ALCO's C415

[ERIE RR]

All,

Has any model railroader figured out how to Scratchbuild / Kitbash an ALCO C415?

ERIE RR

[Green_Elite_Cab]

All,

Has any model railroader figured out how to Scratchbuild / Kitbash an ALCO C415?

ERIE RR

I'm pretty sure that IHC made one a while ago. I don't know how super fantastic it is, but it seems like a reasonable place to start. Then again, that was in HO. I thought you modelled N scale?

[ERIE RR]

All,

Has any model railroader figured out how to Scratchbuild / Kitbash an ALCO C415?

ERIE RR

I'm pretty sure that IHC made one a while ago. I don't know how super fantastic it is, but it seems like a reasonable place to start. Then again, that was in HO. I thought you modelled N scale?

Yes, yes I model N-SCALE. I have a ALCO C420 and a ALCO FA chassis on my desk debating on which chassis to use Secondly, would like to have either ATLAS or KATO produce a ALCO C415.

ERIE RR

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Its probably a good idea to mention the scale, just so that people know where you're coming from.

Part of the problem is that the Alco C415 was not a very popular locomotive. In fact, Only the Rock Island and Southern Pacific ordered any large number of them (ten each). the rest only ordered 1 or 2 units (26 total built). These engines haven't really gained railfan popularity, and I'm not sure they lasted long in service especially since they were built not long before Alco shut down for good.

With these oddball engines, they really need a "star" factor, or some really popular paint schemes to get produced (the only reason bachmann made the E33 in HO was because they had 5 colorful and popular paint schemes over a 30 year life span, and traveled all over, despite there only ever being 12 units.)

That said, 3D printing technology can better produce N-scale body shells, so you might have luck searching a site like Shapeways. Many of the electric locomotives that are a pain for me to find in HO are easily had on Shapeways in N-scale.

Kitbashing might be another story. I'm not sure there are many parts even in HO scale to kitbash one, you might be able to get the Alco-ends, but after that, how do you plan to make the body?

Here is the Monongahela Connecting Railroad's one and only C415, at the RR Museum of PA.

[eightyeightfan1]

I had to Google Alco C415 just to see what one looked like.

Interesting looking loco. Wonder if it was a design or operation problem that made them unpopular. Would make an interesting modeling project.
But......
Googling also scored a couple of HO scale models on e-bay.
Overland made a brass model of the C415. Kinda nice looking model, but for $800, Don't think so. It looks like Life-Like made a plastic model of the C415 quite a few years ago. For $30, you can get it and a Life-Like F-3. I might go that way as a starting point for a kitbash or even a super detailing, if that's all the LL model needs. But being an older LL model?

[ERIE RR]

eightyeightfan1
I was looking at the ALCO C420 or the ALCO FA chassis as a starting point for an N-SCALE version.

ERIE RR

[Green_Elite_Cab]

I had to Google Alco C415 just to see what one looked like.

Interesting looking loco. Wonder if it was a design or operation problem that made them unpopular. Would make an interesting modeling project.

There were a couple problems

• These were ~1500 HP units at a time where the market for small locomotives were slow. There were many RS3s and other types out there already.
  
• They were offered 1966-1968, right before Alco shut down forever. They didn't really have a chance to sell.
  
• they had V8 251 engines. These were the only locomotives with this type, though these engines are common in stationary and marine applications.
  
• Wheel slip issues due to unbalanced weight apparently were also a concern with these units.

For the C415, the problem was mostly bad timing.

[ERIE RR]

    Here try these links. They are to one of my all time favorite short line rail lines.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=BSOR">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=BSOR</a><!-- m --> and <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.thedieselshop.us/BuffSouthern.HTML">http://www.thedieselshop.us/BuffSouthern.HTML</a><!-- m --> these two links have the loco roster

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Southern_Railroad">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Southern_Railroad</a><!-- m --> - the history.
Heres a photo I took of BUFFALO SOUTHERN Railroad's ALCO C415, it might be coincidental that he, Dave Eagen has the same photo.

ERIE RR

[modelmaker51]

Here's a couple of shots of the demo unit:





These were available under a number of different manufacturers, ModelPower, LifeLike, AHM and IHC. The bodies were pretty good if you were modelling the demo unit. The chassis were all crap except for the ModelPower which was just so,so.

Here's my post on building one: <!-- l --><a class="postlink-local" href="http://bigbluetrains.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=7604">viewtopic.php?f=22&t=7604</a><!-- l -->

[Canadian Atlantic Railway]

Nice build Jay What is the caged area for on the rear of the unit? That is the first time I have seen that on a C415.