GE #8835

Further progress on #8835 with first radiator mounted

RI #10000

First pictures of the basic assembly of shell and frame

DRGW 'The Prospector'

Lettering applied and full width diaphragm installed

Assembly of interior and rework of the trucks will follow

GE #8835

Some pictures of the current status

Denver Zephyr

'Silver King' & 'Silver Queen' (EMD's EA & EB) put together with 'Silver Courier'

Two early diesel switchers on the way

GE's demonstrator #8835 of 1923
http://sbiii.com/boxjfcpx/jcageir2/8835a.jpg

An USA-Trains 44t-driveline and chassis and an USA-Trains / Charles Ro boxcar are used for this project

Rock Island's #10000 - a two-power switcher similar to NYC's DES3

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll22/id/45533/rec/1

 An USA-Tains NW2-chassis and an USA-Trains refrigerator car are used for this project

CBQ's Silver Courier

Painted and lettered - missing final varnish & windows

And the start of the interior with the four diesel generators as head-end power

RP-210

After rather slow progress the last weeks now some new pictures from NYC RP-210

Preparation of new projects - 3D printing in focus

After some time of consideration I bought a 3D-printer. Unfortunately my CAD-abilities are limited so currently I design rather 'simple' parts (skirts and tank for the RP210, ventilation hoods for the Zephyr baggage) which on the other hand would be quite difficult to manufacture w/o the printer.

I bought a 3D-printed 1/29 kit of a PRR BP20 A which I will modify in some areas (trucks will be donated by an USA-Trains PB). I'll try to build a B-unit, too.

A somewhat generic vintage cab-diesel is available on thingiverse for free - it resembles an Erie-built passenger unit and is designed in an unknown scale. With some scaling, re-arranging etc. I was able to 'extract' the cab-area and have it printed. It will need some modifications to get close to the FM-prototype but it is a good start - I'll use an USA-Trains PA for trucks and chassis. I already prepared the CAD-data for the rather spherical roof.
I hope - with some more experience in CAD-design (I use FreeCAD) - to be able to design some more unique (early) diesels. Also the passenger cars to the RP210 would be feasible - but this will require a quite steep learning curve.

DRGW's original 'Prospector'

Also out of the paint shop

CBQ EA/EB: 'Silver King' & 'Silver Queen'

Out of the paint shop missing most decals

EB has hostler controls & horns on rear

RP210 - current status of shell

CBQ's 'Silver Courier'

The first car in the original 'Denver Zephyr'  - following the 'Silver King' and 'Silver Queen' power untis - was 'Silver Courier', a aux. power/Baggage car. It has a fairing on the front to fit the raised roofline of the EA/EB-unit and housed four diesel-generators.
Based on the USA-Trains combine streamliner I added the fairing and changed windows and baggage doors. The roof was fitted with four exhaust stacks und several ventilation hoods (printed).
Progress so far:

Prospector's pilot

Baseline design of the rather complicated pilot is finished from brass sheets

RP-210 - update

After further study of the available pictures I remodeled the nose - the tilted sides were not straight but showed a compound curve towards the tip.
I used a splitted Aristo FA-pilot for the slightly inclined RP-pilot
The shell was shortened to the correct length.
Additionally I reworked the front truck - removing the center axle and fixed the former rotating front axle to the power block.
A quick set-up of the trucks and the shell

Baldwin RP-210 of NYC's 'X-plorer' - model in 1/29

Started with NYC's diesel power of the short-lived X-plorer
Baldwin RP-210 - a low-slung, diesel-hydraulic locomotive for the lightweight Talgo-train

NYC's RP-210

I use a USA-Trains PA as a starting point - lowering the shell, making a new nose & roof, re-arranging the trucks...fortunately I was able to buy a 'basket-case' for this with damages on shell and trucks - not really cheap but almost perfect for this project (not too much regrets when slaughtering the unit).

- Baseline for nose has been assembled
- The front truck will lose its center axle
- Shell still has to be shortened by 2"

And the news on CBQ EA/EB

I also achieved some progress on the CBQ-set

Additionally I have an appropiate aux.-power baggage under construction - the car has a fairing on its front end to match the higher roof height of the EA/EB-set