I found a Bowser FM H16-44 shell kit recently and have been working on it. I used an Athearn F7 frame, but have used Proto 1000 C-liner trucks for a more accurate appearance. (though that may be perfume on a pig on this old shell.)
I believe this shell represents the final version; the box art shows it decorated for Pennsy. Two questions:
Those Cary/Bowser shells are pretty heavy which is nice. Detail is so-so compared to the Atlas plastic shells but they are neat engines. The P2K trucks will be a good addition to it. The Pennsy painted them DGLE as that was their standard paint. I’m pretty sure long hood forward.
oldline1
Good to know; I’ll wire it long hood forward. I figure Modelflex Brunswick Green is their version of DGLE.
Gary, Those old Bowser FM shells may not be up to today’s so called “standards” they will pull the wall paper off the wall.
I also think the P2K trucks are the better choice.
Just for the record, engines painted “DGLE” had black trucks and underframe detail. See the Withers “Pennsylvania Railroad Diesel Locomotive Pictorial” series (vol.5) for more exact information on these if you are going to superdetail one.
Here’s a link to a photo of one that may be helpful: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/PRR_FM_H16-44_8814_at_Streigel’s%2C_Baltimore%2C_MD_on_August_22%2C_1970_(25141723314).jpg It would seem that the PRR did indeed run them long hood forward, because if you zoom in on the long hood end of the loco, you can just make out a tiny little “F” to the right of the handrail.
Thanks. You’ve got good eyes.
I wonder when the Trainphone was installed?
Were the walkways black, or DGLE?
I’m not entirely sure about that, as the photo I posted the link to was the only one I could find of an H16-44 in Pennsy colors. But, I did see an Atlas model of one, and it looked like the walkways were DGLE.
I suppose it might depend on the years you model but,every PRR engine I worked with between 66-68 the walkways was more oily black then anything.
Oily black with 2 drops oF DGLE should work.
Better pic of Proto trucks:
I think they are better than the U28B AAR trucks referred to in the kit.
I have some questions about the model and drivetrain. I will start a different thread in General Discussion, as they are not prototype questions.
Unfortunately, this carbody is incorrect. This photo shows the only ex-PRR H16-44 to make it on to the PC roster https://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0300/pc5158.jpg. Here’s a model version http://prr-nscale.blogspot.com/2017/09/h16-44-repaint.html. The PRR’s H16-44’s date to 1952, your carbody is coreect for rhe New Haven’s 1956 order (and IIRC, the VGN’s fleet).
Of course, it’s your railroad. You could paint it up as a FM demonstrator trying to sell to the PRR, as a leased NH or VGN unit or say that the PRR bought the FM demos (or ordered a dozen of the last phase) to help comlete dieselization in '56)
It would seem this shell models the final production phase, when all the Raymond Loewy styling had been eliminated. This Milwaukee Road loco seems close:
I note the Milwaukee ran short hood forward.
If I have to invoke rule 1, I’m half-tempted to chuck it all and paint it black and yellow for the Frisco.
Though I don’t think the model in your link is correct, either–the cab windows look different. The PRR/PC prototypes in this thread have square windows, not the oblong ones of the Atlas model.
I’m well aware of that but didn’t go in to details as I was sure he would research the project further.
oldline1
Frankly I would paint it PRR and enjoy the engine as I intended when I bought it. After all its no small job building these kits and the last one I built I had to form the handrails and yes,it was painted weathered black and decaled PRR. I added two(three?) drops of DGLC to the weathered black.
As a Bowser kit, I somewhat foolishly assumed it was correct for PRR. I’m not really a PRR modeler, so I can be happy painting it for MILW. I gave up concentrating on one prototype and era.
Truth be told, I like building these old kits, so I just build 'em.
Indeed… I would love to build a Varney “Old Lady” 2-8-0 just for fun… Its been 30 or 35 years since I built a steam engine kit. The last was a Mantua 0-6-0T “Lilttle Six.”
The last few years I built the Bowser Casey Jones and Old Lady (modified versions of the Varney kits), the E6, the K4, and the K11. I have an L1 waiting in the wings. I built the MDC Roundhouse Harriman Consolidation (with Bowser valve gear)and the old time 2-8-0. I have a Mantua Little 6, with valve gear, to build, too.
Bowser, Mantua, and Roundhouse are out of the picture, so parts and kits are harder and harder to come by.
Once upon a time I started working on this model. A few things to keep in mind. The side frames on the P2K truck were Canadian only, as far as I know, identified by the ribs along the edges of the drop equalizer. TruLine may have produced the FM style for their later US C-liner production, if they ever were issued. One of the detail parts companies of the era did make correct FM side frames, which I recall were designed to fit the Athearn trucks of the era.
There are no windows on the cab ends. One modeler got around that challenge by simply faking the windows with dark paint, and it successfully fooled the eye. Another option is to rob an old Athearn Trainmaster shell to replace the cab portion. Cutting out the old cab will require some effort due to the thickness of the metal. That would provide a thinner wall cab around the side windows.
John
Back in the day several locomotives didn’t have can windows including Varney’s 2-8-0,4-6-0, Hobbyline FM H10-44 and two or three other steam engines. The Varney SW7 and the Hobbyline H10-44 required a lot of handrail work…
A lot of the old heads would and if possible carefully drill out the windows and file them into a square shape.
As for a switcher Lindsey’s switcher was the better choice between Varney’s, Hobbyline and Revell switchers.
Of course there was the option of buying those Varney,Hobbyline and Revell RTR engines and running them as is. Serious(aka Rivet counters) modelers of that era would frown on doing that. The old heads frowned on RTR cars and locomotives. My dad and some of his cronies refused to buy anything RTR.
The Lindsey’s switcher require a lot of assembly…Although this was a 4 wheel drive engine it had a small flywheel on the truck drive.
