More Steam...and a Big Cup of Electricity

[mlehman]

This one I just felt like doing. Don't bother checking your references, there was no such thing, but I had a great time building a Steam and Power Generator, as the Rio Grande called such things. Except they had only standard gauge versions that did only steam. I needed some supplemental steam generating capacity available. My DL-535s sometimes get called to handle a passenger train, even though they're mostly freight locos and have no steam generator or HEP. My NW2Ms do have a small steam generator, but it often requires double-heading to get enough heat going for a long train in the dead of winter.

Thus was born #254.

If it looks a little like a cut down F B-unit, that's because it is...



I thought it would be longer than necessary if I didn't chop the length down some, so I did.



The ends were also narrowed. In the end, it could have been 6" wider, but looks good anyway.



A little squaring up and some glue, it's starting to look good, in fact I almost decided to just levae the 4-stripe alone and touch it up. But our tourists get fancier service than on the D&S, with good old green cars.



It's not a large car...



I spray-bombed it with some of my dwindling supply of Flouquil passenger green and applied decals, including piecing together Steam and Power Generator.



I added a second steam generator.



Some battery box and fuel tank detail and it was looking right rolling on its narrowgauge passenger trucks.



No one is shivering on the San Juan anymore.



Counting the trucks and the RTR F shell, I probably have $30 wrapped up here. But the cost wasn't the object, it was the fun of building a unique and operationally useful car that interested me.

[edwardsutorik]

What a fun project! And quite presentable, too.



Ed

[mlehman]

Thanks for your kind comments, Ed

I was thinking when I was building it that it was rather implausible, since the Rio Grande tended to fix F units rather than retire them after accidents. But I suppose this came about near the end and they just decided to recycle some parts to build this for the narrowgauge.

It did come out well enough that it's got me thinking, "What about a narrowgauge ABBA lashup?" Then I think "What would I do for a nose...?" I'll have to stick to B units, I guess

[catt]

So when do we get to see pics of the narrow gauge ABBA set? We are waiting.

[edwardsutorik]

Jan 30, 2015 8:30:15 GMT -8 mlehman said:

Then I think "What would I do for a nose...?"

Oh, I don't know:






I know there's something out there, but I just can't put my mind to it.




Ed

[cf7]

Looks great, Mike! On the F nose, just cut, chop, channel until you get what you want. A narrow gauge CF7...now there's an idea!

I'm glad that there are still others out there that like to do odd stuff.

Good job!

[kentuckysouthernrwy]

Interesting project. I had my doubts at first but it turned out nice.

[mlehman]

Karl,
I had my doubts a time or two, too.

Ed,
Hey, you might be onto something, a CF-7 nose and the hood behind the cab.

cf7,
I was never much on body work and would probably butcher a nose job like that. Maybe since the poor thing that goes under the knife to donate parts to the cause should see me stick to the easy stuff for a dignified end?

[bnsf971]

Mike, how about an ABBA set of DL535Es?
Kind of like Santa Fe did with their GP60s.

[gevohogger]

Sand fillers are repurposed as water intakes I'm assuming?

[mlehman]

Jan 31, 2015 5:03:23 GMT -8 bnsf971 said:

Mike, how about an ABBA set of DL535Es?
Kind of like Santa Fe did with their GP60s.

Terry,
There's an idea. Now if I could locate two more PSC kits for $250/each (those were the days!) I could pursue that. I'd have to rob the K-28 fund to pay for that though, as it's struggling pretty hard right now.

gevohogger,
Yes, I like to think the shops crew is creative, but sorta lazy like me when they build these things.