
