Howdy I’m in the planning stages of my big boxcab diesel “Big John” and I have figured out the drive gear but I need side frames, I am trying to find some early examples of B and D trucks in HO… I know that the MILW Bipolars have D trucks in the middle and NYC T2s have B trucks both are old fashioned electric trucks… The problem is finding them in HO scale I know MTH has a Bipolar but I know not of any T2s other than brass… I considered using some GP40X Flexicoil B trucks and some DDA40X Flexicoil D trucks and just say that the locomotive received upgraded running gear over the years…
Or would someone out there with 3d printing and design skills like to take on this project? I would need two Bipolar style D truck sideframes and four B truck sideframes that look like the Bipolar Ds without the two center axles… I’d like to stay on a budget but would like detail comparable to a reasonable quality RTR diesel out there…
The locomotive is going to have teo Trainmaster style decks that run half the length of the locomotive each, each “deck” or box will contain two motors each driving two Athearn B trucks the D truck sideframes will be glued to the two B trucks that way gearing is uniform…
I was trying to find an MTH Bi-polar or Little Joe for a friend a while back. They’re pretty scarce, pretty expensive and I certainly wouldn’t want to be hacking one up to make a kit-bash fantasy locomotive. But that’s me.
I don’t know your budget for this project but for economy’s sake maybe look for a couple of Bachmann GG1s (2-C+C-2) and you could probably splice those cast truck frames into Ds or Es or even Fs if you desire. The CUT P1a uses a very similar frame and I believe the New Haven had some juice-jacks using them as well.
Conversely, you could start with a Broadway Limited Baldwin DR-12-8-1500/2 (Centipede; 2-D+D-2). These were selling pretty reasonably, especially the Seaboard ones. Those may give you a good starting point for a drive-line.
I have a pair and on my 32" curves they look pretty “Bent” trying to negotiate a curve that tight. Something to keep in mind.
Again, I’m suggesting either one of these because of their availability and somewhat reasonable cost. I’ve seen both in closeout sales at Trainworld, MB Klein and Walthers.
I started a project like that several years ago. Never finished it. Perhaps one of these days.
I’m using an Alco PA “B” unit and units trucks on a reworked PA frame to bring the trucks closer together.
If you wanted to use the side frames from a GG-1 and make them “D” trucks consider splicing the side frames for the configurstion you want to make a master and then cast them in resin. Could be a whole new learning experince in making your own parts.
and look at the requirements for the different materials they offer.
You might want to start with a manufactured truck to simplify the engineering problems of creating a drivetrain. That will give you the critical dimensions needed to design your sideframes.
I like the look of the CUT T3 or MILW Bipolar sideframes so I’ll see if I can order a set from MTH and use that for the new ones… For the driveline I’m going to take two motors both with dual flywheels and connect two Athearn B trucks to each motor and the two center trucks will be attached to each other to make a D truck and the appropriate sideframes go on that…
And far as CAD goes 1 my computer is old and in the shop and the guy says that I have to be very careful because I had an all out malware infestation even with one of the prominent anti virus softwares running… 2 I am terrible at using computers for drawing and such so if someone more inclined could you give me some pointers? Thanks…
The Japanese locomotive is a close match… But the price tag isn’t…
Here’s a New Haven that looks close too…
How hard would it be to bash the front end from styrene? I have two options first is have an almost exact replica of the NYC P-3 cab, second is a cab similar to the New Haven but without the little “brim”…
The Milwaukee Bipolars lasted until about 1962. And were then scrapped.
I wonder what would have happened if someone had bought one at scrap prices and decided to dieselize it. Not as a road engine, but as a heavy switcher–maybe a transfer engine or a hump loco.
I see by a drawing that there were single axle lead trucks. Not necessary on a switcher. So then the arrangement would be B-D-D-B. Hmmmmm…
If I needed another project (and I DO, you know), this one would be a fun free-lance.
One thing: I’d try very hard to make the body NOT look like I had bought an off-the-shelf shell and fiddled with it. I would want it to look “homemade” (which it would have been). There’d be a lot more scratchbuilding than kitbashing.
Well I was racking my brain trying to figure out how to make the cab, then it hit me, I could cut some roof off an Alco PA and make that the front of the cab! Ed that sounds like an interesting kitbash project…
Yes there will be that many powered axles… I’m going to get two Trainmasters and cut off the hood and cab, put the two motors inside each and put two B trucks on each motor and the two middle B trucks will be attached together to make a D truck… then the boxcab body goes on top of that…
