Model Railroading > switcher steps on road units

SD45-2 units on the ATSF which were later sold to MRL had corner steps which had a large bottom platform then three vertical steps to the walkway. These can also be found on some GP38 or GP38-2 units.

Does anyone make plastic or etched metal assemblies to replace the normal EMD steps on HO models?

Thanks.

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Are these the same as steps on Canadian locomotives? CN/CP/BCR had a similar design to keep snow from building up on the steps, same reason behind the bell location. If so Miniatures by Eric have brass castings that can be a bit crude and Railflyer made them as well.

I have not compared these to any Canadian units. I'll go look at some photos.

The Rail Flyer parts must be hard to find.

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Here is a photo of the Canadian steps on a CN SD40-2W

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That is the idea but these are deeper and wider at the ladder steps.

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The 5706 Class also had two side wall holes, I would think make them a little more dangerous for crews to board on the move. They are slightly more narrow than the GP39-2s with switcher step wells, the 3600 through 3668. Not to mention other roads that had them on their GP38-2s and etc.

Peter N. Limas

fbe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SD45-2 units on the ATSF which were later sold to
> MRL had corner steps which had a large bottom
> platform then three vertical steps to the walkway.
> These can also be found on some GP38 or GP38-2
> units.
>
> Does anyone make plastic or etched metal
> assemblies to replace the normal EMD steps on HO
> models?

Alan. that was Santa Fe's last SD45-2 order, for, what, 10 units?  I only see three steps total.  Cannon makes a step set for the P2K GP60, and the bottom step would probably work.  I don't know, but suspect the other two steps are rectangular as well?  You might try cobbling them from the GP9 step kit.  It's definitely going to be a mix and match effort, but should look quite cool.  I don't remember seeing that modeled before.

Elizabeth

Hi, Liz.

The closest steps are the long hood steps from an MP15AC. Cannon makes the step tread plates that leaves either cutting the wells from a pair of MP15AC shells for each SD45-2 or scratch building the back and inside wall for each set of stairs in order to use the Cannon etchings. I will need 4 or 8 depending upon what I do with the two Athearn Genesis undecs I found on last weekend's road trip.

MRL's SD45-2 fleet, all now retired and scrapped came from Clinchfield, ATSF and ACL/CSXT heritage. There were 13 units total, I will do 5 so 1-2 ATSF units seems about right.

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Peter,

Yes, the steps were dangerous when employees were used to steps which were built with a sloping pattern away from the center. That always resulted in a job safety briefing when I had one of the ATSF units in the consist. There was a reminder each time we stopped especially in the dark and my assistant would be using those steps. I could not get the railroad to rebuild these steps with standard steps from retired SD40 and SD45 locomotives.

Safety First, Sort Of.

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Pictures.....

LIRR used these as well..

Railflyer made them, but good luck. 

Athearn has done them on some of the Genesis 38-2's, Southern I think had them.  Might want to call parts and try and get an undec sill and chop them out.  

sixaxle,

Thanks for the heads up. Looking through the parts booklet included with my undec Genesis GP38-2 models it seems the part number which may be a match is G40231.

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I was going to mention the Genesis GP38-2s as well.  I believe two of the four UP 2000-series models that Athearn offered had them.

fbe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sixaxle,
>
> Thanks for the heads up. Looking through the parts
> booklet included with my undec Genesis GP38-2
> models it seems the part number which may be a
> match is G40231.
>
> Posted from iPhone

Joe Atkinson
Council Bluffs, IA
www.iaisrailfans.org/../Sub4WestEnd

Some of the southern gp38-2s have them. There ok for switching but if you forget it's quite a drop to the bottom step.

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