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GP 38 Cab Replacement (Update 10/12)


EngineDriver
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Hi Everyone, this is a little project that I have been on with over the last couple of days. I had no intention of doing this little job, it came about because I bid on and won a GP38 loco on "Ebay" it was supposed to be in "good condition" and "very detailed" but when it arrived it was sadly lacking in both of these things, and even worse it had been re-painted quite poorly and the decals were flaking off. If that was not enough the top of the front nose, windscreen and number boards had for some reason or other been cut off, then very crudely re-attached. Needless to say they did not fit and there were gaps all over the place. The number boards and centre marker lights had even been fitted upside down! In my defence though there was only one photo, and that was of the loco still in its box! Had there been more pictures then I most likely would have left well alone. I did contact the seller and fair enough I was offered a full refund if I wanted one, all I had to do was send it back. But it is an "Atlas" model and it runs really really well, also I had paid less than £20 for it and it would yeald a very useful chassis if I couldn't do anything with the bodywork. So I decided to keep it, and try something a bit different!

A rummage through my "bits" box produced two "Alco"C628 bodys and upon measuring the cabs I found that they were exactly the same width as the GP38 cab, although they were slightly shorter and ever so slightly lower, this is more obvious because the C628 cab roof is curved where as the GP38 cab roof is made of angled flat sections. All this can be seen in the photo's. The rest of the Gp38 cab was removed and the Alco cab was offered up I was really pleased with what I saw as the cab fit very well onto the GP's frames and the top of the curved roof is level with the top of the GP's engine room bodywork. Only the extreme edges of the bodywork stand proud of the cab roof as it drops away due to the curve of the roof line. While this sort of thing would never happen in the UK, modifications and alterations of this nature are commonplace in the US, particularly on the "Short line" railroads where money is tight and you use what you have got to keep the job running. The loco still has some way to go yet and will eventually be re-sprayed into "Penn Central" livery, which is one of the main railroad companys that we run here. I will update this topic as the project moves along. I hope this is of some interest. Nige.Just a little update since I wrote the article. All the bodywork is now complete and all filling and sanding done, decals have been removed and paint will be stripped tomorrow. Primer should be applied by Wednesday(all being well!). :)

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Nice work! I like the look of the US loco units but I think for financial reasons I'd better stick with UK outline.

How do models of US based loco's compare with the detail seen on current UK model loco's? Are the models in the above photos to HO scale?

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Hi Mick, I started to model the U.S scene way back in the mid 1980's so cast your mind back to what Britsh models were available then, we had Hornby, Mainline had just made an appearance, Airfix had brought out a class 31 and so on. We all thought this was wonderful didn't we? Well I bought my first two U.S. loco's about this time from "Sharps" in Sheffield they were both from "Athearn" (which is to America what Hornby was to the UK) one was a GP 9 which is similar to a class 20 and the other was an F 7 which is the typical bull nosed american loco that we are all familiar with. They were both under £20 each which even in those days was very cheap for new loco's and I was blown away with the amount of detail that they had. Seprate wire handrails, excellent paintwork and decals, both had all wheel pick-ups and all wheel drive plus five pole can motors fitted with twin flywheels driving through seperate gearboxes. None of this power bogie at one end with a three pole pancake motor and a totally useless dummy set of wheels at the other. I still have both these loco's I run them regularly and the are still more than acceptable in detail and performance. Remember though that "Athearn" are at the low end of the market!(pocket money trains) If you look at Kato, "Stewart Hobbies" and "Broadway Limited" I don't think British models will ever get to this standard. It's taken the best part of 30 years to get as good as Athearn was back in the day.

Also don't forget they had DCC 25yr ago! we're so behind the times here! Oh and Yes they are "HO". so the track gauge is correct ha ha ! Nige.

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Hi Ian, your UP loco, it looks like an SD9 am I right? And yes, I'm not surprised to hear it runs better than British stuff, but if it didn't run at all it would still be better than the British offerings !!! :D

Hi Traingeekboy? (come on what's your first name? can't keep calling you "Traingeekboy"!) As to the paint job on my little project loco its a toss-up really between Santa Fe as it is at the moment (obviously it will need completely stripping first) I have checked and I have a full set of decals for that. Or Penn Central which is a company that we model as well. It is easier to go for the PC as its just black as you say but that is not the reason I am considering it. We only have three or four Geep's in PC livery and could really do with a few more, as we use them for switching in the yards and yard transfer jobs as well as double heading on mainline work. Whereas Santa Fe loco's are usually just passing through on various trains. I have a GP9 that has just been converted from a dummy, and fitted with a new motor and gearboxes, it has already been painted PC black and is just waiting for decals. And also a GP18 but that is a long term project, so with this one that will be three more which would be about enough. :) Nige.

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traingeekboy said:

Ian imagine four of em pulling a 150 car coal drag. ;)

Wish I hade the space to do that, would look impressive. Have managed 60 box cars behind my UP Big Boy though. That was only because we run out of rolling stock. It was wanting to pull more.

Did do a test with British MK1 coaches and the Big Boy managed 42 coachs from a standing start without wheel spin.

Ian

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Hi Ian,thanks for your understanding, you're quite right though family does come first. Anyhow despite everything I have managed to get the colour on the loco, I decided to go for "Penn Central" in the end. Its a very easy livery (all black except for the verticle parts of the handrails which are yellow) and as such it didn't take much doing. I must say I am pleased with the results. With a bit of luck I will get the decals on soon and then I will post some more pictures. Nige.

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Hi everyone, well it's finished at last. I must say I am pleased with the results it looks quite good, certainly much better than when I first got it. :D I have taken a few pictures but to be honest they have not turned out very well, so I will try to get some more tomorrow outside in natural light (If it ever stops raining!!) I have uploaded a few of the better ones that I have just taken in my workshop. The light is all wrong, its ok for working but not photography

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Ok, so here are a few more photo's of the GP38 I have taken these outside seeing as its actually stopped raining for ten mins :!: I think it's turned out pretty well, but then i would wouldn't I :lol::lol: I hope this little project has been of some interest to you all. I have enjoyed doing it and putting it on here, thanks for your comments and encouragement. Nige. Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year to everyone :D

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