Western Maryland RS3 Locomotives
The Western Maryland owned several RS3 locomotives. Some were
equipped with high hoods (often called "Hammerhead RS3's" in order to support
passenger service.
Atlas makes an excellent RS3 model. The older run includes
fireball-lettered Western Maryland locomotives. The newer run includes
undecorated units which I will use as the base for the hammerhead conversion.
I agree with many others when I say that the RS3 locomotives looked best of all
the diesels in Fireball.
I picked up all three locomotives on January 24, 2004 at the Timonium Great
Scale Model Train Show
Required Changes
The stack is inaccurately oriented on these RS3 models, so I will need to
fabricate a new one turned 90 degrees from the stock version. The Western
Maryland did eventually turn the stacks to the locations on the model as part
of some modifications attempting to take care of the massive amounts of smoke
the ALCO diesels produced.
In addtion, the RS3 models produced by atlas have vented sides that look more
like the RS2 than the RS3. I believe this is because they represent a
phase (likely Phase I) other than that used on the WM. While they no
longer appear to sell the full locomotive, Stewart hobbies makes some RS3
shells that appear to be closer to the versions used on the WM. This will
make for an interesting kitbash :-)
Custom Finishing also makes an RS-3 carbody filter that will be appropriate for
some of the later WM RS3's.
The Western Maryland also used high-mounted numberboards unlike the body-side
ones used by Atlas.
For the Hammerhead conversions, I will need to vertically extend the short hood,
as well as modify the air and fuel tanks as per the prototype.
|