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PRSL Baldwin AS16 # 6007 A One Of A Kind S Scale Model Click on the photos to make them larger. I
may be the only person that models
the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines in S Scale. I
won about 20 PRSL Builders Photo copy negatives on eBay. Builders Photos are
my driving inspiration. It is all
there to be seen and modeled. Since I model the 1956-57 era my model would
have to be completed as shown in the Builders Photos. |
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As noted on the Diesels Page I got this locomotive as a shell only. I acquired it in a “no holds barred” buy and trade deal about 15 years ago. It was scratchbuilt by a contract builder whose name escapes me at this point. It took him 5 years to finish it and the intended customer died waiting for it! It wound up in the hands of a friend who completely and totally taunted me for 2 years and said I would NEVER own it. I offered to buy the shell only on the spot for $500.00. It was not for sale, not ever, especially to me. It drove me absolutely NUTS which was the intention. Well, never actually did come one day when I found something for sale that HE wanted, an Overland SD40-2 with Anti-Climbers (Production was about 20 models). I fully returned the abuse in spades and was so ruthless that I actually got the shell for free by the time the trading and buying was done! I am not overly proud of it, but I got the shell and the story is one of my all time favorites.
I
knew the completion time would be extensive but so worth it. It had been about 8 years since I last worked
on it. I took it then from a shell only to a running locomotive with a very reworked
Brass GP30 drive I won on eBay as shown above. I started making items then like
the air tanks and long sign boards. I started installing all wheel electric
pickup when I discovered phosphor bronze wire. That is very time consuming but
necessary especially now with DCC. It was probably the intimidation of how to
get the sign boards around the carbody hump on the fireman’s side that sent it
back to the box for an 8 year nap. Decisions like that have proven to be good
for me. When I get the itch to work on it again, the results are significantly
better because I have improved as a modeler and now own tools I did not back
then. The internet was not available to me then as well. I can now blast out a
question and hopefully get an answer. That was the case here for a few details.
I bought a Baldwin PRSL Lettering drawing that was a great find. The original
signboards were discarded in favor of brass channel.
4-17-07
Update
My resurrection of the PRSLHS has caused me to work on my AS16 steadily for about the past month now.
I just might get it done this time. I have the fuel tank made. I mounted air
tanks I made years ago from the last time I was working on it. I now have the long sign boards
installed. I was eyeing how to make the cab interior. None of it is dead
perfect but it will due over what is in second place which is nothing.
6-28-07
Update
The
fuel tank is made and painted. The new MU stands are almost done. I ran it for a
night on DCC. It ran VERY well! I was surprised in early May with the fact that
Loksound makes a Baldwin sound unit. I now have to go back and rewire
everything for sound.
7-20-07
Update
After another 1 month side project of
reworking an Overland PRR FA FB Set, I am now back and more focused then ever.
There will be NO distractions now until it is done! (:->) The sound unit is
in. Wiring DCC and sound can be a challenge in the narrow hood units like the
AS16 and GP9. I try to fit in the biggest speaker possible. While the sound is
not going not straight out of the top of the shell because there are no fan
openings etc. as I usually prefer, I am taking advantage of the large screened
openings on the sides. Since I am currently using Loksound units, their 100 Ohm
speakers really limit the available speaker variety. I really wanted lit
numberboards, but after a very close call with slightly melting and almost
ruining my GP9 I decided against it. I have put a lot of additional time in making sure the model stays
together. Major brass detail parts like the signboards are getting bolted on
with 00-90 screws being used as studs. Other parts are being pinned with wire
when they are glued together. After all of this time and effort I do not want
to have to repair it and do touch up. This is the very reason why I model
almost exclusively in brass. A good solder joint is forever.
I
co-opted a Train Control box from a parts K4 pilot. As shown in the Builders
Photos, there is an up and over walkway.
I made the walkway part pretty easily. The biggest anxiety attack was when I was drilling the holes through the
deck to mount the parts. I got pretty
close but still had to make a little wiggle room to get them lined up perfectly
.
On
7-24-07 I took the biggest leap of faith so far when I stripped the paint.
After working on the shell for a few months now I was pretty sure it was made
from Evergreen styrene. In spite of getting $45.00 of Chameleon Stripper, I
actually had visions (no make that nightmares) of pulling a sagging goopy blob of plastic
from the soup when I dunked it. I can now attest that the Chameleon Stripper
was safe for at least this shell and another one I stripped yesterday. I did a
little test on the inside before going for the big dunk. The paint did not fly off but there were no
signs of damage or crazing. 2 hours later after some pretty steady scrubbing
with a small stiff paint brush it was pretty good. A few steps got knocked out
in the fray but they will be repaired.
I have made some good progress. The handrails are pretty much
done. I have an OBSCENE amount of time in making them. I remade the pilot steps from Plano etched
material. The steps were redone with HO roofwalks for the rectangular grid material.
2-2-08 Update
So much for getting it done! I am very fickle when if comes to
projects. My interest and drive fades at about 1-2 months. I will get back to
this project at some point.
I switched to finishing my 2 PRR I1 in the beginning of 2008. I am
close enough to finishing them now that it will probably happen.
Look for photos of them on the Steam Locomotives page about
3-1-08
Updated 2-2-08
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photos and content © Lanes Trains 2005-2008