An odd conversion...
#1
Frequently I've seen ugly, odd conversions. These aren't like the nice On18 or On30 ones here...which are well done and believable. They are conversions such as using an HO Heisler for On30 (The smallest drivers Heisler used were 30"...which makes an HO mechanism look way too small)...or odd mason bogie type things which are really just ugly tank engines (a mason bogie's drivers pivot like a truck...hence the "bogie" in the name). And there are the HO GP-9s converted to HOn3 Wallbang These aren't really free-lance to me, they are cartoon world creations. I'm sure their builders love them, much like the NPC shops whom built that hideous cab forward 4-4-0 (or is it 0-4-4?). It reminds me of a Dilbert cartoon in which a worker tells the boss that he's working them too hard. He'd like to be able to go home and kiss his daughter goodnight...and that he doubts he's the only person that feels that way. The boss then replies that he's seen that worker's daughter and can assure him that he's the only one whom feels that way. 790_smiley_picking_a_fight

Anyways, there currently is an On3 4-6-2 on ebay. At first I expected it to be an ill-conceived, ugly thing. It isn't...instead it's both well done and creative. There was a narrow gauge market for the fireboxes permitted by trailing trucks (EBT power, , and a market for the ride produced by a 4-wheel lead truck. The model was converted from a brass D&RGW 2-8-2. The builder altered the details so that it doesn't scream D&RGW (actually, it looks more like the ALCO 2-8-2s of the OR&L). It is not worth anywhere close to the asking price for me...but it is one of the best un-prototypical conversions I've seen in some time. A shame the the creator is not a member of our forum and posting pictures of his work.
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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#2
I had to go onto ebay and check it out. I would have a hard time doing that much reconstruction of a brass loco that I paid so much for. But nonetheless, this is fine craftsmanship. I agree about the HON3 GP-9s. I have seen 44 and 70 tonners converted, but the end products of those have a similar feel to prototype locomotives.

We are blessed with models that are faithful reproductions of US and Candaian prototypes. Someone who wants to model latin american railroads is much less fortunate, and is forced to alter existing models to capture the feel of the prototypes they are emulating. I have seen pictures of narrow gauge 4-6-2s from south america, mostly meter gauge. But I have never seen an outside frame version. I have seen outside frame narrow gauge 4-6-0s. Perhaps the creator of this model was trying to capture the feel of some obscure south american prototype...
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Kevin
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#3
Quote:And there are the HO GP-9s converted to HOn3. These aren't really free-lance to me, they are cartoon world creations.
I haven't seen any documentation of a GP9 being converted to narrow gauge, but......
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_DDM45">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_DDM45</a><!-- m --> does document an SD45 conversion to meter gauge, by EMD.
Maybe "cartoon world" is a slight misnomer. :mrgreen:

I forget which magazine it was, that had an "it's not prototype" column. They'd publish photos of "prototypes" that modelers had declared not prototype. The one that sticks in my memory is the turnout on a bridge.
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#4
Sumpter250 Wrote:
Quote:And there are the HO GP-9s converted to HOn3. These aren't really free-lance to me, they are cartoon world creations.
I haven't seen any documentation of a GP9 being converted to narrow gauge, but......

Right, there are some modern diesels...especially in the meter gauge world, but for a while there was someone trying to sell on ebay a variety of standard Athearn HO locomotives he'd converted to HOn3...all Rio Grande locomotives...I don't think he ever sold them. They were ugly...and he wanted much $$$ for them. I think one was a GP9. At some point, you might as well just letter up one of Lionel's 2-6-4s for your freelance road.

I'd love to know if their is some particular reason that meter gauge, despite being only around 3" wider than 3' gauge, developed so much more like standard gauge than 3' did. I wonder how much of it was due to the lack of desire to invest in 3' gauge...as opposed to what advantage their was in the extra 3" of space.
Michael
My primary goal is a large Oahu Railway layout in On3
My secondary interests are modeling the Denver, South Park, & Pacific in On3 and NKP in HO
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#5
nkp_174 Wrote:I'd love to know if their is some particular reason that meter gauge, despite being only around 3" wider than 3' gauge, developed so much more like standard gauge than 3' did. I wonder how much of it was due to the lack of desire to invest in 3' gauge...as opposed to what advantage their was in the extra 3" of space.

I suspect it has to do with geopolitical and socio-economic situations in the places where meter gauge was common. Here in the US, the most of the pre-1910 3-foot lines were supplanted by better roads and automobiles. Due to the smaller train sizes, the narrow gauges probably faced greater competition from trucks. The places where narrow gauges hung on were mostly remote and mountainous, and penetration by decent roads was much slower than in the flat midwest. Now look at much of latin america - often remote, mountainous, and less public highway infrastructure. the railroads already exist, so why waste money improving a road to replace them?
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Kevin
Check out my Shapeways creations!
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