Kitbashing an On30 GE export diesel

I'll watch. There should be precious few rivets to count on these units anyway.

Ok, then let's begin-

After I drew up a plan new years eve thru web research I came up with this and superimposed it over a scale drawing of the chassis to see where I'd have room and were I wouldn't...the project is no good if it won't fit!

Next I started cutting out evergreen .040 styrene sheet for the main body-

Here's where I am at the moment. Body is just sitting on the new platform that will attach over the chassis via staggered pins w/screws per bachmann's way of the HO body attachment-

Also you can see the "next" project engine to be converted, the SD40-2- later on that one!

Next step will be to grab some .015 sheet to go over the cab sides  with a slightly larger hole for the window in order to give the windows the look of separate pieces...cutting out said windows would probably be a good idea then too! 

I'll be watching this thread with interest. I am thinking of building a couple of free-lanced On30 export diesels myself, using such things as GE's U-6B and the high-hooded GE of Spain four-axle machines used in Guatemala as inspiration.

I've got two pics of the pacific coal sales livery of that engine...one of the possible to do units, but I like the UM10B a tad better since it has the flat cab end and the added area in front of that...just looks cool to me I guess. While "critters" are fine, I wanted a more robust looking engine even if it is a smaller diesel.

Just so you go thinking that I'm slacking off on this, here's a pic from 5min ago...main body is built with internal bracing started and the back of the cab is on....more to follow.

Burlington Route,

Nice build so far.  There are some U6B's running on meter gauge in Brazil IIRC.  But there are some other small U#B models running down there too and they all look pretty close to the one you are building.  If you are interested in pictures, I can share them. 

On the U6B note, there are some running on broad gauge (5'3") and man do they look small.

Greg

Thanks Greg, and if you happen to have or know where I can find any UM10B pics, I could use those for another build coming up.

Alittle more work done on the one side, just have to drill out the .010 red discs for the door latches and this side is done...except for the hand rails I guess but I like to wait till the end on those.

Burlington Route,

Shoot me an e mail.

gelems at sbcglobal dot net

I have a bunch of pictures for you and they are too big to post here.  Also some questions about exactly you are looking for i.e. UM10B model. 

Greg

Greg, email sent-

Working on the other side doors today...hope to start the cab later on.

Alittle more done now...hate drilling window holes with the pin vise...hands can't take so much of that like they used to...

Try a chisel blade.

Matt

Got those in quite a few widths, but they love to expand the area alot....with thin window slats/trims they have been known to break them due to pushing things apart...maybe it's just me, I don't know{hehehe}. I'm old school....drill enough close holes and the sprue cutter won't expand things then.

One of these days I'm going to build what I should've long ago- a dremel in a small drill press and rig the switch to momentary contact...drop to the exact spot to drill, blip the button just enough to drill thru and it shuts off...add a V block for round items and she'd be great...it's on my ever expanding list of things to do...

Extremely minor update...shot the lil nose and tail end of the main body in primer so I can get my minor rounding of the body and nose nice and consistant. I've used this trick for consistant rounds of things for a long time...you can see the rounded area and look for waves or less than rounded areas easier..one can sand the remainder off when all is rounded nicely and done.

I'll have a few small areas to fill and sand after that...she's getting closer!

It helps if the material is not unnecessarily thick and the chisel blade goes only deep enough to make the cut.

To minimize expansion, first cut an 'X' in the center of the window area, cut/remove some material at the point of intersection then remove the remaining material.  Or, drill a hole in the center, cut the 'X', then remove the remaining material.

Fresh blades are paramount.

Matt

May have to try that, and yeah, dull blades help no-one! Got a box of fresh blades!

For reference, here is a GE export class 91 NG UM6B in South Africa. Certainly a distinctive little loco which should make a good project!

These versions designed for 24" gauge but shown here travelling on their own power on 42" gauge "Bigfoot bogies".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S...African_Class_91-000

Thanks Ace...I've got pics of the 91-013 and 91-018 units, though that one your showing has different trucks.

Is a neat lil engine..I liken it to a scrunched up uboat.

My son asked me what color we're going to paint it...I asked what he wanted, and he told me "I" could pick it out...shoot, I was hoping he could decide since I've got nothin at the moment!

Ok, alittle more done now....rear sander access added{no filler caps yet}, base is on as well as the cab...and...I'm starting a "waving engineer" to go in this{why not?}. Still need the end assemblies with steps and the roof, then detail items like the horns, marker lights and maybe a nose brake wheel{non ptototypical but might look neat}.

Comments, questions, and even critisms are welcome...

CB&Q:

Thanks for sharing your project with us. Here's a shot of one of the Ferrovias Guatemala units:

Regards,

Bob

Bob, nice pic...thanks. This unit is alittle different than mine, but I like it.{full side rails/number boards and the end plates all the way out to the edge}

I still need to figure out what to do for my marker lights{lil ones} as well as the twin running lights...guess I'm going to have to scratch thoise too since O scale "still" doesn't have an aftermarket detail parts following like HO scale- hard to believe! 

So, no one like her without a roof....fixed! Remember, this is an off copy and since the truck side frames were gonna be different I figured the coolant fans could be too. Now aside from still needing a speaker the front windows bug me...per the proto pic mine either seem too high or too low- comments?

Things to do still-

-window side frames

-horns

-main and small marker lights{don't know what to do for those}

-bulkhead ends/steps and MU cables

-body steps and hand rails

-wipers?{might have some PE wipers from the model car/truck stuff}

The two center cab windows should extend approximately one-third above the other front window not one half.  However, reducing the height of the center windows will cause the headlight/horn area to be too large....which means the overall cab/hood height is proportionally incorrect.

Matt

My random thoughts on it....alittle higher up on the bottom of the two center windows{.040/.060} and alittle higher up on the two outside windows...roughly .040/.060ish.

A lack of decent line drawings for this makes this the challenge 

Laying out the major pieces using Wausau Paper Exact Index Premium Cardstock will minimize frustration along with wasted styrene...and probably contribute to a better model.

Matt

Bob,

The overall height of your engine hood and cab is too tall IMHO. 

Here are some links that might help you, they’re in Portuguese and the measurements are metric.

Greg

http://vfco.brazilia.jor.br/di...-u5b-2066-2087.shtml

http://vfco.brazilia.jor.br/lo...locomotiva-U6B.shtml

http://vfco.brazilia.jor.br/lo...locomotiva-U5B.shtml

http://vfco.brazilia.jor.br/lo...eral/07-GE-U5B.shtml

Here is a diagram of the SA 91 class engines, not perfect but measurements are given.

http://www.sa-transport.co.za/..._pictures/91-000.gif

Actually Greg, the cab height, going by the line drawing, is correct. The width is not and maybe that's tossing into the odd look. My cab is supposed to be 8' wide while I narrowed it to 7' to match the rolling stock. See my 1st pic, post 3, where you can see both the real and narrowed cab drawings. I also narrowed the body 1' to get the proporsions a tad better.

This is my 1st scratchbuild in 20+ years, and while I expected alittle hassle, it turned out halfway decent....some retweeking is in order.

I'll go check out those links of your now...Thanks. 

Going by link 3{U6B} there is an overall body height and a deck height, which would give a cab/body height...the conversion comes in at 7'5"...my cab is 7' high- I rounded down a tad.

Well crud, just rechecking my origonal posts, I forgot to include the url for my line drawing...sorry, I meant to do it- however, my build line drawing is the same as your last link.

I those measurements the cab came in at 7'3". I used the "mm to feet" conversion...one could use the "mm to inches" but that's up to you. 

Hi Bob,

Don’t take my comments the wrong way, you’ve done a fine job on that scratch build.   I found more pictures of the U6B with the little pub nose and your windows are closer to those pictures than the ones with the green and red line marked to show their relationship.  Those GE export engines have difficult lines to replicate especially in the cab roof front window area.  Even the prototype had small doors so trying to model an engine for O scale people to use is tougher when the prototype is almost a caricature in itself.  There is a youtube video of one of those engines pulling a log train and a passenger car, typical little GE sound to it.

Greg

Greg, non taken. I knew this build was going to be a compromise here and there...and it was...still is. That front window area looked good on paper, looked fine after it was cut out...and then started to bug me-hahaha.

Starting the steps today, got a speaker and enclosure ordered finally, but the dang lights are killin me. I want to use LEDs but don't have any on hand that are small enough...there's a 1st for me...and I have limited clearance up front for the dual headlamps as it is. I'm going to have to scratch these assemblies as well as the running lights...I can't believe there's no aftermarket lights out there...someone is missing the boat here! 

Add no aftermarket triple horns..I do have a pair of twin white metal horns for my 1/25 scale semi tractors...size is right but they're only twins.

Bob,

Try B.T.S. for detail parts:

http://www.btsrr.com/btsdet01.htm

There are S scale detail parts that might work, including a three chime horn:

http://www.btsrr.com/pix/02002.jpg

Also there was an O scale three chime horn kit in brass that was available some time ago and should still be available from Precision Scale Co, INC..

Greg

Greg, your rock! List made and will send off tomorrow.{10 things}

Thank you!

Ok....um...hehehe...does my antenna look too big.....? 

Oh Geez, that's like a woman asking if "these pants make her look fat?"

Glad that some of those S scale parts will work Bob.

Greg

Started putzing around with this one again today- no pics till I get anything done that's camera worthy...