I have an Atlas n scale Alco C628 in Conrail paint that I would like to add to my CNW roster. Has anyone successfully raised the nose on one of these? I was thinking of using the nose of an RS11. If it can’t be done I suppose I’ll keep it and run it as run through power.
Back in the July 1992 issue of MR, there was an article on kitbashing a high nose C628 for the CNW. It was in HO, but it might give some ideas.
If you don’t have the issue, I would imagine one could easily be had either through eBay or through MR.
Returning to N scale myself, and model railroading in general after a 20 year hiatus.
thanx for the idea
Why not try contacting atlas, I’m sure there are many CNW fans out there my friend Dennis K. is one that comes to mind whom may be on the list for wanting a high nose C628.
Then maybe atlas can make a C636 and C424/5 series locos.
Yeah, but why wait on something that will probably never happen? It can’t be a difficult job and the satisfaction of doing it yourself is, to me, what its all about.
I’m in the same boat. I bought an N-scale low-nose Alco C630 with the same intent. I also bought a C630 shell to use as the guinea pig to modify, keeping the original low nose shell untouched just in case. As I look at photos and drawings of the high nose C630, it looks like the high nose front end strongly resembles the rear of the high hood. So the thought occurred to me to cut the tail off the donor shell and graft it on to the front of the original shell, after a little surgery.
Does anyone know if the rear of the long hood is essentially the same configuration as the short hood on a high nose? I realize I may need to do a few modifications, but is the basic shape the same? This may be one option to try.
“probably” doesn’t mean it won’t or can’t. Atlas has the tooling for those units other than the high hood. As for the SP&S units.
THe SP&S units have recessed # boards on the long hood and different grille/vent placement, The C636’s require a new type of truck frame that doesn’t exist as well as the boxy radiator housing amongst other things that current pre 636 series N scale alcos don’t have.
True that they do have the tooling already for the low-hood, but why would Atlas do a high hood? Two prototypes had them, the N&W (N&W had high hood C628’s and C630’s) and the CNW (ex-N&W). They would be much better served using the U23B stuff and making just a long hood to match the U28B, U30B, U33B, and the U36B. The U23B has been available how many years now? Atlas can’t even get the code 55 flex back in stock, so I wouldn’t hold out much hope for a high hood C628.
After modeling in N scale for a number of years, I’ve learned that if you want something really bad, odds are you will have to build it or make do with what’s available. This looks to be a really easy kitbash.
For the SP&S loco, ConCor has had a C636 in their line-up for at least 30 years. It is too short, but perhaps parts of it might be bashed into an Atlas C-630 shell. Just a thought…
Looking a photos, it appears that the short hood end is essentially the same as the long hood end. The number boards are flatter than the RS11 number boards…not as great of an angle. So, I would start start out with the C630 hood end and build the hood sides form styrene.
Con cor’s mech wasn’t correct for SP&S units, or very good at all. just finding one would be a pain. The problem is the trucks, I know that one can kitbash but I simply don’t have the time or ability to do so at the moment.