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SP #5231

Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2013 7:13 pm
by BrianMoore
Image
SP 5231 at Quisling by bxmoore, on Flickr
Baldwin AS-616 #5231 is a locomotive I purchased on eBay from expert SP modeller Bob Smaus a few years ago, when he was thinning out his stock after a house move. Some people will recall the Fifties recreation of downtown LA and rural fruit-growing territory that he built in his San Franciscan garage, and which was featured in MR several times.

Here's a link to his website, where you can see some mouth-watering modelling:

http://www.bobsgardenpath.com/trains_2.html

The Baldwin is a detailed Stewart model and is well over twenty years old (note the thickness of the handrails); there's a couple of pictures of it running on one of Bob's previous layouts in a back issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. He attached grabs etc, did a full decalling job, and added dynamic brake grids and other SP-specific details including correctly-placed class lights on all four corners of the two hood ends. An old Mashima motor rests/wobbles on the chassis atop a square of double-sided foam pad, and provides the power. He chose #5231 as it was an LA-based engine for many years, but like many of its class, it wandered up and down the Coast Line on local freight duties, so it's perfect for my needs.

All I've done is install a Loksound decoder and a working front light (He remains a straight DC man). The handrails need replacing at some point, but it'll do for now; SP 5231 is classic Southern Pacific power for 1954, and from the hands of a modeller I have huge respect for.