“Across the track blues”

It’s time to slow things down so put on some Duke Ellington, pour a glass of your favorite adult beverage and spend some time watching the trains go by. This weekend’s special comes from our good friend Falk (bricknerd) who brings his usual expert skill set along with some new tricks to the “Alco RSD-7 Demonstrator“. I’m going to sip my drink quietly while Falk talks about this brown beauty.

When Alco launched the RSD-7 back in the early ’50s, they built two demonstrator units to tour the RRs and prove it could compete with its primary rival, the FM H-24-66 Train Master. Here’s a picture of one of the two demonstrators, #601. #600, the second demonstrator unit, was equipped with additional Gyra Lights which I included on my model. The model is 7 studs wide and 46 long. Changes compared to the render include the yellow stripes on the noses and vents, and the trucks. Note that the uneven spacing between the axles of each truck is prototypical, caused by the arrangement of the traction motors.

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Duly noted Falk, what a gorgeous engine.