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Locomotives - Electric Articles

4859 and Cabin To Be Relocated

The PRR GG1 and N6b cabin car will be moved from the Harrisburg Station due to an Amtrak track upgrade. Includes a photo of the pair.

Amtrak's AEM-7 Electric

The author describes how he scratchbuilt this model. Includes a sidebar on the history of this engine.

An Easy Effective GG1 Improvement

The author describes the changes he made to his American Models GG1 to remove the excessive swing of the pilots. Includes close-up photos of the modifications to be made.

BLI GG1 Coupler Height Fix

The author shares how he fixed a problem he found with all of his models.

Broadway Limited International GG1 Review

Although I normally don't list product reviews on these pages, this article covers the history of the prototype, modifications made to the prototype over its long history, and goes into great depth of the electronics in this model.

Building a CNR Class Z-1-A Boxcab Electric Motor

The author describes and shows through photos how he tackled this scratch-building project.

Building a New Haven EP-3 Electric Locomotive

Three modelers worked together to create this model, with the main body being designed on the computer and 3D-printed. It has quite a dramatic story. Since in the real world the PRR's GG1 was based on this engine, Dick used the American Model's GG1 as the chassis for his model.

Building an Interurban Combine

The author describes how he built a Labelle kit of an interurban combine car, with some construction photos and a parts list.

Cab Ladders For Your American Models GG1

How to add ladders below the cab doors. Includes model photos and drawings.

CSS&CS Line Car No. 1100 Part II

This installment shows how the engine was used for line service. It has prototype photographs, including interior ones. There are also scale drawings of the engine.

CSS&SB Line Car No. 1100

Chronicles the three "lives" of this interurban. The Chicago, South Shore & South Bend was used for overhead wire inspection, after it served as a commuter train that included a RPO. Includes photos and scale drawings.

Electric Rotary Plow

A working rotary plow was made from an Athearn rotary plow kit, with additional parts for the trucks, brake rigging, pantograph, headlight, and motor with gearbox for the working rotating blades. Includes model and prototype photos.

H. C. Frick Co. Standard Electric Larry

The H.C. Frick Co. standard electric larry was used to transport coke from coke ovens to a processing plant about 2 miles away, in Scottsdale, Pa. (a community about 20 miles southeast of Pittsburgh). Includes only scaled drawings.

Heavy Electric Fan

After introducing his roots in areas where heavy electric locomotives were common in his childhood, the author describes his 1955-era layout, which features those types of locomotives. Includes a model and a prototype photo of a New Haven EP-5.

Interurban Classic

The author shows how he built this model of the J.C. Brill Combine 7 owned by the United Railways System. Includes parts list, many construction photos, and scale drawings.

Keokuk's Dam Trolley

Last working industrial trolley line. Photos and O-scale drawings.

Kitbashing a GM&O Doodlebug

The author describes how he took an S-Helper Service RPO passenger car and modified it to become a self-powered doodlebug.

Kitbashing a GN Boxcab Switcher

The author describes how he built this engine using lots of junk parts and an Atlas WDT switcher.

Kitbashing a Logging Industry Critter

The prototype Crestbook Timber's critter was "kitbashed" from a steam engine's tender. The author built his model using the same method. Detailed description and prototype and model photos accompany the article.

Kitbashing an NJ Transit ALP-46

The author took a Roco German DB Class 101 engine and converted it to look like an New Jersey Transit engine using the plans published by Railroad Model Craftsman magazine in its March 2003 issue. Includes before and after model photos and a prototype photo.

Kitbashing an NYC Class DEf 2-D-2 Locomotive

The model, which took Best in Show at the 2000 National Association of S Gaugers Convention, is based on the NYC's first diesel locomotive purchase. The author built it using two spliced-together Precision Scale On3 Forney locomotive frames and brass shapes.

Kitbashing: See It Before You Do It

Using paper copies of locomotive diagrams, the author describes how he "paper-dolled" the engine together by cutting out pieces from the diagrams. Includes the "kitbashed" diagram, and a photo of the finished locomotive.

Laurel Line Electric Locomotives

Prototype photos and scale drawings of numbers 401 through 403 of Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley electric freight engines.

Los Angeles' LRV's

One solution to southern California's traffic jams was opening the previously-closed Los Angeles to Long Beach Metro Rail service on July 14, 1990. Includes prototype photos and scale drawings of the Los Angeles RTD Series 100-153 LRV's.

Milwaukee Electric's Snow Sweepers

Prototype photos and scale drawings. Includes notes of the author's model.

Modeling Pennsy's DD2 Electric

After covering the prototype information about this engine, a few paragraphs and two photos show the model that Keith Thompson built using resin casting.

Modeling United Electric Railways Flat Motor No. 1534

Modeling this motor car is a challenge since it is basically a flat car with two small cabins on top, with mostly open space. The author accomplished this using a NWSL Sagami motor mounted under the frame. Photos of part close-ups are included.

Multiple Unit Electrics

The author describes how he built a set of multiple-unit electric commuter cars. Includes photos.

New Haven Class EP-1 Electric Locomotive

Includes prototype photos and scale drawings.

NJ Transit's New ALP-46

Describes the new 7,100hp, 100-mph commuter train built in Kassel, Germany. Includes scale diagrams, lots of close-ups detail photos, including the interior cab.

Piedmont & Northern Four-truck Locomotives

Scale drawings and prototype photos are included in this article. The railroad had eight of this unique locomotives, which ran on 1,500 volts DC.

Populating the AM Models GG-1

The author shows how he scratchbuilt the interior, with figures, for the American Models GG-1.

Prototype View

Photos of prototype urban rapid transit rail service.

PRR's P5A Electric Motor in S-Scale

After a brief description of this prototype engine, the article describes how the author scratchbuilt this electric locomotive from various commercial parts and many castings he made himself. Includes prototype and many model photos.

Reflections

Having left the East coast in 1964 to move to the West coast, the author's visit to the east has him noticing everything that once was is no more.

Repowering an Alco Models NYC T-motor

This article describes how to convert a 1974 Alco Models locomotive to run much better using the Hollywood Foundry BullAnt drives. Includes prototype photos, and model construction photos and diagrams.

Repowering and Painting Pennsylvania R.R. MP54 Cars

The author describes how he upgraded a pair of old brass electric multiple-unit coaches. He used the NWSL PDT trucks for improved performance. Half of the article is devoted to accurately painting these models.

Repowering Atlas N Scale Diesels

The author replaced the factory motor with a Sagami motor to reduce its top speed, and added weights to increase its pulling power.

RMC/Dremel Kitbashing Award

Starting with an old American Flyer combine, the author describes how he built his MU train.

S Gauge Rapid Transit

The author describes how he built this transit traction car. Includes photos and supplemental drawings.

Short and Easy

This brief article describes how to build a pantograph hold-down to keep the American Models' GG1 from snagging something above the tracks.

The End for P5a 4755 and 4772

A detailed description of the accident that put an end to those two locomotives. Includes many photos.

The Gas Electric Known as M-1 Part 1

The author describes the prototype and the Railmaster Exports kit of the East Broad Top's gas-electric motorcar. Includes several prototype photos and model construction photos, with copies of the instruction sheet's drawing.

The Jet Age

The author describes how he built a New Haven EP5 from various parts, including an American Models FP7 chassis.

The New Haven Railroad's EP-5

In light of Lionel's release of this locomotive, this article covers the prototype history of this engine. Includes a photo of Lionel's model, and a scale drawing of the prototype engine.

The Pennsylvania Railroad's B1

The author describes how he scratchbuilt this model. Includes a few prototype and model photos, and a brief prototype history of the engine.

Who Says O Scale is Big?

The author describes how he built a Whitcomb battery-powered 18" gauge electric mining locomotive.