Hello all, I just ordered a test print of Reading's SD45 cab. It is made to be a drop in replacement for the cab and hood on Kato's SD45. I'm pretty pleased with the appearance so far - granted, I don't have it in my hands yet! I just wanted to see if anyone had any feedback, or if there might be any interest in releasing these for sale! Thanks for your thoughts!
Neither a Reading nor a Conrail fan... However... This looks like it would be appropriate for building DM&E GP38's that have Conrail roots. I could see Spookshow being interested in these as well maybe. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=16517
almost makes me wish I was modeling a more modern version of the eastern area! looks great. appreciate your work. respectfully, Gary L Lake Dillensnyder
Well NS acquired a lot of CR's old stuff so you may be able to sell these as NS cabs as well... might be worth looking into. If they are being used by NS I'd buy one... SD45-2: edit: now that I look at NS's roster I don't see any SD45's. I'm wondering if they were rebuilt or just scrapped. I'm assuming the Dash 2 cab was different.
According to The Conrail Cyclopedia, http://crcyc.railfan.net/home.html, Conrail did receive 5 SD45's from Reading that the extended cab for dual control stands. Reading #'s 7600-7604, CR # 6100-6104. All SD45's, whether from PC/PRR, EL, or RDG were gone from Conrail before the split. That cab would also work for the DM&E GP38 as they are ex Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines GP38's. These units also had the extended cab for dual control stands. The PRSL was a joint venture between the PRR/PC and RDG so they wound up on Conrail. All GP38's on CR were also off the roster before the split as far as I know. So I do not think NS has any of these units. I'll check with a couple of our NS guys in the club to double check. But it would give me a reason to use this non-dynamic GP38 shell I've been sitting on. I would be interested in how it turns out. Thanks..
Although limited in roads that have/had these, they no doubt are a distinguishing feature esp. when modelling the Reading units. Hope it turns out well. Now if somebody would make a BQ cab, I'd be in for a couple!!hboy:
The pillar in the middle of the fireman's window doesn't look correct. I can't find a good roster shot of a Reading SD45 to illustrate that, though. I'm impressed you included the drip strip over the cab windows. A broken crankshaft retired the first of the five ex-Reading SD45's on Conrail in 1981. The remaining four were retired in 1982 and sold to CNW which did not place them in service but stripped them for parts. All were scrapped by 1985 according to Dale Woodland's "Reading Diesels: Vol. 2"
What would the difference be to use one of these cabs on an Atlas GP38 shell? After browsing some photos, one of these would be a nice addition to my motive power roster. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=512572
I agree, but I figured I would stick with the measurements I took of the Kato cab so that I could reuse the glass that came with it. If it doesn't work out, I'll probably tweak it a little bit
It would be a snap to do one of these for a GP38! I've already drawn up a high hood with the brake lever recess, I could just cut and past that into this hood. I would need the measurements of the opening from the back of the Atlas cab, where it mates with the long hood. If anyone has digital calipers and wants to give me that measurement, that would be great. The only other thing would be the windows, I can't guarantee that the glass from the Atlas cab would fit these openings. Thanks! I'll have pictures of the Reading cab late tomorrow!
As promised, here are some pics. Sorry they're blurry, grabbed them on my cell phone on the way out the door! Thoughts? Thanks!
