Alco PA and FA 2023

[R.K. Maroon]

There was an article in 'O Scale Railroading' I think.

Lordy, there's an article! I will have to nose around (pun intended) to see if I can find it.

Here is my favorite PA set:



These were scratch-built by the late Bob Hall and are from the collection of Richard Garberson. Richard tells me that they originally had Lionel drives with scratch-built PA trucks. He removed the drives with the intent of installing 2-rail drives but never did so. Here is a sideview of one of the an original trucks:



They are surprisingly good. It'd be neat to keep the scratch-built trucks but it might be easier to simply install a complete CLW chassis (which I have in hand). A test fit of the CLW chassis to the body might be the key here. If it readily fits, then I'll probably go that way.

I haven't made completing these units a priority as I don't have an appropriate consist, but I do hear them calling me. Cab-unit diesels seem to be a real challenge to scratch-built, in part due to the shape of the nose but also all the detail on the sides. This pair is as good as any I have seen and better than most. History hawks will note that the Mopac did not have PBs. I plan to ignore this fact, which I wouldn't under most any other circumstance.

Jim

[bob turner]

Having done trucks like that, I can admit to being impressed. These Diesels are works of art.

I suppose I am currently obsessed with noses - nothing wrong with a temporary obsession; it is keeping me out of the singles bars.

Here is my latest - note that the photo of the DRGW PA on page 2 indicates that the hood is quite high above the level of the side window, and is relatively flat, in comparison to the CLW noses. It isn't just a little high; it is almost 20% of the window height!

So if I modify a CLW nose, about the third thing I will do is get that hood a good bit higher, thus reducing the height of the windshield. That prototype photo may prove to be a valuable educational tool.

Come on - everybody gets hangups! I cannot be the only one. Remember the guy who absolutely had to have shelf couplers? Or the guy who was almost berzerk looking for tender trucks with uneven outer spring configuration? Don't you guys ever get into this arcane dilemma? Or do I just need medication?

[De Bruin]

If you need medication than I need it too; remember I cut up rolled metal sides from Walthers, Chesters and BCM kits to get the desired window plan.
I mean really that's just OCD weird.

[R.K. Maroon]

Come on - everybody gets hangups! I cannot be the only one.

I think the closest thing I have to a hang-up is the need to see models running in operational consists. The downside of this is that I will often take shortcuts with any individual model in order to facilitate the completion of the train. So, instead of taking the time to touch a model up or replace those trucks for a more prototypical pair, I check the coupler height, oil the journals, and put in on the rails. I am trying to be more diligent about cleaning wheels. The upside to this is it is a realistic approach to working through the literally hundreds of models I have in the project queue. Going down a rabbit hole on one model is not in the best interest of the overall goal here, which is to see as many of these old models run again. The downside is I skip things that really should be done. But I do have a minimum standard -- I won't run an eyesore. Paint, decals, and proportions have to be serviceable and reasonably accurate to prototype. I would do touch-up more readily if I could match paint better (I am not to be trusted in this regard).

But back to FAs. Here is an AB set by CLW:







A friend "demanded" that I purchase this set from him in the closing minutes of the Southwest O-scale Meet a few years back. They went to Sarge next as part of a trade, and then to Pete in another trade (Is everybody happy now?). Erie is not on my radar screen but I do like the paint scheme. This is the same nose as the PA, yes?

Jim

[bob turner]

No. The CLW castings are different. But as with the PA, the FA nose is lots closer on the sand-cast versions. Smith did really good work, but these noses miss the mark. I mean, really miss!

I shall have to get some FA nose photos.

[bob turner]

I have no good photos of the Ken Kraft windshield/nose area, but Jim's photos on preceding pages should help. OGR has a special FA thread with lots of copyrighted photos, but I cannot access the search function. Maybe one of us in good standing can get a link? I shall attempt to move a couple of the above photos.

It looks to me like the CLW noses are pretty much from the same pattern, except they put a slight extension in ahead of the windshield for the PA. I think the main error on the FA nose is the hood is not high enough, leaving overly high and curvey windshields.

Here is Jim's GM&O FA, followed immediately by the CLW:

[bob turner]

The big difference is the hood height and contour, and contributing is right above the windshield center post, where the roof could be contoured down a bit more. These things are semi-salvageable.

[bob turner]

I found the OGR thread - all of the prototype photos are stripped out, but you can still see them if you go to the Google.
But even Marx and Kusan came closer to getting the nose right. I wouldn’t bother going here:

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/let ... -fa-s?nc=1

[bob turner]

Talking to myself again - not unusual. Sometimes I am embarrassed when folks come into my hangar and hear me talking to the airplane, or swearing at a tool or lost screw . . .

I note that Jim's GM&O FAs above have detail under the horizontal grillework on the upper carbody. Mine are pretty good castings, yet have no such detail. I am now wondering if the painter actually put little black dots in there to simulate the window arrangement underneath the grilles?

Oh - and look at the trailing unit with that unique (for FAs) coaming aft of the cab door! Only the GM&O had that feature on an FA.

[De Bruin]

I think Fred Bradley did Jim's GM&O's , at least I know they were his originally. It would not surprise me if Fred did "dot in" black to outline or "suggest" the car body vents, he was one clever dude.
Jim's black WM FA back on page 1 shows what the casting looks like, just the fine 90 degree screen without that molded underlying vent effect say...like the Weaver FA2 shells have.

[R.K. Maroon]

Bob has a good eye. I've had Fred Bradley's GM&O FAs for almost a decade but I never noticed the his work to get some relief on the vent screens. It looks to me like he painted them red, washed in some thinned black paint while they were on their side to fill the gaps between the screen wire, then rubbed the black off the wire to show the red. But it's even better -- he taped off the screen to show the structural members that appear through the screen on the prototype. Check this out:



It's not perfect but it's pretty darn good. I think I am more impressed that he actually had to the idea to do this -- wow!

Bob used the word "coaming", which I had never heard before. The online Oxford dictionary says: "a raised border around the cockpit or hatch of a yacht or other boat to keep out water." I get it, but I wonder if it was mostly just streamline styling. Here is the other unit with said coaming:



The vent wash is there, but not as strong. Note also the paint-can backup light. Fred was a stickler for detail and probably a bit obsessive, which is to say, he was a dedicated prototype modeler.

Jim

[bob turner]

Getting ready to re-paint my nickel silver ATSF PA. I am using Alclad II stainless, but am looking for a match for the ATSF red on the warbonnet. Scale Coat SP red was perfect, but alas . . .
Any ideas? Is there a DupliColor rattle can that is close?

[bob turner]

You can see in the photo where the nickel silver is tarnished, and has sort of bled through the silver paint on the roof. Same has happened to the red, so the plan is a thorough cleanup, a light bead blast, primer all over, then black, Alclad, and rattle can silver and red where appropriate. I will add anti-climber and steps this go-around, and maybe a little light detail on the fuel tank. Nickel silver is a good idea, but the alloy used for casting always needs polishing. Almost as bad as silver. I think decorative plating would work better, but as with foundries, plating operations are few and expensive between.

[bob turner]

Carey has produced a new video. I am somewhat jealous - he can get almost anything to run. I have been having trouble at a curved switch on my outer curve, and in any case would have trouble with these old chain drives.

He does not tell us how he cleaned up the paint, but he did a really nice job of it.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=em0vUrCVG ... e=youtu.be

[bob turner]

Well, ok - I am the only O Scaler who is impressed with these things?

I note that the builder took the time to open the rear radiator grille slots, and the serious time to accentuate the horizontal lines in the rest of the grillework along the top of the sides. Carey has inspired me, so I have laid in a pair of ATSF PA decals, and am getting ready to shoot red and silver on my Alclad II bodies. The red will be too dark - I am going to use what I have on hand - the best red (other than Scale Coat) would be "Guards Red", a Porsche color. DupliColor does not offer that one.

Silver will be on the roof and underbody, leaving the sides Alclad II Stainless.

Progress is being achieved on the PA nose project. With the change of OST to yearly, I may check with my partners, and just post the project here, so the six of us can see what we are doing. Sort of a construction series. I could give permission to move it to Facebook, where most of you have gone.