Library - "Locomotives - Electric" Magazine Articles

Category Description: Prototype and modeling information about electric engines.

Broadway Limited International GG1 Review

The Keystone Modeler 02 September 2003 pg. 12     Scale: HO     Author: Bruce F. Smith

Although I normally don't list product reviews on these pages, this article covers the history of the prototype, modifications made to the prototype over its long history, and goes into great depth of the electronics in this model.

Building an Interurban Combine

O Scale Trains Magazine 23 November 2005 pg. 290     Scale: O     Author: Gerald Brothers

The author describes how he built a Labelle kit of an interurban combine car, with some construction photos and a parts list.

CSS&CS Line Car No. 1100 Part II

Railroad Model Craftsman 2006-02 pg. 62     Scale: (none)     Author: William D. Middleton

This installment shows how the engine was used for line service. It has prototype photographs, including interior ones. There are also scale drawings of the engine.

CSS&SB Line Car No. 1100

Railroad Model Craftsman 2006-01 pg. 62     Scale: (none)     Author: William D. Middleton

Chronicles the three "lives" of this interurban. The Chicago, South Shore & South Bend was used for overhead wire inspection, after it served as a commuter train that included a RPO. Includes photos and scale drawings.

Electric Rotary Plow

Railroad Model Craftsman 1974-02 pg. 36     Scale: HO     Author: Noel Holley

A working rotary plow was made from an Athearn rotary plow kit, with additional parts for the trucks, brake rigging, pantograph, headlight, and motor with gearbox for the working rotating blades. Includes model and prototype photos.

Interurban Classic

Railroad Model Craftsman 1972-10 pg. 30     Scale: O     Author: Bob Hegge

The author shows how he built this model of the J.C. Brill Combine 7 owned by the United Railways System. Includes parts list, many construction photos, and scale drawings.

Keokuk's Dam Trolley

Railroad Model Craftsman 2002-10 pg. 58     Scale: (none)     Author: Nicholas C. D'Amato

Last working industrial trolley line. Photos and O-scale drawings.

Kitbashing a GN Boxcab Switcher

Railroad Model Craftsman 1991-06 pg. 55     Scale: O     Author: Thomas Jones

The author describes how he built this engine using lots of junk parts and an Atlas WDT switcher.

Kitbashing a Logging Industry Critter

Railroad Model Craftsman 2008-02 pg. 55     Scale: HO     Author: Bob Whetham

The prototype Crestbook Timber's critter was "kitbashed" from a steam engine's tender. The author built his model using the same method. Detailed description and prototype and model photos accompany the article.

Kitbashing an NJ Transit ALP-46

Railroad Model Craftsman 2003-05 pg. 72     Scale: HO     Author: Frank Cicero

The author took a Roco German DB Class 101 engine and converted it to look like an New Jersey Transit engine using the plans published by Railroad Model Craftsman magazine in its March 2003 issue. Includes before and after model photos and a prototype photo.

Laurel Line Electric Locomotives

Railroad Model Craftsman 1972-09 pg. 43     Scale: (none)     Author: Chuck Yungkurth

Prototype photos and scale drawings of numbers 401 through 403 of Lackawanna & Wyoming Valley electric freight engines.

Los Angeles' LRV's

Railroad Model Craftsman 1991-03 pg. 65     Scale:      Author: David Lustig

One solution to southern California's traffic jams was opening the previously-closed Los Angeles to Long Beach Metro Rail service on July 14, 1990. Includes prototype photos and scale drawings of the Los Angeles RTD Series 100-153 LRV's.

Milwaukee Electric's Snow Sweepers

Model Railroader 1989-02 pg. 97     Scale: O     Author: Duane Matuszak

Prototype photos and scale drawings. Includes notes of the author's model.

Modeling United Electric Railways Flat Motor No. 1534

Railroad Model Craftsman 2007-10 pg. 97     Scale: HO     Author: Ken Robbins

Modeling this motor car is a challenge since it is basically a flat car with two small cabins on top, with mostly open space. The author accomplished this using a NWSL Sagami motor mounted under the frame. Photos of part close-ups are included.

NJ Transit's New ALP-46

Railroad Model Craftsman 2003-03 pg. 64     Scale: (none)     Author: Frank Cicero

Describes the new 7,100hp, 100-mph commuter train built in Kassel, Germany. Includes scale diagrams, lots of close-ups detail photos, including the interior cab.

New Haven Class EP-1 Electric Locomotive

Model Railroader 1987-12 pg. 122     Scale: (none)     Author: Gordon Odegard

Includes prototype photos and scale drawings.

PRR's P5A Electric Motor in S-Scale

The Keystone Modeler 75 Autumn 2010 pg. 6     Scale: S     Author: Keith Thompson

After a brief description of this prototype engine, the article describes how the author scratchbuilt this electric locomotive from various commercial parts and many castings he made himself. Includes prototype and many model photos.

Piedmont & Northern Four-truck Locomotives

Model Railroader 1984-04 pg. 82     Scale: (none)     Author: Gordon Odegard

Scale drawings and prototype photos are included in this article. The railroad had eight of this unique locomotives, which ran on 1,500 volts DC.

Repowering Atlas N Scale Diesels

Model Railroader 1989-02 pg. 134     Scale: N     Author: Tom Gustafson

The author replaced the factory motor with a Sagami motor to reduce its top speed, and added weights to increase its pulling power.

Repowering an Alco Models NYC T-motor

Railroad Model Craftsman 2010-05 pg. 48     Scale: HO     Author: Ken Lawrence

This article describes how to convert a 1974 Alco Models locomotive to run much better using the Hollywood Foundry BullAnt drives. Includes prototype photos, and model construction photos and diagrams.

Repowering and Painting Pennsylvania R.R. MP54 Cars

Railroad Model Craftsman 1991-03 pg. 80     Scale: HO     Author: Schuyler Larrabee

The author describes how he upgraded a pair of old brass electric multiple-unit coaches. He used the NWSL PDT trucks for improved performance. Half of the article is devoted to accurately painting these models.