Does any manufacturer make these in HO scale?
I actually want it for my 1940’4 New Haven railroad.
elec_tron42,
[sighhhhhhhhhh]…Nope. I wi***hey did because I’d snatch one up - especially the HH-600 because it was the one HIgh Hood that was used on the NYC. I have a 1941 built Alco S1 and Baldwin VO-660 on my layout, too. Love those early diesels…[:)]
Tom
This doesn’t answer your question but there were a couple of full size ones until very recently in the Chicago area. One used to switch the GATX tank car facility in East Chicago and one switched a scrap recycler in Portage, Indiana. They were owned and leased by an engine rebuilder in Minooka, Il. who specialized in Alco power for awhile. As usual with my slides they were kept and not returned by Kalmbach in spite of my SASE enclosed
Walthers once made one, I think it was their very first HO diesel kit. Extremely crude by today’s standards, and calling it a ‘kit’ is being generous, it’s basically a supply of material to scratch build a loco. I saw one in its original box going for quite a high price at a recent train show (unbuilt).
–Randy
Check the May MR; there’s a company making one in resin, and the kit includes a P2K SW chassis. “Only” $189.00…
Not the May Model Railroader, it was the June 2005 Railroad Model Craftsman that printed a review of a resin kit that includes a modified P2K S-1 frame. I would really like a HH-660 myself, but $189 is too rich for my blood right now. Here’s a link to the manufacturer’s site where you can purchase the kit directly: www.jjlmodels.com
I don’t understand why P2K can’t make these themselves. They were popular enough on the prototype roads that I believe P2K could sell enough to make it worth it.
Tom
As already noted, Walthers offered the HH660 as a castings and mechanism kit way back in 1938 (production continued until about 1950, then just the castings alone were offered). I have one of these in the early NH paint scheme! About 15 years ago I think it was OMI that did a run of these engines in brass. Branford Hobbies in CT has offered a resin body/Athearn mechanism version off and on over the past 5-10 years in the $150 range, both as a kit and RTR. Likewise, as others have indicated, JJ Models currently has a limited run conversion kit based on a LifeLike ALCO S-1for $190. And I agree, why can’t one of the big plastics manufacturers come out with this once popular loco after all these years?
CNJ831
Guy’s
I agree, as popular as these are, with a few options on the high hood, a manufacturer such as P2K or ATLAS could sell a lot of these. I would take multiple units of the Reading Company and CNJ units. With sound of course!!
Thanks, Chris
Thanks for the real info Tom; I knew I saw the HH660 advertised someplace…
Ditto the request for one in plastic though. I’d gladly pay $100 for one in plastic (or $189 for one with sound installed!), but $189 for a resin kit that’s going to require a huge amount of work is too much for me!
The New Haven Terminal resin HH660’s are nice models, although they do use an Athearn chassis. They are under $200, but they are fully assembled and painted in the paint scheme of your choice, so they are well worth it, IMHO.
Currently, however, NHT is in a bit of a slump because of ongoing construction issues at his shop (Branford Hobbies) which has KO’d his production schedule. He is always at the Springfield Show in February, so I know he’s still in business, just not doing much production at the moment…
BTW, elec_tron42, you might try asking over on the New Haven Forum at www.nhrhta.org. Some of those guys on that forum live close by to NHT and might be able to tell you more.
Paul A. Cutler III
Weather Or No Go New Haven
Ah, man!! An HH660!?! How 'bout that!! Sure would like to see an HH600 come out, too! Hey, does anyone know whether the exteriors of the 660’s and the 600’s were different or the same prototypically? Hmmmmmm…
Thanks for the link and the info, Thomas! [:D]
Tom