I might start building my SDL-39 locomotive, and was wondering what chassis I should use? Could I use the GP-38 chassis and and shorted the fuel tank. Or could I take a SW-1500 and enlarge the frame? And sugesstions?
If you contact Kaslo Shops, they may actually be able to set you up with a SDL-39 frame. They expect to be shipping their SDL-39 kits very soon. I don’t know whether the frame will be available separately or not, but if you weren’t aware of this model’s availability, it will save you a lot of work.
The SDL 39 is 55’2" long. The GP 7, 9, 18, 20, 30 & 35 are all 56’2" long. I would start with a GP 35 frame. The frame however, is the least of it.
Next comes the body. The body could be done with a lot of slicing and dicing using a GP 38 and a GP 35 plus lots of Cannon detail parts.
The hardest part is the unique trucks, which has prevented many from building a model of this loco.
I would just buy the Kaslo model, which is going to use Bowser driveline components.
Jim
I guss I’m going to buy the Kaslo model. I just thought building one would be more “fun” but there is alot of chopping of models, And the trucks are the killer.
If you really want to build the engine from scratch, then I’d suggest you get the back issue of Model Railroader (September 2004). The author, Andrew Castle, shows in great detail how he achieved this task. In regards to the frame, he used two, an SD45 and GP-38-2, I won’t say more since I don’t want to get in trouble, but like I said, if you really want to do it yourself then you should look into getting the back issue if it’s available.
I might do it one day, just to try, I’m not a WC fan myself, but if I make a ficticious rail company, I think they may need SDL-39’s, two at most.
The SDL 39 trucks are standard EMD export trucks and these trucks were used on two Australian designs, the AJ16C (known generally as the 421 class in Australia) and the G8C (known as the 49 class).
The AJ16C has a frame about 58 ft long and the G8C is about 49’6" long
HO models were made by “Austrains” for the AJ16C, but this is now out of stock, and a G8C is expected fairly soon from “Trainorama”. Both these companies have websites found by entering the name in a search engine. Austrains might have spare “421” trucks available, but they too might now be sold out.
It would be fairly easy (I think) to lengthen the G8C (49 class) frame to make an SDL 39, if longer driveshafts could be made or purchased or if they have enough play lengthwise already.
These correct trucks would look much better than those produced in conversions.
M636C