Erie-Built

[bob turner]

Most here know I got kind of obsessed with the Erie-Built F-M Diesel about three years ago, and some have seen my OGR thread, done when I did not know how to post photos here.

I had sand cast truck sideframes and a roof. The roof said (I think) F-V Shops, and was for a B unit. I looked for 20 years for the correct nose and sides, and then gave up. Atlas was kind enough to sell me a plastic body and give me permission to do a "one-off" set of castings.

Jay C got the nose cast up in Fresno, after I butchered the windshield into a B-17 configuration, and I got a friend in Pennsylvania to convince a foundry to do sand-cast sides. This shot shows the assembled model with the "art-deco" chrome strips glued on.

I have since captured authentic sand cast fuel tank sides, which will be carefully packaged inside the body.

I am going to apologize up front - no handrails yet, and no window mullions or glazing. Some doorstop nuts never get that far - everybody is different.

[E7]

I thought you burnt out an Atlas shell?

[De Bruin]

"I'll take two" as the late Ev Degolyer would tell Bobbye Hall when a new MG locomotive was announced.
Jay's had a few of the KTM versions go through his shop lately, what great looking engines!
Wish Atlas had made the early version with the B17 windshield like yours Bob.

[bob turner]

I had the nose burnt out of the Atlas shell. The sides were sand-cast, like all good doorstops.
The strange thing: the cab roof did not match the F-V sand casting. Thankfully, I spotted that strange ridge-like coaming on top in a prototype photo, then saw it on several models. Easy fix!

[bob turner]

Here is a close-up of the windshield and the strange roof plow.

[E7]

I had the nose burnt out of the Atlas shell. The sides were sand-cast, like all good doorstops.
The strange thing: the cab roof did not match the F-V sand casting. Thankfully, I spotted that strange ridge-like coaming on top in a prototype photo, then saw it on several models. Easy fix!

Would you post a prototype image of that 2 level roof please.

[sarge]

Here you go, Rich



The earlier carbody with what Bob calls the “B17 windshields” had a flattened roof over the cab and a step at the electrical cabinet into the engine bay. The OP prime-mover was a tall sucker, needing more carbody height than its contemporaries.

Just to add to the fun, the redesigned carbody was not only matched between engine bay and cab (the arched windshield matched the new roofline), but it was taller overall than the earlier ones, a feature you can see if a newer and older carbody are coupled back-to-back.

[E7]

Thanks Sarge! I've actually seen this version before, but because of the distance of the subject from the photographer in the photos I saw, the variation of the roof was invisible to the eye. (or at least my eyes) LOL Roof shots are particularly valuable in picking out details that are otherwise missed, but shots from that vantage point are few and far between. I guess all those photographers never anticipated the "rivet counter".

I've found Withers publishing to be an excellent resource for this kind of stuff, unfortunately, dang near ALL my reference material is boxed up out of reach. Anyhow FWIW:

https://www.dieselera.com/catalog

The black covered PRR volumes with PRR Keystone at the top are particularly good because the PRR had such a big variation of stuff that you can find most things there!

[bob turner]

The strange thing is I did not know about the "stepped" roof until I tried matching the new brass nose to the old sand cast roof.
The mis-match was dramatic, and I could see I was "in for it" as far as laminating and filing.

What I don't understand is, if the larger windshield goes with a higher roofline (no step) and I didn't alter the Atlas cab roof, how come it was so much lower? Did Atlas neglect the roof arch, or was the F-V roof way too tall? Either way, my model matches the CLW PA, as you will see.

[E7]

What I don't understand is, if the larger windshield goes with a higher roofline (no step) and I didn't alter the Atlas cab roof, how come it was so much lower? Did Atlas neglect the roof arch, or was the F-V roof way too tall? Either way, my model matches the CLW PA, as you will see.

Maybe they were just as confused by this stuff as we are.

[sarge]

The strange thing is I did not know about the "stepped" roof until I tried matching the new brass nose to the old sand cast roof.
The mis-match was dramatic, and I could see I was "in for it" as far as laminating and filing.

What I don't understand is, if the larger windshield goes with a higher roofline (no step) and I didn't alter the Atlas cab roof, how come it was so much lower? Did Atlas neglect the roof arch, or was the F-V roof way too tall? Either way, my model matches the CLW PA, as you will see.

Not disparaging yours, but yes, the FV roof arch is too tall, and Atlas’ cab roof is arched in the same manner as the later carbody, so you lucked out and got given the step out of the deal. A few importers and most modellers don’t know there was more than just the windshield changed during production. The entire carbody changed to a taller roofline configuration, then carried forward over the cab, and the new window shape was merely the result of a redesign of the entire top half of the carbody.

That said, I wouldn’t change a thing on yours. Its very tidy and well-done.

[bob turner]

Thanks. Tough to disparage a doorstop, and I am grateful for the mismatch for two reasons: one - did not know about the step, even though I had studied photos, and -two - I am not doing another of these (at least not until I discover another foundry) and am using a CLW PB.
First layer of Milwaukee Orange Scalecoat finished 10 minutes ago on that.

[bob turner]

I do have prototypes for this combo, but not Milwaukee. And the Maroon will go halfway up the grillework, which is probably something no self-respecting railroad ever did, but I want it to match.

Speaking of Maroon (not Jim, but the color) here is the A unit in full regalia. Maroon (Jim) kindly gave me the paint in one of our exchanges, and the Scale Coat is still good after two years. I have to find the shiny Maroon bottle - the Poly S stuff just looks like flat brown.

[E7]

Not disparaging yours, but yes, the FV roof arch is too tall, and Atlas’ cab roof is arched in the same manner as the later carbody, so you lucked out and got given the step out of the deal. A few importers and most modellers don’t know there was more than just the windshield changed during production. The entire carbody changed to a taller roofline configuration, then carried forward over the cab, and the new window shape was merely the result of a redesign of the entire top half of the carbody.

That said, I wouldn’t change a thing on yours. Its very tidy and well-done.

Totally agree with ALL that!

Rich

[E7]

"I'll take two" as the late Ev Degolyer would tell Bobbye Hall when a new MG locomotive was announced.
Jay's had a few of the KTM versions go through his shop lately, what great looking engines!
Wish Atlas had made the early version with the B17 windshield like yours Bob.

Pete, I've seen an MG "B" up for auction on the Bay recently, but never seen an A. Wondering if you might have an image of one to post. I've read where Max would occasionally have "one offs" done for customers. Be interesting to compare with the OMI Eries which were (opinion) pretty nicely done.

Rich