Has anybody seen in HO a centipede
i recently bought the book on ndem in color written by Matthw J. Herson and i noticied this locomotive on the cover inside the book it mentions that it was built by BALDWIN as a
DR-12-8-3000
is there any company that builds these in HO?
if not how would u recomend to scratch build one
sorry i can’t down load any pictures.
[:D]
Doc,
I think you may be referring to this: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=181586 (now that’s a giant!)
This might help just a little. There was one produced back in the 90s in brass. I forgot the name of the Asian manufacturer, but these types of units pop up on ebay from time to time. They may fetch a pretty penny.
With today’s market conditions, a model locomotive manufacturer has to invest an “obscene” amount of money to produce a locomotive. In the "good old days of not so long ago it was in the “thousands of dollars” range to produce quality molds and dies. Now, with the licensing process, and precision engineering involved, it can easily break the million dollar mark.
(Although, doggone it! One would think that with the latest technology and outsourcing, production costs would actually drop. Go figure!) [D)]
The ownership has to make certain that they will recoup and make a profit on their investment. The most profitable locomotives? Units whose prototypes were owned by various railroads. This is why the market is still FLOODED with EMD F units. Though attractive, something as unique (and uncommon) as a Baldwin Centipede might not be desirable for a manufacturer to produce in plastic because stats would show that the number of modelers wanting one may be low as only 2 or 3 railroads owned them.
The Baldwin Centipede has been produced in brass (the PRR also had them). there is nothing in plastic that even approaches the nose or carbody contours. In addition there is no chassis that resembles it, other than a PRR GG1, and that has way bigger drivers and is only a 4-6-6-4 instead of a 4-8-8-4.
It would be a 100% scratch job or shell out a grand or so for a brass one.
Dave H.
Hallmark models produced one in the 1960’s or early 1970’s. This was the one I owned. Typical of brass diesels of the era, it wasn’t a very good runner, with very loud gear and motor noise. Details when compared with the detail on modern diesels or even most steam locos of that time period was crude. Fans, sideframes and grill details were coinings (stamped out of brass) and were fair at best. Although it was best used as a “hangar queen”, it did pull fairly well when I did run it. SAL, PRR and lastly the NdeM owned them.
Sold it in 1973 for $50, about what I paid for it new.
I believe Overland or Railworks has done them since but they are big bucks. SAL also had them so it is a very limited market. When they show up on EBay they command very high dollars.
cough Erie Triplex cough
The biggest problem with a Centipede is the huge radius curves that would be required.