Boxcab modeling

Erie Boxcab No.19 in Collection of Riley Triggs is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. (free non-commercial use)

A recent addition to my collection is an image of no.19 one of the Erie boxcabs that operated at 149th (and maybe 28th Street, too). On Phil Goldstein's amazing web site, there are references to no.20 showing up at 149th, so there may have well been movement back and forth for no.19 as well. I imagine there were times when maintenance or shifting work loads might necessitate a move on a car float to other yards. It would be interesting to locate a photo of one of those events...

I have a few of the Model Die Casting Corp (Roundhouse) versions of these, and they are OK in terms of "close enough" for looks. The growler mechanisms are another story. I tried replacing the assembly with a Hollywood Foundry Gurzeler mechanism, but I couldn't get it installed quite right to my satisfaction. It is a neat little arrangement - I'll just have to keep playing with it for some other application.

Next I am going to try the new Stanton drive from NWSL. A much neater and more compact power unit on the order of Hollywood Foundry's Bull Ant drive. Not sure about the pulling power, although I am not looking to move more than a few cars at a time in my small pocket terminals. I could also double up with two powered trucks, but I bet it isn't going to be necessary.If I can reuse the lead chassis, there should be more than enough traction available.

SketchUp! model of a Hoboken Shore boxcab no.500

Since I'm redoing the power anyway, why not model the rest of the locomotive from scratch? I've started a SketchUp! model, and I have the basic shape done. I can get this 3D printed, then make the smaller parts as separate files and print for assembly. My goal has never to become a scratchbuilder of locomotives (and that is not where my skills are, either), but the project is leading me to learn some new skills and know a little bit more about motive power and how to model it. The SketchUp! model (above) I have going is actually for the Hoboken Shore prototype. I started on that first since I have the Roundhouse models to work with for the Erie. There is a great photo at Paul R. Tupaczewski's hbs.railfan.net web site that I am using for reference (I can't show the photo here to respect the photographers' wishes).