N and H0 scale Alco HH600 3D printed shell/trucks/etching by ATSF N SCALE MODELS

[Dirk Jan Blikkendaal]

N and H0 scale Alco switcher HH600 ATSF Class 2300 3D printed shell, Blunt truck side frames and etching in both N and H0 scale. Designed to fit on a modified GE 44-ton chassis (same dimensions). Building instructions and more pictures on www.atsfnscalemodels.com. Contact info@atsfnscalemodels.com. Also possible in TT scale but then without etched details.
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[garethashenden]

Ooh! That looks nice!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Very cool! It never really clicked for me that these things are so short compared to the later S series.

[Jim Starbuck]

This has my attention!

[N Scale Train Boy]

Oooooooh... now I want a pair of these, one to paint for the NH as is, and another to bash into NH 0900, the HH Prototype!

[OldEastRR]

How close is this model to the NH version?

[Jim Starbuck]

Very cool! It never really clicked for me that these things are so short compared to the later S series.

I’m excited to see this and looking forward to getting my hands on one.
I suspect the shell dimensions may be compressed a bit to in order to use the Bachmann 44t chassis and trucks.
My research shows the Alco to be longer than a GE44t by about 10’ both in wheelbase and overall length.
Also Blunt trucks have an axle spacing of 8’ whereas the GE is 6’ 10”.
Information sources vary a bit but I believe the HH600 was only about 2’ shorter than an S2 and the HH1000 was almost the same as the S2.

[thomasjmdavis]

Jim,
You are correct on the truck wheelbase of 8'0" on the HH600 (longer, as you point out, than the 44 tonner)
But the HH600 had a truck center-center of 19' 9"-  the 44 tonner has a truck center- truck center of 18'9" to 19'3"  (depending on when and where built)- a difference of 6"-12", not 10'.  Overall, the HH600 is much longer, but the trucks are well set back from the ends, as opposed to the 44 tonner, where the wheels are only set back a few inches from the pilots.
Here is a diagram from C&EI. 




and info on 44 tonners
https://utahrails.net/pdf/GE_44-ton-Specification_May-1947.pdf

[squirrelhunter]

Wikipedia says the distance between truck centers on a HH660 is about 21 feet, which is about 2 feet more than a 44 tonner, but the diesel shop website says the HH 660 wheelbase is 28 feet.

Looking at pictures, assuming that the handrail stanchion spacing is roughly the same between the models, the HH series units seem to have 1 less stanchion, which would suggest the HH series units are at least 2' or 3' shorter than the S series units.

[Jim Starbuck]

Thanks for the information gentlemen. My numbers weren’t adding up because that seem like way too much difference and various sources differed significantly. The photos of Dirk’s assembles models look nice.
When I built my Milwaukee HH660 a few years ago I shortened an Atlas S2 chassis by about two and a half feet and it looks correct.

[Chris333]

Must be phases, because I remember them having steps that copied S2 steps.

[bbussey]

If I utilize this kit for a New Haven model, i probably will design new 44t truck frames with the longer wheelbase. There should be enough room for a small decoder and keep alive in the cab, but it will be tight.

[Dirk Jan Blikkendaal]

Standardization did not exist in those 1930's early diesel days...... In ED Worleys magnificent book Iron Horse of the Santa Fe Trail is says 18'-9" for the GE 44-ton and 19'-4" for the ATSF 2300 Class HH600, about 1 mm difference in N scale. Truck axle distance is 6'-10" for the GE and 8 feet for the Alco, about a 2 mm difference in N scale. Also wheelsize is a bit different, 33" for the GE and 40" for the Alco, about 1 mm difference in N scale. I still opted for the N scale Bachmann mechanism because of its perfect drive and narrow/small chassis. The HH600 hood is also really narrow. The different truck size is not too obvious viewed from some distance in my opinion. The pins on the sides of the Bachmann truck towers make changing to the supplied 3D printed Blunt truck sideframes a 1 minute job....... The high hood of the HH600 gives a 8,2 mm wide, 6 mm high and 57 mm long space inside the shell just above the Bachmann frame, enough for a DCC decoder and 2 LED's plus some extra lead weight.       

[Dirk Jan Blikkendaal]

I managed to increase the inside width of the shell to 9 mm (for the N scale version) by thinning the sidewalls of the high hood a bit. That means adapting the Bachmann chassis is a lot easier. You only have to cut off the sideways protruding "fuel tanks" of the chassis flush with the long sides. Maybe also just remove the black paint or scrape the inside or the 3D printed hood with a straight scalpel to remove just a little bit of material for an easier fit It also means there is more room for a decoder, LED's and even a sugar cube speaker. Total available volume is 9 mm wide, 7 mm high and 59 mm long. Smallest sound decoder is ESU LOKSOUND 5 NANO, 19,6 x 8,5 x 5,3 mm and the smallest speaker is 8 mm wide..... challenge!   

[bbussey]

The New Haven version also had a 20' wheelbase and 8' axle spacing, same as C&EI.  So I don't think the Bachmann 44T as is would work for me as is.   The Atlas S2 trucks would be better axle-spacing wise.  Or new 3D truck casings with an 8' axle spacing and Kato gears might work with the Bachmann frame if it's possible to make up the 2' truck-spacing difference..