Model Railroading > The KM "Mod Squad"...

Well, it was the '60s, and they were unconventional and followed a different beat, working more or less undercover!

Just got my hands on the PIKO America "modded" SP Krauss-Maffei ML4000C'C' Prototype trio, patch-renumbered from the 9000s to the 9100s and wearing all sorts of unique betterments, modifications, appliances, and SP Scarlet "wing" paint variations (accidental and deliberate).

The list of stuff that varies from last year's as-delivered versions is long. Rather than list them all first, I'll post some snaps from today and let the models speak for themselves. Great working with the PIKO America team including Jonathan and Becca, and with the PIKO design team in Sonneberg, Germany: Ruben, Matthias, and Nadine. The China factory is the last stop after that, and they really know how to put these together well. The models run llke a dream, slow and silent, with a top speed of about 70 (S)MPH just like the prototype "Prototypes."

Okay, couple things: working directional and selectable white or red reverse lights, all working forward lights, cab and engineroom lights, sound files derived from live recordings of SP 9010 in Niles Canyon (the remaining preserved USA KM Second Series, now operational) and all the tanks, piping, patches, vents, shutters, panels, stencils, sockets, bells and whistles of each unique number: 9100, 9101, and 9102. And paint masking variations that incorporate accident repairs and changes of mind about how the wings should look!

Colors are faded to reflect the worn look of these units after four or five years in the California sun -- accurate to the configurations of geegaws and doodads, each one a learning by KM and SP that was applied to the Series Units of 1964 (like 9010 and its fourteen sisters).

Snowplow pilots. Lighted gauges on the control stand. Pre-weathered exposed exhaust butterfly flaps. Okay, photos up...

~ BZ

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The variations in color fade are seen in pic 1. Second pic shows the raised exhaust uptake (countersunk when delivered, and on the first batch of PIKO models of the new units). Third shows the concession to hot California sun, through the overpainting of the rearmost glass panels. Also seen are the shutters that divert intake air from up top (hotter and prone to recycling exhaust gases) down to louvers above the sill level (cooler air while in tunnels or snowsheds).

~ BZ

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Herr BZ, nice to see you back on TO!

Dave

It'll last for a while, Dave. Then I'll get distracted and drop off again. But if there's something to shout about like little KMs, I'll be here -- like Henry Fonda in "Grapes of Wrath" (obscure movie dialogue reference). :-)

~ BZ

Thanks for sharing. That's a beautiful model. Who says unique model railroad locomotives that not many railroads ran will not sell.

Victor Baird

Agree, naturally! Old presumptions about what will or won't sell die harder than old model railroaders! :-)

~ BZ
 

Here's a view of the cab and masking variation represented by the PIKO model of SP 9100. You can see how the SP painter (in full size) tried to match two different sets of "wings" after 9101's nose with KM original wings was used for repair to 9100 that already had gotten SP's redesiged masking in a repaint. (Actually, this happened when both were still SP 9000 and 9001, but it's confusing enough just talking about the nose swap!)

Also see here is a representation of the friction dampers installed between body and truck, added to combat rolling at low speeds over... well, the mud-pumping, soft stick-rail in Tracy's New Yard, specifically! The 15:41 gear ratio was never altered by SP, although KM and Maybach offered many different combos. The units could hit 70 MPH or lug at 1 MPH equally. (The stencils started appearing in the 1960s, and even though it didn't matter on the KMs the way it did for a diesel-electric, a directive is a directive.)

The model also represents the EMD-style "Knucklebuster" door latches added by SP for convenience; the original KM latches were under rain covers and needed a square KM key to unlatch. Those were not always found in the cab in the designated spot, safe to say! (A fire with SP 9021 where the panel couldn't be opened by fire crews may have been the inspiration for the modification!)

Also on view: the Automatic Train Stop doubleheading and isolation valve and piping, under the sill near the stencilled 'F.' This was a fail-safe device tied to track magnets at certain signal blocks on heavy traffic lines, and triggered an automatic brake application if not 'answered' by the Engineer on a valve mounted near his right hand.

And it's a little hard to tell in this shot, but the upper rear glass of 9101 was painted Dark Gray from the inside by SP, to combat heat from the San Joaquin Valley sunshine. PIKO models of SP 9101 and 9102 also have this glass painted over, but on those units, the paint was applied from the outside and the PIKO models follow suit!

(PIKO quality review staff, seeing the discrepancy in 'deco' notes, contacted the U.S. research team to confirm: "Is this correct?") No detail was left on the cutting room floor, anywhere in the R&D process, down to the KM-style lifting hooks that make up part of the 90 or so separate metal detail parts on each locomotive!

~ BZ

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well, well well. if I can say so, this model - they don't make them like they used to and that's a good thing. this model could make someone (me) want to switch from N to HO, almost ...

dragoon Wrote:
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> well, well well. if I can say so, this model -
> they don't make them like they used to and that's
> a good thing. this model could make someone (me)
> want to switch from N to HO, almost ...

Why not do both! ;-)

And speaking of the KM's, I was just watching a Charles Smiley video on the SP on Youtube.  At 50 seconds, you can see a KM in the loco consist.  It's one of the hood variety, like the one restored.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHWh28KsKqw


Cheers,
Jim
 

dragoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> well, well well. if I can say so, this model -
> they don't make them like they used to and that's
> a good thing. this model could make someone (me)
> want to switch from N to HO, almost ...

Strong sentiments! Stay with N, though. So many good things happening there! :-)

~ BZ

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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> dragoon Wrote:
>
> And speaking of the KM's, I was just watching a
> Charles Smiley video on the SP on Youtube.  At 50
> seconds, you can see a KM in the loco consist. 
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHWh28KsKqw

Thanks for the link!

It's tough to read the number of the KM, though it's clearly wearing a 9100-series patch. I'm going to try and "carbon date" it from weathering patterns, believe it or not!

What intrigues me is that when viewing the vid on my phone (not full screen on a desktop yet) the horn on that faded KM looks like a Nathan M3. The only Series Unit (1964-built roadswitcher) we know of with one of those at any time was SP 9113, the former 9010!

Will do some closer analysis and report!

~ BZ

The frames just aren't sharp enough to be sure which unit number this is. The stains on the tank can sometimes help ID'ing a unit, because they eventually get washed off, so if they match in two photos, you can semi-rely on the match. Not so here; couldn't find any matches.

The paint is late in the game: 1966 or later by the chalkiness and orange fade on the nose. But contrary to what I first thought, there's no fresh Dark Gray patch for a new 9100-series number. KMs didn't all get physically renumbered until as late as Spring of 1966, so the "carbon dating" of paint condition still holds.

But based on other identifiers -- the lack of added front deck ballast and raised handrails; no sun visor over the windshield; no lowered cab windows, and a couple other tiny spotting guides -- the only unit that fits all the slots and doesn't violate any spotter's clues is SP 9015, later 9118 and the least-modified of all the Series KMs. And also one that operated to the very end without being sidelined. (It had fewer problems to sort, presumably, so didn't sit long enough to get the fleet mods that others got, catch as catch can and piecemeal.)

Roster shot on the Roseville dead line 1968 by Fred A. Stindt, from the SP 9010 Collection.

~ BZ

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Hi Bob,
great new, interesting pictures! Can't wait to get it in my hands!

Greetings
Franz

Looking forward to your pictures, Franz, as always!

~ BZ