Kraus Maffei Hydrolic Loco (D&RGW/SP)

i'm thinking of making an ML-4000 shell for Z. Rio Grande and SP modelers will most likely know what these are. they were german locos of 4000 hp. offered at at time when 1200-1700 hp units were available from GE/EMD/Alco. Railroads wanted big power but american locomotive manufacturers were only offering "strings" of lower powered engines to acheive the horsepower need. Here's a link to what i'm talking about.
http://ghostdepot.com/rg/images/rolling/locomotive/4000 locomotive krauss-maffei 1962 pc.jpg
http://abpr2.railfan.net/abprphoto.cgi?february06/02-02-06/SP9000atRosevilleCA1961MacOwenColl.jpg
http://www.northeast.railfan.net/images/drg4001.jpg

if i can get a nice shell/master done i'd like someone skilled with resin casting to duplicate a few of them. i would provide the master and receive a copy (or two), and the rest can be sold to whoever wanted some at a price set by the resin shell maker.

What i need to do this, however, is a good MTL F-7 nose. i don't need the body from the cab door back.

here's my request: does anyone have a messed up, cracked up, whatever Micro-Trains F-7 shell -- WITH A GOOD FRONT END (NOSE) -- that they would be willing to part with?

please PM or email me if you can help me out with this part, and we can then discuss price/trade/etc.

i don't yet know what this unit will run on; AZL SD45s are rare and expensive. the Marklin Blomberg 2 axle truck (ala Marklin F7) is really long enough to pass for the 3 axle truck under the KMs. now if there is a Marklin Diesel (european) that would be long enough, i would use this as the mechanism.

so you see i still have some research to do, but i think it's all doable. any help/advise someone want to offer would certainly be welcomed.

now if i can get that good F7 nose, and get started, that's about 25% of the project!

dave f.

 

Man that sounds like a cool project! I want one!

 

Very Cool Dave. I'm interested as well. I've been thinking about this one and the hood unit version (I know that's not DRGW) for a while. Drawings are not easy to come by though (at least 3 or 5 view drawings). I've got the Mainline Modeler articles on these. THe N Scale Railroading article was already mentioned. I think Rivarosi (AHM) sold one in HO years ago if you need a pattern of some kind.

One of the DCC guys should have a melted F7 shell somewhere. ;-)

What about the Hallmark ornament Turbine? The nose for the Kraus-Maffei looks flatter than an F7 anyway.

As far as the trucks, is there a Marklin model that has similar trucks to the prototype (Kraus- Maffei made diesel-hydraulics for the German market as well)?

Randy

 

thanks for the encouragement, guys,

i'm just finishing up the dynamometer car. window glass is about all that's left. i used the Nov/Dec 03 N Scale Railroading article as a guide in cutting up an MTL 50 single-door boxcar for my #10. i added window frames by cutting grantline windows into tiny parts, and the etched brass GMM louvers (for GP9+) in the two end windows. i should have a picture coming soon. it was not easy, but i think it turned out ok. (of course when you get it up close to a camera it can look like you painted it with a broom and trimmed it with a jack-hammer!).

the long hood of the KM body will not be the hardest part. the nose and number boards will the first tricky part and the cab windows and roof the hardest.

RE: the nose: i have an extra turbine and will look at that (didn't think of it). i'm not sure it has the rounded contours down low, but we'll see. i would prefer to join plastics, however, rather than try to join a metal nose to a thin plastic shell.

don't know about a marklin model with hydralic trucks -- someone steeped in Marklin lore will have to tell me if there's a possibility (but i did look briefly for one). i'm also depending on someone with marklin knowledge directing me to a likely engine chassis (i forget the length, just now, i think it's 68' -- but that may be to coupler faces).

i'll get it powered somehow, but the wheel axle centers on the marklin blomberg truck are right (end to end) which means it has a huge space between axles enough to simulate a middle axle -- which was my plan.

well it's fun to dream and try. i love these kind of projects! i hope the "pieces" come together. it would be a looker!
dave f.

 

Dave,

I just pulled out the Mainline Modeler articles last night and the one on the cab unit DOES have drawings. PM me you mainling address and I'll send you copies. Also some nice close up photos of the trucks.

If anyone is interested the MM articles are in the OCT '84 (cab unit) and April '85 (hood unit) issues.

Randy

 

Just took another look at the two articles and realized that the cab unit and the hood unit had different trucks. The cab units were more european in style. Marklin trucks might be the best bet, even for side frames.

Randy

 

thanks randy,
you have a PM coming from me for the drawings.
little by little it might all come together!
dave f.

 

Dave,

If you still need this, I have A NUMBER of F7 noses. I could probably even give you a choice of colors!

PM or e-mail me and we'll work it out.

bkeyser @ cox.net (remove spaces)

I won't be able to answer until tonight, but I will get back with you.

P.S. These aren't technically "mine", since they were actually given to the club in a junk box of parts and pieces, but I'm pretty sure that Randy won't mind if I let one go, and since we comprise 2/3 of the club membership, we should be able to work it out.

 

Howdy,

Yep, cool project. I had all the articles and drawings laid out the other day, working through the process of actually creating the patterns and castings. Now that we came out with the SP-gp35's I wanna do some off prototypes to go with our CORP layout at CZM. I was thinking about taking one of our chassis, casting it, modifying it so it is longer and then recast it in resin with Brass powder for some weight. I also would use thin strips of lead for extra weight in the Fuel Tank. As for trucks, we are talking scratchbuilding unless you want to cut up an AZL locomotive...side frames are going to be new, but that's not a problem. Maybe Rob Kluz and Hans will sell trucks to us? ) The shell is a combo of an F7 nose, and the rest would need to be a combo of styrene and brass details to get the details correct. It's not impossible since I am used to working in 1/350 war ships...so 1/220 seems like Bubba Scale! I have a lot of other stuff on the plate right now, but someday I'd like to take this one on, I think three of these guys pulling a mixed freight would look unreal.

Also, if you do the patterns and want some molds and castings done, I can help out with that. I have all the equipment for resin production in my shop at home.

Cheers

Joe
MTL

 

WOO HOO! looks like we've hit paydirt. glad you had your eye on this too, joe.

well, let's see what i can come up with in the mean time, and then we can pass it around until everyone involved thinks it right.

one decision we'll have to make is about the version. if I build it it will have a big round nose light (ala Rio Grande). this wouldn't be an SP problem since SP bought the Grande's 3 locos when they decided to drop the program. but SPs own purchase had a very different light package on their noses.

but this detail will be minor compared to the running mechanism. in looking at the marklin F7 trucks the space between front and end axles seems about right for the KM six axle trucks. dummying a center axle/wheel would be very easy, compared to trying to buy up SD trucks and power them (in my opinion). i would, of course, go for that -- as i doubt more than 10 or 12 of these shells would get cast in the first place. but that's just my guess, and i don't know what's really doable, so i'll reserve judgement on that point to those who would do the casting.

it may just be that once the shells are done, it will every man for himself, as far as mechanism. i would like to be able to offer a running possibility to those who would want to own one.

it's fun to see the interest in this area.
i'll try to start working something up after christmas, and see how far i get.

thanks to all,
dave f.

 

Over the break I have a number of projects scheduled. My kids (5) are with their Mom for the holidays so I will be bumping around the house alone with no laundry or food to cook (oh my) Time on my hands. I will see about mocking up a chassis and get some shots on the web next week. The wheel spacing might just be correct as you pointed out. In that case I can make the truck side frames attach as they do on our F7 and Gp's. I also want to get my DD35 B unit finished so I have something to push my new SP 35's around the loop!

Joe

 

Dave,

I just finished copying the drawings. Should go out to you tomorrow. Just noticed that the article has drawings of the trucks as well.

Count me in. ;-)

Randy

 

Kraus Maffei Hydrolic Loco (D&RGW/SP

Dave, I have been an admirer of your great kitbashing skills since
heck was a pup. Being an old timer i used to do this type of
kitbashing in O scale back in the early 80's. It is great to see this
happening more and more in Z. However I have one point of
contention to make, and it is this: Why not cast your GP-40 and
sell it to us modelers. Believe me you would have a lot more sales
than that of the KM. I drool over the GP-40 and would pay
what ever you wanted for a shell. In my opinion the KM is too
much of an oddity and just plain ugly for me.

Harold Grady

 

thanks harold. wow. what a compliment!

i've thought about doing a GP40 for casting, but i don't know how and i didn't know who i could call upon to make them. then there is the etching of the siderails -- it just seemed like too much.

the other problem to be solved would be the mechanism. i've had good luck on the two i've lengthened, but lengthening the mechanism might get some people into a bind. i guess i shouldn't worry about it; i can't be responsible for what people choose to attempt -- but i feel an obligation.

if people want a full length GP40 i could do one, but it will take buying another and maybe finding some extra parts. i've about used everything up, on this score. the rest (handrails/etc) someone else will have to solve.

i'll think about it.

regarding the KM. yes, they are ugly. i've never much preferred them, but they are imposing and do represent an interesting era in Rio Grande history. now the more i look at them the more i want to do them. that and a UP DD35A. joe d. knows what i mean.
dave f.

 

Castings

Howdy Dave,

Like I said before, if you can make the patterns I can cast them here at home, I can also do the Etchings as well..but only a few. If you want to do a bunch of them then I have a company I work with at MTL that does production for us. I'm working on the pattern for an Otis 36' Coal car used by CP this weekend. I want to make a dozen or so for our MOW service here at CORP, and a few for Loren as well just to prove to him I can do it ) and, I'll post some photo's....also if you need some spare parts, contact me at work next week and I'll see what I have laying around.

Cheers

Joe
MTL