Large Scale Central

Help Needed: Narrow Gauge Diesel Resources

General Discussion
#1

I am looking for any or all of the following.

1.) Plans (any scale, but need one that has dimensions) for a GE 70 ton end cab locomotive.

2.) Plans (again, any scale, but need dimensions) for SP#1, the “Little Giant” GE DF-700 locomotive. (Cognates and cousins from various south american assignments would be equally as acceptable.)

3.) Any information beyond the photos at northeast.railfan.net and the wikipedia (and clones) entries on the three 70 ton C-C locomotives operated by the US Potash narrow gauge railway (Scrapped sometime in the 70’s…) I have a color photo from Boerries Burkhardt and I found a builder’s photo of one in a book on industrial engines, but I need more information.

4.) Anyone with the horsepower to translate some of the photos that I do have into reasonable dimensions by some other method, please contact me so we can talk about it.

Obviously, all but #2 are related to a single project – I’m exploring the possibility of trying to build a halfway decent representation of the C-C unit. The SPNG #1 is a related, but separate project.

Thank you!

Matthew (OV)

#2

Dear Matthew,

http://www.index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&cmdtext=DRAWING+GE+70tonner&MAG=ANY&output=3&sort=A

http://www.index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&cmdtext=DRAWING+GE+DIESEL+narrowgauge&MAG=ANY&output=3&sort=A

http://www.index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&cmdtext=DRAWING+DIESEL+narrowgauge&MAG=ANY&output=3&sort=A

http://www.index.mrmag.com/tm.exe?opt=S&cmdtext=DRAWING+spng&MAG=ANY&output=3&sort=A

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

#3

Thanks, Joe.

At this point, someone has sent me a set of plans for the SPNG #1, and some dimensional drawings for the Standard Gauge 70 tonner, though, I still need a good end view of the hood with dimensional data. The Narrow Gauge C-C 70 tonners seem to be a mystery, but they may be the only three of that type that ever were …

A lot of internet searching comes up with those Kalambach sites like you linked … the plans are mentioned, but not available online, at least from the page that comes up … and the page says they don’t offer reprints. I don’t want to appear any thicker than I am, but how does one use that information to find the article (and plans/drawings referenced in it) in order to actually read and/or use them?

Matthew (OV)

#4

They don;t offer reprints but for a fee they will photocopy the plans in question and send them to you…

#5

Dear Matthew,

The index is valuable if you have easy access to the mags or books in question.

Unfortunately, whoever was updating the index stopped about 3 years ago. Unsung hero in my book…

Now each (Kalmbach) mag keeps their own on-line index.

Sometimes I can get info from my public library system.

Sometimes local model train clubs keep a library.

Gave up on e-bay, too hit and miss. (I’d get outbid, get incorrectly described mags, lots with holes in the sequence, lots with mags I didn’t need, etc.)

Five years ago I stumbled onto these guys:

http://www.nsmrc.org/buy_sell.html

It was a snap to complete my MR collection back to 1996, and get special issues, such as (multiples of 5 years) anniversary issues, and articles on the Allegheny Midland.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

Joe Satnik

Edit: spelling, grammar.

#6

Thanks, Joe. (and Bart, too.) I now have SP#1 plans, 70 tonner plans (except the end, so I’m still working on that) and several photos. I’m working out how to change one of these:

(http://home.earthlink.net/~mbrown31/45Tonner.JPG)

into one of these

(http://narrowmind.railfan.net/NG_Diesels/GE_70T_CC_36in_US.JPG)

Ok. Technically it’ll probably end up being turning TWO of the former into ONE of the latter … and then maybe repeating the process for a matched set. Just to be different. Matthew (OV)

#7

Cool …please do a build thread when you dig into it!

#8

Matt,

A number of years ago, Keith at the ECLSTS did just that by moving the two hoods to one end. He then turned it into a 7/8’s model by enlarging a bunch of it, but the basic concept is there.

#9

I believe I’ve seen photos of that engine … and of course Dave Funk’s on the Durango Dan site from the last contest there… that’s actually how the DF-700/SP#1 fits into what I’m doing … I’m trying to determine just exactly how much larger these 70 tonners were … with the idea that they might be a proper fit for the wider chassis and larger cab. I’m probably going to have to come up with a way to build the hood from scratch, though… among other things… as by the time I make the 45 tonner hoods wider AND taller AND longer, it’s gonna look like a jigsaw puzzle. Preliminary estimates also make it look like the frame is going to have to be extended by a couple of inches too…

I’ll post it for sure … but it’ll probably be awhile. I’m looking at tackling the impossible mountain range tomorrow to actually have some SCENERY to run these things through that’s actually done enough to post progress photos … and the railroad’s over 5 years old now!

#10

I understand the “tomorrow thing”. I’ve got a bunch of jobs I’m going to get done tomorrow, as soon as I get yesterday’s stuff done. :wink:

#11
Ric Golding said:
I understand the "tomorrow thing". I've got a bunch of jobs I'm going to get done tomorrow, as soon as I get yesterday's stuff done. ;-)
You work fast :) I'm still planning last years jobs :O Ralph
#12

Hi Matthew I’ve bashed a dizzie into a lookalike of SP’s Little Giant. It’s not a perfect copy, but it’s reasonably close as while I didn’t have drawings, I used pics on No.1 for most of the rework. Here’s a couple of pics

(http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/6599/img1005smallda2.jpg)

and

(http://img66.imageshack.us/img66/6364/img1008smallej6.jpg)

and this during construction prior to adding batt and r/c

(http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/9405/img0843smallqt0.jpg)

I reckon that the dizzie is a brilliant subject for kitbashing due to the method of construction, so get stuck into it! Cheers Tony

#13

Tony - That reminds me of the NYC subway locomotives…

(http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/tr_nych62.jpg)

Thanks for the encouragement! Matthew (OV)

#14

Hurrah! I have drawings of the C-C, or at least a close cousin. Now we’re cooking!