Foo'bar needs help: french 040D steam engine

[Foo'bar]

Hello all,

I'm searching after some references/photos for the french SNCF Nord version of the former prussian G8.1
I already have all references for the german/prussian version. What I need is information for the coloring and the french variations and characteristics of that engine. Do we have any french railway experts here?

[brando]

Did you check out the toy manufacturers? This link http://www.reynaulds.com/products/Marklin/37556.aspx shows the colour to be green. That's likely to be correct for passenger loco's, as the model train buffs are as "bad" about this kind of detail as any other kind of hobbyist

Read the Wiki link also - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNCF_Class_040-D - which explains that the characteristics of the engines are the same bar the marking plates since they are essentially all the same locomotive. The entire class was constructed in Germany and most ended up in France as part of WW1 reparations. By comparing your picture with photos of the G8.1 (class built in 1902-13) it appears that the smokestack may have been shortened - probably due to loading-gauge differences - or even replaced. There are different fittings on the smokebox door compared to other shots I have seen, and this version seems to be without the Westinghouse brake system seen on other variants. But it was a large class of loco's, and it will have evolved during it's eleven year construction period and overhauls in the inter-war years. Lengthened chimneys, smoke deflectors, improved braking systems; these were all about efficiency of operation rather than national characteristics. And please, please note - the "paint job" is not a national thing either. Some shade of green usually denotes a passenger loco, and black a freight loco - throughout Europe - and I hope we won't get stuck with the idea that prevailed in IL-2; that Russian locos are all apple green and German locos are black.

I also hope that the British loco's are portrayed correctly. The big difference is that the majority of the steam pipes( that so clutter the continental designs) are hidden within the boiler casings and superstructure of the UK designs. It's a very pronounced difference.

B

[KG26_Alpha]

Green



Also in Grey for freight



http://www.rocousa.com/trix/new2001/...ew%20Items.asp

[brando]

Also worth noting is that most loco's and rolling stock ended up the same, uniform colour after a while - dirty black - as the cleaners were recruited or conscripted into the armed forces!

On the railway theme, can I repeat a question that I raised when this forum first started?

In the first half of the twentieth century in the UK there were very few single track railway lines. Most of the main routes were in fact made up of four separate tracks, two for express trains, up and down, and two for slow trains either freight or slow passenger. The number often expanded to as many as six where the lines came closer to London, sometimes more. It would be good, essential even, to see this modelled in BoB. Railways were an essential navigation tool for aircraft of both sides.

Continuing on the theme - these huge lines were incapable of being camouflaged, especially at night in good weather. Railway tracks in regular use literally gleam in moonlight, and are visible as high as twenty thousand feet. The Luftwaffe used them as a visual aid for finding & bombing London. I hope this has been considered.


B

[Zorin]

This might help in the process of collecting references:

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/roland.arzul/

[Foo'bar]

Does anyone know where I can find a Hi Res NORD emblem and a SNCF emblem either?

[JVM]

Would this help?

[Foo'bar]

Excellent! That logo I was searching for. Thank you for helping, mate

[Foo'bar]

JVM, on the back side of that logo is your name thanks again!

[Avimimus]

As always, brilliant work.

Quick question: How complex are the damage models going to be for these?
Also, are there any obstacles to adding a cockpit to these (ie. obstacles in the model, obviousaly. Oleg's tools and implementation of railways are a completely different issue).