Ideas For New Diesel Models?

i posted the above pictures yesterday i think, this is their "new" paint job, i dont think i like it much. heres a few of the same locomotive with their DOT Department of Transportation paint.

Here is the EMD MRS-1:

Note the peaked cab and long hood roof.

Equipment with an armed services theme seems to be popular among O gaugers so perhaps models of the military diesel types pictured in these posts would prove to be successful sellers.

Bob  

I agree Henry J.  It would be nice to see more Alco, Baldwin, etc.--a Lima would be nice too.   I'm a fan of small industrial locomotives like Whitcombs, Plymouths, Porters and Davenports.   The EM-1s and Big Boys are nice, but they require too much "real estate" in my opinion.  Models of the smaller locomotives may attract more folks into the hobby, particularly those who feel they lack the space for an O-gauge/scale layout.  This, IMO, would apeal to apartment dwellers, and others who find space to be an issue.   

Did somebody say Whitcomb?

Bob

The Washington & Old Dominion locomotive pictured above was one of many 65 ton units of the same general center cab design which were built by Whitcomb during the 40s, primarily for military service. Many of these locomotives were shipped to and operated in foreign lands such as North Africa, the Middle East and numerous European countries. At the conclusion of their military careers, many of them were acquired by civilian operators:

Bob

Overland has announced an HO version of the GP20C-ECO so perhaps one of the O scale manufacturers will follow suit:

http://www.overlandmodels.com/showroom.php?scale=4

Bob

RJ Cormen has there RR around ower area in Ohio..but here some trains I would like to see..

3a Rodina!  Gimme that export RSD1 in Great Patriotic paint, comrade...dah!  Just the ticket for pulling around a string of flats with some 1/48 Hobby Boss T34/76s.  General Vatutin would be proud, and Uncle Joe would be right on board!

RS-4-TC units at work on the Riverport Railroad:

The video gives a good sense of the model's distinctive prime mover sounds. The Nathan Old Cast P-3 horn is impressive as well.

Bob 

Good Day,

My imagination at work again over the long weekend. As you know, model trains are all about fun, dreams and fantasy. How about a fantasy SD70ACe B Units? Or perhaps make a fantasy GE ES44AC B unit.

Regards,

Swafford

Drawing by Michael Eby          Modified & Painted by Frank Swafford

A selection of Rock Island (former Canadian National) Whitcomb 75 ton end cab units built under license by the Canadian Locomotive Company:

I'm reminded of the old Marx diesel switcher when I look at these units. 

Bob

How about something REALLY big from ALCo? Here it is, the 5500 horsepower Century 855:

Mounted on four "B" trucks, the C855 was over 85 feet long. It was not a successful model with only three locomotives built, all for Union Pacific. One of the three units was a cabless booster:

Since the prototype was not a widely distributed locomotive, one would think it would be best reproduced in limited numbers as a brass model. Still, MTH seems to have done well with power indigenous to UP such as the turbines, 6900s and U50C so perhaps the C855 would be a good project for MTH.

Bob

Here's another giant, the GE U50:

As with the C855, the U50 rode on four "B" trucks. Sales of the U50 were limited to SP and UP. MTH has previously offered the similar U50C so perhaps this may be another potential candidate for an MTH catalog.

Bob  

There's engineering issues with a U50D in 3 rail O.  The four vertical motors would not allow enough room to swivel properly on 072 curves.  MTH just barely pulled this off in the Veranda Turbine, but that unit has wider hoods than a U50D.  If they made it as a two motor locomotive then it could be done...like the Big L Veranda Turbine.  Otherwise, the four motor loco would have to have ridiculously wide hoods and look really stuuupid !

While we're talking big UP power, this locomotive isn't a diesel - it's a steam turbine -but it's styled like a diesel so here we go:

And here we have a Samhongsa built HO brass model:

Bob

C'mon guys!

All these pages and NOBODY asks for Canadian Wide Cabs?  GP40-2LW or even SD40's

Other road names like Guilford , PanAm and even KCS they could do.

I still really want a highly detailed, scale-accurate C30-7

And I totally agree with Frank about the low-hood SD60's. I'll take mine in Oakway Leasing colors please!

Rich:

I was waiting for you to chime in on the CN units!

The SD70 in a standard cab/nose configuration, anyone?

Bob

A selection of SD70 paint schemes courtesy of Athearn's Genesis HO model:

At the other end of the General Motors diesel locomotive spectrum in terms of size, the Model 40 is a two axle, 300 horsepower, center cab unit weighing slightly over 40 tons which was built during the early 40s. It was not widely distributed with only a dozen or so examples constructed. Despite the limited number of locomotives which were built, several Model 40 units are still in existence.

Bob

Here we have two more diminutive General Motors locomotives. First up is the GMDH-1, a center cab diesel hydraulic unit built by General Motors Diesel of Canada in 1958 and 1959. Only four examples were constructed:

Built in 1960 with similar styling in an end cab configuration was the GMDH-3:

Only one GMDH-3 was built and you're looking at it.

Bob

i gotta admit, the "jetsons" retro futuristic look of these switchers is reall awesome! i think everybody needs one of these!

Agreed. Here's video of the preserved GMDH-3 in action:

Bob

CNJ 3676,

The SD70 standard cab would be a nice addition to O scale. Overland Models did them in brass in the middle 90's, but I would like to see Atlas make them. Here is another scheme to add to the one's you've posted.

 OMI O Scale SD70

Atlas offered an SW1200 with Flexicoil trucks a few years ago.  However, it didn't have the headlight/numberboards housings.   Could the shell tooling be modified?  BTW, I like the SW1200RS, GMD1, and even the double cab Austrailian F units.  Different...and cool! 

legacy/ERR yard slug!!!!   lights couplers

Since the MILW Bicentennial unit was mentioned, I believe Bicentennial units represent good potential for the O scale/gauge market. True, some models have been produced but there are so many more which can be offered. Here are a few such examples, some of which represent locomotive types for which tooling has already been developed:

It was a very colorful era in the annals of American railroading and warrants more representation on O gauge railroads.

Bob

Boy I jump on that one, Metrolink and VRE!

First generation Bicentennial Geeps:

Given the number of GP7s and GP9s in O gauge, these seem like a natural.

Bob

They don't really need four motors in a locomotive that "small." As a practical matter, if they put the motors over the inboard trucks they would be able to detail the cab interior and the rear radiator area.

With MTH's acquisition of S Helper Service, the S-scale mechanisms might be suitable for use with an EMD Model 40, GMDH-1 and GMDH-3.

Athearn managed to do it in HO and I believe all 4 trucks are powered. 

A U50B would not be a small radius locomotive.  O72, minimum.

Rusty

Athearn did NOT do it in HO...only two trucks are powered in the U50 and baby Turbine series.  And yes it could be done with those models as they use a completely different type of horizontal drive.  The O gauge pieces nearly all use China drive vertical set-ups that won't cut it in a four motor U50 rig.  It will be really interesting to see how Scott Mann gets around this whole issue with his 072 Jawn Henry.  I've heard that it might have two motors, and a pair of horizontal drive, shaft connected trucks....like the Alco Jawn Henry in HO scale.

Athearn's HO model of the U50:

Bob

Thanks, wasn't sure.  But it could be done as you've mentioned above or by some other method that dispenses with vertical motors.

A solution would be one of those "outside the box" kind of things.

Rusty

I have a Con-Cor N-scale U50D which is powered only on the outer trucks. The inner trucks are just for looks and carry no weight. There is substantial weight on the driving wheels and the unit has excellent traction, so it isn't absolutely necessary to power all wheels for good performance. Some 6-axle N-scale locos have a similar situation with power to axles 1-2-5-6. Axles 3-4 carry no weight and basically 'float'. That arrangement helps the unit handle sharper curves. So I'm making the point that there are different ways to engineer model locomotives that will still perform well, AND handle relatively sharp curves.