Basic Info

The Illinois Terminal had several Class A locomotives several of which were of GE Steeple Cab design.  A great publication about these is the Spring 1998 "The Flyer" (volume 12 number 1) by the Illinois Traction Society.  A picture of a class A is shown below. 

To create this, I am going to use the GE Steeple Cab kit from Model Railroad Warehouse along with several detail parts from American Model Builders along with the motors from an older version of a Bachmann 44 ton locomotive.  My goal is to have this running (not necessarily finished) by Christmas.  We shall see.  

This is the Steeple Cab kit as it comes from Model Railroad Warehouse. 

These are American Model Builders parts. This includes windows for the cab, new truck side frames, a cab lowering kit, jigs for bending handrails and drilling holes, the wood for the roof, the support for the trolley pole, and a kit for the pilot.   I have read some of the instructions, crazy level of detail.  I'm looking forward to this project.  

following with interest

I will be following this with interest, as a model of Atlantic Shore Lines #100 is on my dream list.

Powered by rail or overhead catenary?

This looks like a great project, I, too, will watching your progress with relish. How is your class C motor coming along? Do you have a layout?

Getting started - jigs

To start, I glued together the AMB (American Model Builders) jigs for bending the handrails and for drilling the holes for the handrails, as well as the pilot. They are cut from acrylic. Here they are before.  

here they they are glued together. 

I think I'll use some CA around certain parts to make sure it holds and then paint them a gray color to "see" them a little better. 

Hey Kent

I do have a layout, which is roughly set as the Illinois Central in the mid to late 1950's, but I'm thinking about starting over so I can do something with both the Illinois Central and the Illinois Terminal, maybe some time of "proto-freelance" interchange, or something.  Kind of think it will be neat to have electric, steam, and diesel locomotives all on the same layout.  Not quite prototypical as the IT went from electrics to diesels around mid 50's and IC to diesels more in the late 50's, but close enough to me.  

As far as the Class C... Summer happened to it.  It seems to run well, but shorts over crossings and turnouts.  Figuring that out is the next step.  I did order decals for it from Resin Car Works, so we will see.  

I plan on the overhead wires being just for looks, and suppling power though the track, just to make it a little simpler.  

Doug

Looking forward to your build

because I have that same kit and will plan to maybe get started on it after new years.  I found my wheels slipping on my 44 tonner's axles so I purchased new .088 wheel sets with gears from NWSL.  Have you had any thoughts about adding sound, Doug?  I did a little research and found that LocSound has the files necessary to make something pretty believable for our steeple cabs.  PM me if and when you're interested.

Update

These are parts from the AMB lowering kit. They are cut out of a clear acrylic. 

These are the parts of the steeple cab kit. 

this is the steeple cab assembled and the AMB motor mount lowering kit assembled and primed to see it a little easier. 

It will attach with screws in each corner. I am amazed at how well and easy and thought out the AMB kits are. Next up is AMB parts to turn the motors on their side so the shell will sit lower on the motors. 

Power...

Doug,

What will you use to power the unit?  How will that work?

Dave

Power and trucks

To power this I will be using an "old" Bachmann 44 ton loco with motors above each truck. 

This next photo shows the new AMB truck side frames compared to the original plastic ones. 

this is the status so far. The AMB kits include parts to turn the motors on their side to lower the shell. That will be up next, or maybe the railings, or maybe the roof, we will see. 

Aye, do lower it!

I may not be much of a judge, but I personally have never seen a steeple cab with such a ride Height!

Truck lowering part 1

Well, no turning back now.  The bottom truck is the original, the top is the one being modified.  The top cover plate has been removed with the four screws being saved as they will be reused.  A couple of posts have been drilled through to deepen the holes and then the posts cut off.  

Below you can see the new bottom plate being glued together out of the clear plastic.  This bottom plate will sit on top of the gears, the motor will sit turned sideways on top of that, and then there is a new top plate that will be on top of the motor.  

Thanks for sharing

all the pictures.  They will come in handy when I start on mine.  If you haven't run the 44 tonner (like mine) now is the time to check the gears and make sure there are no burs or flashing on the teeth.  Are you happy with the electrical pick up?  If not, is there a way to improve on it?  Now's the time.  What do you think of the instructions so far?

Hey Michael

Hey, glad its of help to someone.  I did run the Bachmann 44 tonner before tearing into it, and it seemed to run very well.  I will double check for burs and stuff before putting it together.  I have the bottom plate and top plate glued together, just need time to assemble and test each of the assemblies, hopefully this week.  The electrical pickups are just friction off of the back of each wheel with the pickup touching the motor, seems to work well.  They seem to be "reused" when the motor is turned on the side to lower the height.  I hope to convert mine to DCC, so it will be interesting when that time comes around.  

The instructions seem to be excellent.  AMB's stuff seems to always just work.  I will say that their model is a little different from the Illinois Terminal class A locos.  As I have looked at pictures, I've found some differences, which is to be expected.  For example, the metal truck side frames are different, but they are still better than the original plastic ones.  

Not much of an update...

I messed around just a little with the hand rail bending jig and some 0.020 piano wire.  This jig will certainly help with the hand rails.  

The glue is still drying, but this shows how the new trucks will work.  The instructions recommend using plastic solvent glue then adding filets of super glue to strengthen the joints.  There is a lower plate that fits into the truck and then the motor is turned 90 degrees.  The top plate then covers it.  There is a new spacer that will go on the left side and will screw in using the original holes and screws, and then a 0-80 screw is used on the right side to lock the top and bottom plates together.  It looks like the metal wipers can even be bent to provide electrical contact back to the motor.  Converting it to DCC will certainly be interesting when the time comes.  

My goal is to have this running by the weekend.  Time will tell. 

Please keep updating the progress!

I purchased the Model Railroad Warehouse kit at a recent show for $5. I also have the same older version of the Bachmann 44 ton locomotive. Can you tell me where you acquired the American Model Builders parts?

Looking forward to seeing the completed model!

Reply to Rick

Hey Rick, thanks for the encouragement.  This is my update so far.  As you can see, I have assembled the truck assembly for the first time.  I have painted the clear parts brown.  The bottom plate covers the gears for the axles, the motor now turned 90 degress lays on it, and then the top plate secures it all in place.  There is a black spacer block on the left and it uses the original screw holes on that side.  On the right side, a 0-80 screw is used to lock the lower plate and upper plate together so the motor doesn't move.  The electrical pickups can still be used, they just have to be bent back to where they touch the brass motor parts.  When I tested this truck, the motor worked just fine, but its not engaging the plastic gear on the wheel.  I think just a little filing of the black spacer block will bring the brass motor worm gear down to where it will mesh well with the wheel gear. 

The American Model Builder parts were purchased direct from their website.   http://www.laserkit.com/laserkit.htm  

If you click on the yellow "Laser Direct" button on the left hand side, and then click on the trolley parts, you will see them.  This page  http://www.rgspemkt.com/Parts-1.html has all the instructions if you want to look at those as well.  

Congrats on the $5 steeple cab kit.  I'll be keeping my eyes out at the next show I'm at.  

Thank You!

The links  are bookmarked and saved. I appreciate the details about problems/glitches your running into as you finish this build.

It's alive!

I had time to get one of the trucks "working" tonight.  I still need to go back and clean, oil, and lube it and get it run in.  I also need to get the other truck done.  This is encouraging though.  

This is encouraging Doug

Two powered trucks on DCC will have some awesome slow speed control.  Thanks for sharing the video.

Weekend update

Trucks are finished now.  I have cleaned them and oiled and lubed them.  It seems to run pretty well, but I think it could use some weight.  Maybe some lead fishing sinkers in between the middle parts.  

This is a video of breaking the trucks in. 

Here it is with the shell on it.  You can tell how much lower it sits compared to before the motor conversion.  

Next is adding some weight, getting the couplers on, then will be time for the details of the shell.  Does anyone have a four spring trolley pole for sale like the Illinois Terminal used?

Doug

The drive?

   Looks like you are coming along nicely with the project.  Did you check to see if the single motor 44 ton drive would fit without needing the modifications? .....DaveB

Neat build

Not much on eBay but this may suffice in a pinch:  https://www.ebay.com/itm/142101517105

Very Nice!

It will be interesting to see how you will fit a decoder in this. Is there room under the hoods for additional weight or will it have to be attached to the frame?

Looking forward to your next update.

Thanks for the comments

@ Dave B - No, honestly I hadn't considered even trying the new one motor version for this.  The Model Railroad Warehouse website said to use the older version, so I did.  I guess it would be looking into, maybe for the next steeple cab.  I have thought that these little motors would be great for some freight motors that I'm thinking about building, or even a linecar. 

@Neil - I actually have that on my watch list to get if I can't find the four spring version. 

@Rick - I am using some white glue to put some lead fishing weights kind of inbetween the motors - will get a pic later today, but no, there isn't much room.  I'm thinking about gluing some lead sheet underneath the frame between the trucks to gain some extra weight as well.  I think I can squeeze an N scale decoder in the cab, but it will probably be visible, but oh well.  There really isn't any place else to put it.