Spokane Portland & Seattle

Gaetan · Posted: Sun Sep 07, 2008 7:20 am Post subject: Spokane Portland & Seattle

The BLW SP&S Equipment Pack is ready now and available here

http://www.valleypass.com/Sales/Sales.htm

petersde · Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 43

Gaetan and Team,

As you have done repeatedly over the past 5 years, the bar is raised again! Smile

The overall quality of these models and the stunning textures highlight this release. I've been running these units on MLT's Cascade Crossing, and they are quite a sight, either in town or in the Cascades. And, if that was not enough, add Alco and EMD Sounds!! While others talk, your team delivers. Having grown up in Southern California near the Southern Pacific Sunset Route mainline, I recall the actual sound of F7s and GP9s. You have hit the nail on the head. The throttling up of any of your units is pure music.

But, I would really like an SP&S Alco C-415 (just kidding, unless you have something in the works). I will send you a couple of color photos.

Added to your GN sets, there are all sorts of operating and aesthetic possibilities across a number of outstanding route offerings.

Great job, and don't stop till you drop!

Dave
Benicia, CA, USA

Piston Pete · Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Posts: 8

Hmmm Gaetan.....I have C415 sound.......what you say??

Wink

Frits

Gaetan · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 10:28 am Post subject:

Myabe an special pack of C415 of many roadnames with your sound Frits but

where i found diagram and cabview pictures ?

Gaetan

Piston Pete · Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Posts: 8

I can make pictures of cab

petersde · Joined: 11 Jan 2008 Posts: 43

OK, gentlemen, here are a few color shots, plus a loco diagram. I can here the chant of the Alco already--not to mention seeing the loco rolling around Los Angeles or Seattle or who knows where Very Happy

.

http://www.valleypass.net/Act/alcoc415_736.zip

Dave

rfranzosa · Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:34 pm Post subject:

Odd little beast. I always wondered why Alco's best customer (New Haven) never had any of them....

Piston Pete · Joined: 12 Jan 2008 Posts: 8

Mans · Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Stockholm - Sweden

rfranzosa · Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2008 3:48 pm Post subject:

The last New Haven purchases were in that time frame, but no switchers were purchased (GE U25B and Alco C425).

I think the SW-1200 of the late 1950's were the last switchers...

Alco may have been a victim of their own success, the New Haven S-1, S-2 and even HH-660 lasted into the Penn Central era.

RGF

dcarleton · Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 60

Mans · Joined: 22 Sep 2007 Posts: 10 Location: Stockholm - Sweden

[
The thing that scared away many of the railroads from the C415 was that the arrangement of the major components was just too unconventional. The prime mover and the generator were in the long hood, but the radiator and the compressor were in the short hood. There was a drive shaft under the cab! And there were many more chances for radiator coolant leaks. Mechanical people hated them for being so awkward.

David Carleton
D. Carleton Rail Books[/quote]

The idea of having the radiator in the other hood compared to the engine seems rather odd. And the concept of drive shaft under the cab is somewhat unpractical. Here in Sweden we have a number of road switchers (basically a SW1500 under the hood) with an center cab (actually it is offset to one end) and the long axle (as it is called) runs from one end (where the radiator is) to the other end the short hood that contains the compressor and auxiliaries. The problem is that if the frame gets the slightest bent the loco has a tendency to vibrate.

/Måns

rfranzosa · Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2008 9:14 am Post subject:

The first time I rode in a GE 44 tonner (engine in EACH hood), I was amazed at how much vibration there was, and oscillation as the RPMs between the two engines were never exactly the same.

It was quite annoying actually! Confused

Rick