NW-5 build thread

[randgust]

OK, well, I'm retitling and restarting this one as it does look like this will actually work.

I'm starting with the Bachmann RS-3 chassis - which was based on a couple wild guesses.  I'd seen the GP7 chassis already, looked and the lower position of the motor under the board of the RS-3, and simply guessed it might be low enough to fit under the taper of the SW-9 shell - one of the key ingredients.

I know there's been an epic build of an NW-5 before, but that was some pretty tough drive work to be kind.  This looked to be a lot easier.   Also helps when I had a customer that was willing to risk a lot of parts in advance if I could pull this off.

And the second major discovery was that the truck sideframes were interchangeable between the GP7 and the RS-3, so I could have Blombergs on the RS-3 chassis with the right 31' truck centers without modification.    And, as expected, that RS-3 chassis runs quite well.

So here's the hack on the LL SW-9 shell and frame:



But here's where it really counts (or gets really lucky, your choice)



Now, this is just a rough start.  But the key issue to see here is that at the taper, the chassis is narrow enough to fit in the taper, and looks like I have room to even drop the second cab taper in there.   I'll have to patch and scratchbuild a lot, and looks like I should take all the material I can off the frame ends in front of the screw and I'll still be about a scale foot too long on the body.   I'm good with that.

So that RS-3 chassis with the swapped EMD trucks is a whole different ball game for this.  Now as I started in the original thread, if somebody wants measurements of the chassis to try to develop a 3D print of the shell I'll help them with it.  But I'm proceeding ahead with the hack job of chopping up pieces and making one out of a combination of chunks and scratchbuilt portions.

[craigolio1]

Awesome! I love an old school kit bash.

Craig.

[tehachapifan]

Yes, this is cool and I've always wanted to build one of these.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Anyone have detailed blueprints or drawings?

One thing I noticed in some photos is it looks like the long hood does not step in until the second step down on the roof. No idea what the size of the end windows on the cab are. It also looks like the entire carbody is on a 6" platform.

[Tom Todd]

I do not know about detailed drawings, etc. availability. My best guess is that they are stored at the Great Northern Archives in the Minnesota Transportation Museum in St. Paul. They are unavailable until the pandemic ends.

Otherwise the Model Railroader Cyclopedia Volume 2 Diesel Locomotives has a diagram that I n page 60, of the NW-5. Published on 1980, I found my copy on eBay.

Tom

[randgust]

I think the Kato NW-2 has a better step-down ('Phase 1') but they are completely out of stock for the shells.  Tom had supplied a trio of various LL and Atlas shells for parts cut-up.

Carstens "Loco 1 - the Diesel' also has photos and plans.

Before Hornby made their SW-1 I had done a batch of SW-1 conversions from the Kato NW-2 and made my own resin shell.  That at least has the right curved cab windows on the front, and it's easier using one of those shells than filing out for another set of curved cab windows.   Rear windows are another issue.

[skytop35]

Following with interest !  This has been on my to do list for quite some time.

[thomasjmdavis]

According to the Trains Index, June 1968 Model Railroader had an article and drawings.  I might still have the issue packed away, but may have also been one that was lost to water damage.

I've always been intrigued by these.  And surprised that EMD did not sell more of them, given that a lot of roads that were mostly EMD equipped bought Alco RS-1s.  Seems like an ideal choice as a passenger terminal switcher or for mixed trains on branch lines (assuming the info I have at hand is correct, and there was a steam generator under the short hood).

[randgust]

OK, today was frame grinding day.

You could probably do this without it, actually, but I wanted to see how close I could get to the right dimensions and also I think making a new fuel tank instead of working around the cast one would be easier.

As-is, putting the shell on the stock frame results in a rather 'long' body although everything else fits.   With the position of the frame screws, there's only so much you can take off, but you can take off some.   So today I dremeled off the ends and the original fuel tank from the Bachmann frame.



Now, here's the test.   With the rough shell parts on, the end-to-end body measurement is 45' 6".   My drawings say 44' 3", so I'm still a bit long.  I'll take that up on the 'patch' in front of the cab with the second taper.   You 'might' be able to grind off a bit more, but I'm not going to chance it here.



The LL hood taper isn't exactly right, the NW-2 would be better if you could get it.   I reshaped the cab windows and put two front cab sides on one cab so that's the plan there.   But... the chassis width is perfect, and there's plenty of vertical room even where it tapes the second time in front of the cab.

Knowing this final end-to-end I can fit in the sills and the second taper now.

[CRL]

Very cool!

[narrowminded]

@randgust If you would like to pursue it, I think I could move those screw holes in about a foot at each end with necessary insulators and such.  That would get you in the range and with scrutiny, maybe it could be made exact to prototype.   If that interests you let me know the real numbers you'd want.  I have several of those RS-3's so I could take one apart to inspect and measure if the interest was there.

[thomasjmdavis]

Looking forward to seeing how you go about this. I've swapped a couple shells here and there, but never attempted anything like what you are doing with a locomotive.

In the meantime, here is some inspiration from Lake Superior Railroad Museum in Duluth.....

[MRLX1020]

Following.  A Chicago & Illinois Midland RS1325 has been a long time want.  I had noodled over a Rapido GMD-1 sill and chassis for it...

[randgust]

The gear tower holes on the inside prevent moving the screws back farther.    I did that on my first SW-1 (LL), that was not fun anyway.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

One thing I noticed is that the side taper inward towards the cab starts on the second downward roof taper on the prototype. This is what has me stumped and thinking we need a totally new shell to model this.