Detail Photos/drawings of EMD radiator fans?

[ctown2]

Modeling in 1/29 has its challenges...

I need some detail photos or drawings of EMD of 48" fans, particularly the flared fans so I can replace the factory crap ones.

Worse case, I can use Cannon & Co fans, but would rather start with drawings or decent photos to create a CAD model for 3D printing.

[big train james]

I have searched far and wide for lots of EMD drawings, including cooling and dynamic fans. The good news is, that I can point you in the direction of drawings for the fans themselves, meaning the flanged unit that mounts to the hood, which includes the motor, blade, hub, and mounting ring. The bad news is that I have never found a source for drawings for the guards, which are separate parts, which include the top ring with grille welded to it.

There are at least two places on the web where you can find line drawings suitable for importing/attaching to a cad file for tracing. Both sources are for EMD parts catalogs, although one source is certainly more comprehensive than the other.

For starters, you can head to the Fallen Flags website, where there are a multitude of operator manuals and catalogs available. Unfortunately, most of the manuals are useless for drawing purposes. However, there is a pair of EMD master parts catalogs linked there. If you delve into those links, you will find a lot of information that you can use as reference for creating drawings. The section that specifically deals with engine cooling fans is section 4123, which you can find at the following link.

www.rr-fallenflags.org/manual/emd-mpc-4123.pdf

The catalog section begins with a matrix detailing which fans are utilized on which loco models. From there, if you scroll down to page 4, you will see two section drawings. I'm thinking that the unit listed as for columns "D" and "E" might be what you are looking for. I'm not anywhere near as familiar with first gen EMD's as I am with 2nd gen, so I can't say conclusively. Anyway, a careful study of the drawing combined with photos should get you most of the information you need. You will see that the guard is not included in the drawing, which is a shame.

The second source is also for EMD parts catalogs, but it is far more comprehensive in scope. It's actually from a thread on this forum from a month or so ago.

dieseldetailer.proboards.com/thread/18829/master-catalogs-information-drawing-source

Hit the link in that thread for catalogs for everything from the F units through the sd50, including switchers. While the Fallen Flags site has bits and pieces of information, it doesn't cover anywhere near the full range of content. So just for future reference, I would plan on downloading all the available catalogs.

I will note that even though the Fallen Flags site doesn't have quite as much data, it does have some drawings that don't show up in catalogs from the DD thread. The DD thread catalogs have all the specifications, but somethimes parts are listed as "not illustrated" or something to that effect. And we really need the illustrations. So I still reference both sources as some of the parts are drawn in one place if not the other.

As noted, I have never seen formal drawings for any of the guards in the catalog. The guards will be called out in the parts list, but not illustrated with the fan bases. Sometimes the guards can be found in other drawings, namely the engine cooling system drawings (Section 500) showing the radiator cores and shutters. Often the section drawings will show the core in the context of the car body, and show the fan in elevation. I don't recall ever seeing the flared style guard, but I've also never gone looking for it either.

If you can't find any guard drawings in the parts catalogs, you'll have to look elsewhere. At a minimum, I know that a gp20 line drawing was included on the packaging for the Proto model. I'm sure the same drawing or something very similar shows up in the diesel locomotive cyclopedia. I don't know where you are located, but I've accessed the cyclopedia through my local library in the past. Lastly, there is a gp20 book from Withers Publishing that includes line drawings for the gp20. I don't know of any other drawing sources beyond those listed.

You might try contacting Dave Hussey at Cannon. He obviously had the info to create his HO model from. If you explain what you need, and beg and plead in an almost embarrassing manner, perhaps he will help you out. Of course, he also may not, but it can't hurt to ask.

I hope this helps. Let us know what you find out.
Jim

[ctown2]

Jim,
Thanks for the leads. I've been looking thru the EMD parts list for some information, but I hadn't found anything yet. But then again each of those PDF's are 800 pages each, so it is easy to lose track.

A few years ago (or maybe when I started the project) I emailed Dave from Cannon & Co with a question about drawings and or any detailed information explaining exactly what I wanted to do, and even offering to drum up support for 1/29 detail parts if he wanted to make them himself. All I got was a cold shoulder basically say sorry, not willing to share.

Frustrating, but understandable.

Craig