Adams EMC E unit castings

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bob turner
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Re: Adams EMC E unit castings

Postby bob turner » Fri Mar 13, 2026 9:32 pm

For comparison, here is a repro of the Train of Tomorrow display:

Image

And for comparison, three noses from the Adams foundry, and one from All Nation - you can see a lot depends on who cuts the windshield, and all of these need a bit of help, maybe, but there would be no saving the Train of Tomorrow. The match plates (dies) are simply inaccurate.

Image

SWrailroader
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Re: Adams EMC E unit castings

Postby SWrailroader » Sun Mar 15, 2026 12:54 pm

Bob,
Your photo is very helpfu in seeing the different windshields, particularly the All National.
Thank you,
Rob

up148
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Re: Adams EMC E unit castings

Postby up148 » Mon Mar 16, 2026 9:53 am

That is interesting Bob. The TOT is much different with the center bar cast going much deeper into the model, much less the WS openings being too large and shaped wrong.

I wonder if Carey knows who cast/built/sold this model. I wonder if EMD commissioned someone to make a once of kind as a sales tool?

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R.K. Maroon
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Re: Adams EMC E unit castings

Postby R.K. Maroon » Tue Mar 17, 2026 12:05 am

I have seen similar units before. Here is a pair listed on eBay in 2017:

Image
https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/bvw8k29y970d1djjkam8o/SKU-E7AA-CB-Q_01.jpg?rlkey=pffy96tj24rxdtrton98yjq94

Image
https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/n62y4p91fh8nbxse2keaz/SKU-E7AA-CB-Q_02.jpg?rlkey=jmndsyn1ytn42jmvvyiw4tkcs

Image
https://dl.dropbox.com/scl/fi/a4e5ksgpmxv0xtrxkyd4x/SKU-E7AA-CB-Q_05.jpg?rlkey=gv4lkie2ie9j6i7xezqxxwktw

The lack of drives supports the notion that they may have been developed as display models. For what it is worth, I have also owned a pair of B-units in UP colors that were likewise missing drives. Hopefully Carey can pull a Paul Harvey and give us the rest of the story.

The CB&Q units sold for $300. I did not bid.
Jim
The link below any photo will display the image full size

up148
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Re: Adams EMC E unit castings

Postby up148 » Tue Mar 17, 2026 9:15 am

You nailed it with the similar model Jim and maybe Carey knows who and when. And the fact of no power really does support the display aspect. I missed the fact the TOT model was unpowered until I went back to look again. Nice catch!

bob turner
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Re: Adams EMC E unit castings

Postby bob turner » Tue Mar 17, 2026 12:39 pm

Um . . .

Most of my doorstop Diesels are unpowered. On purpose. They are indeed "display models," but not in the sense of being displayed at some corporate headquarters, so they have no extra value in that sense.

Selling stuff with the idea that it sat on the desk of Cornelius Vanderbilt or someone of similar stature, without proof, is somewhere just north of "puffing," and maybe just a tiny step away from fraud.

Opinion.

The Burlington units above, though basically inaccurate, were done with care. Nice headlight and fairly good frames for the windshields, and it has handrails - something I often don't get to

up148
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Re: Adams EMC E unit castings

Postby up148 » Tue Mar 17, 2026 5:11 pm

I agree on no "added value" because of ownership. I hear of cars and other items that were owned by someone famous and it's like "who cares" it just a car or house or ??? Ownership doesn't add anything for me or increase it rarity.

Carey Williams
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Re: Adams EMC E unit castings

Postby Carey Williams » Wed Mar 18, 2026 12:06 pm

Hello all

nice postings about the veteran diesels .

I just posted on the Train of Tomorrow listing the following

Great Train of Tomorrow diesel set ...... these were made by Clyde Barnes of Denver Model Locomotive Works ... ads from 1944-46

Clyde was the first offer diesels postwar ...... wide variety of construction techniques ...wood , fiber , aluminum. odd little motors , odd gearing .... this period conventional building materials were still restricted .... so Clyde was using what he could find .

Many examples of his "E" units have been found unpowered ....display only .... Smithsonian even has a set of NYC AA's

please see link for video of several of Clyde's engines


https://youtu.be/qHHzg50OwYU?si=Ii1SzytgnVfvdhjU


Jim the nice Burlington set was also made by Clyde


Dallas Model Corp "DMC" ..used the Adam castings with fiber sides then plain brass sides. etched brass Santa Fe , etched brass generic sides .... DMC was early to the game ...not a whole lot of survivors out there ...DMC offered both O & HO .... same type options for both gauges + - ... my O scale set is not ready for prime time .. however if you wish to see examples of DMC in HO please see link

https://youtu.be/oujWIYLdoo4?si=ca-8hKAnsGSreQdc



My favorite door stop diesels are the Pomona ... please see link for action packed Santa Fe action

https://youtu.be/4skUiZS8jVQ?si=CtlLvZ5-aQbkPOSO

Cheers Carey Williams

up148
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Re: Adams EMC E unit castings

Postby up148 » Wed Mar 18, 2026 12:57 pm

Thanks Carey, that is fantastic information and letting us tap into your encyclopedia of knowledge. :D


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