IAIS Railfans Photo Gallery :: IAIS RS36 900

Album: IAIS RS36 900

This view shows the Bowser/Cal-Scale lift rings and other details. The three lift rings on each side, along the outer edge of the roof, are bent from wire, since I felt the kit's parts were too large for that application. The Atlas exhaust stack wasn't right for the 900, so I added added a styrene plate and shortened a stack from a Kaslo M420R. It's still not correct, since the prototype stack is rounded on the ends and flares outward, but I haven't yet found a suitable replacement.

I thought it was neat that Atlas added the "CO B. 7-89" stencil for the paint location and date on the lower rear corner of both sides of the long hood. I believe the 900 is the only IAIS unit to get this treatment. I had seen the stencil on the prototype unit in photos, but could never tell what it said until viewing the Atlas model under magnification. I found it especially interesting in that my layout features the Council Bluffs enginehouse in which the prototype 900 was painted.

The Atlas fuel tank was too wide and had the air cylinders cast in, so I removed them, scratchbuilt new cylinders from styrene and wire, and narrowed the fuel tank. I also removed material from the fuel tank portion of the frame in order to allow the more narrow tank to fit over it. It's still not 100% accurate, but I think it improves the 900's appearance and hope the discrepancies aren't noticeable. I believe the prototype tank is a foot or so more narrow still, but this is as far as I was comfortable taking it without major milling of the frame and potential issues with frame strength and integrity of the pocket holding the motor.

By: Joe Atkinson

This view shows the Bowser/Cal-Scale lift rings and other details. The three lift rings on each side, along the outer edge of the roof, are bent from wire, since I felt the kit's parts were too large for that application. The Atlas exhaust stack wasn't right for the 900, so I added added a styrene plate and shortened a stack from a Kaslo M420R. It's still not correct, since the prototype stack is rounded on the ends and flares outward, but I haven't yet found a suitable replacement.

I thought it was neat that Atlas added the "CO B. 7-89" stencil for the paint location and date on the lower rear corner of both sides of the long hood. I believe the 900 is the only IAIS unit to get this treatment. I had seen the stencil on the prototype unit in photos, but could never tell what it said until viewing the Atlas model under magnification. I found it especially interesting in that my layout features the Council Bluffs enginehouse in which the prototype 900 was painted.

The Atlas fuel tank was too wide and had the air cylinders cast in, so I removed them, scratchbuilt new cylinders from styrene and wire, and narrowed the fuel tank. I also removed material from the fuel tank portion of the frame in order to allow the more narrow tank to fit over it. It's still not 100% accurate, but I think it improves the 900's appearance and hope the discrepancies aren't noticeable. I believe the prototype tank is a foot or so more narrow still, but this is as far as I was comfortable taking it without major milling of the frame and potential issues with frame strength and integrity of the pocket holding the motor.

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