modification to shell? butchery or improvement?

[meehow]

considering to cut away the step/ladders of the
Bachmann DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERNTM Item No. 60117

this locomotive struggles on tight curves, yet with the shell removed is blasts through them.
it appears that the plastic 'ladders' are the culprit as they stop the bogies from turning far enough.
it probably will be enough to cut the rear ones.

what do you think?
butchery or improvement?

[meehow]

[Ironduke]

Posting from Google Photos takes a few steps. These are the steps using GoogleChrome.

1. Open the image in your Google Photos.
2. Click the "Share" button.
3. In the Share dialogue, click on the "Create link" button at the bottom. This step makes the photo visible to other people (shared).
4. Click "Copy" to copy the link.

Now for the stupid part

5. Open a new tab or window and paste the address you copied in Step 4 to the address bar. This opens your shared image in a new Google Photos tab.
6. Right click anywhere on the image in the new tab and click "Open image in new tab". This opens just the photo in a new tab.
7. Right click on the new image and click "Copy Image Address".
8. Go to your Forum Post and paste the address and then stick it between two "img" tags. e.g.

Code: Select all

[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e-ElDYrswkluZXP8JK1UwmAL4r3d9kvUxzb7FZz20zv53qmAULu2ARRXYfMMByvMaeG65JKZMPsslknN-95oO5kzfJ8E4pUDa2Bv71EWLT5Dg9lnebz80g_tEzWODclM7Wn8S2PFQdvyF8M6fArGkp=w344-h190-no?authuser=0[/img]

=

9. The last two numbers "w" and "h" set the width and height of your photo. Experiment with resizing by changing the numbers and clicking the "Preview" button before you post (if you want to).

Here is the other one.



The ladders look quite chunky. What do the ladders look like on the prototype?

[Bigmet]

On the EMD 'F' units, the steps are much finer than as represented on the model body shell. Picture in the wikipedia article if you want a look, and there will be many more pics online. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_F-unit )

As an alternative to 'the chop' you could first try filing or scraping down the rear of the steps to reduce the thickness, and reduction or removal of any fouling detail from the bogie frames, for a compromise that might allow the bogies to pivot far enough for your layout curves?

[Mountain]

Ladders are part of the character, but they can be made thinner and still give a good overall look. How much material would need to be removed to get them to work well?
Could new thinner ladders be made from some thin flexible plastic and used instead? They would give a similar look without interfering with the running of the model. It is just a thought.

Does one notice the ladders much when one watches films of those locomotives pass? (Now I have said it one will notice them, but taking a step back and watch the trains pass, and do they stand out? If not, one can get away with removing them, or possibly making them out of thin metal wire which is pinted a dark or shaded colour to blend in, and bending them to clear the bogies?)

[Scrat]

How about chopping the ladders off and attaching them to the bogie?

[meehow]

thank you everyone for input and uploading my photos!
i have not cut the ladders yet.
since the service, i done, the loco runs so nicely and smoothly that i feel bad modifying it.
might just shelf if for future when i have more space and could use broader curves.