Close Enough HO Scale Penn Central U33B Project

 Greetings All,

Close Enough HO Scale Penn Central U33B Project

Welcome to another close enough locomotive project! Last week we focused on a pair of New York Central GP20s needing new numbers for prototypical correction. Today we're going stray a bit from an actual prototype and focus on a project that produced two close enough U33Bs that more closely fit my layouts operating scheme.

This project actually dates back to May 2016 when I purchased two used Bachmann Plus Mopac B23-7s for repainting as close enough Penn Central U33Bs. That project died in the paint stripping phase as the models basically fell apart.

After this I purchased the two new Mopac shells seen below online from Bachmann Parts.

The drives for these engines are a bit loud and these two locomotives became the best looking engines in my locomotive purgatory box.  The Mopac B23-7s were good looking units but they really had no place on the layout that I could think of no matter how hard I tried. The B23-7 model introduced in 1977 just couldn't find a niche where they saw any type of layout time.

Seven years later in September 2023 I finally took the plunge to repaint the Mopac engines in PC livery as U33Bs to join my close enough Bachmann Plus New York Central U30Bs that I painted in 2011 and renumbered in 2019 to U30B numbers.

For this project I used Penn Central locomotive decals from Microscale, set 87-84, and K-4 Decals pictured below.

The shells were not stripped of their paint to avoid the issues of the first attempts at this but were rattle can primed and painted. Here they are ready for lettering.

Brief Prototype History

In 1968 the Penn Central took delivery of sixty six (66) U33Bs numbered 2890-2955. Between May and June 1970 the PC took delivery of another ten (10) U33Bs that had been ordered by the Rock Island and later cancelled. All U33Bs are assigned to Selkirk for maintenance.

The General Electric U33B was a four axle B-B locomotive that was built between March 1966 and December 1975. The U33B produced 3300 HP powered by the GE FDL-16 sixteen cylinder prime mover. A total of 137 units were sold with the New York Central purchasing two (#2858 and #2859) and the Penn Central being the biggest buyer with eighty one (#2890-#2970) engines purchased.

New York Central #2858 (with #2859) is one of the two U33Bs on the NYC roster that were classified as U30Bs but really were U33Bs.

There is some confusion as to the NYC 2858 and 2859. Wikipedia reports they were downrated to 3,000 HP while the Penn Central Bi Annual (Reid) and Penn Central Power (Yanosey) books list them 3,300 HP units. 

Close enough Penn Central U33B #2899 has just been released from the Patti-O Paint Shop. The 1:1 scale 2899 was part of the first order of twenty six U33Bs (#2890-#2915) that were delivered to the PC between September and December 1968. 

The Bachmann Plus handrails are a bit rough in this close up photo and it looks like I need to touch up a stanchion or two. Otherwise the 2899 is ready for revenue service.

Penn Central U33B #2965 arrived on the property between May and June 1970. The 2965 was originally part of a fifteen unit order by the Rock Island (to be RI #4510-#4524) that was later cancelled during a January-February 1970 strike at GE and a lack of financing.

The almost Rock Island PC units were numbered 2956-2970.

The 2965 and 2899 get ready to depart Terminal Yard with a TrailVan Train for which they were well suited.

However the new units and TV Train cannot depart without first being inspected by 1:87 PC Ralph!!!

The newest PC U Boats lead a train back towards Terminal Yard.

Selkirkians dominate the motive power pool today at Terminal Yard. 

The newly painted 2899 and 2965 join fellow U-Boats and an Alco RS11 in the Selkirk maintenance base.

The newly painted close enough PC U33Bs lead the close enough U30Bs on a freight train back to Selkirk.

On another day a PC GP30 assists the U-Boats moving the tonnage thru Empire City.

The 2899 has teamed up with an F7A and F7B in another Penn Central lash up.

The U33Bs in action with the newly renumbered NYC GP20s from last weeks blog entry.

Final Thoughts and Comments

This was another of those roster correction projects that enabled two locomotives to be released from locomotive purgatory and become revenue earning motive power. While not really prototypical to me they are close enough. 

Since the repainting and re-lettering they have run more in a week than they did in the previous seven years. And they look good doing it!! One other thing to mention, the loud drive trains seem to have quieted down considerably. Or maybe it's just me...

Thanks for reading!!!

See you soon!!!