Yay! SWSat is on!
Rich Murnane is still in the throws of his big move so I am getting things rolling this week. SWSat is where a buch of us get around and discuss switching and switch engines in both prototype and model form. Consider joining us and contributing this week.
This week I am going to start things off with some pictures of a new project I started that involves modeling a specialized switch engine that has not been offered in O scale before. The project is in very early stages but I am pretty happy with how things are starting off. The DES-3 was a special tripowered switch engine that was specially made for the New York Central to work in the city and confirm to the ban on use of steam engines within the city. These were used mostly on the West Side railroad line which ran along the west side of Manhattan Island running from the wye at Spyten Dyval in the Bronx, along the Hudson River,past the milk yard in Manhattanville, ducking under Riverside Park, through the 60st yard and float operation, climbing the Highline and running that all the way to St Johns Park in SoHo. The most interesting aspect of them was the ability to run on electricity from a third rail like a subway car, limited battery power or Deisel power. They were pretty homely looking Boxcabs with cabs on either end. They were short, only 47 ft over coupler faces and had two four wheel trucks. I thought it would be perfect to make a model of. 
Of course these two images are of the same side. The side without the center window and vent panels.
I have not ever done this before. I have a vintage brass steam engine that I want to start building but I wanted a starter build to build some skills before I commited to the steam engine. I wanted to start this because I found a perfect doner engine. It was cheap had trucks I could use and was the right length. Right now the Williams by Bachmann Chuggington engines are on blowout sale at Trainworld. So this British blue look alike is the the starter for my DES-3 Tripowered engine. 
My one big compromise is the truck spacing they should be a bit further apart but I think it will work out ok. The dummy coupler was mounted to the truck. There is provision to mount another dummy on the front truck but I am going to do body mounted KDs.
Like I say this is a first build for asthetics and I am not far along I am just testing if it can work at this stage. I found drawings on line and printed them out at O scale. The A side and B side of the engine are different but the drawing I used is the same. I will make the actual model differently. I mounted the drawings to Foamcore to check clearances. I may shorten the body very slightly so the porches don't stick out too far. The flywheels do stick out above the engine sides but are within the height of the roof when it is done.
Thanks for looking have a great weekend. I can't wait to see what you guys post.
). Hope you get some trains up and running soon.
