MMW SD45

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up148
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Re: MMW SD45

Postby up148 » Wed Apr 22, 2020 10:22 am

E7 wrote:Have to ask Ed the Brasman! Haven't heard anything of Jerry Snow in quite a while. He used to sell on Feebay.



Ed Campbell (if he is who you mean) passed away over a year ago and was absent from all forums for at least 5 years. He went in a full care retirement home with dementia 3+ years ago, got a little better for awhile, went home a few months and then passed away. He sure knew a great deal about brass.

up148
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Re: MMW SD45

Postby up148 » Wed Apr 22, 2020 10:28 am

Well, at least MMW had a pre-production sample at the MM a few years ago. More than I can say for KOH's, who just recently posted "minor parts" for his Bigboy on his website. This, after he was suppose to bring a pre-production sample model to shows more than a year ago. I really feel sorry for reservation holders.

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ScaleCraft
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Re: MMW SD45

Postby ScaleCraft » Wed Apr 22, 2020 11:16 am

Jay Criswell wrote:I haven't seen Jerry's post. I'll have to take a look.

Without reading it, I can say there's probably some truth to it.

Once I read it I will respond.

Jay


Jay...it was in the link provided earlier;
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/mid ... ly-members

About 5/8 the way down the page. No specific identifier on poster other than "Community Member" and no post numbers (EIGHT years ago?):

Community Member
Snow claims the Fresno boys co-opted his drive. They look similar. Ed
1/8/12 @9:06 PM
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Dave....collector, restorer, and operator of the finest doorstops

Rufus T. Firefly
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Re: MMW SD45

Postby Rufus T. Firefly » Wed Apr 22, 2020 11:20 am

6 years ago..........
Conservatism: The intense fear that somewhere, somehow, someone you think is inferior is being treated as your equal.

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Re: MMW SD45

Postby ScaleCraft » Wed Apr 22, 2020 11:41 am

Rufus T. Firefly wrote:6 years ago..........

1/8/12 @9:06 PM

Not sure who this is referring to on years....that post was /12......maybe that's OGR encryption....
Thread starts at 1/6/12, ends at 1/13/12.
8 years, three months, 14 days.
Dave....collector, restorer, and operator of the finest doorstops

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Re: MMW SD45

Postby Rufus T. Firefly » Wed Apr 22, 2020 11:57 am

ScaleCraft wrote:
Rufus T. Firefly wrote:6 years ago..........

1/8/12 @9:06 PM

Not sure who this is referring to on years....that post was /12......maybe that's OGR encryption....
Thread starts at 1/6/12, ends at 1/13/12.
8 years, three months, 14 days.


Yikes..... That's a long time to wait for a train.
Conservatism: The intense fear that somewhere, somehow, someone you think is inferior is being treated as your equal.

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Re: MMW SD45

Postby ScaleCraft » Wed Apr 22, 2020 12:04 pm

busted flat in 'tan rouge.....waitin' fer a train.....oh, wait......
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Jay Criswell
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Re: MMW SD45

Postby Jay Criswell » Wed Apr 22, 2020 12:42 pm

Didn't see the link earlier, still don't. Anyway, it's a long story and there's a shred of truth to it. I've shared the story many times and I see no need to flog the pony. Jerry worked with Raoul Martin to create the 1:1 gearbox. The way Jerry relayed the story to me, if memory serves, was Jerry had all rights to them for two years. After that, NWSL would start offering them...and they did. I bought the components from Jerry and, later NWSL. No big deal.

Later a fairly well known P:48 modeler asked me if I would/could obtain the required pieces from Jerry. I tried for well over two months to do so but never could. Finally the guy asked me if we could just purchase the parts on our own. We looked into it and found all but Jerry's tower (for a tank drive) were readily available. Even the Pittman gear head motor is an off the shelf item.

Lots more to the story but bottom line Jerry and Raoul started it and then quit. I did not. Never ever tried to conceal the origins. By the way, Doug Cockerham was building the same thing just prior to his passing.

Never was The Fresno Boys, or whatever. It was just me.

It's all old news.

Jay

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Re: MMW SD45

Postby Jay Criswell » Wed Apr 22, 2020 12:47 pm

Okay, I see the earlier link.

Yeah, that was from Ed Campbell. meh

Jay

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Re: MMW SD45

Postby bob turner » Wed Apr 22, 2020 12:49 pm

One tenth of a lifetime for those lucky enough to make 80?

Still, apparently these guys did put good faith effort into what seem to be semi-futile exercises. I think the market is too thin. Ask SMR how it went?

I really hope they all produce production models. I include Erik, George, and the new Marsh efforts. I think Bultmann was the most successful of the truly high end production - my impression is that Key occupies a niche just below these guys, and has been sort of successful at it.

I probably should have invested in an Aster SP live steamer - they sure looked nice. I am sort of slowing down the acquisition phase of my hobby.

Jay posted while I was typing - thanks for the history. Unaware that Jerry and Raoul were working together. Raoul was a gearbox genius - I think Henry Bultmann had basically the same idea. And glad you kept it available -

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Re: MMW SD45

Postby Jay Criswell » Wed Apr 22, 2020 1:54 pm

Bob,

It didn't help when Dave bought NWSL and discontinued the complete gearboxes. He said there wasn't a market for them and the helical gears were contracted out, even when Raoul was running it. He did continue to sell me the gearbox cases but the spacing was never correct and he wasn't going to have a new die/mold made for something he wasn't going to offer. We made new masters and molds. Well, and there were other problems with the original Delrin boxes that really couldn't be overcome. All are done is brass now.

Truth is, the line has been developed to the point where, except for the ball bearings and thrust washers, nothing of the original design remains.

Jay

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Re: MMW SD45

Postby E7 » Wed Apr 22, 2020 3:33 pm

Rufus T. Firefly wrote:
Been how many years now?


If you look at the link from OGR, the date of the first post on that thread is 1/6/12. That indicates to me that things got started sometime during 2011 at the latest, so most likely about 9 years at minimum.

From what I could see on the Kohs website, reservations were not mentioned until circa late October 2014. an't give a date a date for the SD-45, but I'm guessing sometime 2012ish. I guess the modern diesel crowd is more patient than the Big Boy afficianados.

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Re: MMW SD45

Postby E7 » Wed Apr 22, 2020 3:50 pm

Darn inconsiderate of Ed the Brasman not informing us of his demise. For they who don't get it, that's sarcasm aimed at these boards! RIP Ed! Condolences to his nearest and dearest.

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Re: MMW SD45

Postby Rufus T. Firefly » Wed Apr 22, 2020 5:15 pm

E7 wrote: I guess the modern diesel crowd is more patient than the Big Boy aficionados.


Wonder how long that will last, :mrgreen: More importantly, wonder how long they will last. :wink: :wink:
Conservatism: The intense fear that somewhere, somehow, someone you think is inferior is being treated as your equal.

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Re: MMW SD45

Postby E7 » Wed Apr 22, 2020 6:28 pm

Rufus T. Firefly wrote:
E7 wrote: I guess the modern diesel crowd is more patient than the Big Boy aficionados.


Wonder how long that will last, :mrgreen: More importantly, wonder how long they will last. :wink: :wink:


I couldn't swing one of them (not that I lament the idea), but I'm sure there are those out there that consider the tariff chump change. They were discussing bethgons on the other board at $600 a pop, and someone wanted 100 of them. No Thank You.


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