Monday, January 30, 2023

44-tonners Part IV

Builders Photo of DEY-4 0806. Phase Ic.

With Rapido's announcement of 44-tonners, The samples look (and was running) great, I've passed on my suggestions to Bill/Rapido so I'm looking forward to their release.

 I, of course, know what I will need, but I've seen some questions online as to who had the earlier phases, and which road numbers were which phase. I've compiled a quick list of the original owners of the Phase Ic and Phase III locomotives.

This information is from Extra 2000 South issue 51, and issue 52, which define the "phases" and includes drawings of Phase Ic, II, III, IV, V (51) and Ib and Vb (52). They also include serial numbers and all of the subsequent owners and dispositions through mid-1975 and lots of in service and builders' photos.

Phase Ic (53 units) (S/N 13092 - 15131)

  • B&M:  114 - 117
  • D&RGW:  38 - 44
  • Iowa Ordnance Plant: 8-44, 9-44, 10-44, 11-44
  • Kansas Ordnance Plant: 2
  • Kentucky Ordnance Works: 1
  • LV: 60-62
  • MEC:  11 - 12
  • MILW (CMStP&P): 1701
  • Minneapolis & St. Louis Ry: D-172, D-842
  • Missouri & Illinois Bridge & Belt: 100
  • MP: 811
    • BSL&W: 815
    • I-GN: 812
    • StLB&M: 813 - 814
  • NYNH&H: 0800 - 0806
  • NYO&W: 101 - 105
  • Pine Buff Arsenal-US Army: unknown road number
  • San Francisco & Napa Valley Ry: 30, 40
  • Scioto Ordnance Plant: unknown road number
  • Sheffield Steel Corporation: 1 - 3
  • SP: 1900 - 1902
  • US Navy - Brooklyn Navy Yard unknown road number
  • US Naval Supply Depot, Pier 91 unknown road number
  • Washington & Old Dominion RR: 47 - 49

Phase III (36 units) (S/N 18145 - 27794, 27973 - 27975)

  • Atlantic & East Carolina RR: 8
  • ATSF: 463 - 468
  • Fernwood Columbia & Gulf RR: D-1, D-2, D-3
  • High Point Thomasville & Denton: 101
  • MEC: 13-15
  • NYNH&H: 0807-0816
  • Pacific Electric Railway: 1652-1654
  • Sheffield Steel Co: 6
  • US Army Aberdeen Proving Grounds: 7931-7932
  • US Army Fort Clark: 7492
  • US Army Fort Miffin Naval Ammo Depot: 7493
  • US Naval Air Station: unknown road numbers (2 units)
  • US Naval Ammunition Depot: unknown road number
  • US Naval Supply Depot: unknown road number
  • US Navy Whiting Field Naval Air Command: 5

Phase IVa (S/N 27793 - 29994)

  • You can use the list at the Diesel Shop to identify them.

New Haven 44-tonners

I've covered the DEY-4 class of locomotives here, here, and here. But since this will be the primary locomotive used in New Britain, this is a good place to add a little more information.

The Bachmann chassis suffered from the common issue of nylon gears that crack over time. The gears are no longer available, but I found that the latest truck design (at least their fourth) fit into my existing chassis. Since I needed to take them apart, I decided I wanted to upgrade the decoder and install a keep-alive, so they are waiting in the queue for that upgrade. I have two W&R brass shells of Phase Ic, and the Bachmann shell I modified into a Phase III.

Instead, I'll use the decoders elsewhere and switch to the Rapido locomotives, although I'm still waiting to see how well they can haul up my 2% grade from Whiting St Yard.

I have the following assignments during my era (including Phase and scheme):

Spring 1948
  • 0802 - Phase Ic - delivery
  • 0812 - Phase III - delivery
Autumn 1948
  • 0802 - Phase Ic - delivery
  • 0805 - Phase Ic - delivery
Spring 1949
  • 0802 - Phase Ic - delivery
  • 0805 - Phase Ic - delivery
Autumn 1949
  • 0805 - Phase Ic - delivery
  • 0806 - Phase Ic - delivery
Autumn 1950
  • 0805 - Phase Ic - delivery
  • 0806 - Phase Ic - delivery
Spring 1952
  • 0802 - Phase Ic - delivery
  • 0804 - Phase Ic - Warm Orange with Pullman Green cab and top of hood
Autumn 1952
  • 0802 - Phase Ic - delivery
  • 0804 - Phase Ic - Warm Orange with Pullman Green cab and top of hood
Autumn 1954
  • 0810 - Phase III - Warm Orange with Pullman Green cab and top of hood
  • 0813 - Phase III - Warm Orange with Pullman Green cab and top of hood
The seven locomotives assigned are:
  • 0802 - Phase Ic - delivery
  • 0804 - Phase Ic - Warm Orange with Pullman Green cab and top of hood
  • 0805 - Phase Ic - delivery
  • 0806 - Phase Ic - delivery
  • 0810 - Phase III - Warm Orange with Pullman Green cab and top of hood
  • 0812 - Phase III - delivery
  • 0813 - Phase III - Warm Orange with Pullman Green cab

Rapido is releasing 0801, 0802, and 0804 in the Warm Orange with Pullman Green cab and top of hood scheme. So I'll definitely be getting 0804. 

0802 also received this scheme in August 1953. Since that was a regularly assigned locomotive for many of the years (and was back in 1956), I'll get that one as too. 

Even though 0812 was identified in Spring of 1948, I like the idea of having at least one Phase III in the delivery scheme.

For the rest, it's a question of if/when they will release the other schemes. I've only identified two (0812, 0813) that received the Warm Orange with Pullman Green cabs, so it seems unlikely to be done soon. But it's also very easy to do provided the cab is a separate piece.

The delivery scheme is very easy to do, since it's just Pullman Green. And we already have decals for that scheme. I'd prefer that it was factory painted. All except the two Phase IVa locomotives had this scheme, and several appear to never have received a second scheme. This would be a good option for them to release.

You'll note in the comments a discussion with Ken Baker. I was incorrect in those comments about the McGinnis scheme. There's a thread he started at the NHRHTA forum on the subject.

Which is a much better resource for information on the McGinnis and later eras than me!

6 comments:

  1. Hello, Just to let you know that Rapido announced a 44 tonner... but that price ! Thanks for your informative posts JOHN

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  2. Randy--which, if any, McGinnis scheme 44-tonners would have been around in 1956/7? I've seen lots of pictures of 0818 in McGinnis, with photos dated '58 or later, but none that I can find dated before that. do you know the date of the pic of 0818 on page 1 of your 44-tonner blog?
    Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. The ones I've been able to document in the "road switcher" scheme with black hoods and a red-orange cab are 0807, 0811, 0815, and 0818.

      At least one (0811) I have been able to verify that the "NH" logo was on the front hood only. That is, when looking at the fireman's side, the logo is to the left of the cab, and when looking at the engineer's side it's to the right. I believe they were all painted this way, but the only way to verify is find a left/right picture of each unit in that scheme.

      0803-0806 and 0808 were sold in 1953 so definitely didn't receive it.

      I've also verified 0812 in the Alpert scheme, with red hoods and a black cab.

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    2. thanks for your quick reply! interesting about the 0811. I painted (McGinnis) the 0811 years ago and it's been in the box ever since. I now have it in front of me beside the 0818 factory painted McGinnis version. somehow I got the idea "back then" to put the NH logo on the front hood/fireman's side and rear hood/engineer's side. I also see I used the white N over red H decal, which is probably wrong. Not saying any of that is correct but I must have seen the "reverse" location of the NH logo somewhere. the 0818 FP version has the correct red N over white H and with the logo on the front/engineer's side and rear/fireman's side. i say "front" not because Bachmann painted an F on the hood, but there are directional arrows cast into the shell underneath the walkways on either side.
      I just found a pic of the McGinnis 0801 p.15 of liljestrand/sweetland New Haven Diesel Locomotives vol 1. the F is clearly visible on the front. the shot is of the engineer's side with the red over white NH on the rear hood. I can scan and send it if you don't have that book.
      there is a picture of 0815 on p 97 of New Haven Pictorial vol 2. the F isn't visible. NH is on the right side of the hood, given whichever way it's facing. again I can scan and send it. maybe you can determine which side the shot is taken from. MAYBE since the F isn't visible, the front is to the right since the end that we can clearly see may be the rear since we can't see the letter F.
      Ken Baker

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    3. Yes, I have those. Although page 15 in my copy is 0807... It is an interesting photo, though. The herald could be on the left on both sides, or they put them both on the same hood, but the "wrong" or "short" hood.

      The photo of 0815 is the engineer's side, I think. The horn is on the front hood, on the fireman's side of the stack. If the front was to the left you should be able to see it.

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    4. from my above reply: I made a typo. the loco in the picture on p15 is 0807, not 0801.

      Delete