Kitbashing an HO Scale Steeplecab

The purpose of this project was to make a realistic locomotive for my dad’s model railroad. In research, I found that the Salt Lake Garfield and Western Railway (Saltair) owned several “Steeplecab” electric locomotives. Because my dad’s model railroad is set in 1983, and the Saltair ceased electric locomotive operations in 1954, I felt I could take some creative liberties with this model. Therefore, the model locomotive only resembles a Saltair steeplecab in its paint scheme. The rest of the model’s details were improvised. I started with an old Ken Kidder Steeplecab model and added lights, a new drive system, a sound chip, horns, a pantograph, and knuckle couplers. During this project, I learned a lot about soldering and working with brass, and I got a better understanding of how drive systems in model locomotives work. The steeplecab now runs extremely well, and looks like a locomotive that the Saltair could have owned. Please note that this project is a work in progress, so some things, such as the wires that are visible in the cab, will be improved in the future.