can anyone help?


nateL

nateL

Engineer
So ive been looking for a LONG time for Providence and worcester N scale B 23-7 Super 7's and cabless b units....i cant find any =/ as a matter of fact, i cant find any of the 2 in any other railroad paint schemes...does anybody know who might have something like that, specifically in P&W colors? :) id be willing to buy...as soon as i got some money together haha....

for example..
#2215
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=159121&nseq=23

#2216
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=226678&nseq=2
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=137954&nseq=11

and..
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1674432
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1497691
 
There is zero chance that you will find these locomotives in any scale. They were rebuilt by GE from WP U-23's, which is why they have Blomberg trucks. There were only two ever built and both ended up on the P&W. The B30-7AB cabless units were built by the BN from normal B30-7A units. Again, not many were built so there has been very little interest from modelers, particularly in N scale. You can buy the U23-7 and B30-7 and kitbash them but the U23-7 will be particularly difficult because of the the trucks. If you really want these, be prepared to do a lot of kitbashing.
 
I'm going to agree with Jim. I don't think these were even made in Brass in HO. However, kitbashing can be a fun process...
 
jbaakko said:
I'm going to agree with Jim. I don't think these were even made in Brass in HO. However, kitbashing can be a fun process...
Click to expand...

true, i guess it could be fun, it sounds it anyway...what exactly is kitbashing tho? I mean...i understand its taking parts and what not from other locos (in my case) to make one final one to model a prototype...but is there really any cheap way to do this besides buying like 4 locomotives, taking them apart and stuff to make just 2 for instance? or is there actually such thing as a "kit" that comes with things so i can make my own? idk, ive never done it before and this is the first time ive ever heard of it really so all the help would be great :) thanks for your replies!
 
Kitbashing is taking several different kits and combining them, along with some detail parts and scratchbuilt parts, to end up with a model that was never produced commercially. There are no "kits" you can buy, it all comes from your own imagination and experience. You do it one component at a time. For example, you try to find a B23-7 on someplace like e-bay. Maybe it's not in too good a shape but you really just need the frame. Next, you need to buy an EMD unit, preferably from the same manufacturer, since you need the Blomberg trucks. The rest of the locomotive can be junk as long as the trucks are good and you can swap them for the GE trucks on the B23-7. Now you have your frame with the right trucks. If you're lucky, between the two junkers you bought, you'll have one good motor, good drive lines, and good gear towers. If so, you put all that together and you should have a frame with the right trucks that will tun around the tracks.

Next, it's time to look at the bodies and decide what you can keep as-is, what you need to modify, and what you need to build from scratch to match the prototype photos.

It's really a process of building blocks, where each block fits on top of the previous work. Some parts are easy and some are really difficult. You can do the easier things yourself. For things that you have neither the tools nor experience to complete, there are several expert kitbashers here that would finish it for you at a reasonable price. Learning how to kitbash is one of the things I really enjoy about the hobby but I didn't learn it overnight. The good thing is that we now have forums like this where people will guide you along the way.
 
UP2CSX said:
Kitbashing is taking several different kits and combining them, along with some detail parts and scratchbuilt parts, to end up with a model that was never produced commercially. There are no "kits" you can buy, it all comes from your own imagination and experience. You do it one component at a time. For example, you try to find a B23-7 on someplace like e-bay. Maybe it's not in too good a shape but you really just need the frame. Next, you need to buy an EMD unit, preferably from the same manufacturer, since you need the Blomberg trucks. The rest of the locomotive can be junk as long as the trucks are good and you can swap them for the GE trucks on the B23-7. Now you have your frame with the right trucks. If you're lucky, between the two junkers you bought, you'll have one good motor, good drive lines, and good gear towers. If so, you put all that together and you should have a frame with the right trucks that will tun around the tracks.

Next, it's time to look at the bodies and decide what you can keep as-is, what you need to modify, and what you need to build from scratch to match the prototype photos.

It's really a process of building blocks, where each block fits on top of the previous work. Some parts are easy and some are really difficult. You can do the easier things yourself. For things that you have neither the tools nor experience to complete, there are several expert kitbashers here that would finish it for you at a reasonable price. Learning how to kitbash is one of the things I really enjoy about the hobby but I didn't learn it overnight. The good thing is that we now have forums like this where people will guide you along the way.
Click to expand...

Thank you very much, Jim! I'll see what i can do, it sounds kinda tough but wheres the fun in a simple and easy project haha. Thanks for help, ill deffinately keep all this in mind :)

Thanks everyone.

-Nate Lafond
 
Nate, doing what you want to do in N scale is not easy but it can be done. Just do it in little bites. Looking at the work it takes for a finished model will discourage most of us. Just get one building block done, admire it for a while, and then move on to the next piece. This could easily take a year of on and off work so don't let time discourage you.
 
Nate,

The GE built B30-7A cabless units would be a fairly easy kitbash. Just take an Atlas B23-7 high-hood and replace the cab with some sheet styrene, and extend the handrails across where the cab used to be. These models are currently avail at Walthers. http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/150-49704

Just a little history on these units. They were built by GE for the Burlington Northern RR, the first order in 1982, BN #'s 4000-4052, and the second order in 1983, BN #'s 4053-4119. The second order had the dynamic brakes moved to the roof just forward of the prime mover, that big box sticking up. http://archive.trainpix.com/BN/GE/B30-7A/4101.HTM

Dan
 
Last edited by a moderator:
There was an article in N scale Railroading (May-June-06) by Tony Hammes (SP) on kitbashing the B-23/30 cabless B units.Though both versions were B -30s the first one used the B-23 carbody.
 
DanRaitz said:
Nate,

The GE built B30-7A cabless units would be a fairly easy kitbash. Just take an Atlas B23-7 high-hood and replace the cab with some sheet styrene, and extend the handrails across where the cab used to be. These models are currently avail at Walthers. http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/150-49704

Just a little history on these units. They were built by GE for the Burlington Northern RR, the first order in 1982, BN #'s 4000-4052, and the second order in 1983, BN #'s 4053-4119. The second order had the dynamic brakes moved to the roof just forward of the prime mover, that big box sticking up. http://archive.trainpix.com/BN/GE/B30-7A/4101.HTM

Dan
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info Dan! Everytime i look at it, this kitbash seems more and more easier haha. Now all i have to do is see if i can by myself a bunch of these...P&W has about 4 or so cabless units i want to model. Now where exactly can i get "sheet styrene" easy? do they sell it at hobby shops or do i have to go to like Lowes or Home Depot to find it...i've never heard of it =/ lol
 
Hobby shops or craft stores like Michaels sell sheet styrene. It's called that because it's sold in large sheets and you only cut off what you need. You can buy smaller amounts of stryrene but the cost per square inch goes way up compared to buying it in sheets.
 
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