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Plymouth Industrial Switcher
I kitbashed this diminuitive locomotive while living in Sunnyvale, CA after graduating from college.
There is no way to retrofit it for DCC, but it does run on DC power, though not very well due
to its light weight and tiny wheels. So these days it is often seen "shoved off into the weeds"
at the cement plant on my Iona Free-mo module.
I kitbashed this diminuitive locomotive while living in Sunnyvale, CA after graduating from college.
There is no way to retrofit it for DCC, but it does run on DC power, though not very well due
to its light weight and tiny wheels. So these days it is often seen "shoved off into the weeds"
at the cement plant on my Iona Free-mo module.
Left: The inspiration for my model was this "critter" located at the
Westinghouse plant in Sunnyvale, CA, just blocks from my old
apartment, circa 1985. The plant and the switcher are long gone.
Westinghouse plant in Sunnyvale, CA, just blocks from my old
apartment, circa 1985. The plant and the switcher are long gone.
Below: For my model, I raised the N scale cab and added sliding doors on both sides, including handles and vertical grabs. I added louvers
on the hood sides, and a radiator protector grill up front. Added details include a bell, tall exhaust stack with rain flapper, bigger headlights
with MV Lenses, an air filter, and assorted patches and plates here and there. Below decks I added some brake shoes, short ladders below
the doors, and MU receptacles as a joke. The Kadee #5 couplers are rather oversized - Kadee "scale size" couplers such as the #58 weren't
available back in 1985. This little guy can pull 2 or 3 cars, assuming its wheels are really clean to get good electrical pickup.
on the hood sides, and a radiator protector grill up front. Added details include a bell, tall exhaust stack with rain flapper, bigger headlights
with MV Lenses, an air filter, and assorted patches and plates here and there. Below decks I added some brake shoes, short ladders below
the doors, and MU receptacles as a joke. The Kadee #5 couplers are rather oversized - Kadee "scale size" couplers such as the #58 weren't
available back in 1985. This little guy can pull 2 or 3 cars, assuming its wheels are really clean to get good electrical pickup.
Below: I started with an N scale Bachmann switcher similar
to this one. I replaced the drive with a NWSL PDT trolly
drive and made extensive modifications to the shell.
to this one. I replaced the drive with a NWSL PDT trolly
drive and made extensive modifications to the shell.
Below: Here the Plymouth is visible at lower right on my Iona module.
The premise is that it used to be the plant switcher at Calaveras Cement,
but was shoved off into the weeds when BNSF began switching the plant.
The premise is that it used to be the plant switcher at Calaveras Cement,
but was shoved off into the weeds when BNSF began switching the plant.