JUNE 200428

DAVENPORT LOCOMOTIVE WORKS, inDavenport, Iowa, built locomotives between1902 and 1956. In 1950, after nearly half a

century of producing its own line of steam locomotives,Davenport acquired H. K. Porter Company and added thatmanufacturer’s designs to its catalog.

Davenport’s first gas mechanical locomotive appearedin 1924 and its first diesel in 1927. In the early 1930s, thecompany was a pioneer manufacturer of small diesel-electric locomotives. Its line ranged from 4 ton gasmechanicals to 112 ton diesels and ultimately proved quitesuccessful. Industries of all kinds purchased the engines.

Commercial railroads also bought Davenport loco-motives. Its 44 tonners were the most popular because thatwas the heaviest locomotive union rules allowed one manto operate. The major railroads owning Davenport dieselsincluded the Rock Island, Milwaukee Road, Santa Fe,

Frisco, and Missouri Pacific. Davenport also built a numberof locomotives for the United States Army during and afterWorld War Two. In 1963, a narrow gauge Davenportdiesel-mechanical from the Sumpter Valley Railroadbecame the Rio Grande’s well known 0-4-0 Durangoswitcher Number 50.

Our photos show Bachmann’s new On30 Davenportgas mechanical. Most such locomotives lacked side rods,as does the example from the company’s circa 1923catalog page (courtesy of FFFFFINESCALEINESCALEINESCALEINESCALEINESCALE R R R R RAILROADERAILROADERAILROADERAILROADERAILROADER contributorRichard May). Brad Smith’s long running Industrial Rail-roading series included two photos of derelict Davenports,one in our September 1996 and the other in our November1996 issue. Each had lost its side rods and neither is verysimilar to Bachmann’s later vintage model. Bachmann’sDirector of Product Development, Lee Riley, chose toproduce a Davenport catalog model with side rods because

GAS MECHANICAL LOCOMOTIVESA PLETHORA OF PORTRAITS

BY RUSS REINBERGPHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR 1:48 SCALE

29FINESCALE RAILROADER

many hobbyists prefer that design.The following pages will show a few modified Bach-

mann Davenports and a couple of freelance “critters”. Ifyou have customized a Bachmann model, please send usan image or two.

Right. Bruce Dombey from Portage, Indiana writes, �More critter maniahere in the Indiana dunes.� His latest locomotive modification is of aBachmann On30 Davenport. Below. FINESCALE RAILROADER�s MacMcCalla simply weathered his model of the same engine.

1923 DAVENPORT CATALOG COURTESY OF RICHARD MAY.

JUNE 200430

ONLY A FEW years ago, ifyou modeled in On30and wanted a small industrial

locomotive, you could purchase a Grandt Line5 ton Plymouth or modify an HO scale diesel.The choices certainly are greater today!

Dallas Mallerich, of Boulder Valley Models,has produced a line of fine cast resin kits andparts for the On30 industrial railroad crowd.His creations significantly have expanded theopportunities for freelance kitbashing. The

CRITTERS LARGEAND SMALLBY ALLEN K. LITTLEFIELDPHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

1:48 SCALE

31FINESCALE RAILROADER

“Mighty Midget”, for example, utilizesa single power truck from an HO scaleBachmann 44 ton diesel. I built themodel and customized it (I cannotleave anything stock) by extending thehood and adding a sand dome andsome detail parts.

When it was complete, I realized itwas possible to build a slightly largercritter from the same (albeit enlarged)chassis and power truck. I found thesuperstructure from an HO scaleAthearn “Li’l Hustler” at the WestSpringfield Train show last year in oneof those wonderful “junk boxes” ev-eryone seems to have under his table.

I carefully cut away the hood fromthe floor and cab. I fitted a large BVMcab to the hood and mounted it on thelarger floor and chassis. The cab roofis removable for interior detail work. Sand O scale detail parts were the finaltouches. The photos illustrate mymodifications and anyone with basickitbash experience should be able tosee how I built the model.

Sam Barbose, from northeastPennsylvania, also has modified aBoulder Valley kit into a wonderfulmodel. It is what inspired me in thefirst place. Sam’s model is on the BVMwebsite among the Gallery photosalong with work by a number of otherfine modelers. I named my critter “SB-II” in Sam’s honor.

With Bachmann’s new On30

critter, the BVM options, and an HOscale Model Power switcher thateasily modifies to On30, the O scaleindustrialist can build quite a roster.

The photos on this page page show a modifiedHO scale �Li�l Hustler� superstructure on thesame chassis as the model on the opposite page.

JUNE 200432

BACHMANN’S ON30 DAVENPORT “Critter”, an0-4-0 side rod gas mechanical diesel locomotive,seems to replicate a 10 ton switcher Davenport

exported to Puerto Rico for the Carmen Centrale, VegaAlta. I gleaned the information from Critters, Volume 2 byJames S. Eakin.

Since the undecorated example I bought has a distinctlybland appearance, I somehow had to make it my own. Itcertainly needed a sand dome as all my other critters havethem so I added a Grandt Line 8 ton Porter dome. Anynumber of large HO or S scale sand domes would work aswell. I also built up a perforated grill guard from thinstyrene and made retaining brackets from strap brass. Iweathered the assembly before installing it on the model.

Next came a small auxiliary gas tank I cobbled up frommy centuries old collection of detail odds and ends. I hung

MODIFY THE DAVENPORTBY ALLEN K. LITTLEFIELDPHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

1:48 SCALE

the tank from the back wall of the cab. I replaced theheadlight with one from my Bachmann On30 Shay since ithas the same two contact prongs as the one on the critter.Besides, I like the visor. The bell also is a Grandt Lineproduct with a fine wire ringer rope.

I opened two vents on the hood and added screening tothe first access doors on either side. I also added handrailsalong the upper edge of the hood and grab irons to the cabafter outlining the cab with thin styrene strips. That helpedto reinforce the area around the rear cab wall so mycarefully drilled holes would accept nut-bolt-washer detailsand 0.020-inch diameter wire.

The cab comes with wonderful details including a niceswivel chair, a panel with gauges, and a brake control pod.I added a shelf with a coffee cup, an open end wrench, abulletin on the firewall, a toolbox on the floor, and a horn

33FINESCALE RAILROADER

on the roof.I painted my model with Dove

Gray primer from spray can; the roofis Boxcar Red. I placed only onetoolbox on the right side runningboard and was conservative with theclutter we often see festooning crittermodels, preferring to let the weather-ing become the focal point. I think Ithe little wretch now better representsmy railroad’s personality and fits wellwith my four other critters.

JUNE 200434

35FINESCALE RAILROADER

JUNE 200436

INDUSTRIAL SIZE CABOOSESLARGE SCALE AND SMALL

A FOUR WHEEL MINING CABOOSE

BY RICHARD SCHMITTPHOTOS BY GARY NICHOLS

1:20.3 SCALE

SEVERAL YEARS AGO,FINESCALE RAILROADER hadphotographs of a handsome

little 1:20.3 scale tool car by GaryWatkins, the owner of Sierra ValleyEnterprises. It was the prototype for anew model in his line of MungerMining rolling stock and seemed to bejust what I wanted for the caboose onmy own Eureka Mining Companyindustrial line. I sketched out plansfrom the photos of Gary’s model andscratchbuilt my own 1:20.3 scaleversion. I fabricated my model prima-

rily from distressed basswood alongwith some brass rod and strip, acollection of Ozark Miniatures detailparts, and Kadee® couplers I modifiedto fit link-and-pin drawheads.

I constructed the caboose board byboard including the underframe, cabinwalls, sliding side doors, and personneldoor. I installed a complete handbrakesystem under the car. I also scratch-built such details as a padlock, hand-rails, crowbar, and roof vent. Thefigure is from SLM.

I stained the exterior boards with a

37FINESCALE RAILROADER

mixture of Floquil Cherrywood and RedOak stains. The interior is Cherrywoodalone. I covered the scribed wood roof

with cloth tape, painted it FloquilEngine Black, then applied washes ofRoof Brown and Weathered Black. I

weathered the exterior with the samewashes and with my own rust coloredpaint mix. The lettering is dry transfer.

LOGGING CABOOSE 02BY JERRY SHEEHAN

PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR1:22.5 SCALE

JUNE 200438

THE STARTING POINTfor my 1:22.5 scale loggingcaboose was an LGB work

shed car. I suppose, if my crew were ofmodest height or if they were to stoop,the model could qualify as 1:20.3 scalebut that might be giving it undue credit.

Construction mostly involved add-ing details but did require a little initialmodification: I moved the closed endof the cabin forward, flush with theend of the underframe and sheathedthe door on the opposite end withwooden coffee stir sticks. I removedthe existing door steps along with everyother rivet from the corner braces.Then I detailed the deck boards byscribing in separations, grain, and chips;similarly distressed the side and endsills; and installed a full cabin interior.

The model’s scratchbuilt exteriorassemblies include brake rigging andcoupler cut levers. Interior scratchbuiltdetails consist of window seat boxes, aconductor’s desk, a water barrel andrack, a coal box (with real coal), and a55 gallon drum stove and flue.

Here is a list of the commercialdetail parts on the model:

USA Trains couplers modified to matewith link-and-pin couplers

Ozark MiniaturesGrab irons (including straightened grabsfor the door ends)Re-rail frogsChain binderDoor knobsCrescent wrench

Trackside Details corner stepsPrecision Scale Company

brakestaff bracketRuss Simpson brake staff ratchetRyan Equipment Company brake beams

and brakeshoesDean Lowe metal wheelsetsModel Shipways chain and hooksLittle Railways worn broomBachmann figuresMiscellaneous dollhouse items:

Coffee pot and cupsKerosene wall lampSpittoonMarilyn Monroe calendar and pinuppicturesChair

I finished the model with a varietyof spray paints and washes. The cabinexterior has a base coat of gray autoprimer with red and black washes. The

cabin interior has a coat of light greenacrylic. The deck is gray auto primerwith a wash of dilute India ink. Theside and end sills have a coat of grayauto primer with a wash of dilute

brown ink. I sprayed the underframeand wheelsets with Krylon® RuddyBrown primer. The roof is tissue paperI brush painted flat black to representtar paper.

39FINESCALE RAILROADER

ILIKE CABOOSES. When Iwas young, my father used totake me along when he ran

errands in town. The Southern Pacific

mainline was near our house and,when a passing train caused us to stopat the railroad crossing, my dad alwayshailed the arrival of the caboose. I grew

up thinking there must be somethingspecial about that unique last car.Later, when I obtained a driver’slicense, I finally realized the real reasonmy dad was always so happy to see thecaboose pass by.

While the overall appearance ofBachmann’s stock On30 caboose neverreally appealed to me, it did seem tohave great kitbash potential. I neededat least two cabooses for my CascadeCreek mining railroad so I bought acouple of Bachmann models anddecided to alter their appearance. Iwanted both an “ordinary” and a“drover’s” caboose, the latter to haul afew passengers and some baggage orfreight. I decided to build the drover’sversion first.

I began by disassembling the modelinto four subassemblies: Roof, body,interior, and frame. The frame seemedto be the easiest to modify so that iswhere I started work. I used diagonalpliers to cut down the HO scale

MODIFY A BACHMANN CABOOSE

BY JIM ELLISPHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR

1:48 SCALE