# U.P.'s DD-35 A



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Well the weather turned crappy and I can't go to the ECLSTS so I started my last winter project.
Tring anyway.
I bought two GP 38-2s at a good price so Friday night I started taking them apart. I had thought this through a lot over the past months so I was ready.










I printed off a number of photos to help.










I'm not to worried if fan sizes are alittle different. I'm going for the general look.
I'd rather have an HO scale one on hand to look at closely but photos will work for now.










Now I have lots of block sanding and rounding of edges to do.
So I took a brake for now.









I remember having a part shell from Rocky way back and I found it in a box with lots of other things I forgot I had.
So I had enough radiator side covers to make them larger.
I strip mainly the lettering from the bodies and places where I need glue to stick. I rather paint over the factory paint.


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

Awesome! How are you going to do the D trucks? I can hardly wait to see the final product! What's the overall length of the model? You keep this up and I'm going to HAVE to make that pilgrimage to Nebraska to see that railroad of yours... 

How far are you from North Platte? 

Thanks, Robert


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

WOW!!! That's a beast!!! 
Good start. How long is it going to be?


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

OOOPPPPP's 

Stop , I fingered out what I did WRONG!!!!!! 
The loco is 88ft 2" long. I was over by 10ft. 
Math was never my strong point. 

around 38" long , I guess. forgot to measure.

So I cut off 5ft from each back and now its looking better. 
I KNEW something did not look right , but after going back to my drawing I saw where I was suppose to have made my cuts. 


The DD trucks are made from Aristo motor blocks , the Ammmerman method.
My first try on side frames was OK, but Eric O. was over today and I am going to remake a better master for the casting.

I also will have 4 lightly used complete USAT trucks for sale.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Well Eric O. was over Sunday and he got after me for not taking my time.
He said, Now what would old man Birch think about your work??

I got home early ,,again. Dang snow coming again.
And changed to 60 thous styrene and built the area upside down which made me see it much better and it could rest on the top while gluing.










Lot more cleaner lines and I cut the grills down more to fit better.
alot less bondo being used also.

Live and learn,,again!!!


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Looks a little crooked to me,

think you need to put your glass on

HE HE HE


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks like the color of the doors don't line up.. To many doors? 
Will the Eng. go thru a 10 ft. Dia. Switch? Or.... Are you going to make articulated B- unit for it to? And is it Only can be run on Marty layout.. lol * 
I under stand if can't ans question.. It's cloudy here to......

*Coulden't resist*... hahahaha.......... Other than that, It's looks great and nice work..







LOL*


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

20 ft dia only,,,and a B unit IF I find a good price on a GP38-2. 
The B unit will be much easier to build. 
I do have 4 USAT trucks for sale.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By NTCGRR on 28 Mar 2011 06:05 PM 
20 ft dia only,,,and a B unit IF I find a good price on a GP38-2. 
The B unit will be much easier to build. 
I do have 4 USAT trucks for sale. 

I got o hand it to you.. Even if Nick and myself give you a bad time.. It still great work and enjoy the building that you got guts to do.. 
Ok guess if come to Calif. and by this way. Forget to run it on our layout.. 14 foot max here with a Jealous Swing Bridge operator.. lol.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

First coat of primer always brings out the little spots that need touched up.










I'm so glad I had to redo it. the fans look much more like the photos.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Ooooooooooooh............sa_weeeet!!!!_ Heh...now _that's_ a diesel with personality!!!


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve 
I'm really tring to do a job where I can take close up photos of it without seeing glue marks and filler lines etc. 
Its so hard for me to take my time. I just can't wait to finish them.


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## Dick413 (Jan 7, 2008)

Marty what are you using for primer? It is looking good


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Dick 
The DD trucks are made from Aristo motor blocks , the Ammmerman method, 4 powered axles.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Great project, Marty.
JimC.


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## fred j (Jan 12, 2011)

A very nice looking loco there Marty, Looks like a lots of work went into that beast.


Fred


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Well I got alittle side tracked beings the weather got nice out in the evenings.
I also sold some trains and started working on the last ,south retaining wall.
It will help me mow easier and help those 100 year olds get to the track better. 
I always worried about some one rolling down the hill and no one having a video camera on at the same time.









Steps are right in the middle.


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

You know JJ is going to fall off that wall, don't you? Looking great! 

Chris


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Us 100 year olds appreciate it Marty!


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## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

Marty, with all the room you have for running trains, the big engine will look good, especially running over the big bridge. 
Ron


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Dang Marty, there ya go again mak'in all the rest of us look like a bunch of couch potatoes!


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## Colin Stewart (Jan 28, 2008)

I strip mainly the lettering from the bodies and places where I need glue to stick. I rather paint over the factory paint.

Hi Marty,

The loco looks great, looking forward to seeing it finished. Can you tell me what you used to strip the lettering


Thanks

Colin


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

colin 
I use laquar thinner on a rag or Q-tip if small letters.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi Marty,

As usual, everything looks great. 

It is guys like you who build stuff like that who give guys like me who don't, a bad name.









You remind me of Buddy Rickard in Knoxville, TN. The two of you seem to be able to build just about anything.

Jerry


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Well you know Jerry 
Some would say I'm doing everything backwards. 
Build retaining walls , then add dirt , then trains. 
But I could not afford the stone untill I was about done changing the RR. 
I really am done with most of the RR. 
Plus a stacked retaining wall allows for alot of "margin of era". If I do it wrong ,I simply unstack and do it again untill I am happy with it. 
I did not say untill its "right". 
We all need to be happy with where we are at. 
Theres always someone with more talent and more money. 

I keep telling that myself all the time.


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## livesteam53 (Jan 4, 2008)

Marty, 
I will say you doing a great job. 
What does it matter forward or backwards? The bottom line is you get it done better than most of us. 
Heck, I still have projects that have been going on for years. Stuff in the corner of the work bench.


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## fsfazekas (Feb 19, 2008)

Marty, 

Nice job...always wanted to do one of these or the DD40X, not that'd Id have anywhere to run such a thing...**** I'm still trying to catch up on the 86' Hi Cubes. Great work as usual, looking forward to many photos of your progress...


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Mark
Maybe we;ll draw more live steamers with the loops.

last night I had 8 blocks left so i stairstepped the N side of the canyon









I also got the grass seed in, but no rain for awhile.









I have about $700 in this south wall.
If I reworked the Bang's Canyon it would be over $2,000.

So that will have to wait .

The new grass broke through the soil last night after a watering in the steam up loops.
I installled gutters and drain pipe off the old lean-to so water is more controlled in the bay area.
Grandkids coming for a pinic today, so I get to play.
Life is back.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Marty 
My article on the live steamers at your open house last Sept is in the new issue of Steam in the Garden magazine. Next issue will have the dates of this years. I mentioned the new track you made also. You do have more live steamers there every year. YOu might have to subscribe to Steam in the Garden!


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By NTCGRR on 03 Apr 2011 10:25 AM 
Well you know Jerry 
Some would say I'm doing everything backwards. 

But I could not afford the stone untill I was about done changing the RR. 

We all need to be happy with where we are at. 

Theres always someone with more talent and more money. 

I keep telling that myself all the time. 


Hi Marty,

Dale Carnegie (one of the world's greatest salesmen) once said: "If you see Jim Jones through Jim Jones' eyes, you will sell Jim Jones what Jim Jones buys."

Truer words were never spoken. A smart salesman does not try to sell anyone anything - instead he asks enough questions to understand what it is that the customer is looking for. 

I may be curious as to why someone may do something in a different way than I might do it but I am usually right when I assume that they have very good reasons for doing what they do.

In your case I have seen the results.







How you accomplished what you have done is beyond my abilities so I don't concern my self with the details or the sequences. 

Few if any would do what I do and that is the way it should be. It is our differences that make visits interesting. I would never want to go somewhere just to see what I have at home.

Cheers,

Jerry


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Is it done Yet !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

So what happened to the loco???








Did it fall behind the wall??








Sean


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Brother Nick 
Grandkids just let and I set the last stone. 
IT IS DONE!!!!!!! 
Storm front coming in and temp is droping, grass send is ready. 

Man ,now I can go to working feeling like I had no time off at all. 
As to the loco

Its still sitting there. Make hay when the sun shines.
Besides, that is next winters project started early.
There will be more rainy days, the decals are here so it will get done.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hah! That's just like the movies where they give us a preview of a really cool movie and then at the end they show "Coming in 2012!"


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## Colin Stewart (Jan 28, 2008)

Thanks Marty, I'll give it a go.

Colin


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Took me awhile to find this thread???

I have been working alittle on the unit just to get myself going again.


















Thanks to Stan
The decals came in


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## Colin Stewart (Jan 28, 2008)

Marty

It's looking mighty impressive!

Colin


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

You are most welcome. Marty.... It's lookin' great, wonderful, fantastic and really good..


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I let the decals set for 48 hrs, then light dull coat. got too heavy on one side ,thought all the ink bubbled up. but i left it and its all fine again. 
Now the bottom, woow its proving to be more of a challenge than I ever thought.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks nice Marty. That should inspire you to do a good job on the lower part.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry
Hopefully it will
But tonight I did get my castings working by drilling holes for air to get out.










I need to get them detailed out.


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## Santafe 2343 (Jan 2, 2008)

The body looks good in the pictures, but looks even better in person. Its going to be a great looking engine. [/b]@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css);


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Sunday evening I got the trucks,tank mounted to the frame .
Then wired the trucks ,head lights , Revo inside










Looks ugly right now, plus a major weak spot has shown up in the middle of top and bottom.

So more work. the wind has been bad around here thats why i am working inside to relax on this.


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## cprwatcher (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks awesome..! Thanks for sharing... 

John.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Ah, figuring it all out is half the fun, so you must be having a blast!


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## Scott (Jan 29, 2008)

Mate, that's an awesome build you got going. Inspiration indeed.


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