I’ve looked at the Super-Scale NW-2 a bit in the website, a function of I actually own two of them. For example this great one built by Jimi Trout.

Their OO Diesel models were introduced in 1949 in multiple scales. I cover that in the book, and there is more in this article as well.

However I didn’t have one of their SW-1 models until a few weeks ago — sort of.

Story time

So, I don’t know, 15 plus years ago maybe, I purchased a Super-Scale SW-1 on eBay. I thought it a great find. When it got to me, I was disappointed, as I thought it was actually the S scale version of the model. The original model was also offered in S scale, and the model I purchased seemed very clunky and oversized, and lacked a drive. I sold it as S scale.

Fast forward to now, I received another of the models and it’s really interesting. That model I briefly owned had to have actually been the OO version. It is odd, too, as the SW-1 body is not nearly as finely made as the NW-2 body. You would think they would be practically the same? I’ll look at that comparison more in Part II of this article.

An SW-1 by Carl Appel

Before getting to comparisons, this is what you could do with this model if you were a real craftsman.

This is of course lettered for the Norfolk & Ohio of Carl Appel and was built by him. With a standard model in hand, I can see he really did some work on it. I think the biggest modifications are of the cab, which I believe has new sides. I’m sure he saw some of the details as being clunky and did what he could to improve it. As did, actually Trout on his NW-2 also, I think he replaced the cab sides as well. At the very least they are modified to be better scaled; it’s a very visible detail.

Backing up, I have no idea who took these photos or who owns this Appel model now. It is quite a treasure for sure. I found these photos on my computer, someone must have sent them to me years ago. Thank you!

Looking from the front you can see the body is pretty plain. If you click over to the photos of the Jimi Trout NW-2 it is pretty easy to see the change of detail level.

The drive is the same as on my SW-1 and my un-rebuilt NW-2 (I put an Athearn based drive on the Trout engine, it came to me with no drive). This model and my newly acquired SW-1 are both missing a box that hangs below the frame on the firemans side of the engine. I fortunately have an extra original of that part I’ll make use of when I rebuild mine.

I’ll plan to run it as a brand new engine with my pre-war era models, as the prototype was introduced in 1939. I’m likely to start that project pretty soon.

More on my stock Super-Scale SW-1 and other comparisons when the series returns.

Continue to Part II