Hi The M-420 is a Briggs Models Kit. It is a very well engineered model that can be bought in BC Rail or CN versions, even a B unit. There are lots of etched parts and the underframe area that you can see in my photo, has a nice casting that represents the underframe detail. He also makes the M-630 kit, Dofasco trucks and a C-425 kit. I'm not sure what the filter angle is supposed to be. Each side of mine is made up of 8 individual etched filters, from the Briggs M-630 kit. I had to file about 0.3mm of the edge of each one, then just glued them into the openings with Weld Bond. I used Weld Bond as it is very strong, but allows me time to position each pair of filters so they look about right. The angle may not be right, but it looks okay to me. The C-424 was modified using Atlas RS-11 car body filters. I think this one was made using the original hood end, just reshaped. The lights and #boards don't work, but then the front ones have MV lenses, so they don't light up either. This model is now a weathering test bed, as I was never happy with it. The Life-Like cab roof is wrong, as are some of the Phase I details. I did change the battery boxes to the rear, plus put in an engineer's seat and control stand. I plan to rebuild it one day when I have some other projects finished. Hope this helps. Cheers Steve
I was one of the fortunate ones to get lucky enough and have a LL C-424 is SP&S. I dont think I need another, although I wouldn't turn it down if one came my way. That engine runds GREAT, although a little noisy, but not a big deal. I would be up for a big ol 636 beating my railsto death. Those brutes just look awesome. However, while we are talking about Alcos..........how bout a C-415? Now there is a RARE bird that SP&S had that has NOT been done in N scale yet. Ryan
Wow. There's a fading memory. Haven't seen one of those since my last view in Vancouver, 1980 or 1981.
You can bash the Life Like C units into a Canadian Pacific (and, I assume and Canadian National) version with a little work using the conversion kit from a Quebec based company called Transport 3000. Here's two I did that are very close to the MLW licenced versions. As for a C636, CN and CP modellers would love these as MLW did them but I suspect that with so few units made by Alco and only the Canadian ones by MLW these would be difficult for anyone to justify the tooling costs.
I already purchased their conversion kit. I just need the C424 to install them on. Also, MLW never did the C636 and I'm not sure how much work would be needed to turn one into a M630/636/640. Just remember to renumber it to 4200 and install an RS-11 fuel tank if you want to take the easy route. After all, CP Rail 4200 was the first C424 and the only phase 1 that CP had.
Although 4200 would be the easiest CP Rail C-424 to build, the ones I will do are among the 6 that spent time on the Morristown & Erie. 3 of which were further modified by CP Rail when they installed alternators from retired M-630s in many C-424s. They are distinguished by having a third air tank (for the air start) and a new bulge on the top of the air intake hatch. Cheers Steve
I wanted some C-420s so bought a couple of C424's then got some old junky model power C-420s shells and fixed them up and put them on the C424 chassis. Not long after that Atlas came out with their c-420's and they are wonderful pieces. I bought two of the ones lettered for the Apache RR, green and white ones. Now that RR is a fallen Flag, so I wouldn't mind getting a couple more in the Apache RR logo.
DrMb & Steve, Thanks for your much appreciated info. I have since looked into the links and I think the resin replacement would result in a rather crude tank. The other offer looks better but still needs cutting the tank myself (unless I did not find the correct tank on eBay). So I might try modifying the original tank, with the option of substituting it with one of the other options in case I'm not satisfied with the first attempt. No rush anyway; after all these years the engines have been sitting in a position where the tanks can't be seen very clearly. Still need to add the bells as well.
There are still some shortlines and regionals running Alcos/MLWs. The most notable being the Western New York & Pennsylvania and Delaware-Lackawanna, who have sizeable rosters of 4 & 6 axle Alco/MLWs in 'mainline' freight service. There are other up state NY shortlines even one with a C-415, and don't forget my favourite, the Morristown & Erie in NJ. Last year on a tour of NY-PA-NJ, Laura and I photographed over 30 Alcos in 3 days. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyWb39O-ZvE Cheers Steve
I gotta get out east before they are all gone. I drove through Snowflake in 2009, but I was on a schedule and didn't do much waiting around. Kicking myself now.
Yeah, I know the feeling of having reality determining which locomotive I model rather than which is easier. In my case, I'm aiming for CP Rail MLW units that, ignoring weathering, can be used to depict any year between the early 1980's to the beginning of the AC4400CW invasion in 1995. Unfortunately, CP began to remove the multimark during the second half of that period and 4200 was one of those that lost theirs. Fortunately, 4226/1104 kept its multimark until it was scrapped in 2004.
