my ESPEE MODELERS ARCHIVE

California's Railroad to the U.S. 1861 - 1996

Krauss-Maffei ML-4000

Rivarossi HO Scale Cab unit ML-4000. This is actually modeled after a Rio Grande prototype; the obvious spotting feature being that the second (horizontal) twin sealed beam headlights are missing and the top headlight, which on an SP model is a smaller ribbed casting and is a red UDE light...
Brass model of the earlier 'cab' units.
Overland brass model of the later 'hood' units.

See: Southern Pacific Krauss-Maffei ML-4000.
See also exRG ML-4000 for the RG headlight arrangement.

Brass Krauss-Maffei © John W. Rosser.

SP made many modifications over the years both internal and external trying to improve the reliability of these locos. Cooling was always a problem, one of the first modifications was to add sheet metal ducts to get cooler air from lower in a tunnel to the engine air intake grilles. See page 20 in SP Historic Diesels Vol.2 - Diesel-Hydraulic Locomotives - by Joe Strapac. All SP and DRGW units received these external ducts, they were later replaced with internal ducting and extra grilles appeared in the lower carbody below the portholes.

Other external modifications included:

• An extra small grille also appeared on the 'shoulder' of the carbody; on the left side in front of the rear engine air intake and on the right side to the rear of the front engine air intake.
• The internal air reservoirs were moved the roof of the carbody; the SP units were moved to be over the rear radiator grilles at the back, and on the DRGW units the air tanks were placed on top of the front radiator grilles. DRGW also added 4 chillers to the rear of their units (See page 26 in SP Historic Diesels Vol.2 - Diesel-Hydraulic Locomotives - by Joe Strapac.), SP apparently did not, or they were internal?
• SP added MU plugs to rear of the unit above the door.
• Extra snubbers were added to the trucks to give a better ride.

Prototype photos on the Southern Pacific Krauss-Maffei ML-4000 will clarify some of the above text.

Detailed, custom painted and decaled Rivarossi ML-4000 from Ron Sikorski

Models:

N Scale:

• None? brass?

HO Scale:

• Rivarossi once made a plastic cab unit
  Factory painted in both SP and D&RGW
  often still found on eBay
• Overland Brass
  • Cab units inc. DRGW units circa 1987
  • Hood units may still be available
  • Camera Car may still be available

O Scale:

• None? brass?

Model References:

Overland Brass information kindly supplied by John Ford.