A couple Sharknose Baldwins

[DPNM]

Besides scale models and airbrushes I like scale trains. There are two that I have mainly purchased. One is the Baldwin RF-16 Sharknose (or is that Shark Nose?).

I am a fan of the Monongahela Rail Yard. It was located not far from where I grew  up. The MRY had purchased the Sharks from the NYC. These are two I bought to strip and repaint. I have the decals (somewhere???) to put on them. IF I ever have some spendable cash I plan to add at least one S-12. I also have some pics of old steamers that look to be MRY. I have not tried to see if any are available in HO scale, not needing a ton of rework, as they aren't in my current budget. If you are familiar with most HO scale steamers I'll post the pics to see if I can make some fairly easy.

[DPNM]

A caboose I found sitting in the rail yard in California Pa.

[JCON]

Very cool!!!

[DPNM]

Here are a couple steamers that I've come across. If there is a HO scale modeler here who can tell me if either of these has been produced in HO I'd appreciate knowing.

[BUCKY]

Very cool! Another TRAIN-ee! Get it...TRAIN-ee? Okay I'll get me hat and coat!!

Seriously, Jim, these are great! My 2 year old great-grandson already loves trains, so I'll be sure and show these to him.

[Beekster]

Good looking diesels! Obviously that's what Baldwin began building after they finished up with Shermans during the war. I had an HO layout as a kid and still enjoy seeing what train modelers can do; I no longer have the time, space, or budget to do trains. Will you do the usual upgrades like adding/replacing grab rails and replacing the couplers with more prototypical ones. Kadee used to make 'em when I was a kid, but I've been out of trains for decades so I don't know who does stuff like that any more.

[DPNM]

Not only should you grab your hat and coat Bucky, you'd better run. After that I see a lot of rotten tomatoes flying your way . I've got a lot of pics of this RR. If your great grand son would like to see more, I'd be more'n happy to post them.



I don't have the room, time or budget to build a layout either beekster. These trains have been in a closet for a good while. I doubt that I'd do grab rails and such. Kadee couplers are still available to my knowledge. I would install those. There is something called a MU that attached to the front hand rail of the S-12s the MRY used that I might try to replicate, if I ever get that far. It stands for Make Up or Made Up. Not sure what it's for though. 2nd pic shows it better.

S-12

[DPNM]

To deviate a bit from this thread, I believe the MRY went to Conrail then they were taken over by NS (Norfolk/Southern). I had a job shuttling NS rail crews to their trains. I took these pics in the yard I was at when NS first started their "Heritage" trains.

[Beekster]

I do like seeing those old and long gone liveries!

[DPNM]

NS did 20 of these locomotives in 2012. I only got to snap pics of a few. Here is a pic I found of the group.

[DPNM]

And in case you are unaware, if you click on any of the pics I post they should enlarge. Some may not but most should.

[Dukemaddog]

A beautiful set of pics! I also love trains although I don't know nearly as much as you guys do. I don't have the time or space for a layout either. I can only build the 1/72 scale armored railroad offerings from Hobby Boss.

[DPNM]

No time and space does in quite a few of us. I am in no way an expert on trains. They are something I like that I know a little bit about.

[DPNM]

And to refocus, more Shark pics

[WardWorks]

Think the MU on the front of the S-12's (judging by the front end of the lead unit in the last photo (above), of the pair of them), could be a Multiple Unit socket allowing a cable to be joined between them (if that's what the coiled cable on the front handrail of the lead unit in the photo is), allowing both units to be driven by the driver of the lead unit, no need for two loco crews, all throttle and brake actuation in both units is controlled by the driver/crew in the cab of the lead unit. These days the locos have a MU socket at both ends, (somewhere on the bufferbeam usually), allowing multiple unit lashups at the front of a heavy train, sometimes with a couple more locos in the middle of the train somewhere as well (as long as the wagons in between the locos have been fitted with MU cables/sockets...

Hope that helps
OB of that's what it would be in the UK at any rate. 😉

[dogfish7 (R.I.P.)]

Very interesting. I don't ever recall even seeing one, where I lived, but they sure are different.

[DPNM]

Thank you for some clarification on the MUs Obscurity. I remember talking, via email, to someone about 20 years ago about them. I don't recall most of the conversations. I believe at the time he had an eBay listing for the pieces to build the MU unit in HO scale for the S-12s. Right now I can't be sure of that but it's what I seem to remember. I had planned to make at least one MRY S-12 back then and wanted to include it.

Would it be a cable connection or a hose connection? Just wondering as I believe the connections between engine and car and car to car is an air line?? You can see the hose sticking out the front of the Sharks to join engines or cars together. There is also a decent pic of them on the NPR #8100 and S&A 1065 engines above. Would these be the same thing?

[dogfish7 (R.I.P.)]

Yes. They had Standardized Pneumatic Braking Systems, at least in America, for a very long time now. Much like our Trucking Industry standards.