The Old Way

[Randy Earle]

Back in the days when ready to run meant Athearn wide bodies in blue boxes or Atlas engines from Austria, we were forced to be resourcefull and create what we needed. There were no ready to run Alco RS-11s if you wanted one for your Nickel Plate, no RS-36. These were made by me out of the old Life Like trainset diesels that sold for $12-$18. The only aftermarket parts I used to make these were Smokey Valley stanchions. These were built in the early 1980s.

[icghogger]

Fine work! The finish is what does it for me. Perfect!

[chrismears]

Mar 13, 2009 22:19:55 GMT -5 Randy Earle said:

Back in the days when ready to run meant Athearn wide bodies in blue boxes or Atlas engines from Austria, we were forced to be resourcefull and create what we needed.

I remember those days, I think I was younger too...but heck, who's noticed...right

May I ask how you powered these?

I have one. The all-wheel drive looked decent, and I always wondered if the real problem was the motor...perhaps I could replace the motor with something smoother and I'd have a more useful (for switching) model.

Great models, I'm glad I found this thread.

Chris

[Randy Earle]

I used GSB Tan Cans fastened in with GTE Silicone.

[Jack Napier]

Beautiful Alco's, and in NKP colors too!

[Randy Earle]

Thanks for the compliments, these units are pretty crude by todays standards, and I have 5 ATLAS RS-11s and an ATLAS RS-36, but I could never bring myself to put them away or get rid of them because they are a part of my modeling history. Sure they lurch a little and go too fast, but they look good to me.