mandealco

There is no better train view than from a Budd dome car. Except maybe the loco cab! Laura and I rode the Canadian from Vancouver to Toronto a few years ago. It was a fabulous experience, we even had one of the bedrooms in the Park Car at the rear, one of 4 domes on the train. if you ever get the opportunity, take it, you won't be disappointed. I kitbashed an N-Scale Tremblant Park following our adventure. Happy New Year from NZ. Cheers Steve

Hi My latest Alco, a CP Rail chop nosed RS-3, not the prettiest Alco you ever saw, but a must have in N-Scale. This and the 2 MLW M-420s behind it are Briggs Models Kits. Jeff Briggs was a founder of Kaslo many years ago. Now to get them all finished. Cheers Steve

Great work. Love the 415, one of the Dolly Sisters. Cheers Steve NZ

Great work on the L&HR C-420, very realistic result. Nice work on the A&M C-420 also. My N-Scale C-628 is nearly done, just a bit of soot to be added to the roof and a final clear coat. Cheers Steve NZ

The 203 is in Lehigh & Hudson River colours. The L&HR became part of Conrail in 1976 and the C-420's were later scattered far and wide including BC Rail, Guilford/D&H and the A&M. Cheers Steve NZ

Hi Here's some progress on my latest Alco, C&NW 6724, a former N&W high nose C-628. I'm experimenting with preshading to give the model that slightly dirty Alco look. Now to add the last 2 grabs, handrails, decals and some light sooty weathering and grime. The big Alco's may have been trouble prone, but they were at their best in mineral service where they would dig in and pull all day. Although the C&NW replaced the C-628's in the late '80's, they never really were 'replaced'. Various SD's were tried on the ore trains, but nothing pulled them as well as these, nor looked or sounded as good. Cheers Steve NZ

I have a Mark4 Design high short hood and cab. I'm not sure if these are still available. It can be done with an extra shell, but the Atlas side window location is wrong. Still looks okay though if done this way. Cheers Steve NZ

This is the latest Alco from my workbench. A former New Haven C-425, now on the Livonia, Avon & Lakeville. Next spot on the workbench is a high hood C-628, which will get CNW Zito yellow soon. N-Scale of course.

Or New Zealand. Sadly we have only 1 Alco in NZ, a gorgeous 2-4-4-2 Mallet. Cheers Steve NZ

Just a tip for posting photos taken with tablets or phones. If you take the photo with the device upside down, even though the viewing image will rotate to be the right way round, the actual photo is still upside down. We can't have photos of Alco's upside down, that is just wrong. Cheers Steve NZ

If you want to see RS-3s interchanging with Norfolk Southern, take a look at the Delaware Lackawanna, they have 5 active RS-3s. They also have numerous other Alco/MLWs in better than new condition, even 3 "Bigs". They are mostly dressed in a paint scheme derived from the Alco demonstration colours of the C-415/430/636. Well worth checking out. Cheers Steve NZ

This is MNNR 318, as F-UnitMad said, the last 2 RS-27's are on the MNNR, both are former GB&W and prior to that were on the C&NW. I built this for one of my sons. Much rather work on N-scale models. Cheers Steve NZ

Here's the latest to leave the workshop, former CV RS-11 3612 lettered for the Lamoille Valley. A couple more weathering touches needed after looking at the photos. I've used an RS-3 fuel tank which is closer to the prototype than the RS-11 one and I've modified the trucks to look like the lightweight DoFaSCo version. These are unique RS-11's in that they had the dynamic brakes in the short hood. Cheers Steve NZ

I agree, it's a great little yard and engine house to model, even smaller in N-scale. Cheers Steve NZ

The M&E is one cool railroad and great for modelling with loads of operational potential, depending on the era you select. This is Laura's bridal train from 24 years ago yesterday. Yes, she got railroaded! This is also taken in Whippany NJ, and Laura got to drive it. Cheers ​Steve NZ

Hi Some more of my Alcos, MLWs and even a Bombardier. Updating an old scratchbuilt HR-616 with a wide nose safety cab from a Briggs M-420 kit. A former CP Rail MLW C-630M, now on the WNY&P. Morristown & Erie C-430, WNY&P C-630M and an RS-27, all on the workbench. ​ Briggs M-630 built as a CP-Rail M-636. ​ Cheers Steve NZ

Hi Love seeing all these Alcos, nice work guys. Hmmm, how many Alco/MLWs am I allowed, 'cause I want them all. So far I have most of the major models covered in N-Scale, either completed or on my workbench. Here are some of them. Firstly Green Bay & Western C-424 321. This is a Life-Like C-424 with an Atlas cab and short hood. Alco's 1967 proposed C-636P cowl unit. Two former Cartier 'Bigs', Ex-Alco demo C-636, now SIXX 77 (sadly scrapped last year) and WNY&P 637, an M-636 Two Lamoille Valley RS-3's 7803 and chopped nosed 7804. Alco 241 powered demo DL-202, better known as the Black Maria. There's more, if you wish to see them. Cheers Steve NZ