Alan of GAL sent me this photo of his latest project.
His website is www.galline.com
DROOL
Now thats looking good to me
Thanks for the heads up
Pete:
Thanks for the pix.
The link you provided takes me to a soccer website.
I would really like to see the GAL website if you have the URL.
Thanks & Happy RRing,
Jerry
Hey Pete,
Tried the link you posted, but it took me to a company selling football and soccer equipment. Whats up.
Chuck Inlow said:
Hey Pete,Tried the link you posted, but it took me to a company selling football and soccer equipment. Whats up.
Sorry about that - I seem to be fated when typing that url. Last time I put 3 “l” in the middle. Must be old age…
Chuck,
You mean yer not a soccer Mom anymore?
Still have the van, tho. Doncha. 
Ha Ha Ha funny John, haven’t been a soccer mom/dad for over 4 years. But I’ll make sure I bring it on Thursday so you can ride in it over to Jerry’s.
Hi folks. Pete likes to be the bringer of news … and he often manages to be the first to mention new things. There was a website a lot like that until not too long ago … In this case, though, he’s kind of got a little ahead of the curve, so I’m going to try to fill in some blanks on the project. A short while back, I approached Alan Friedman of Great American Locomotion (http://www.thegalline.com/ is the correct link) who’s done a number of interesting projects for Pete, and others, which is how I’d found out about him. I told him about some ideas I’d had for some custom work, the first of which was a steeplecab freight motor based on his boxcab design, which would in many ways resemble Granby Mining #10, of the Anyox Mining Company in BC Canada.
(http://www.bcarchives.gov.bc.ca/cgi-bin/www2i/.visual/img_med/dir_74/c_05445.gif)
I was particularly interested in this locomotive among the many prototypes from which to choose because I model in 1:20.3, and I wanted an actual 3 foot gauge prototoype from which to start. Alan makes a 1:20.3 version of his boxcab, although there isn’t a photo of it on his website. If I was going to commission a model based on it, I wanted to find a prototype that would be plausible for the resulting model, and I am pretty sure I found a good one. The locomotive has centered hoods instead of the usual off center arrangement, and ran on three foot gauge track; in fact some of the “granby” cars it pulled now reside on the White Pass and Yukon. I found two other photos, one of this locomotive on a pier, with the Granby cars, and one of a sister engine on the same pier, and decided I was ready to proceed. I sent the photos to Alan, who worked out some reasonable dimensions, and used some of the work he’d done on his boxcab as a starting point… the result was the model that you see linked above, and (just for fun) displayed here:
(http://www.thegalline.com/files/steeple%20cab%20freight%20motor.jpg)
This is the very first kit, and not yet completed. I know Alan’s working on it, as he’s been sending me updates all along the way. As a side note, he’s been a pleasure to work with, and has really made it possible to bring my idea to life… I’m looking forward to more projects, some sooner than you might think! (More about that later.) I have the second kit in a box behind me, and hopefully this week will start assembling it. Alan’s kit still needs some detail parts, some paint, and (I think) some window glazing, and we’re working on the idea of perhaps making some better sideframes as a separate project; I’m not sure if I want to modify the Aristo RS-3 frames (I’ve been watching the 1:24 conversion with interest, along those lines) or just go with newly designed ones. Either way, the details on mine will probably be a little different from Alan’s. We gathered a lot of information from availalble photos and video of steeplecabs, and the electrical cabinets inside his were designed from that information; they also hide his batteries and control system quite nicely. Mine will have dual control stands, too … and some other details robbed from some other already available “donor” engines. So, it’s a little bit freelance, and quite a lot “based on a true story” … and definately built to be an addition to a 1:20.3 scaled railroad, its crews, it’s equipment, and it’s operations … the only real problem is, now I have to figure out a way to hang some wire on at least PART of the Slate Creek for it to run under! If anyone’s interested, see this page: http://www.thegalline.com/steeplecabfreightmotorp31.html which also has the other two prototype photos on it! I’m really kind of excited… the parts all look good, and yet the kit seems simple enough that I’ll be able to complete it without being in the “Master’s Guild” quite yet. Matthew (OV) And, PS: This is the first of two projects I’ve been working on with Alan. The other one is particularly interesting, and has the potential to be even more appealing than this one … but I’m going to do my best and not be premature about it, and hope that it’ll have time to be well and truly completed and ready before any of the beans are spilt … at which point I’ll set off the fireworks!
Beautiful locomotive , and a quick question , are the end hoods cast as one piece , or do they also require assembly like all the rest of the plastic parts ?
thanks
Dennis
simple answer, they are an assembly not cast. My design allows for them to be revovable to allow use of the space under them. I plan to put a sound system in one and a speaker in the other.
alan
[email protected]
Thanks Alan , what a needed beautiful large scale locomotive .
Hey Matthew how about posting the other two photo’s for us to look at. Great looking I can’t wait to see your’s finished.
Having trouble finding the original website to link to for the two I had … but I found these two in the process.
I am suddenly deeply and irrevocably in love with a hunk of tin. Many more details required, please, including the much-needed cost[s].
Y’see, all I get on that url is a blank page with the number ‘0’ in the top left corner…
tac
www.ovgrs.org
Supporter of the Cape Meares Lighthouse Restoration Fund
PS - to MY aging eye-trumpets, the RS-3 trucks look pretty much right on. Luckily for me, I have such a model to hand.
Tac,
Try this one:
http://www.thegalline.com/steeplecabfreightmotorp31.html
The blurb reads: “This project comes with pre drilled laser cut styrene for the body, roof assembly, deck, front and rear sills. Also included are unique removable bolsters, a separate elecrical cabinet and removeable nose hoods for easy access. What you will need to supply: Power trucks, detail parts, paint and road markings.”
GAL 80 250 $265.00 … that’s the kit, less trucks, couplers, and detail parts. (basically, four laser cut styrene sheets… big ones.)
GAL 20 0027 $26.00 … bunch of rivets, enough to do the whole thing.
Contact is virgal ((at)) verizon ((dot)) net (in the traditional format…)
Please note that while I have had a lot to do with this project, I don’t have any commercial interest in it; I’m essentially a customer like everyone else.
Matthew (OV)
diggin the new avatar!
Sir Topham Matt. That’s me.
Additionally … I plan to document the build … I would be started already, except that I’ve been sick the last three days, and not in a mood to do much other than sleep. So, watch this space for periodic photographic updates. The kit comes in a flat box with four big styrene sheets… all of the parts are tabbed and interlocked, and many have a substructure… so it looks like it’ll be pretty strong. The bolsters are removeable, and there are plenty of gussets etc. to strengthen corners, edges, etc. I’m hoping to get the lions share of my detail parts ordered today, and my trucks should be enroute by now too.
Oh, and Bob… hopefully I’m not crossing lines by reposting the info here on getting this kit… I know some folks have had trouble with the external site.
This has been a lot of fun to develop and “imagine” into being with Alan’s help … secretly, I’m hoping lots of folks want and buy these so that he’ll be inclined to try out other ideas of mine…
Matthew (OV)
a couple of more pictures.
(http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt99/virgal211/steeplecab7.jpg)
(http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt99/virgal211/steeplecab5.jpg)
I am using an Aristocraft Revolution controller and battery power (all housed in the cage inside) runs like a champ. Alan
That looks good.