Not really a preservation question, but the noses of these classic Diesels were geometrically quite complex. For the number that hit the rails, there had to be sheet metal forms punched out and then welded to framework. I believe the Rock Island or Katy had one damaged in a grade crossing wreck and and tried to fabricate a new nose - it was butt ugly! How were these compound curve locomotive faces constructed at the factory?

Dick -

The Toledo, Peoria & Western had a B unit that the railroad got less use out of, so they decided to put a cab on it! There was a story about it in an old issue of Trains Magazine including, if I recall correctly, a form for making the nose. Maybe someone can remember the correct issue. Not sure if it will help, but might give you some idea.

Les

Maybe you're thinking of the Soo Line unit that was rebuilt without one of its headlights? The result was rather bizarre...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/2719/5245166533

https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/fileSendA ... O2228A.jpg

-otto-

The Soo Line had one unit where they lost the headlight housing to collision damage; decided it was not worth fabricating a replacement. Looks strangely European.



On edit: Otto types faster than I do.

Gents -

The Rock Island also had one of these with the missing upper headlight. Can't recall the units number offhand. Maybe 49? I believe it was an F3 model, or perhaps even an F2.


Les

Add in also the C&NW's "Crandall Cabs":

https://www.american-rails.com/crandall-cabs.html

I can't find anything, but from what I recall reading years ago, the nose was a combination of stamping, welding (sheet metal onto a formed frame), and hand smoothing for the curves around the headlight with Bondo!

I know photographs have been published of this, but I can't find anything on the net just now.

The only available photo I could find.

https://images1.sw-cdn.net/product/pict ... 326983.jpg

Not too much is really available here, but there are some other items that would be of interest.

http://industrialscenery.blogspot.com/2 ... -tour.html

There’s a former Katy A unit turned B unit after a crash in the 70’s. It’s preserved somewhere, forget where, somewhere in texas. This might be the unit you’re thinking about.

Another photo to consider, showing considerable patchwork and fabrication that will be hidden under the paint.

http://a4.pbase.com/g3/36/318336/2/5407 ... tion01.jpg

Source.

http://www.pbase.com/espeef5/emd_funits&view=slideshow

Thank you to everyone! Some of those creations are not to be believed, the MKT thing in particular! I've learn a great deal from the exchange, although with the noses being individually fabricated as such, how did they ever get them so homogenous, when they were lined up in publicity shots? Interesting study, for certain.

As I recall, the railroad bought the nose and cab as a kit from EMD.

Heard a second-hand story that when the SP was closing out the Sacramento shops it was found that they had several replacement noses in creates out-back that no one knew about. For years the shops had done their own fixes and patches to return F cab-units to service.

A similar but different story is that the Los Angeles Railway would buy replacement front ends for its PCCs that had been in traffic accidents. That is until WWII got in the way of being able to purchase the replacements. So the company magazine carried a story about how the shop forces took sections from two or three damaged, but not discarded, front ends to produced a replacement.

Brian - I don't quite remember the story as being that way, but purchasing a new nose and cab from EMD, probably makes sense. It's been a long time since I last read that account and my memory may be faulty. Well, if someone found the story in the old issue of TRAINS, that would say for sure.

Les

OK, I recall an Amtrak unit with front end damage that BN's Dale St. shops actually grafted a nose from a retired unit on to. Maybe this one.
[/img]