SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

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senorgilamonster
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SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by senorgilamonster »

This year I am going to cross something off of my bucket list this year: The Train Mountain Triennial.

I already have a mostly finished bobber caboose and am finishing a flat car for riding on. The flat car build is on this thread: http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/vie ... 5&t=106313

Now its time for motive power. :D While I have a set of castings and 2 completed trucks for a Shay, I have had them for 10 years, don't have the skills to machine the engine castings (yet), and don't have the time before the Triennial. So, instead I will model the:

Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge GE 50 Ton Diesel #1 aka the "Little Giant". I haven't been able to put my hands on a set of prints (S Gaugeian) so if anyone has a copy they would like to loan/sell me...In the mean time I am making a set of prints off the various online photos.

I am going to start by building a single truck. I have four 7/5" dia wheels, material for the axles, and several feet of 1/4" x 6" hot rolled steel for the side frames.

the photo below is from OwensValleyHistory.com http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/carso ... age51.html
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sp_narrowDieselsml.jpg
rkcarguy
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Re: SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by rkcarguy »

I was looking at these when I was trying to figure out what I wanted to build, I like the design except that ugly headlight scared me away haha
You have "power" figured out yet?
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senorgilamonster
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Re: SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by senorgilamonster »

I'm planning on battery electric. Another reason I want to start with the truck is so that I can work out the mounting of the DC motor(s).

I plan on 3D printing the headlight. :D I may end up using the #D part as an investment for a lost wax casing into aluminium.

I'm more than happy to share plans, tips, tricks and mistakes along the way.
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8thscale
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Re: SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by 8thscale »

senorgilamonster wrote: Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:07 pm This year I am going to cross something off of my bucket list this year: The Train Mountain Triennial.
...
I already have a mostly finished bobber caboose and am finishing a flat car for riding on.
...
Welcome!
Train Mountain is pretty amazing! It may or may not be a 'bucket list' item, I've enjoyed each and every triennial! The railroad changes every year, vendors, new people to meet, get to see old friends again and generally a great place for an immersion experience!

Hope we get to see the caboose as well!
Dave
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cbrew
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Re: SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by cbrew »

Morning, I can relate to a tight time line like this. that last triennial, a friend of mine came to be with a crazy idea to build a passenger locomotive.
well have going back and forth, we ended up building two. 7 months from idea to rails.
he did all the cad work for everything above the frame deck, i designed everything below.

you stated you was working on the trucks first so you work out the drive system, I wanted to share the system i came up with.
the locomotives have been in service for 3 years now with little issue.
using a 24v 500 watt scooter motor per axle and chain drive for simplicity
if you are interested in using this setup, Pm me and we can working out getting you the laser cut parts

happy building.. (hope to see the loco at the triennial)
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If it is not live steam. its not worth it.
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senorgilamonster
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Re: SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by senorgilamonster »

I admit that getting the SP#1 done in 15 weeks is a big goal. It probably won't have 4 motors and 8 batteries in place by then.

I previously had a small electric critter that I had gotten from a guy in a trade. I got the running gear with no superstructure. I whipped up a "temporary" Whitcomb superstructure from plywood and ran it at a club. I wasn't proud of the appearance, but it looked more like a locomotive to me than a boxcab.

I eventually tossed the superstructure and put all for the running gear in storage. I also have a commercially built 1.6 scale gas mechanical cab sitting in storage. So the back up plan is to resurrect the gas mechanical design in 1.6 if I cant get the GE into an acceptable shape.

for fun, a pic of my caboose
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Caboose for Chaski.jpg
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Re: SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by 0351 »

senorgilamonster wrote: Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:09 am I'm planning on battery electric. Another reason I want to start with the truck is so that I can work out the mounting of the DC motor(s).

I plan on 3D printing the headlight. :D I may end up using the #D part as an investment for a lost wax casing into aluminium.

I'm more than happy to share plans, tips, tricks and mistakes along the way.
Looking forward to following this build. I am also currently looking to find drawings of SP#1 in preparation for a future narrow gauge build in either 3" scale or 3.75" scale (haven't completely decided) to run on 11.25" gauge track. Planning to use electric motors for power.
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
John 14:6 (KJV)
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senorgilamonster
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Re: SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by senorgilamonster »

Unless a better set comes along, I will be making my own set of plans by taking measurements from photos. There are supposed to be some plans in Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge Locomotives & Freight Equipment by Robert A. Bader...but I hate to shell out $100 without knowing how good or detailed those plans are. I can PM them to anyone who is interested - or post them to the build log for public critique.

I do plan on taking some license to fit my own build parameters...for example, The SP#1 started out as a standard gauge loco and was re-gauged. That puts it at approximately 10 feet wide. In my scale that puts the with at 25.5" I will narrow my version down to 24" primarily for material size considerations and it will still look excessively wide over 7.5" rails. And fortunately for me, I am not a rivet counter.

The best photo that I have located for a near orthogonal side view is here: http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/sp1.jpg

The best photo that I have found for a nearly orthogonal end view is the 11th down here: http://www.richyodermodels.com/rym_owens_bd.htm

There are quite a few photos with people and rolling stock for size references.
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NP317
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Re: SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by NP317 »

Such nostalgic pictures! I've had a life long fascination with the Keeler Branch SP narrow gauge operation.
Makes me wish I could have experienced it when still steam-operated.
I'd still like to do a road trip to see what evidence remains, including the museum at Laws(?).
~RN
rkcarguy
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Re: SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by rkcarguy »

I have a sizable collection of old Athearn blue box HO scale trains, and I had acquired a Milwaukee Road S-12 several years ago at the local train show for $10. It's been very accurate in most accounts except for the hood width which is a little wide, which I copied in scale anyway because I need the extra engine room size too. For a variety of reasons, I'm modeling in 2" scale, which puts my width at 20" wide. I think you'll be looking around 2-1/2" scale at 24" wide.
Might be worth getting a model to work from if you can find one that is fairly priced, and a Rich Yoder model won't be that haha :) Between the HO scale train and pictures/specs posted online, I've found pretty much everything I needed to build. The multiplier for me, ended up being 14.7x, from the HO scale to my 2" scale.
rkcarguy
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Re: SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by rkcarguy »

I have to agree with NP317, great pics on the RY models link, even showing the classification lights in place!
Are you going Black and orange or Red/Grey?
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senorgilamonster
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Re: SP NG Diesel #1 (GE 50T) - Triennial or Bust

Post by senorgilamonster »

I'm having trouble deciding...I'm leaning toward the red.
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