Lets see your Unusual Motive Power

[Cajonpassfan]

Yes, I would estimate 28"
However, I'm with Mandealco.  Did any FM H20-44 have switcher trucks?  The photos I've seen had ALCo road trucks (or AAR-B trucks).

Yea, the UP units I need had AAR-B's, with an 9-6" wheelbase, just like the Atlas H16-44's, and the H16 trucks don't fit the VO mechanism as I was hoping. Back to the drawing board, so to speak...
Thanks, Otto K.

[Ike the BN Freak]

My son (oldest of 8!) is in the Air Force machine shop.  If he can make parts to keep our aging air force flying, he can mill the odd loco frame.

Steve, what base is he stationed at?  Know what its like trying to keep our aging AF flying...

I like a few dudes in Metals Tech, need to be friends with a few...maybe get them to mill a few frames for me...

[wazzou]

The C-415 I'm drawing up, is a former Rock Island unit that is now on the Buffalo Southern.  It has AAR type "B" trucks and the medium height cab. 
Cheers
Steve

I've been trying to think of how to fab the Alco Hi-Ad trucks to do a High Cab C-415 for years.  The Body part is getting easier to figure out.  I'll follow along with interest when you've begun.

[mandealco]

Ike, Daniel is in the RNZAF (Royal New Zealand Air Force), based at Whenuapai, pronounced Fen-oo-a-pie, near Auckland, about 1000 miles from where I live.  I can ask him if he's interested in taking on some private work.  He's done 2 for me so far.

Bryan (sorry about the previous spelling),  The 2 axle Hi-Ads can be fudged with the Atlas FB-2 trucks and some add ons.  The FB-2s are used on most of the B23/30-7 models.  Check out my posts on the recent Alco C-430 thread.  I used springs from an old Atlas (1960's) RSC-2, and glued them onto the FB-2 side frames.  Not a wonderful match, but acceptable to me until I think of something better.

Cheers
Steve

[wazzou]

I haven't even considered wheelbase for a while.  What chassis are you planning to use?

[randgust]

I've been doing oddballs for years and years, this is just what is handy.  Remember that Ron Beardon (U18) pioneered the 44-tonner and I finished it, we were five years ahead of Bachmann.   Hard to say which one of these is the most unusual.  But the 44-tonner got me off on a kick that has yet to let up.  Bigfoot the Heisler was built back in 1975-6.











The smallest one is the Burro crane, by far, smaller than the GE 25-tonner.  My favorite, the absolute hardest one to do, is the 30-ton Climax.

I won't post all the video links but if you go on YouTube and search for 'randgust' you'll see videos of most of these (including the Climax, the 25-tonner, and the Burro) in operation.

[u18b]

The critter-man shows up!

[randgust]

I haven't lost my passion for oddball critters, only the time.   Who knew that the resin sideframes on WLL #5 would develop into a sideline hobby business that consumes every free moment between October 15 and March 15!   And, of course, the goal is to make stuff like this LESS unusual, as long as you're willing to do a kit.   

I'd also like to give a nod to Chris Schmuck (Chris333) who has been an inspiration for a lot of us.  My HVRR 2-6-0 #5 is a derivative of the wonderful rebuilt Atlas 2-6-2 he did years ago and is now owned by Jerry DeBene.

[Ike the BN Freak]

Ike, Daniel is in the RNZAF (Royal New Zealand Air Force), based at Whenuapai, pronounced Fen-oo-a-pie, near Auckland, about 1000 miles from where I live.  I can ask him if he's interested in taking on some private work.  He's done 2 for me so far.

Ah, shipping would probably be more than if I got Aztec frames...so probably just sweet talk some guys here at my base with a case of beer...

[mandealco]

Awesome collection of critters Randy.

Bryan, the C-415 truck centres are 28'.  The only suitable chassis for this, without alteration, is the Life-Like FA/FB-1.  I must clarify the FB terms I've used.  Here it applies to the Alco locomotive model.  In my previous post, it was refering to the General Electric Floating Bolster trucks.

Ron's truck reversal on the VO-1000 can produce a 28' chassis with one truck reversed.  Some drawings of the C-415 showed type "A" switcher trucks being used, by I can't recall seeing any photos of them on an actual engine.  I used the Life-Like FA/FB-1 chassis to get the right length and the right side frames. 
Cheers
Steve

[mandealco]

Beer, the universal payment system.

[PAL_Houston]

This is mine, now, but it is a product of Ron Bearden's undying devotion to making usual stuff into unusual stuff:




It is a TR-3 slug.  Ron not only gave me a good price, but also a birth certificate.
Unfortunately, it's been spending most of its time couped up in a box on account of  I don't have a big yard to run it in....at the time I was still thinking about modeling Chicago.

[u18b]

Another one of my children lives one!

Wow Paul.  I almost forgot about that one.
Is that slug powered?

[u18b]

Here is some more of my unusual locos.

SD18



SD18 with filter



SD20-2 (deturbocharged SD35)



U30B late phase- wow made almost 30 years ago from Bachmann shell and a stretched Atlas/Kato RS3 chassis.



U30B phase 1 (same as U28B), sadly, never finished.



FA1 phase 1.  Note the PA1 style grill.  Also has small headlight on nose.  And yes, GM&O fans, I did go back and paint the roof black- just never got a photo.



FA1 phase 1 finished




U25C, former Oro Dam unit.  Here is a better color shot.  Bryan Bussey now owns it as Conrail in different phase.




U25B phase 3.  Note the split windshield.  Atlas models are phase 2.




MOW powered.  I found a clearer shot.




Here is the revised version with DCC and operating headlights that flash.

[SquirrelHollow]

Great stuff, guys.

But, this ripped my heart out:

I scratched/bashed UP50 between 2003 and 2006.
I shipped the shell to a highly praised loco painter in California for a paint job and weathering, with a pair of ConCor U50s and a 'parts only' ConCor "Veranda" as payment.
He posted a shot of my shell painted in an SP 'black widow' scheme a couple weeks later, then disappeared.  I never saw any of it again, and the Fresno PD and USPS were far from helpful.