Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Probably not, he came into existence together with a bowl of petunias and a sperm whale 
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P48 for Cotton Belt: Roster addition SW1200
- Thread starter Yorkshire Dave
- Start date
Steph Dale
Western Thunderer
Oh no, not again.
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
Careful, or I'll read you some of my poetry.
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
The vacuum of space please....
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
Well, it will be once the hyperspace highway comes through your back garden......
Steph Dale
Western Thunderer
Aah, the infinite improbability of Dave's modelling activities.
(Stop it, stop it, stop it, you'll get in trouble. Again.)
Steph
(Stop it, stop it, stop it, you'll get in trouble. Again.)
Steph
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
DON'T PANIC!
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
I won't as long as infinity is not finite.
Thought for the day. If an object only comes into being when one sees it, therefore does one only know one exists when one looks in a mirror?
Thought for the day. If an object only comes into being when one sees it, therefore does one only know one exists when one looks in a mirror?
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
You can't look down, then??
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
This landed today - a part built Gilmaur GE U23B together with trucks, a set of brass Blombergs and NWSL P48 replacement wheelset for the Atlas (China) SW7/8 all for the princely sum of £160.
Although not strictly Cotton Belt (neither the SSW or SP owned any U23Bs it will provide me with a second loco as I missed the boat (pardon the pun, GE U boats for the unintiated
) with the Atlas GE dash 8-40Bs.
My intention is to build a Santa Fe low nose version but I will have to source the correct trucks which will become evident below. The alternative is to build a Western Pacific version as they ran on Blomberg trucks and into California. A few C&O U25Bs also ran on Blomberg trucks.
Now to rifle through the Precision Scale, Des Plaines lists, etc for additional detail parts. I'll also try and contact Mike Calvert (Gilmaur) to find out what parts he offers. And there will be another order to Protocraft for 40'' diesel wheels.....
The drive system? I probably use Steph's parts.
Sill, radiator, cab and high nose.
Cab, radiator and high nose. Cab will need tidying up.
Fuel tank and unused etches
Cast parts.
Close up of etched handrail stanchions - I may replace these with brass channel or Precision Scale or O scale America (Des Plaines Hobbies) parts.
Trucks - however these are incorrect as they for a switcher. They should be AAR type B road trucks for the U23B.
Blomberg trucks and journals. I'm impressed with these.
NSWL wheelset - don't know where I'm going to use these unless I acquire an Atlas (China) SW7/8.
Although not strictly Cotton Belt (neither the SSW or SP owned any U23Bs it will provide me with a second loco as I missed the boat (pardon the pun, GE U boats for the unintiated
) with the Atlas GE dash 8-40Bs.My intention is to build a Santa Fe low nose version but I will have to source the correct trucks which will become evident below. The alternative is to build a Western Pacific version as they ran on Blomberg trucks and into California. A few C&O U25Bs also ran on Blomberg trucks.
Now to rifle through the Precision Scale, Des Plaines lists, etc for additional detail parts. I'll also try and contact Mike Calvert (Gilmaur) to find out what parts he offers. And there will be another order to Protocraft for 40'' diesel wheels.....
The drive system? I probably use Steph's parts.
Sill, radiator, cab and high nose.
Cab, radiator and high nose. Cab will need tidying up.
Fuel tank and unused etches
Cast parts.
Close up of etched handrail stanchions - I may replace these with brass channel or Precision Scale or O scale America (Des Plaines Hobbies) parts.
Trucks - however these are incorrect as they for a switcher. They should be AAR type B road trucks for the U23B.
Blomberg trucks and journals. I'm impressed with these.
NSWL wheelset - don't know where I'm going to use these unless I acquire an Atlas (China) SW7/8.
Big Train James
Western Thunderer
Hi Dave,
That's a nice looking pile of parts.
For what it's worth, Atlas just released another run of their U23b's. I was going to suggest that you contact them about parts for a low nose. But when I look at the parts diagram on their site, it shows the nose molded with the rest of the shell. Their Master line locos seem to tend to have separate noses. I think the low and high noses on these locos are simply taller and shorter extrusions of the same profile, so you could probably just cut down the one with the kit.
Similarly, Atlas may have sideframes available. They have an rs-1 in their lineup that should have the appropriate trucks. Whether anything is in stock is another question. If you go through their website and don't see an item in stock, call the parts department. They have lots of stuff that isn't listed online that can be had if you just ask. If Atlas doesn't work, I'm not sure where I would turn for those parts. I don't tend to trust Lionel or Mth to do anything with any degree of accuracy.
If those Blomberg frames are P&D, you can probably get the missing bolsters replaced by calling the shop. You'll have to find a place to use them, but I'm sure you can come up with something. If they are Overland, then I'm not sure how they attach exactly, nor where to find missing parts if necessary.
And lastly, if you can't figure out something productive to do with switch wheelsets, I will be happy to take them off your hands. I can put them to use on my (currently stagnant but hopefully coming to life again soon) sw15o0 project.
If I can help you find anything parts wise over here, let me know. Now that I'm in Cincinnati, at least temporarily, I am actually fairly close to both P&D and Des Plaines. I have plans to attend the Chicago March Meet (somehow in April this year) and will see Des Plaines at the show or via a trip to the store. And I'll be in northern Ohio in a couple of months or sooner so only about 45 minutes from P&D at that point. They also go to the March Meet but don't necessarily bring all their parts. If I can get something in hand for you, let me know.
Cheers,
Jim
That's a nice looking pile of parts.
For what it's worth, Atlas just released another run of their U23b's. I was going to suggest that you contact them about parts for a low nose. But when I look at the parts diagram on their site, it shows the nose molded with the rest of the shell. Their Master line locos seem to tend to have separate noses. I think the low and high noses on these locos are simply taller and shorter extrusions of the same profile, so you could probably just cut down the one with the kit.
Similarly, Atlas may have sideframes available. They have an rs-1 in their lineup that should have the appropriate trucks. Whether anything is in stock is another question. If you go through their website and don't see an item in stock, call the parts department. They have lots of stuff that isn't listed online that can be had if you just ask. If Atlas doesn't work, I'm not sure where I would turn for those parts. I don't tend to trust Lionel or Mth to do anything with any degree of accuracy.
If those Blomberg frames are P&D, you can probably get the missing bolsters replaced by calling the shop. You'll have to find a place to use them, but I'm sure you can come up with something. If they are Overland, then I'm not sure how they attach exactly, nor where to find missing parts if necessary.
And lastly, if you can't figure out something productive to do with switch wheelsets, I will be happy to take them off your hands. I can put them to use on my (currently stagnant but hopefully coming to life again soon) sw15o0 project.
If I can help you find anything parts wise over here, let me know. Now that I'm in Cincinnati, at least temporarily, I am actually fairly close to both P&D and Des Plaines. I have plans to attend the Chicago March Meet (somehow in April this year
) and will see Des Plaines at the show or via a trip to the store. And I'll be in northern Ohio in a couple of months or sooner so only about 45 minutes from P&D at that point. They also go to the March Meet but don't necessarily bring all their parts. If I can get something in hand for you, let me know.Cheers,
Jim
JasonD
Western Thunderer
Hi Dave, as Jim says 'nice pile of parts', a box-opening to savour.
First-off I was talking to Mike Calvert this evening, but before I read your post 
. Do you have a set of instructions- Mike most probably does - and a trade for a U23B long hood. The Gilmaur handrail stanchions are etched and not as strong as brass channel or castings, but hold up very well with piano wire (better than brass wire) used for the handrails. The low nose is #80 on the etch.
Both trucks look a bit Overlandy to me. I have a set of Overland Blomberg sideframes (no bolsters) the same. I acquired them anticipating making up my own bolsters and fixing them to the holes on those tabs centre/rear of the frame. I have not been disappointed yet....
The AAR type-A looks very nice, rear equalisers where you can't see them and ... OK I'm jealous. When you contact Mike see if he's got any Alco S-2 or S-4 switcher kits that would be perfect for them. The Gilmaur SW1500 could use type-A trucks, but only with roller-bearings.
Mike may have AAR type-B trucks for the U23B as well. I have some Weaver, but they're not really up to P48 detail standards. Looks like Jim could have first dibs on the NWSL P48 wheels, but whatever, your duty as a UK P48er is to let us humble Ow5ers acquire your RP-25 wheels not the dustman. Mind you, 3-rail wheels make easy-to-use weights. But not 2-rail!
All-in-all a fun acquisition and like all O-scale boxes comes with more projects (4?) than probably expected.
Jason
First-off I was talking to Mike Calvert this evening
, but before I read your post . Do you have a set of instructions- Mike most probably does - and a trade for a U23B long hood. The Gilmaur handrail stanchions are etched and not as strong as brass channel or castings, but hold up very well with piano wire (better than brass wire) used for the handrails. The low nose is #80 on the etch.Both trucks look a bit Overlandy to me. I have a set of Overland Blomberg sideframes (no bolsters) the same. I acquired them anticipating making up my own bolsters and fixing them to the holes on those tabs centre/rear of the frame. I have not been disappointed yet....
The AAR type-A looks very nice, rear equalisers where you can't see them and ... OK I'm jealous. When you contact Mike see if he's got any Alco S-2 or S-4 switcher kits that would be perfect for them. The Gilmaur SW1500 could use type-A trucks, but only with roller-bearings.
Mike may have AAR type-B trucks for the U23B as well. I have some Weaver, but they're not really up to P48 detail standards. Looks like Jim could have first dibs on the NWSL P48 wheels, but whatever, your duty as a UK P48er is to let us humble Ow5ers acquire your RP-25 wheels not the dustman. Mind you, 3-rail wheels make easy-to-use weights. But not 2-rail!
All-in-all a fun acquisition and like all O-scale boxes comes with more projects (4?) than probably expected.
Jason
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
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JasonD
Western Thunderer
American 3-rail, hmm. Rolling-stock axles, example in your wheelset image, are all the same diameter, Lionel, MTH, Atlas, K-Line, etc. Your micrometer may suggest I am too optimistic, but they're probably copied from each other or sourced from the same rod stockist(!). They usually only differ in length over the pointed ends.
The truck frames they run in vary in adherence to prototype, but only a few need throwing away. The way they're attached to the underframe is, as you must have seen, a 3-rail invented mystery. Weaver got it right. Anyway, if the ride height of the car and the car body itself is satisfactory, it can be just the wheels themselves that need changing for P48 as well as Ow5.
Malcolm Fisher at Peartree Engineering (www.modelrailwayparts.com) will supply steel wheels on their own with machined plastic bushing that fits these axles beautifully. I have used his 2'8" Lowmac wheels for RP-25 36" freight car wheels (Yup, 1:43.5 .vs. 1:48 difference). He's recently started producing ScaleSeven profiles too and placed with right back-to-back gets you a wheelset pretty close to ... P48!
Jason
The truck frames they run in vary in adherence to prototype, but only a few need throwing away. The way they're attached to the underframe is, as you must have seen, a 3-rail invented mystery. Weaver got it right. Anyway, if the ride height of the car and the car body itself is satisfactory, it can be just the wheels themselves that need changing for P48 as well as Ow5.
Malcolm Fisher at Peartree Engineering (www.modelrailwayparts.com) will supply steel wheels on their own with machined plastic bushing that fits these axles beautifully. I have used his 2'8" Lowmac wheels for RP-25 36" freight car wheels (Yup, 1:43.5 .vs. 1:48 difference). He's recently started producing ScaleSeven profiles too and placed with right back-to-back gets you a wheelset pretty close to ... P48!
Jason
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
I have an Atlas 3 rail Steam Era range 1937 fish belly frame boxcar which had the new finer trucks and only required a wheel change after drilling a small amount out of the axle bushes to take the longer P48 axle.
I haven't explored Peartree Engineering yet to see if they will produce P48 33'' wheelsets.
Of the trucks I've experienced thus far the old Roco/Atlas trucks, despite their age, actually look finer than the latest Atlas trucks. Having said that I think the Atlas/Roco truck look more like an Andrews truck rather than a Barber Bettendorf truck!
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
Same goes for the Atlas/Roco F-9 trucks - brake blocks right on the wheels. Far better looking than the current Atlas sideframes. So much for progress...
soo4513
Western Thunderer
Hi Dave
Here is a low nose Gilmaur U23b, Mike's kit can come with either style of hood latch.
The PC2765 is unusual, one of several owned by PC which was set up for long hood forward.
Did I mention its actually S scale, which is pretty much a straight reduction from the O scale version, it is not finished yet and needs some detail parts, windows, couplings etc to be added.
Colin
Here is a low nose Gilmaur U23b, Mike's kit can come with either style of hood latch.
The PC2765 is unusual, one of several owned by PC which was set up for long hood forward.
Did I mention its actually S scale, which is pretty much a straight reduction from the O scale version, it is not finished yet and needs some detail parts, windows, couplings etc to be added.
Colin
Attachments
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Albeit S scale, are the AAR type 2 trucks brass or whitemetal? I've yet to contact Mike regarding the O scale trucks.
And having selected a Santa Fe variant I'll have a great time masking the warbonnet blue/yellow livery
.I was unaware PC operated long hood forward though. Was this legacy from the Pennsy and NYC?
soo4513
Western Thunderer
Hi Dave
The trucks on the 2765 are American Models, the side frames are plastic. The S scale range had to be specially adapted for the high gear tower of the AM trucks. The kits also have "standard bolsters" which will take stanton trucks or brass trucks.
Your O scale version will take weaver trucks, source yourself an FA2 or RS3 for the running gear, alternatively Mike might have the parts in stock.
The PC long hood forward units were purchased new by PC, the long hood forward came from Sou influence on the board at the time.
Colin
The trucks on the 2765 are American Models, the side frames are plastic. The S scale range had to be specially adapted for the high gear tower of the AM trucks. The kits also have "standard bolsters" which will take stanton trucks or brass trucks.
Your O scale version will take weaver trucks, source yourself an FA2 or RS3 for the running gear, alternatively Mike might have the parts in stock.
The PC long hood forward units were purchased new by PC, the long hood forward came from Sou influence on the board at the time.
Colin
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
I have my Archer rivet transfersOn with the insulated box car. Spent the last few days applying Archer rivets on the car sides
View attachment 47685
View attachment 47687
View attachment 47686
View attachment 47684
but yet to try them in anger 
Dave, can I ask, did you gloss the boxcar first before applying them, or just applied them straight to the bare plastic? Gloss is usually used to aid adhesion & hide the carrier film* - just wondering how these decals cope if laid on bare plastic..??
* Edit: sorry, Granny & eggs moment, I know