5050 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Owing to the terrible weather and a recent illness I have started thinking about doing some modelling again after approx 5 years layoff. One of the possible projects I have under consideration is a (fairly easy I think) conversion of a standard RS3 into one of the steam heated/dynamic braked 'Hammerhead' versions with the raised short end hood as used by the WM on passenger services. I have 2 Stewart Models kits which are the correct Phase 3 versions which I intend to modify and fit onto Atlas chassis. There are plenty of side and front-on shots of these locos which provide the general arrangement but so far I can't find any 'top view' shots to show how the various grills, vents etc. on the top of the hood were both distributed and shaped etc. Can anyone point me in the right direction to find one? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium cnw6847 Posted March 25, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 25, 2013 I found a link to an N scale body which shows the exhaust: http://www.shapeways.com/model/840409/n-scale-rs3-hammer-head-short-hood-for-wm-or-lv-un.html A friend of mine suggested the diesel detailer site, I have joined but looks useful. Someone may have some info on there: http://dieseldetailer.proboards.com a couple of non roof shots: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=358911 http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=358913 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted March 26, 2013 Author Share Posted March 26, 2013 Thanks for the links - I wish he did an HO version! There have been a few conversion kits on the market over the years but I've never been able to track one down - and it's reckoned that the quality may not have been all that good anyway. I think this N scale one is based on the locos near the end of their career as there should be - in passenger train hauling days -another exhaust vent which may have been the steam heat one. The large square one is (I think) actually a mesh grid, probably positioned over the dynamic braking port. I don't think it will be all that hard to wield a razor saw over the Stewart kit and do it myself with the help pf plasticard etc. Something to keep me going. I might even take some photos of progress and post them here - but don't hold your breath just yet! I'll still be looking for 'top shot' photos though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted March 26, 2013 Author Share Posted March 26, 2013 I've been in touch with a guy in the states who markets an N gauge conversion using 3D modelling. He says he just worked from photos but none of them seem to be 'top shots' so possibly a bit of guesstimating was used. He did put me on to a couple of useful websites, this one in particular looks good - http://www.railpictures.net/ Maybe it's been seen before. There's several WM RS3's but all ground level pictures sadly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Tuxedo Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 If you haven't seen this already, it might be helpful... (look about halfway down the page.) http://www.yellowstonetrainrepair.com/ytrdetailpartmolding.htm and here's the photobucket page http://s235.photobucket.com/user/Yellowstone_Train_Repairs/media/YTR%20Master%20Copies/ALCOHammerheadNoseCab001.jpg.html Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave1905 Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Many moons ago when I was modeling the LV, I bought a Smokey Valley Kit #32, a hammerhead conversion for a Stewart RS3. It has a new hood end and hood sides, it uses the stock hood roof, with a couple castings for the DB vent and heater exhaust. It can be yours for cost plus shipping. dehusman@gmail.com Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CVSNE Posted March 27, 2013 Share Posted March 27, 2013 Ralph DeBlasi is working just such a conversion right now (in his case, an LV hammerhead, different phase but same conversion) and showing his progress on several forums and on facebook. Here's one: http://kitforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8024 If anyone has topside shots of one of these, Ralph does. Marty Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 Many moons ago when I was modeling the LV, I bought a Smokey Valley Kit #32, a hammerhead conversion for a Stewart RS3. It has a new hood end and hood sides, it uses the stock hood roof, with a couple castings for the DB vent and heater exhaust. It can be yours for cost plus shipping. dehusman@gmail.com Many thanks for your offer, I've sent you an e-mail. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Well, I've bitten the bullet and started on this using the Stewart RS3 body kit as it is a Phase 3 variant which is nearer to the WM locos than the usual RTR versions. The donor loco is an Atlas RS3 with a lovely Kato chassis that has had very little use. The Atlas body may well become a donor of some of its louvre panels to add to the Stewart sides where they are missing to replicate a bit more closely the WM ones. I'm hoping to use some Evergreen 4.8mm strip to provide the extra height on the hood sides and the extra height and domed section on the end is a lamination of plasticard filed and sanded to shape. Some photos will follow! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted January 22, 2014 Author Share Posted January 22, 2014 Been cracking on with this the past 2 days and here is the progress and the current state of play. Parts on the bench. The short hood end has been cut to reduce the height for fitting the extension but, as can be seen, the cut line passes through the headlight 'circle'. I therefore cut over the top of it and either side and then carefully filed and scraped plastic away so as to leave the half-circle rim standing proud. The extension piece (which is the white part above it) will be filed to fit. The long hood end sides, top and end piece were solvent glued together (completely ignoring the kit instructions which tells you to attach them to the footplate whilst doing this - something that will bite me in the bum later!) and this assembly and the footplate tried in place on the Kato chassis. A small amount of internal filing was necessary to ensure a snug sliding fit. The short hood parts are still loose. It was at this point that I tried to confirm the width/height of the additional pieces I needed to make to extend the sides upwards. Previously I had done this 'roughly' with the sides and cab standing on the workbench and had decided on 5mm give or take a thou or two. When I finally dry fitted everything to the footplate I realised that the sides and ends fit into a recess around the 'mechanism hole - but the cab sits on the footplate. This means that I was approx. 1mm out so I've had to add extra thickness in 40thou. sheet! Think ahead 5050!! If I had built as per instructions I would have realised this sooner. Here the extension pieces of Evergreen 60thou x 4.8mm have been fitted to the hood sides. A piece of 40thou sheet will go on top of these for the additional height required. I have just managed to get the height so that there are no edges of the window openings showing. The hood roof now in place. Still required is very careful sanding and scraping to reduce as much as possible the evidence of joins etc. and to smooth the curves of the new parts into the kit parts. A coat of primer will eventually show how well I've managed this! Still to fit are all the steps, pilots, battery boxes etc. - and the fittings on top of the 'Hammerhead' which are rather elusive on photos. Here it is standing in 'Gordon' yard alongside my other current loco project, a chop nose Geep. WM did this in-house simply by lowering the short hood and leaving the lights etc. where they were. This is also an Atlas/Kato and the footplate is part of the chassis which make life a bit easier. Talking of Atlas, I've discovered that the Atlas RS3 body (an early one not the current 'Classic' offering which I haven't checked) differs dimensionally to the Stewart one. Its length is nearly a scale foot shorter over the hood ends, the hoods are narrower and the cab is lower, narrower in width and longer in length. Which one is correct? TBH, I'm not really bothered, life's to short! I'll now get cashiered from the Scalefour Society.................................... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Why are they called 'Hammerheads'? I was expecting some sort of protrusions from the sides of the short hood Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Wintle Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 Why are they called 'Hammerheads'? I was expecting some sort of protrusions from the sides of the short hood Because the short hood is bigger than nomal, so they are shaped a bit like a hammer. This http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=336548&nseq=6 seems to show a vent on the short hood (normal steam generator vent?) This http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=388145&nseq=3 has a high angle shot, but it doesn't look to be very useful. Search http://www.railpictures.net/ with loco = RS-3 and Railroad = Western Maryland. Adrian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talltim Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 hmm, tenuous! I was thinking of a Hammerhead shark. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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