Baldwin DRS 6-6-15

MTH AS616 has the same car body as the loco you are looking for.

Don't really know baldwins all that well.    I do like the AS616 however.     Brass models of the AS616 have been don't some years back.    Not sure who did them, but I have seen them occasionally at shows.

My book on the history of Baldwin diesels is currently out on loan or I would look these up.

Overland or The Car Works would be the likely suspects, but I don't recall ever seeing one. There were only 82 made in the real world.

Simon

Hi Jay.

MTH did the AS616 in 2-rail many years ago. It wasn't well received as it had those "floater" wheels on the inboard axles that would sometimes derail if the curve was a bit too sharp. The 3-rail versions can be converted with some work, but I'd recommend taking the "float" out of the inboard axles (or add some stiff springs).

I've discussed with Scott Mann doing a run of "Baldwin Diesels" as it appears a common basic shell could be used for the various BB, A1A and CC versions.  The differences appear to all be details.  But, I cannot locate sufficient documentation to confirm or deny that hypothesis. 

I have a pair of the original 2-rail MTH AS616s.    and I had the issue with the floater axle derailing.    I put a shim in to make it almost rigid - ie it can't float up much at all.   They track well now.     Of course the detail level is crude compared to brass, all cast on, but still look pretty good and massive.    I have mine running on DCC and have put the motors in series.    I am about to put sound in one.      

There is a book on Baldwins by Stephen Dolzall and his brother.    I have a copy out on loan.   It might help get details from photos and what not.    And each RR may be a little different.

I know Pennsy for example got the last few with different trucks than the first batch - Baldwin changed the truck.    The A1A truck and B-B truck might quite different.   The B-B obviously so.

As for common shell, there may be some length differences.

This is from an article in Winter 2011 Classic Trains about the Eagle Mountain operations of Kaiser Steel (and a little from wiki as well). Originally they had a couple of DRS6-6-15, then they added a couple of AS616s. Then they bought a second hand AS616 (originally C & O). Much later (late 60s, later than I want to model) they bought 5 GE U30Cs. These are the ones most often pictured. The picture of the DRS from the article, I can not find on-line, and not sure if it is kosher to reproduce here from the magazine.

Thanks for the leads. It would be sweet if MTH had done the AS in the Kaiser Steel scheme. Not too bothered about the "floater" wheels, because at this time I only have in mind a static display.

100-car ore drags daily in the mine's heyday!

Morning Sun published a three volume set by Jim Boyd covering Baldwin Diesel owners from A-Z. If Scott ever proceeds with this project I would consider purchasing a BB truck version. I do have an Overland Pennsy AS616 which is a very nice model.

Ian

The MTH AS-616 is the early version, identical to the DRS6-6-15.  Later, Baldwin thickened the edge of frame and made cutouts for the brake cylinders to clear the frame on curves.  Then, the last version had outside swing hanger type C trucks similar to those under Alco's RSD series.

I have an MTH "AS-616" that is, by its road number, actually a DRS6-6-15 built in 1949.  AS-616 production began in 1950.

One feature that is distinctive is the Mars light or Gyralite factory application on locomotives so equipped, which changes the shape of the end of the hood.

Here's the AS616 in one of many paint schemes used by Kaiser Steel.

OMI did the a brass version as generic, SP-specfic, and PRR specific.   

If  you just want a static display, shop around for an MTH 3-rail version and strip it and detail it as you want it.    The cost for the unit would be pretty low I would think and the mech does not matter.