Model Railroading > B&O E-8 kitbash in process - for about 55 years!

I got this powered AHM E-8 in about 1970, and it was originally factory-painted in the classic B&O blue/gray multi-stripe scheme.  I started a kitbash of it in the 1990s to convert it from the AHM factory scheme to the B&O's all-blue mid-1960s scheme, and I wanted to model #1439, which was one of my favorite B&O E8s.  So I blanked out a bunch of the portholes, as B&O did, added spark arrestors, handrails, horn, etc, and grafted on a freight pilot, which is how B&O's E-8s were built.  I chopped off the truck-mounted couplers and added body-mounted Kadees.  I then custom-painted it and decaled it.  But then it's been in a box for about 25 years.   Now I'm building a new layout that's DCC, so I'm converting it to a dummy, rather than try to convert it to DCC.  And I've found a few other things that need to be fixed.  But maybe I'll finish before I've owned this loco for 60 years!



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/26 21:36 by dwatry.

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Great work!
Ive got an old pair of Athearn FP45's that have been "In Process" since about 1984 

Looks good !

I've got a Kato  GP35 and a Athearn( I think) GP30 that have been on the work bench for the past ten years.

Paul Boggs
Canton, GA

Last week found a box with a bunch of AHM E8 shells, frames, motors, packages. That was what we had to work with at the time.
Sealed the box up, should have been buried as a time capsule. Good to see somebody had some enjoyment with their investment.
t4p.
 

beautiful engine and paint work...impressive
Did you add the grab irons/railings?

Yes I added the grabirons, railings, and the window washing shelf along the side of the nose.  But I still have to paint the railings and grabs!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/26 11:13 by dwatry.

If you're going to redo it as a dummy maybe add a sound bug so you can have sound and lights.

Does it have the old cabbage cutter wheels? Just think, I used to drool over that stuff locked up in the glass case at Woolworths in Leomester, MA. My family didn't have money for those frivolous things. As TCnr says, it was the best we had to work from back then. And we loved it.

Victor Baird



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/26 13:45 by wabash2800.

Victor - no, surprisingly for an AHM product, it came with RP25 wheels.  

Duncan

Duncan, I think later models had RP25 wheels, but the term "later" is relative.

Victor Baird

Posted from Android

Good to see you are finally getting the MRR going! I’m still trying to get re-started….too many competing prioities.

Posted from iPhone

While I don't have any of the old Riv units hanging around, I have about a dozen of the equally ancient Model Power units hanging out on THE Tampa Northern. Unlike the Riv models, the old Model Power units are stout. They feature a huge can motor and a large diameter, it literally is as wide as the inside of the E unit, flywheel. They also had built in sound effects.

Regardless, it's noce to see someone giving an ole warrior like this a bit of attention.

I'm waiting for Rapido to do an E7 in the Wabash Bluebird scheme to compliment my Rapido E8. The Model Power and Lifelike E units are barn pullers and from experience, the Lifelike ones will coast when you cut the power!

Victor Baird

Posted from Android

Nice work, welll done!