Awesome idea on the cab light Tom!
Nice Maryland Midland units!!! Earl is out…
My favorite diesel locos are my beloved SD70Ace D&RGW Heritage units.
Though it’s rated as heavier than the 44-tonner, the GE 45 ton switcher (Bachmann Spectrum) is significantly smaller in size, runs great, and can pull very well for its size. (It even has side rods - best of both worlds?) Mine easily walks away with a cut of 8 NMRA-weighted cars with metal wheels and sprung metal trucks. I haven’t needed to max it out yet, but I suspect 9 o 10 would be about its limit… They come with a dual-mode decoder (which I promptly removed), and are even set up for sound (though it wasn’t included on the one I got…).
Hey Karl…what addhesive did you use to put down the Cannon & Co walkways?
A few pics of the Doodlebug chassis with the new “Stanton” drive trucks from NWSL.
The front truck and new bolster.
Close up of the new front bolster.
A rear view…not much difference in height.
Here are three of my Detroit Southern RR diesels lined up for a photo at Chicago Yard. From left to right, a GP30 high hood, a GP38AC high hood and a GP60.
Update on the doodlebug…Painted and now awaiting detail parts and decals.
An update to the doodlebug…
…Added a removable roof hatch so I can get access to 4 electrical switches for the wiring needed to run straight DC or go DCC through the Micro-Tsunami 750 GE Cummins decoder.
How and What type and size of decoder do you use in this engine? I have one and I can’t fit the decoder into it.
NILE
Tsunami Micro TSU-750.
I`ll mount it to the inside of the roof.
Really Excellent work Dennis!!!
Look forward to the next updates!
Bob,
Can you tell me more about you Detroit Southern RR? I am interested in a profile shot of one of your engines. While I don’t free lance per se, I model GTW and BN in a joint operating situation. CN doesn’t exist “in my world” and I have a branch line that is either Ann Arbor RR or Detroit & Mackinac RR depending on the day. I like modeling engines in paint schemes that the real railroads didn’t own. I currently have an FP45 in GTW and I am working on GP40X, SDP35, SD70I, and SD60F. These will all be GTW when they are completed. In the future, I’ll probably paint a GP60B in GTW as well.
NILE
NILE, above is a profile of my DS paint scheme.
During the '80s I was in a modular club, the Saginaw River Valley, which is still in existence today. I was painting all of my motive power in SRV, but I wanted to add some power that didn’t sound like a short-line. A friend and I came up with Detroit Southern, a fictitious super regional that runs from Detroit to Atlanta. We didn’t create a logo, we just had name and number sets made.
Last fall I decided to get back into the hobby after 22 years and to build a home layout with DCC-sound. I wanted to continue to use Detroit Southern, but to model a single track branch in the Chicago area. In effect the farthest west the DS goes.
For a simple black paint scheme with white graphics I purchase locos in black paint and then remove or paint over the existing graphics and apply my DS decals. I have two BLI SD40-2s that began as Illinois Central, two GP60s that were Walthers’ Proto2000 Norfolk Southern. My other motive power were roads like N&W and NYC that could be easily converted to Detroit Southern without painting the entire engine.
I’m just catching up with this thread. I have a number of locomotive projects going at any given time. Currently I’m working on an ALCo C-415 with major internal upgrades. I’d like to know what the treadplate material is that I’ve seen on a couple engines here, and where it’s available?
As a possible answer to those looking for smaller switchers: Here are a couple small switchers powered by early Spectrum 44 tonner motors. The maroon one has so much lead in it, its slightly heavier than a stock 44 tonner. This was built before I had reference pictures of a GE 25 tonner, but the end handrails stay. The 44 tonner hood was shortened. Both run well. Dan
Cannon & Co. makes the tread material…it is photo etched brass.
Here is a link to their website.
That little boxcab is a dead ringer for one used at one of the local cement plants (well, if it were painted a light blue color). I may have to make myself one of those.
–Randy
Randy, (if you haven’t figured it already) It’s made from MDC box cab body pieces, with the 44 tonner truck screwed to a bolster within. Pretty easy stuff…As it sits, it’s still too light, but there’s plenty of room still to add more weight.
There’s sure a lot of nice work being shown on this thread. Dan
Another update on the doodlebug…
Marker lights ready to go…
Front end…
Two SMD LED`s mounted to the backside of an MV lens…one red and one white.
