I model modern times my self and would love to see some SD70M's SD70MAC's, SD.....etc. locomotives. Can't some one out there just make a convertion for the Atlas SD60? Not a convertion where you would have to cut here, glue this, put part 'A' in part 'B', just one where all you would have to do is pop off the old side frame and put this one on. I'm sure some company like Sunrise, Scale Replicas or even a small maker that no one has ever heard of could do this and make a TON of $$$$ of it. How many people are behind me on this? Thanks Craig Martyn......BLMA (best looking models around) [This message has been edited by Craig Martyn (edited 08 May 2000).]
Good idea, Craig. The failing here is there are no radial trucked prototype, RTR plastic EMD locos available. The SD60 will provide the basis of a SD60MAC which was the test bed for the radial truck, but it's a 2'8" stretch on a SD60M. And the SD70 is a bit different in layout to the 60 IIRC. As much as I would like to see it, an aftermarket manufacturer would make a little bit out of it but not much. It would require an aftermarket shell and frame to be available to warrant it, I feel. Just no demand, unfortunately... But I will be attempting a modification to a standard SD60 sideframe shortly to try replicating a radial truck. Gary. ------------------ Gary A. Rose The Unofficial TC&W page N to the Nth degree!
Craig Thats a great idea, but to make replacment sideframes would involve complicated and expensive molds. Our sideframes currently are molded into the casing of our wheelsets, so producing one is very complicated. I once asked Atlas about why cant they make the sideframes seperate like on HO locomotives and the response was that they would be too fragile. Personnaly I dont find that true, but we're going to have to wait a long time till we get such advanced detail parts. Mike
Not the case Mike! I did have the side frame in my product line for a few months, but they were just to hard to cast. The molds had MANY under cuts and in just about each casting there was at least one good sized bubble, even after I tried to get all of them out. I will explain more about them under the SD70M topic.....
Well, your right. Like what you did on your SD60 to SD70 you can do the same on other locos. Precision Scale makes some great 3 truck new SD type sideframes which are quite good. To work with those you do the same thing you did on your loco. File town the truck casing, file down the truck casting and glue them. Mike
