Shapeways newest Milwaukee Road "Little Joe" builds using Kato SD-90 parts.

[UP4-8-8-4]

Mikes first Little Joe's was only the engine shells, end decks and driver/pilot side frames.
His first two, As-built and Re-build ones, I highly modified Kato GG1's by getting two additional GG1 trucks from Kato and cutting off an additional set of drivers and grafting onto the existing GG1 trucks as well as shorting the GG1 front and rear trucks.
These I used the GG1 pantographs on.
All top detail was scratched built using my Overland Brass Little Joe.
Mike is now going to 3D print all the top detail from pictures I sent him as well as other picture sources.




Mike went to the extreme with his newest release's.
Using a Kato SD-90 internal parts, everything now snaps into his Little Joe chassis making for an unreal runner, plus a lot easier to build than the first releases.
Besides getting a Kato SD-90/43 MAC, you'll also need a extra power truck for the two extra "Free Roller" drivers.

The motor once the SD-90 mount is removed snaps into place.
You have a choice of either direct drive, (shafts included), or cutting down the universal drive shafts as what I did. But will use the direct drive on his Re-built version, and if I like it better, will change the As-built one.

The main chassis already has both pilot end trucks mounted, just need to place the wheel sets of your choice. I ended up using brass wheel sets for the additional weight.
With the pivot of the end trucks, once soaked in either Goo Gone or Bestine, I always use Scalecoat II paint stripper for a five minute rotate soak then wash with dish washing liquid and an old tooth brush then a good rinsing, don't like or have patience for the 24 hour wait soak time.
Carefully move both back and forth easily and slowly until both pivot freely.

Besides the motor snapping into place, the set of drivers with the brass wipers once removed from the SD-90 just snaps into place, the free rolled driver also snaps into place.

Once I had the chassis built, cover tops over the drive's, I then snapped both power trucks into place first running the pickup wires I soldered on both ends of the trucks brass pickup top tabs first through the small holes in the chassis and soldered them direct to the motor brush brass tabs.
Cover tops I also filled complete with Tungsten Putty.
Little Joe body also snaps on the chassis.








Shapeways Mike's newest Little Joe shells and chassis.
https://www.shapeways.com/product/9FAR2DYHX/little-joe-kit-early-version?optionId=42663334&li=marketplace


VIDEO: The operating Milwaukee Road pantographs in the video is also 3D printed by Mike, very sturdy, hard to break.

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[wm3798]

So at what point does Atlas, or BLE, or whomever, simply pay these dabblers for their designs so they can be mass produced?  That's just cool.

Lee

[CRL]

Agree it’s cool, but pretty sure not enough demand for this particular locomotive to justify putting into production on the scale necessary to be profitable. Kind of a one road locomotive.

[Cajonpassfan]

Agree it’s cool, but pretty sure not enough demand for this particular locomotive to justify putting into production on the scale necessary to be profitable. Kind of a one road locomotive.

Kind of like the Hiawatha 4-4-2?
Just sayin’,
Otto K.

[mmagliaro]

It is another bit of evidence that demonstrates the possibility of re-purposing existing mechanisms to make other, very different, locomotives!  For years, this idea has been suggested for steam locos (making a set of "generic" chassis with a suite of common driver sizes and spacings).  But the massive variation in boiler shapes and appliance locations means it would only be possible as a kitbasher's "workshop" product, and probably wouldn't have nearly enough market there.

I agree that this just wouldn't be practical for manufacturing on a scale large enough to be interesting to Kato, Bachmann, or anybody else.  But it does open the door some more to the existence of small-volume kit manufacturing.

Really nice work on the models, by the way.  And VERY clever engineering and design!

[nickelplate759]

Kind of like the Hiawatha 4-4-2?
Just sayin’,
Otto K.

Or a PRR GG1  (at least 4 different N scale versions made, not counting Del Prado's dummy)?

Anyway, the Little Joe is a 2-road engine (South Shore!)

[u18b]

Kato rep said that drawings had been done for the Lil Joe.
That doesn't mean they will ever be produced.

But the drawings and the fact that the Lil Joe was on the last survey combined with the release of the Olympian Hi suggests that a Lil Joe is not out of the question for Kato to release.

Wouldn't just about everyone who bought the Olympian Hi also want a Lil Joe?
After all, that train was pulled by both diesel and electric.
So Milw fans would probably want both the FP7 and the Lil Joe.

And then you have freight to boot.

But Kato aside..... the work shown here is fabulous!

[AlwaysSolutions]

UP4-8-8-4's work is superb.  Saw a pic of his first two Shapeways units next to a brass Joe, and with all the details he added and excellent paint job you could hardly tell which was which.  I'm glad the improved chassis has made the build a lot easier - that's definitely what I was shooting for.  Looking forward to seeing this one all finished up!

Good discussion on a manufacturer taking this on.  I personally think it would be a good seller if Kato did it despite limited range of being mostly a Milwaukee Road thing.  Looking at the GS-4 and GG-1 examples, they're iconic locomotives and lots of people buy them whether they're fans or not of Penn or S.P.  They're neat - and you gotta have at least one neat loco for your collection.    Plus, there are some beautiful train sets available for them.  If Kato made the Joe, I'd still buy a few (although I'd probably still use my shells to have variety - freight vs passenger, weathered, fantasy schemes etc.)  And as pointed out, a lot of people with those Olympian Hiawatha sets probably wouldn't mind one or two Joes on point.

Kato has got a decent price point for their locomotives, their running qualities are top notch, in fact the only thing I'd complain about is their pantographs.  Those GG-1 pans don't project the Kato quality we expect, so I'd probably replace with my own unless they did a redesign.  I realize a Kato Joe would kill my Little Joe side-business, so secretly I'm glad it didn't win the poll results lol, but - really my whole deal with doing the Joe has always been to get Little Joes out there in N Scale land that don't cost an arm and a leg.  I'm always appreciative to see what my customers have done with their Joes - this thread here is great!

Cheers -Mike

[UP4-8-8-4]

UP4-8-8-4's work is superb.  Saw a pic of his first two Shapeways units next to a brass Joe, and with all the details he added and excellent paint job you could hardly tell which was which.  I'm glad the improved chassis has made the build a lot easier - that's definitely what I was shooting for.  Looking forward to seeing this one all finished up!

Good discussion on a manufacturer taking this on.  I personally think it would be a good seller if Kato did it despite limited range of being mostly a Milwaukee Road thing.  Looking at the GS-4 and GG-1 examples, they're iconic locomotives and lots of people buy them whether they're fans or not of Penn or S.P.  They're neat - and you gotta have at least one neat loco for your collection.    Plus, there are some beautiful train sets available for them.  If Kato made the Joe, I'd still buy a few (although I'd probably still use my shells to have variety - freight vs passenger, weathered, fantasy schemes etc.)  And as pointed out, a lot of people with those Olympian Hiawatha sets probably wouldn't mind one or two Joes on point.

Kato has got a decent price point for their locomotives, their running qualities are top notch, in fact the only thing I'd complain about is their pantographs.  Those GG-1 pans don't project the Kato quality we expect, so I'd probably replace with my own unless they did a redesign.  I realize a Kato Joe would kill my Little Joe side-business, so secretly I'm glad it didn't win the poll results lol, but - really my whole deal with doing the Joe has always been to get Little Joes out there in N Scale land that don't cost an arm and a leg.  I'm always appreciative to see what my customers have done with their Joes - this threat here is great!

Cheers -Mike

Hey Mike, good to see you around !

Thanks for the nice complement on my detail used from my brass Little Joe.
Did you ever add the extra detail on yours from the pictures I sent you of my brass one yet ?

I also already have your Re-built version and another Kato SD-90 that I haven't started on yet.
In the near future I plan to get another for the South Shore version, just for something a bit different.



Your right, its to your advantage that nobody decides to produce a Little Joe !
At least one you'll never have to worry about is your Great Northern W1 ------------------- ( ;

[nkalanaga]

The Joe was a 3-road motor, if one counts Brazil.  They may still be running down there for all I know.

[UP4-8-8-4]

The Joe was a 3-road motor, if one counts Brazil.  They may still be running down there for all I know.

They ran in Brazil until 1999, after that three was scrapped, only one was complete and saved in a museum.
Another wasn't scrapped but also in a museum but missing many parts.

[nkalanaga]

Thank you.  So, one saved in Deer Lodge, and one in Brazil.  Were any of the South Shore's saved?

With the wires still in use for commuter service, theirs could, in theory, be run today.

[JanesCustomTrain]

They ran in Brazil until 1999, after that three was scrapped, only one was saved in a museum.

They run in Brazil only because of the Cold War, they were built to be exported to Russia.

Jane

[CBQ Fan]

Thank you.  So, one saved in Deer Lodge, and one in Brazil.  Were any of the South Shore's saved?

With the wires still in use for commuter service, theirs could, in theory, be run today.

I believe that the South Shore pictured above is the one at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, IL.

[Missaberoad]

They run in Brazil only because of the Cold War, they were built to be exported to Russia.

Jane

The same is true for the Milwaukee and South Shore units...