# Appropriate Diesels and Who Makes Them?



## Sideways (Jan 25, 2021)

I want to have at least one diesel on my layout, but I'm not sure if any would fit in. I'm modelling mid 1930s, on a small fictional divison of the Southern, so as far as I know, diesels wouldn't have been running mainline services at that point, right? Is a switcher the more accurate thing to go with, and if so, does anyone make relatively budget HO models representing them?


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Sideways said:


> I'm modelling mid 1930s, on a small fictional divison of the Southern, so as far as I know, diesels wouldn't have been running mainline services at that point, right?


Right.



> ALCO would be the pre-eminent builder of switch engines through the mid-1930s and would adapt the basic switcher design to produce versatile and highly successful, albeit relatively low powered, road locomotives.











Diesel locomotive - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org










List of ALCO diesel locomotives - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org










List of EMD locomotives - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org





I was shooting for pretty much the same time period you are when I started three years ago. Then I ended up stretching my time period to encompass the beginning of the "transition era", roughly, which allowed EMD GP7s & FTs, ALCO RS units, etc.


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

There are people 3-D printing earlier boxcab and switcher shells for the smaller Bachmann switcher chassis'. Here is one:









ALW Alco Boxcab Diesel Shell kit for Bachmann GE-44 tonner (HO Scale) | eBay


A heavily updated version of our original boxcab shell, with an improved mounting system and separate details. The kit includes the following 1x ALCO-GE-IR Boxcab shell.



www.ebay.com


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Historically, you're right about switchers. But it's your layout. Run what you want.

Though I model a New Haven branch line in the mid-1950's, I stil, have steam (historically, the last NH steamer was retired in 1953). So in my make believe world, high demand for rail service allowed the NH to bring back steam for a few more years. So I run some steam.


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## MidwestMikeGT (Jan 4, 2021)

Wasn't the E-1 built in the mid-30s? I thought the FT was also built in the 1930s but probably late 30s. I might be wrong.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Well, they were built then (E1 built 1937-1938), but didn’t come into full everyday mainline service until the very late 1930’s and early 1940’s, AFAIK.....

The first FT unit built for a customer was built in December, 1940, so.....


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Possibly, the most famous early diesel would be the BURLINGTON ZEPHYER.
passenger train...It began service in 1034.









Pioneer Zephyr - Wikipedia







en.wikipedia.org





Burlington had a number of them running about the Midwest 
during the later 30s and 40s.

Don


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## MidwestMikeGT (Jan 4, 2021)

Yes! The Zephyr, which broke Denver-Chicago speed records at that time, just in time for the World Fair! I actually went into the Zephyr. She is in the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago. Many years ago, they actually had a donkey in there (mechanical) which was part of the guided tour.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

DonR said:


> Possibly, the most famous early diesel would be the BURLINGTON ZEPHYER.
> passenger train...It began service in 1034.
> 
> 
> ...


So it was running a few hundred years before Colombus made his famous voyage?!? Who knew?


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

CTValleyRR said:


> Clombus


CT Valley vernacular?


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## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

Sideways said:


> I want to have at least one diesel on my layout, but I'm not sure if any would fit in. I'm modelling mid 1930s, on a small fictional divison of the Southern, so as far as I know, diesels wouldn't have been running mainline services at that point, right? Is a switcher the more accurate thing to go with, and if so, does anyone make relatively budget HO models representing them?


The first Southern Railway diesel road units were Electro-Motive FT’s. 1940


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

DonR said:


> Possibly, the most famous early diesel would be the BURLINGTON ZEPHYER.
> passenger train...It began service in 1034.
> 
> 
> ...


Now all the OP has to do is find that diesel/train in model form.....


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## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

Old_Hobo said:


> Now all the OP has to do is find that diesel/train in model form.....


Not sure why he’d want the Zephyr if he’s modeling the Southern. It is a cool trainset though. 
The FT’s are made by Intermountain. They offer the Southern in two paint schemes. The listing for most of their units says ‘Contact Dealer’. That may be code for ‘Good Luck’. 
There’s a few models of other roads on eBay. There’s even an old Bachmann in Southern colors. It looks like an old Bachmann too.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Stumpy said:


> CT Valley vernacular?


No, just fat CTValley fingers... autocorrect is great at "fixing" correct words, but apparently has no problem with that.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

prrfan said:


> Not sure why he’d want the Zephyr if he’s modeling the Southern. It is a cool trainset though.
> The FT’s are made by Intermountain. They offer the Southern in two paint schemes. The listing for most of their units says ‘Contact Dealer’. That may be code for ‘Good Luck’.
> There’s a few models of other roads on eBay. There’s even an old Bachmann in Southern colors. It looks like an old Bachmann too.


I simply meant that if he is modelling the mid 1930’s, and he has to be accurate in his timeline and wanted a diesel that was running at the time, he would need the Zephyr, as it was really the only one......the FT’s didn’t get built for a customer until 1940.....

Those Intermountain FT’s were made some time ago, and will likely be tough to come by now.....


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## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

Yep, the Zephyr could be visiting. I think they actually did that, but I can’t remember where they took it. 
Found a newer Bachmann Southern FT on eBay. Runs off a Smart Phone. 
Early 40’s FT consists would be one A unit and the rest Bs, until the unions agreed not to require a crew for each cab. 








Bachmann 68904 EMD FT w/E-Z App Southern Railway #6100 Locomotive HO Scale | eBay


Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Bachmann 68904 EMD FT w/E-Z App Southern Railway #6100 Locomotive HO Scale at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



www.ebay.com


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

But again, FT’s wouldn’t being running regular routes in the mid 1930’s.....in fact, it has been documented that they were produced from March, 1939 to November 1945.....


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## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

So for road units in 30s, this just leaves these. 1939. Barely in 30s. We’ll let someone else look into switchers. 🤣
These resemble Zephyrs somewhat. 



__ https://www.pinterest.com/pin/324470348148129169/


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

And there’s always this one.....pulled the first Santa Fe Super Chief back in 1936.....but again, not in Southern Railway territory....


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## Stumpy (Mar 19, 2013)

Damn that thing is ugly. But fascinating also.


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## Sideways (Jan 25, 2021)

Thanks for all the replies, I suppose a switcher would be the way I want to go; god knows where I'd find the unit @prrfan showed, and the FT is a bit too modern for my taste.


Stumpy said:


> There are people 3-D printing earlier boxcab and switcher shells for the smaller Bachmann switcher chassis'. Here is one:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sweet! Thats something I'd be interested in, even if it isn't wholly accurate, it just needs to fit the part and be close enough. I've seen a few of those 44's floating around on eBay for pretty low prices, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get a donor chassis.


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## Sideways (Jan 25, 2021)

Old_Hobo said:


> And there’s always this one.....pulled the first Santa Fe Super Chief back in 1936.....but again, not in Southern Railway territory....
> 
> View attachment 557049


Strange one, something about those bogies look wrong to my eye


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

I think those are covers that hide the real bogies/trucks behind them....who knows what they actually look like.....


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## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

Sideways said:


> Thanks for all the replies, I suppose a switcher would be the way I want to go; god knows where I'd find the unit @prrfan showed, and the FT is a bit too modern for my taste.
> 
> Sweet! Thats something I'd be interested in, even if it isn't wholly accurate, it just needs to fit the part and be close enough. I've seen a few of those 44's floating around on eBay for pretty low prices, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get a donor chassis.


You’re welcome. Yes, you’re exactly right. That OP800 unit would be near impossible to find unless it was custom built. Low chances on that. 
And yep, you just need to get something close and go from there. You wouldn’t be doing anything that the hobby manufacturers haven’t done. There’s many examples of items painted in road names that never actually had that equipment. Nowadays it’s called a “fantasy paint scheme”. 
Have fun.


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## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

Old_Hobo said:


> I think those are covers that hide the real bogies/trucks behind them....who knows what they actually look like.....


I do:








AAR Type B trucks. That's from B&O #50, one of 5 EMC 1800 BB built in 1935. Hallmark made a model of the Santa Fe engines. The shrouds didn't last long.


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## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

Sideways said:


> Thanks for all the replies, I suppose a switcher would be the way I want to go; god knows where I'd find the unit @prrfan showed, and the FT is a bit too modern for my taste.
> 
> Sweet! Thats something I'd be interested in, even if it isn't wholly accurate, it just needs to fit the part and be close enough. I've seen a few of those 44's floating around on eBay for pretty low prices, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get a donor chassis.


If you look on Shapeways.com you can find the shell for a CNJ boxcab that is a little more detailed than that one. It bolts onto a Bachmann GE 44ton switcher.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Murv2 said:


> I do:
> View attachment 557085
> 
> AAR Type B trucks. That's from B&O #50, one of 5 EMC 1800 BB built in 1935. Hallmark made a model of the Santa Fe engines. The shrouds didn't last long.


Good to know, thanks for the pic!


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