I have an Aristocraft RS-3 that we were given a couple years ago. It’s a great loco but it’s 1/29th scale and my layout is 1/24th. I have to open it up to install the receiver and sound, so I figured while I’m at it, I should kitbash it into a narrow gauge loco. I’m wondering if there was ever a narrow gauge prototype that was anywhere at all similar to the RS-3? I’d prefer to use as much of the existing shell as possible.
I’ll create a completely fictional kitbash if necessary but I’d still want to make it as plausible as I can.
The quick answer is that there were no narrow gauge locomotives remotely close to an RS-3, at least in North America. The locomotives used on the Newfoundland 3’-6" railway mentioned were GM products. The handful of industrial locomotives were small, Whitcombs and perhaps others. The WP&Y (3’-0) has its own unique diesels.
In the long run, it might be better to try to swap the engine for one more correct for your layout. 1:24 is going to be a little tough to do, since in recent years the trend has been to either use F scale of 1:20.3, using No.1 gauge track to represent 3’ gauge, or 1:29 scale to represent standard gauge (which is actually 1:32 scale if you’re using No.1 gauge track). Not sure how much 1/2" scale stuff is still being made now; in fact some manufacturers that used to make engines and cars in that scale have re-done them into F scale.
I seem to recall a narrow gauge RS-3 in Europe. It used six-wheel trucks to distribute the weight on the rails better. I am sure the local mechanics and shops on your railroad could make the same modification to an RS-3 for your railroad.
Let me preface this by saying I am not well versed in narrow gauge railroads, nor the White Pass and Yukon, but it seems to me they have narrow gauge Alco diesels. I do not if that is true or not and if they do have them, do they look anything like a RS-3? I do know what a RS-3 looks like, but I havn’t a clue what the WP&Ys engines are like. They have some hood units that their engine shops put the hoods on I think. Perhaps they were RS-3 looking, and maybe you could approach the project from that standpoint
Howdy Ray; As Peter suggested the 42” gauge Newfoundland Rwys G-8 may be what you’re looking for. When I was in and saw them, I thought they were an Alco product. I bought a book, “The Newfie Bullet” and sure enough they were built by GM for the Railway’s branchlines. The book has plans for the G8 (1956) and NF210 (1958); a sort of GP7 looking product if you ever get one of them. One problem is both locos have 6wheel trucks; however your railroad may have heavy enough rail to use 4wheel trucks.
is the size of and the Newfie operated similar to the EBT in that when cars arrived on the ferry they exchanged the standard gauge trucks for 42” gauge and reversing the process when returning for the mainland.
I don’t know for sure but in large scale those 1/29th scale trucks are probably pretty close to 7’ to 7’6" in 1/22.5 or 1/24, which would be excelent for scratch building a narrow gauge diesel. I built a few out of plastic sheet, they were fun and not too difficult, a GE 45 tonner, 50 tonner and the EBT 35 tonner. There are plenty of manufacturers Whitcombs, Davenport, Porters, etc. you could use those trucks with, even those drop equalizers would work well just as they are. You could even make a couple two axle box cabs,or just plain smaller locos.
Sorry I don’t have any pictures, I really have to get with the program and update myself.