Looking for responses...Special run PRSL diesel possibility

Beth, we met at York a few years back.  I bought a (then) Weaver PRSL 60' baggage car from you.  I think this is the same tolling that Lionel is now using.

As for the Railking AS-616 in PRSL livery, the Holly Beach Train Depot in Wildwood, NJ (a stop on the PRSL Cape May branch) is doing a second run of these as we speak.   The website is www.hollybeachtraindepot.com.  I was lucky enough to get one from the first run, and have several on order from the second run. 

He has also done a bunch of fictitious PRSL rolling stock items, all MTH.

Just about anything used by the PRSL is available in O Scale.

That said, anything prototypical from the PRSL, and I'm in!

Pete

Thanks for the info...   I'll move on to another project....

beth

If I may be so forward.....Beth, please don’t be so fast to move on from a potential future PRSL project. I have purchased one PRSL item from Larry in Wildwood. Wonderful experience. Now I know to look for his second run. But I ask you look to for something else. The history of rail in NJ is so immense and so often overlooked. For many of us, or family and friends, ancestors traveled to the beach by way of PRSL and their predecessor and competing lines. Good stuff here. Planting seeds. I’m hoping you harvest one. I’m all in and will pre order if you find something that Larry isn’t doing. Stay close if time permits.

That AS 616 would look awesome in this scheme   Sign me up for 2

In my mind, the PRSL baldwins were so classic.  I still have some Golden gate PRSL P70's in stock.  They are real P70's...not some heavyweight car painted PRSL.    Everything imaginable has been done in PRR, Reading and CNJ. There have been a few shortlines in southern NJ. but they are rather recent (by RR time lines) and dont know how much of a following they have.

Right now im having MTH do SW-1500's in TRRA and IHB for me (idk how they ever missed doing these 2 huge midwest terminal RR's) , and they are doing RS-1's in Morristown and Erie, and Black River and Western..two long established NJ shortlines...for me also..  

Ive asked MTH about doing some smaller diesels in 2 rail...but no go so far.  It would be some new tooling and design, and i dont think they want to go there.

Waiting for Atlas to do some smaller diesels in 2 rail might be a while, and for some reason, they are not as receptive to doing special runs.  IDK why, but some  ppl have gone to MTH for special runs after being pushed away by atlas.   Atlas will be able to do the MTH engines they bought tooling for pretty quickly.  ...which means the possibility of 2 rail GP-38's and GP-40's, but nothing smaller than that.

I really like doing shortline, regional, and terminal railroads.   AS-616's there's Trona, Sierra, and some logging RR's in the PNW, like OC&E, etc.

SD-9's...hardly any shortline usage that I can think of.

If anyone wants to pitch ideas to me..have at it...  The possibilities right now in engines are...AS=616, SD-9's, GP-7/9's.  These are all railking scale.  So far..i jumpped on the SW1500's and the RS-1's cause they are later tooling and more detailed than the other's, which are earlier tooling.   The MP15 and MP15AC's are possibilities, but Im not a big fan of either.

Please remember if suggesting...I need to get pre-orders for about 20 pieces to make it all viable. So dont suggest anything that u just want 1 of, and dont know if anyone else would be interested.

Thanks ben.   Just SO much CNJ has been done over the years..Im a little hesitant.  beth

Am I allowed to post a link to a photographer and curator of so many things rail? I love this gentleman’s images and his blog posts. I’m still planting seeds Beth.
http://michaelfroio.com/blog/2013/09/10/in-retrospect

@Beth Marshall-The Public Delivery Track posted:

In my mind, the PRSL baldwins were so classic.  I still have some Golden gate PRSL P70's in stock.  They are real P70's...not some heavyweight car painted PRSL.    Everything imaginable has been done in PRR, Reading and CNJ. There have been a few shortlines in southern NJ. but they are rather recent (by RR time lines) and dont know how much of a following they have.

Right now im having MTH do SW-1500's in TRRA and IHB for me (idk how they ever missed doing these 2 huge midwest terminal RR's) , and they are doing RS-1's in Morristown and Erie, and Black River and Western..two long established NJ shortlines...for me also..  

Ive asked MTH about doing some smaller diesels in 2 rail...but no go so far.  It would be some new tooling and design, and i dont think they want to go there.

Waiting for Atlas to do some smaller diesels in 2 rail might be a while, and for some reason, they are not as receptive to doing special runs.  IDK why, but some  ppl have gone to MTH for special runs after being pushed away by atlas.   Atlas will be able to do the MTH engines they bought tooling for pretty quickly.  ...which means the possibility of 2 rail GP-38's and GP-40's, but nothing smaller than that.

I really like doing shortline, regional, and terminal railroads.   AS-616's there's Trona, Sierra, and some logging RR's in the PNW, like OC&E, etc.

SD-9's...hardly any shortline usage that I can think of.

If anyone wants to pitch ideas to me..have at it...  The possibilities right now in engines are...AS=616, SD-9's, GP-7/9's.  These are all railking scale.  So far..i jumpped on the SW1500's and the RS-1's cause they are later tooling and more detailed than the other's, which are earlier tooling.   The MP15 and MP15AC's are possibilities, but Im not a big fan of either.

Please remember if suggesting...I need to get pre-orders for about 20 pieces to make it all viable. So dont suggest anything that u just want 1 of, and dont know if anyone else would be interested.

How about a PRSL Baldwin S12? I would like to get a few more prsl p70s myself

Thanks for the suggestions.    Rutland was high on the list for RS--1's, but Atlas already did it in 4 road numbers,  so I backed off.   Still thinking...

RS-1 in Frisco (actually sub lettered AT&N).

Photo is an Atlas HO model.

Tony

I have one of the PRSL AS-616s from Holly Beach.  I wish it could have been an AS-16 which PRSL actually ran, but since MTH never made an AS-16, I guess it will have to be close enough.  I also have a PRSL Reading type NML caboose from Holly Beach, but it should be an ex PRR N-5 caboose.

Considering the popularity of the Lionel Train Master recently offered in the early Erie-Lackawanna black and yellow paint scheme by METCA, I would think the AS616 in the same paint scheme would sell well.  They would make a credible stand in for ex-Erie DRS6-6-1500s.

Personally I stick with 4 wheel trucks on the RailKing stuff because the 6 wheel trucks are blind on the inner pairs.  Hearing those click on and off the rails drives me nuts.

I wonder if they could do an AS-616 as a B-B to get close to a DRS-4-4-1500?

While I don’t think the PRSL ever rostered any VO-1000s the PRR did, so it’s not out of the realm of possibilities, and at least it’s a Baldwin.

P.S. I guess this is what you envisioned?  

http://thedieselshop.us/PRSL.HTML

Passed this on to the PRSL Historical Society, O Scale Traction and Philly Traction mailing lists.  There will definitely be interest.

Mitch

I would be interested. I’m going to put a deposit on the 616 for this September.

You can bundle with a B&O, Reading & PRR to make a Monopoly set

The PRSL is just a very boring paint scheme    Well If no CNJ I agree with Bob  The early Erie Lack black scheme  This is one I had custom painted

Beth,

I don’t know how you can say that CNJ has been overdone, it is one of the most underrepresented RRs in 3 rail by the big three. No Wooten fireboxes on anything other than a camelback and that’s only a 4-6-0. How about a heavy mikado, light pacifics, all the steam switchers. Never been a dual cab or babyface baldwin. How about freight cars, other than hoppers, in colors other than “coastguard red”?

With the RS-3's being done in the EL Black/yellow, do u think there would be enough demand for the EL "1100's"  in EL black/yellow also.   The EL baldwins were in the buffalo area mostly.  I remember one getting down to Croxton only once.  The only other baldwain carbody's around were the B65 and B66 slugs.    I still have 3 or 4 of the black/yellow RS-3's available for pre-order.

beth

@Trainmstr posted:

Beth,

I don’t know how you can say that CNJ has been overdone, it is one of the most underrepresented RRs in 3 rail by the big three. No Wooten fireboxes on anything other than a camelback and that’s only a 4-6-0. How about a heavy mikado, light pacifics, all the steam switchers. Never been a dual cab or babyface baldwin. How about freight cars, other than hoppers, in colors other than “coastguard red”?

Have you looked at my website?  CNJ flat cars, TOFC,s, 40 and 50' box cars, bunkerless 40' reefers. I think there is still an ex-LNE covered hopper.   There are some black 50' gondolas here too, just not up on the web right now.  As for engines...A babyface baldwin would be all new tooling, so that's not gonna happen.   And Steam....well, im not a steam expert at all and dont pretend to be. As for doing special runs on steam engines...thats outta my price range...

In diesel engines there's been RS-3's in all 3 colors, SD-40's, 35's, F units in both schemes, GP-7's, the RSD4's, F-M's, VO's, and SW's.   Seems The baldwin AS-16/616 is the only thing that hasnt been done.

beth

Beth

How about a TH&B SW-9?

Ok Beth! Heres one for you! Since MTH started making their own line of diesels from the early 1990's there has only been ONE [1] run of Conrail GP38's and that was in the Quality Scheme and with PS1 electronics.

You could do various Conrail GP38-2 in

1] "plain jane" Conrail scheme

2] Conrail with Operation Lifesaver logo on the long hood

3] Conrail GP38 with yellow Pilot - the Standard Oil switcher

4] Conrail GP38-2 Philly division with logo

5] Conrail GP38-2 white frame stripe.

Just saying.

Beth, how about SRNJ (Southern Railroad of New Jersey) GP9 #100? I was going to have this custom painted but a special run is even better. Maybe the CNJ guys would bite too as the paint scheme is similar but with the SRNJ logo

I‘d love to see a rerun of the PRSL A5 but didn’t see the A5 as an option

Cape May PRSL station back around 1930.

@prrhorseshoecurve posted:

Ok Beth! Heres one for you! Since MTH started making their own line of diesels from the early 1990's there has only been ONE [1] run of Conrail GP38's and that was in the Quality Scheme and with PS1 electronics.

You could do various Conrail GP38-2 in

1] "plain jane" Conrail scheme

2] Conrail with Operation Lifesaver logo on the long hood

3] Conrail GP38 with yellow Pilot - the Standard Oil switcher

4] Conrail GP38-2 Philly division with logo

5] Conrail GP38-2 white frame stripe.

MTH sold the Premier GP38-2 tooling to Atlas so we will have to wait for them to get ready or announce the GP38-2 before we can ask for special runs from Atlas.

@MrMuffin'sTrains posted:

MTH sold the Premier GP38-2 tooling to Atlas so we will have to wait for them to get ready or announce the GP38-2 before we can ask for special runs from Atlas.

I'm in for the Conrail GP38-2 should anyone decide to make one!

A good approximation of an AS-16 is possible using Alco RS-27 running gear. I made a sheet brass chassis to fit the AS-616 body

and copied the truck openings and Gen 1 Protosound mounting holes from a 1997 vintage RS-27 chassis, and transferred the

pieces.

The trick would be to get stamped AS-616 chassis without the 6 wheel truck mounting holes ( not impossible but you have to find

out who ( Atlas? ) is getting the AS-616 and RS-27 tooling. )

Modern computer controlled machining processes like abrasive water-jet machining could do the hole machining cheaply on

small batches of chassis.

The 2015 RS-27 chassis (below) is 5/16 inch shorter than an AS-616, so the same internal layout will work.

The exhaust stacks of each engine are roughly within one inch of each other ( compare photos ) and there appears to be

room to move the smoke unit around on the chassis, so even the smoke unit might possibly be kept with the proper body

adapter.  It's do-able.

This would be a cool little project.  I only wish the wheelbase on the trucks were a little closer to 9’ 10” on the prototype.  Trucks off a Lionel Shark (BF-16) might be a closer match.

The black truck sides you see on my AS-16 are from a FA-2  They're the same size as the original truck sides that came with my RS-27 which were gray.  ( I drilled and tapped the bottom screw mount black truck sides to work with my old style top screw mount trucks. )

PN db-2260001-0    https://www.mthtrains.com/db-2260001-0

( for 2 axle truck )( PRR )( # 9618 )( # 9619 )( # 9618B )          https://www.mthtrains.com/30-2173-1

https://www.mthtrains.com/30-2173-3

I'm 99% sure MTH doesn't have a different truck for the Sharknose since the truck side width to height proportions

seem to be the same.

My calculations say a proper 9' 10" truck would be 7/16 in. longer which seems about right when comparing a B&O AS-16 photo with my model, shot at a similar angle and aligned by body seams. It's off, but still looks ok to my eye especially with the larger RS-27 fuel tank between the trucks.  You can also see the extra body height MTH gave their model to clear the can motor brass flywheels.

I did a CNJ / B&O repaint ( paint out the B&O identification (TCP-352 Wabash Blue, not B&O blue) and put on a Central RR   Company of NJ logo ) the way the CNJ did with the tired Baldwins, FM,  Alcos, and EMDs it received from the B&O when it needed motive power during receivership.            Bob Wilt photo below.

The CNJ didn't get any AS-16's (#904 was sold to Peabody Coal ) but the they did repaint one of it's own similar RS-12s (and other engines) into B&O blue and yellow in the hope the B&O would merge with them.  Allan Roberts RS-12 photo below.  Not as good as a green w/ toothpaste stripe paint job I would like it to have, but better than the solid green version.

PRSL had GP-38s as well, non-dynamic brake versions that went to Conrail in '76 but returned to South Jersey when CR decided they needed dynamic brakes out on the hills and dales of the system.  What about a PRSL GP-38?  This could be sold to 3 rail  fans AND 2 rail modelers like me!!  I know everyone and their brother has made GP-38's but they all seem to have the dynamic brake and nobody did PRSL to my knowledge.  If anyone ever produces them without the brake blister, you could use them for a variety of roads besides just the PRSL.  Just a thought.........

@Cadillac Mike posted:

PRSL had GP-38s as well, non-dynamic brake versions that went to Conrail in '76 but returned to South Jersey when CR decided they needed dynamic brakes out on the hills and dales of the system.  What about a PRSL GP-38?  This could be sold to 3 rail  fans AND 2 rail modelers like me!!  I know everyone and their brother has made GP-38's but they all seem to have the dynamic brake and nobody did PRSL to my knowledge.  If anyone ever produces them without the brake blister, you could use them for a variety of roads besides just the PRSL.  Just a thought.........

Keep in mind that the PRSL GP38s had dual control stands and as a result the front cab windows were extended forward.  I rather unique feature.  I'm not sure if any other roads had this feature.

@Cadillac Mike posted:

PRSL had GP-38s as well, non-dynamic brake versions that went to Conrail in '76 but returned to South Jersey when CR decided they needed dynamic brakes out on the hills and dales of the system.  What about a PRSL GP-38?  This could be sold to 3 rail  fans AND 2 rail modelers like me!!  I know everyone and their brother has made GP-38's but they all seem to have the dynamic brake and nobody did PRSL to my knowledge.  If anyone ever produces them without the brake blister, you could use them for a variety of roads besides just the PRSL.  Just a thought.........

I’m not sure if they were done with scale wheels but MTH did make these in 2 road numbers a few years ago

@JET posted:

My calculations say a proper 9' 10" truck would be 7/16 in. longer which seems about right when comparing a B&O AS-16 photo with my model, shot at a similar angle and aligned by body seams. It's off, but still looks ok to my eye especially with the larger RS-27 fuel tank between the trucks.  You can also see the extra body height MTH gave their model to clear the can motor brass flywheels.

I agree, from this angle it doesn't look bad at all.  A 7/16" difference would be noticeable.

I think is because the RS-27 has a 9' 4" wheel base which is closer to the prototype.  Some of the 4 axle Baldwins and Alcos had trucks with an 8' wheel base.  I think the MTH (and maybe also Weaver) sharks used these smaller trucks, and they look pretty odd IMO.  I think here in your case, the difference is only an 1/8".

A former PRSL GP38 back on "Home Rails"

@prrhorseshoecurve posted:

Ok Beth! Heres one for you! Since MTH started making their own line of diesels from the early 1990's there has only been ONE [1] run of Conrail GP38's and that was in the Quality Scheme and with PS1 electronics.

You could do various Conrail GP38-2 in

1] "plain jane" Conrail scheme

2] Conrail with Operation Lifesaver logo on the long hood

3] Conrail GP38 with yellow Pilot - the Standard Oil switcher

4] Conrail GP38-2 Philly division with logo

5] Conrail GP38-2 white frame stripe.

This would surely put me in the poor house.

They bayway engine 7898 would Be great.