Hi. I’m considering using a Walthers Dayton Machine Co 933-2823 or Union Crane & Shovel 933-4021 for a shop that older diesel(s) might use. It’s long enough for a GP9, but I don’t know the door height above rails (which for the GP9 is 2"). If anyone can tell me an accurate measurement of the door from the railtops or the base it would help to know whether I would need to make modifications (notch the door higher, add a 1/4" foundation, etc. The Dayton Machine is not in stock, but the similar Union Crane kit is in stock.
WouldWathers answer this type question if I called (they’re off for the weekend)?
Thanks!
I just finished building the Union Crane and Shovel kit this month. The vertical clearance from railtop to the top of the door opening is 2 1/4". I have an HO Athearn ATSF GP7 zebra stripe that looks to clear it okay.
This Dayton Machine Shop has all windows on the side otherwise it appears to be the same as the one pictured by Walthers.
As noted the height from rail head to the top of the opening is 2 1/4 inches.
Bob
Thanks. I ordered the Crane & Shovel shop as it’s in stock, I like the all window sides and it was $29 instead of $49 (odd). It will make a nice addition,
If you want to give yourself a bit more clearance (mostly for visual reasons), you could cut off what looks like an I/H-beam over the door, remove as many courses of brick as you want, and then replace the beam. Or, you could substiture a “shorter” but wider H-beam, which might entend to the front of the columns, and give you just a little more clearance.
I have to say that even though they’re basically the same structure, the Union Crane and Shovel looks much more handsome. Although, I think that’s only because the photo Walthers uses must be of a custom built and finished kit - including wrapping that sign decal over the columns on the side, not their usual “squeaky-clean” image with the kit-plastic surface untouched. It actually looks like the wall panels were painted, as it’s more brown than red (unless it was a different plastic), and they’ve clearly used a white powder or fluid to fill in the mortar lines.
Dayton costs more for the assembly, especially the time it takes a Chinese person to paint all those individual bricks in varying colors. I’ve never cared for this look, as you so rarely see it in reality, so don’t really understood the appeal of it.
I’ve ordered two to create a large/long industry, and might even slice them lengthwise to make a really long backdrop industry. However, I just thought that for enginehouse use you could cut out most of the front wall opposite the man door and have a two bay facility, with a machine shop on the other side. With the interior so visible, I might insert styrene between the window inserts - at least on the main floor - so the inside looks better.
I used an earlier incarnation of a similar structure (having a much wider center section) with an overhead traveling crane to make a steel fabrication shop on an unfinished HO module that provides switching independent of the overhead mains, although it’s restricted to 40’ cars an