BLI NW2/SW7

[Cajonpassfan]

The screwed up gussets tell me they have $hit in their brains...

Even Botchmanm didn't make that stupid mistake... 

Would you mind enlightening us about the screwed up gussets?
Thanks, Otto K.

[Cajonpassfan]

Hi Otto
I’m curious how well these Paragon 3 decoders work with ESU decoders.  Consisting, momentum and speed matching and all that.?
Thanks.

Hi back, Steve,
I’m not going to be much help. All my P3 engines are either in matched sets like the prototypes of my era (E units, F3’s, F7’s that need no consisting) and this one switcher, that runs alone. Having said that, I too would be interested in knowing the answer so I could doublehead P3 BLI steam with ESU (or Tsu2) steam.
Perhaps someone more knowledgeable can chime in on this topic...
Otto

[tehachapifan]

Newer ESU decoders have the "Drive Hold" feature that I believe is unique to that brand so, at a minimum, that would need to be disabled (or just not activated via function key) to run in a consist with a different brand decoder.

[thomasjmdavis]

Here's a cool reference to the window, hood, and louver variations :

http://yardlimit.railfan.net/emd/spotting/index.html

Thanks for the reference.  There were more early "phases" than I was aware of. 

On the gusset question, lots of discussion about gussets when these were announced and they started showing shells at train shows-  start about the middle of page 4 of that discussion and read on from there...
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=46183.msg602399#msg602399

[up1950s]

[Missaberoad]

The gussets seem fixable... Royal pain in the a$$ to re profile them, may be easier to R/R with a 3d printed or pattern made part...

[rrjim1]

This picture is listed as a SW7, is it or is it not a SW7.
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[Missaberoad]

Very interesting... Notice the rounded front gusset, possibly transitional or rebuilt...

Compare 116 and 117 both sw7s

http://rr-fallenflags.org/misc-d/dts116ads.jpg
http://rr-fallenflags.org/misc-d/dts117k.jpg

And 119 a sw9

http://rr-fallenflags.org/misc-d/dts119dsa.jpg

Here's another shot of 118 with rounded front gussets

http://www.railroadmichigan.com/dtsl118s1.jpg

I'll dig through my collection of x2200s and see what I can dig up...

[Missaberoad]

The plot thickens 



This one however was clearly rebuilt...

http://frisco.org/mainline/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/SW7-303-date-and-location-unknown.jpg

[cjm413]

Very interesting... Notice the rounded front gusset, possibly transitional or rebuilt...

Compare 116 and 117 both sw7s

http://rr-fallenflags.org/misc-d/dts116ads.jpg
http://rr-fallenflags.org/misc-d/dts117k.jpg

And 119 a sw9

http://rr-fallenflags.org/misc-d/dts119dsa.jpg

Here's another shot of 118 with rounded front gussets

http://www.railroadmichigan.com/dtsl118s1.jpg

I'll dig through my collection of x2200s and see what I can dig up...

Also 7 doors with louvers vs 6 doors on SW7 or 8 doors on SW9

[wcfn100]

Why not post-date a Kato (or Bachmann) NW2?

In a word, louvers.  I've etched them, I've shaped them by hand and I haven't been totally happy with the result.  The next step would be to print a new shell which I will still probably do for my fleet of Katos.  The BLI moel should have the correct air tanks for a Ph4 unit as well.

The CGW did have 3 NW2s with the tapered hood, but I have no record that any of them ever worked Waterloo, IA.  Hopefully I can convince BLI to do one of the correct numbers for their model even if they didn't for their HO release.

Jason

[amato1969]

The gussets seem fixable... Royal pain in the a$$ to re profile them, may be easier to R/R with a 3d printed or pattern made part...

I'm waiting patiently for delivery at my LHS...  hopefully some Evergreen strip and light filing will do the trick on the triangular gussets!

[cjm413]

In a word, louvers.  I've etched them, I've shaped them by hand and I haven't been totally happy with the result.  The next step would be to print a new shell which I will still probably do for my fleet of Katos.  The BLI moel should have the correct air tanks for a Ph4 unit as well.

The CGW did have 3 NW2s with the tapered hood, but I have no record that any of them ever worked Waterloo, IA.  Hopefully I can convince BLI to do one of the correct numbers for their model even if they didn't for their HO release.

Jason

Have you tried these?

http://archertransfers.com/AR88057.html

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Have you tried these?

http://archertransfers.com/AR88057.html

I'm actually in the process of converting an SW9 into a 7 using Archer's louvers right now. It's going ok. Not easy, not horrible.

[u18b]

In a word, louvers.  I've etched them, I've shaped them by hand and I haven't been totally happy with the result.  The next step would be to print a new shell which I will still probably do for my fleet of Katos.  The BLI moel should have the correct air tanks for a Ph4 unit as well.

The CGW did have 3 NW2s with the tapered hood, but I have no record that any of them ever worked Waterloo, IA.  Hopefully I can convince BLI to do one of the correct numbers for their model even if they didn't for their HO release.

Jason

I've been very pleased with the louvers Archer makes.  Vinyl on a decal.