NW-5 build thread

[randgust]

That's the best drawing that's out there (Tom had sent me a copy).

But that's also 'as built', not 'in service'.   Here's what Tom and I have concluded with photos:

1)  The stack in front of the cab for the steam generator came off really early.  There are photos of these pulling locals on GN in the 50's, and the stack is already gone.

2)  The filler on the water tank (?) side of the fuel tank dissapeared early too.  I'm guessing they combined tanks.   The filler on the front (long end) is the one that stayed.

3)  Side handrails were applied early; but the hood handrails also stayed.

4)  Snowplows were standard equipment on the long end only, but varied by unit.

5)  The all-weather cab windows were a distinctive feature also put on fairly early.

So this is by far the best series for body details, but you'd be hard pressed to find a photo of one in service that agrees with it.   This really applies to the GN units, the lone Southern unit that's now up to the Mass Central may have some different details.

Also be aware that given the nature of the Bachmann chassis and the position of the frame screws, if you're doing a printed design, you'll have to make a decision on whether you're making it to exact scale on the length and holding the frame together by a wing and a prayer, or adding about 6" to either end or taking it up right in front of the cab, like I did, so that it fits over the frame.  You still have to mill off some of the ends and go right up to the screw heads but you don't have to relocate the screw holes.

Oh, and BTW -  this is the first GN paint scheme I've ever done.  Man, what were they thinking.....  Way too many stripes to mask, separations, smaller stripes... yeesh.  It's very attractive, but I can sure see why the accountants were more than happy to see it simplified.   That's a hard scheme to paint in N.   I made the decision to NOT glue on the cab until post-paint, and that's helped.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Thanks Chris!

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Here is my progress so far. This project was shelved shortly after Kato made the NW2. So this has been in stasis a very long time.

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[daniel_leavitt2000]

Randy,
I noticed that my model looked a bit off compared to the drawings reduced to n scale. I couldn't place it at first.

Then I noticed something when making the short hood. The roof line of the short hood should match the long hood, but mine was about 6" too short. It looked right against the shortened cab. Then I took out the caliper and measured the Kato long hood against the drawings.

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Hood width matches.

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Hood is 6" too tall!

So two possibilities here.

1. When EMD mounted the NW2 hood to the reinforced, taller frame, they removed 6" from the hood and doors (unlikely).

2. The artist who drew these got confused how high the hood is from the frame, which is stepped. This may mean the height of the cab is also compromised. I find this much more likely.

I'm going to keep my model as is. I don't see an easy way to fix any of it and the difference in height between the short and long hood isn't that noticeable.

But it does explain why everything always looks a bit off.

[wcfn100]

Hood is 6" too tall!

So two possibilities here.

1. When EMD mounted the NW2 hood to the reinforced, taller frame, they removed 6" from the hood and doors (unlikely).

2. The artist who drew these got confused how high the hood is from the frame, which is stepped. This may mean the height of the cab is also compromised. I find this much more likely.

I'm going to keep my model as is. I don't see an easy way to fix any of it and the difference in height between the short and long hood isn't that noticeable.

But it does explain why everything always looks a bit off.

I don't know if I'm following exactly what you're saying, but I can tell you that you have the bottom of the hood on the wrong line.

Jason

[randgust]

I ran into that on my build.   Now, this is just to mess your head up.

I have TWO sets of drawings, the one published in MR and copied to me by Tom, and a SECOND set that's in Carsten's "Loco 1 - the diesel" on page 33.

They are not the same drawing as they deviate in some interesting measurements, first that the top of rail to top of cab is 14' 5 1/4 on the MR drawing and 14' 8" on the Carstens drawing.  So it's not the same drawing but both measure the hood height the same above the 'stepped' section.

Both drawings, however (which were presumably done by two different people, the Carstens one is signed "R. Porter" - show that from the top of the 'stepped' sill to the top of the hood is 6' 6".   Measuring the LL SW shell, it is 7'.   Same with the cab, the cab was too high and I had to take 6" off the bottom, all due to the 6" 'step' you see to bring it down.    I came to the conclusion they must have shortened the doors.   I set the hood on the original sill and built up around the outside with styrene to deal with the 6" frame sill issue.   But it's not a drawing mistake for sure.

If you really want to settle the debate, the one that is being rebuilt up on the Mass Central by Randy Stahl here on the forum and he can hit it with a tape measure and verify the door and cab side issue, but mine is already through paint, so like you, too late now.   Randy did tell me that it's not hollow ducting, it's part of the actual frame.

[wcfn100]

They are not the same drawing as they deviate in some interesting measurements, first that the top of rail to top of cab is 14' 5 1/4 on the MR drawing and 14' 8" on the Carstens drawing. 

It's 14' - 5 1/4" on the Southern diagram.

Jason

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Randy had extended an invitation to me to visit the Grafton and Upton to grab a few parts. Of course I got busy with a quarantine and several snow storms. I hope to take him up on the offer. I'm bring up the NW5 when I see him.

One thing I noticed from some of the photos is that the hood body apoears to be on a perch. This is the same height as the step in the frame. So if the drawings are to be true, the hood, doors and everything would have been chopped 6 inches all around. That would be a headache to try and replace compartment doors.

I should have just ignored the bottom of the doors and built it like your model, but I didn't. I do have another NW2 hood, and some Kato frame bits leftover from the original project. Maybe I should  see if I can do a better job.

But then that makes the whole front window set fall out of alignment.

This is such a strange prototype. Like nothing makes any sense.

[thomasjmdavis]

This is such a strange prototype. Like nothing makes any sense.

I've always wondered how these came to be.  I speculate that it is the result of redesigning the previous NW-3 (which is more or less an oversized switcher with the cab at one end) to move the steam generator to the other side of the cab to create some collision protection.  And remember, this particular design was introduced only a few months after the BL-1/BL-2, so unusual design elements were not out of the ordinary at EMD at that time.  One assumes that either GN was really committed to 567 engines, or that the order list at Alco for RS-1s was already stacked up with post-war orders and they needed delivery before 1948.

[sd45elect2000]

Randy had extended an invitation to me to visit the Grafton and Upton to grab a few parts. Of course I got busy with a quarantine and several snow storms. I hope to take him up on the offer. I'm bring up the NW5 when I see him.

One thing I noticed from some of the photos is that the hood body apoears to be on a perch. This is the same height as the step in the frame. So if the drawings are to be true, the hood, doors and everything would have been chopped 6 inches all around. That would be a headache to try and replace compartment doors.

I should have just ignored the bottom of the doors and built it like your model, but I didn't. I do have another NW2 hood, and some Kato frame bits leftover from the original project. Maybe I should  see if I can do a better job.

But then that makes the whole front window set fall out of alignment.

This is such a strange prototype. Like nothing makes any sense.

Daniel, your parts are here in N Grafton.

[randgust]

Not only are some of the carbody details 'unusual', but when you think about it, this was a rather revolutionary idea.   You're taking what was essentially a run-of-the-mill switcher design (the NW2), throwing road trucks under it, stuffing a steam generator in one end, and then redoing the entire electrical and transmission system to get it up to road speeds with what turned out to be the evolutionary predecessor to the GP30, pushing the traction motors and generator pretty much to the limit along with the GP35.   The real surprise to me was finding out it was lighter than an NW2.
Remember that in early EMD days (FT) you had a MANUAL transition system.

Yeah.  Take a look at this.  Page 11  https://www.alternatewars.com/BBOW/Railroads/EMD_FT_OM.pdf
On top of everything else, you're manually handling transition on F3's and earlier.

So something like this was literally like inventing the automatic transmission for a car.

Tom's got me looking at the NW3 as well, what an odd duck that thing is.   I know the steam generator is stuffed in the cab.  I can only imagine how much fun that was for the crew - maybe OK in the winter though.

[wcfn100]

This is such a strange prototype. Like nothing makes any sense.

Daniel, I know you been studying this project a lot longer than I have, but I can't help thinking you've over thought some of this.

I put together a drawing using measurements from the Southern Ry and actual Kato NW-2 parts.



I have the Kato hood with the doors sitting on the raised sill (so you would need to file the bottom of the hood) which is 6" higher then the end sill which is set at 4' - 10" like the drawing says it is.  Then I set the top of the cab at the measurement given.

Does this drawing look totally out of whack to you?  Comparing it to prototype images, it seems pretty good.

Jason

[randgust]

OK, here's where I'm at - getting close to finish

I like to show a shot with the 'raw' brass handrails as that's one of the things I like to do on all my power.   

I did notice one thing - the hood taper is one of the least-noticeable details on this locomotive, but there's a lot going on.

[Cajonpassfan]

An ugly duckling, Randy, imho, but beautiful modeling, as usual.
It’s nice to have these unique but road specific models, very iconic!
Otto

[nickelplate759]

So you finish the model sans railing, then build the railing, then hand-paint the railing?  Amazing!