Manufacturer info.

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Where do manufacturers get their info on what railroads had certaint locos. I bought a life like p2k U28b in csx paint and soon found out csx never really had a true U28b! I want to know where life like went wrong.

2

This is what happens when you listen to the ‘expert’ opinions of the self proclaimed ‘professional’ modelers. If you search on Google for a photo roster of CSX engines, you will see no U28B engines. But, if you look at the pictures you will see that GE delivered early U30B engines in the late U28B style carbody. This was pretty common with GE locomotives in the 60’s. Go to the following URL and see if any of the car bodies match your model…

http://www.trainweb.org/csxphotos/html/U30B.html

Remember, the same ‘chassis’ is under both the P2K U28B and U30B models! Another railroad was the Milw; They had late U28B and early U30B engines as well, and some of the U28B’s were upgraded to U30B specs from the roster notes I have.

Jim

3

I try to help manufacturers by sending them information to correct their errors but only a few listen to me.

4

I think it depends on the manufacturer and also the intent of the model. For example, I am aware that BLI has been in contact over the years with various historilcal societies such as the Burlington Route HS. In other cases I think that the economic reality of producing a model that can be sold for may railroads takes over and so you get situations like the original HO Kato SD40 in CB&Q that never existed in real life. It happens all the time with freight cars where a generic car, perhaps based on a specific prototype is sold in numerous paint schemes.

5

Yep, in other words, one size fits all.

6

Or, you can do what I did. I painted an F45 into Southern Railway colors. Southern never had such an engine, but I did and wanted to be able to run it accurately (or at least plausibly) on my layout. So, the premise behind it is that one of Southern’s SD45’s was out on lease to the GN and got wrecked, so the F45 was sent as a replacement. I numbered it one higher than the last SD45 Southern had. Maybe not prototypical, but (for those who know better) make for a great conversation piece.

Brad