MOC: NP SW1200

[zephyr1934]

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Here's my take on the classic SW1200 yard switcher, this time in NP colors. I chose my subject from the MTM collection for several reasons, (1) my son is fond of this specific locomotive in part because it is featured in several episodes of the Choo Choo Bob Show (if you've got railfans under the age of 8 in the US I highly recommend this show), (2) I am fond of this specific locomotive because I spent way too many hours running it and maintaining it as a volunteer 20 yrs ago. On a side note, I know of at least one earlier build of the same subject by the folks at GMLTC.

I built this locomotive as a gift for my son. He like's his 7939 set but although he is barely in the recommended age range he much prefers his dad's trains. So I wanted to build a very realistic train for his birthday. Since he is still young, it had to be kid tough, which meant one or two compromises, the biggest one being the cab. I managed to get a lot of great details in the cab, I am particularly fond of the back, getting the windows pretty close to correct.

Shortly before building this I was commenting to a friend about the reintroduction of 1x1 trans clear bricks and how you could almost always substitute the much cheaper 1x2 bricks... oops... I needed four 1x1's for this and the photos predate my acquiring them. I also like the fact that I was able to work in the all weather cab windows. The thing I don't like about the cab is its length. It is 4 long and I would much prefer to have done it in 5 long, but all of the designs I came up with would have been a lot weaker. As it is, the 4 long cab is the weakest point on the locomotive (plenty strong for AFOL use, but you can't stand on it), I've had to rebuild it a few times ("now remember, the most important thing is that if it breaks, you collect all of the pieces").

To keep the structure tough, I used a lego train base. I also wanted to keep some flavor of classic trains, so I used the train railing on the ends. My son likes to push his trains around, so no motors on the stock build, but I made the trucks the same size as a motor so one can quickly swap in a 9v motor when desired, e.g.,

The hood is 5 wide, mostly snot. I am particularly fond of the stacks, I think I got the look pretty good (as original, not with the spark arresters that were subsequently added to the MTM unit).

I borrowed the hood doors from my GP20

The taper at the cab was inspired by Jeramy's BN kit (the production of this kit reportedly consumed all of the available 2x2x3 double convex slopes in black at the time, though now they are becoming more common). With instructions now available for free here.

At the time of the build I contemplated building a second one for myself, but I did not want to take away from the magic of my son's locomotive. In spite of some of the compromises, there are a lot of features on this build that are among my most advanced. I really wanted to give it to him and have him build the set, but in the end (sadly) I built it and presented him with the completed model (in a few more years I can give him the bricks and instructions, just not yet, this build took me a few hours to assemble). Some point in the future I will likely revisit this prototype to incorporate a few changes- 5 long cab, slightly longer frame, replace the train baseplate with regular plates, and motorized from the start.

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[Hey Joe]

That is really, really nice even though it's not in dark blue.

Seriously though, that was always one of my favorite engines in my HO days, I guess because Athearn produced so many different ones. The pride and joy of my HO stuff is a pair of TRRA switchers I painted and decaled.

The cab does look a little stubby. How many bricks in length is the entire unit?

Those GP20s are awesome too.

Joe

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

WOW this is a great period for the new MOCs!

The cabin is gorgeous with that construction technique and also the SNOT connection between the motor body and the cabin is very impressive!

Amazing work!

[ronenson]

Really nice train. If your son it too young, but likes to build MOC's with you, I suggest you build it together based

on rendered pictures. Then, you select the bricks that need to be build, and he can figure out where to place

it. That works with my 6-year old, and he's enjoying building that a lot.

[Pop Bumper Pete]

Looks nice

I also like your GP20

[zephyr1934]

Thank you all for the kind words!

Meanwhile, answering specific questions...

That is really, really nice even though it's not in dark blue.

...

The cab does look a little stubby. How many bricks in length is the entire unit?

Heh heh heh, I would love to do them in dark blue and revisit one of my earliest train MOC's, but there are a few parts I would need before being able to do it in dark blue, e.g., the headlight bricks exist but they are insanely expensive. I still want to do some dark blue GPs in C&O colors though, so maybe one of these days...

The cab is 4 studs long, the locomotive is built on a 6x24 base with 2 stud overhang on either end (28 total in length). I'd rather do the cab like the GP20.

Really nice train. If your son it too young, but likes to build MOC's with you, I suggest you build it together based on rendered pictures. Then, you select the bricks that need to be build, and he can figure out where to place it. That works with my 6-year old, and he's enjoying building that a lot.

Oh, don't get me wrong, yes, I build with my son. He put all of the pieces together for my Horizon Express and he has helped with a lot of my recent MOCs. This one was a toughy though. To get all the snot work lining up took a lot of trial and error. Once I had the design, there were still some tough parts to the build. The hood is almost all headlight bricks and tiles (very finicky building) and as I said, it took me three hours to build it. I didn't want to risk burning him out on his birthday. (In any event, I do appreciate the constructive suggestions, they are very good).

[Hey Joe]

The cab is 4 studs long, the locomotive is built on a 6x24 base with 2 stud overhang on either end (28 total in length). I'd rather do the cab like the GP20.

You've got that setup as 9V, is that correct? Are the trucks the same size as PF ones?

I'm holding 3677 and trying to figure out why they made it so long. You have what appears to be a one stud gap between the trucks and the 'bricks' hanging down under the frame (and I assume it goes around corners w/o any problems) while 3677 has a two stud gap. I think 3677 would look much better if it were shorter so I'm considering MODding it.

Joe

[zephyr1934]

You've got that setup as 9V, is that correct? Are the trucks the same size as PF ones?

I'm holding 3677 and trying to figure out why they made it so long. You have what appears to be a one stud gap between the trucks and the 'bricks' hanging down under the frame (and I assume it goes around corners w/o any problems) while 3677 has a two stud gap. I think 3677 would look much better if it were shorter so I'm considering MODding it.

Joe

Well, the engine is normally unpowered, but yes, I can pop off one of the trucks and replace it with a 9v motor, no other changes. When powered, yes, it runs fine. For the unpowered trucks I think I put an extra plate under the bogie plate so that the end of the trucks do not collide with the end of the 6x24 baseplate.

The train baseplates are two plates tall, but inside they are only one plate tall, so on curves he trucks will collide with the ends and side of the baseplate if you aren't careful. The motors have a two plate top (both 9v and pf), the decorative sides and buffer beams have tile tops, so these are specifically designed to overhang past the end of the train baseplates.

The motor is 10 studs long with the wheels aligned between studs (where the technic hole would be), the normal train wheel sets are 3 studs long with the wheels aligned to the middle stud. So the geometry is slightly different depending on whether you have a powered or unpowered truck. The pictures show the switcher with unpowered trucks and yes, the gap is one stud. As noted above, the limiting factor is actually the ends of the baseplate, which I eliminated the conflict in this case by adding a plate below the boggie plate. If you do not use the train baseplate, you will eliminate this problem, but then you wind up showing the very top of your trucks. When I put the motor on, I believe I keep this same one stud spacing to the fuel tank in the middle.

As for the 3677, I think that is based on European locomotives, and I THINK there are some "road switcher"-like units that have a long, low hood like this model (there were very few such diesels in the US, the NW5 is the only one that comes to my mind). I would guess that lego used two stud gap next to the motor to idiot proof the PF cable connection. It is simple enough to test the clearances though, just make sure you do so before you get too far in your design.

[Hrw-Amen]

It appears to be another nice example of the diesel shunter to add to the collection we are getting! Great little engine.

[proraptor]

Im really liking the black and yellow. very nice

[zephyr1934]

That is really, really nice even though it's not in dark blue.

!@#$% you got the gears turning about how to do it in dark blue and now I've got it mostly worked out, more to come as it develops.

Im really liking the black and yellow. very nice

Yeah, the paint scheme is really sharp. I had nothing to do with the original, they did some fantastic designs back in the 1940's. Though it is also very neat to uncover the suitabilities as I try to recreate the designs in lego.

[Hey Joe]

I was just wishing aloud for my favorite livery.

Thanks for your long reply BTW.

Joe

[Rom1Kno]

this one is nice ! great work ;)

[zephyr1934]

Thanks all for the continued kind words.

I was just wishing aloud for my favorite livery.

Thanks for your long reply BTW.

Joe

The first dark blue one is now 2/3's built and waiting on parts. I won't say what road it will be until it is done. Although it is not MP, the design should be close enough for a quick mod. With the new model the cab definitely looks better five studs long instead of the 4 used in namesake of this thread and shown in the photos above.

[zephyr1934]

As promised, the SW1200 now exists in dark blue too and has debuted at Brickworld. I'll post more on this new MOC in its own thread soon. And once the folder is moderated you can find several more shots of it here, and probably the subsequent days as well. The photo shows several more MOCs in need of posting... those will come too.

[Hey Joe]

Hey! Really nice, the five brick wide cabs look more realistic IMO.

Now you just need some red buzzsaw decals!

Looking forward to more pics from Brickworld.

Joe