Have always felt the CB&Q E5 to be one of the most beautiful diesels ever but only model I have ever been aware of was an old Hallmark brass model. Has anyone else ever made a model of this engine and if not, I wonder why not. It is a classic and the subject of many photos.
They have been imported in HO by Hallmark, Challenger, Railway Classics, and Overland. Maybe Oriental too. The Hallmarks are the worst of the group in both looks and performance IMO. I own an A/B set of Overland E5’s and love them.
In N scale, there is a resin shell available. It appears to be built from a Proto E6.
John
Thanks John. I bet the Overlands are very good. I do wish BLI, Athearn or Atlas would do one. HR
The one I want to see is the EA. I like the Shovlenose, with the effectiveness of a functional coupler.
The EA’s and EB’s were done by Oriental back in the 80’s, and again by Railway classics in the early 2000’s.
Here’s the Beautiful RWC version.
Yep, there’s a somewhat-LHS that has the Knight and Princess. Beautiful, not in my price range. But oh to drool.
Really beautiful. Sat in one in Mt Pleasant IA. Amazing how primitive the cab was in the 1930’s. I know E6 models exist. Seems reasonable to do the C,B&Q E5 but I know nothing about what goes into the production process of such a model and know there is a supply demand issue at play as well. Oh well, dream on.
My E5 A/B set is Hallmark. The power drive has been removed from the A unit and replaced with an upgraded Hobbytown drive.
I did grow up next to the Q and enjoyed seeing the E5’s in action. Also, I rode the TCZ a few times when an E5 in the loco consist.
Unfortunately, the Q was the only road to purchase the E5, it was a special designation due to the added fluting on the side. There has been rumors of a resin shell in HO but I’m not sure on the progress of the project.
They are beautiful motors, even though I model a time just after their retirement, if given the opportunity, I may snag a set.
Ricky
Thanks for posting this great looking E5. Also admire your city setting and may shamelessly steal an idea or two for my layout!
Just a thought, but what about using fluting from Union Station Products on a P2K E6?
The E5 (note picture with stars to the left) is why I switched from N back to HO in 1983. I decided to build one and could not get fine enough detailing parts in N. Unfortunately since only one railroad (I guess two if one counts the C&S as a separate RR) ever owned the locomotive it is not likely that they will be made in mass production.
The saddest picture I have is of the EMD back-lot where a Santa Fe PA is nose to nose with an E5 both waiting for the scrappers torch.
That is a good thought but it only gets one into a reasonable facsimile. There are more differences than one would think.
I would love to have models of all the early E-units. I need a fleet of Santa Fe E1s and E3s. Probably a B&O E1AB just because.
As was already mentioned, it would be a good start, but there are many other differences as well. The biggest difference is the portholes on the sides of the car body. They are shorter, mounted lower, and are in different possitions on the car side than the standard E6. This allows room for the letter board where “BURLINGTON” is spelled out. The headlight is also more streamlined on the E5’s, being raked back and lacking the shroud that is present under the E6’s upper light. The numberboards are also smaller and in a different position.
On Phase 1 E5’s, (like 9911 at IRM) The pilots and radiator grilles on the roof were also unique. The later, Phase 2 E5’s shared the same pilot and radiator grilles with the E6’s. There are a few small differences that I won’t get into.
It is likely you will never see an E5 in plastic, but some of the older brass ones can be had for little money these days. The Hallmark E5’s can be worked into a pretty decent E5 for a very small investment. The biggest problem with them is the drive. A chassis swap, along with some cosmetic upgrades can turn them into a decent model.
I paid 250$ for the OMI E5 A/B set I have. They were built in the early 90’s and came undecorated, but they share the same tooling as the newer OMI E5’s that go for around a 1000$.
Here’s my OMI
Gets my vote as probably the most beautiful E-unit ever produced (along with the “City” E-2’s). I rode behind one from Amarillo TX to Denver CO on the FW&D/C&S in the early '60’s, and when that gorgeous baby pulled into the Amarillo depot, I almost drooled all over my suit, it was so beautiful!
Okay, so it was strictly a Burlington FWD/C&S loco, but that shouldn’t stop it from becoming more commercially available. I’d sure bite! [:P]
Tom [:)]