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Post by rednorte on Mar 17, 2012 13:49:29 GMT -5
Hi all I am currently working on a small fleet of GE Shovelnoses that operated on the meter gauge Belgrano system in Argentina. This 75 Ton Locomotive delivered in 1948/49 was actually the first of GE's Shovelnose types exported to several countries in South America and Asia (and to the WP&Y in Alaska/Canada of course). The model is based on a brass body by argentinian builder Diego Francisco Casarotto, with some detail changes and refinements. I have built up the drive from parts by Hollywood Foundry (Victoria, Australia) while the underframe and fuel tank assembly is scratchbuilt from pc-board, styrene and various metal shapes here in Switzerland. And oh yes, the truck sideframes are custom castings by Marcelo Lordeiro of Sao Paulo, Brasil. So it is a pretty international project! The first picture shows three models in different stages of construction in front of two contemporary ads by GE: And some more detailed views of my models: The models are not intended to be "contest grade", but will serve as motive power on a H0n3 layout depicting part of the former Ferrocarril Central Trasandino linking Mendoza (Argentina) with Los Andes (Chile). Later we hope to supplement the Coopers with the similar but somewhat larger 95-Ton shovelnoses. Historically the Coopers are most interesting because they can be considered the first real road or "mainline" locomotives by GE. I am still wondering how the GE salesmen convinced the argentinian authorities to buy 60 brand new mainline diesel locomotives built by a manufacturer who was pretty well-known for his industrial switchers but basically had no reputation at all as a builder of road power. Beat
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Post by jmlaboda on Mar 17, 2012 15:29:29 GMT -5
Great work!!!
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Post by puddlejumper on Mar 17, 2012 15:54:23 GMT -5
Those are outstanding! Makes me want a standard gauge one!
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Post by poweredby251 on Mar 17, 2012 20:49:54 GMT -5
At that time, GE and Alco were still working together, and Alco had a good reputation in the export market. GE probably played on that relationship. In fact, the White Pass and Yukon units were built with Alco 6-251 engines, the same as in the S-5, S-6, and T-6 switchers. The partneship between GE and Alco soured over issues with the early versions of the 244 engine, and the GE sourced turbocharger, and was disolved in the early 50's. Even after GE started designing their own line of locomotives, Alco still purchased GE electrical equipment. In 1954, GE tested their new C-B engines (became the FDL series) in a 2 pairs of cab-booster units (later sold to UP), and some early roadswitchers sold in Mexico. The first U-25-B's came in 1959.
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Post by annarborfan on Mar 17, 2012 20:50:11 GMT -5
Lookin good. Are those mail grabs under the cab windows?
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Post by rednorte on Mar 18, 2012 0:46:49 GMT -5
The GE 75-Ton "Coopers" were delivered in 1949 with a Cooper - Bessemer diesel rated at 990 HP. The locomotives were regarded reliable but certainly not overpowered. Later in their long service life, when the C-B engine was worn out quite a big number of them were remotored with a FIAT diesel of some 1300 HP which didn't last very long. So, after 1986 some surviving veterans got their third diesel, this time an Alco 6-251 taken from retired Alco DL-535 locomotives, rated at 1200 HP.
The heavier 95-Ton narrow gauge Shovelnoses, delivered in 1953, where originally powered by an Alco 12-1244 rated at 1200 HP. It seems three of these were remotored with a 6-251 in 1986 as well.
The hook near the cab windows was not exactly a mail catcher but a "key catcher". The Belgrano used a system with keys that gave a train the authority to operate over a certain district. So when the train crew got the key from a station agent they knew they could proceed to the next station. There they had to stop or, if the line was cleared, they handed the first key to the agent and picked up the one for the next stretch of track.
Beat
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Post by malcolmcelyn on Mar 18, 2012 6:40:44 GMT -5
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Post by 071 on Mar 18, 2012 7:22:22 GMT -5
Or indeed Irish locomotives Fantastic work there, always good to see something a bit different...
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Post by slowfreight on Mar 18, 2012 12:13:45 GMT -5
That's fantastic! I really like the Latin American models because they had such variety of US-made export diesel. I didn't realize that the White Pass diesels weren't the first of their kind. And now, some of them are having their Alco prime movers replaced with Caterpillar.
The first thing I thought when I saw those thingies around the cab windows was token catchers...which I think I first learned about on Australian diesels. They may be simple, but they're effective, and much cheaper than a signal system.
But your models look great, and with that heavy brass shell I'm sure they will pull well, too.
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lucas
Trainmaster
Posts: 149
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Post by lucas on Mar 20, 2012 17:41:24 GMT -5
Wooow Beat, your work is amazing bud!!! I´m working in a "long version" of this Cooper, hope to get some progress for take pictures soon. Keep em goin!
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axel
Probationary Member
Posts: 22
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Post by axel on Apr 3, 2012 17:54:41 GMT -5
It is a work done by the ONU, beautiful ......
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Post by highvoltage on Jul 18, 2012 22:35:55 GMT -5
I saw recently some pictures posted by Marcelo Lordeiro on another forum. I don´t want to post it without your permission. Please share the pics on this forum!, don´t be lazy!!! Even I have some expectations about your GR12. Homework for you, rednorte!
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Post by rednorte on Jul 20, 2012 15:22:58 GMT -5
Highvoltage, I'm sure you meant this pic! My very first "painted" Shovelnose diesel, beautifully crafted from balsa wood and paper! Sorry, couldn't resist this one! But seriously, this one was the very first mock-up I've made when I started thinking about building a Shovelnose model... Beat
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Post by rednorte on Jul 20, 2012 15:32:41 GMT -5
But now I am getting really serious. These are some pics of two nearly-finished models.
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Post by areibel on Jul 20, 2012 17:28:13 GMT -5
That is beautiful work! I'm assuming they're HO scale?
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Post by rednorte on Jul 22, 2012 7:01:50 GMT -5
Sorry, I did mention it elsewhere, but not in this tread. The models are narrow gauge, H0n3.
Beat
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Post by Randy Earle on Jul 22, 2012 11:54:25 GMT -5
White Pass & Yukon
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Post by highvoltage on Jul 22, 2012 23:39:05 GMT -5
YEs, the same locomotive, Original engined with Cooper-Bessemer" engine, later reengined with another prime movers like Fiat and Alco.
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Post by rednorte on Jul 23, 2012 1:28:12 GMT -5
Actually not the same, but close cousins. Compared to the Belgrano "Coopers", the WP&Y Shovelnoses had - a shorter frame and body with different windows and louvers - shorter wheelbase "C" trucks (the Coopers rode on A1A trucks) - a different gauge (three feet versus meter) - numerous detail changes
And of course, the "Cooper" was first, delivered in 1949, while the White Pass received its first Shovelnoses in 1954.
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Post by simulatortrain on Oct 29, 2015 23:13:17 GMT -5
Excellent work on these models! I am bringing this up because I am curious if you have or know of any photos of the cab interiors of these locomotives.
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