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….........…..--- Pt. 6 --- N Scale DDA35 & B Build ---

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NOTE: This is not an accurate build of a DDA35. I've tried to 'get close' but at almost 80 don't want to spend a ton of time on this. I need to get back to laying track, adding scenery and finally running a train or two.

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After making the flared radiator section and installing it the fact that the top of the shell didn't look like pictures of DDA35's and drawings of them started to bother me more and more. I had made the fans on the top as close to accurate as I could based on pictures and drawings but couldn't figure out why the distance between the lower fan/grill on the James Trains shell and the first one on the new flared radiator section were further apart that what it appeared they should be.

I started counting compartment doors on the images from the Jean-Denix Bachand drawings to the James Trains Shell. I found a section of the shell that didn't match the drawings and other photos, the section that I have red 'X's' in above. My guess is they were added so that a Bachmann DDA40X frame could be used to make a powered DDA35. The DDA40X frame can only be shortened so much in the middle before the two drive motors would come into contact. The DDA40X frame is needed to get the correct trucks for the DDA35.

Since I was going to be adding the GP35 cab to the front of the shell I decide to see if I could remove the 'red X' sections from the shell. This meant besides cutting the end off the shell for the cab I'd also be cutting two sections out between the fan grills. All of these would then have to line back up and be glued and hopefully not be too noticeable. I decide to take the risk and plotted out the cuts that would be needed.

Wasn't real sure how cutting sections of the shell out was going to go. One more chance to screw it up. It went well though and I feel the end results were worth it. Loco looks more prototypical now and it didn't take that long to do.

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I'm happy with how the shell glued back together. I'll know more when it is painted as that will highlight any problems there might be.

Patience with a file gets the top and side joints pretty close to each other on the DD35 shell and the cab. I cut the cab end of the GP35 shell off with the Dremel a little long and then worked the edge that needs to join to the DD35 shell with a file to get the vertical and top edges flat and square. It helped that I could remove the walkway and the cab section with the windows during this. They separate with this early shell (not sure if that is true with later Atlas GP35's).

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Next up will be shortening the DDA40X's frame to fit under the DDA35. I'll slide the GP35 cab on one end of the frame and the shell for the back of the DDA35 on the other end and measure the distance between them. That distance minus a little will be how much needs to be removed from the middle of the DDA40X frame.

If you came into the build here you can go to the start of the build ( HERE ).

(NOTE: Keep in mind that this is N scale and these images if viewed on a computer can be larger than the real thing.)

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