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Post by fr8kar on Jul 22, 2015 9:58:21 GMT -8
I'm pretty sure there isn't an HO scale U28CG available, with the possible exception of brass. So does anyone have any ideas how to make one using the Atlas drive?
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Post by Spikre on Jul 22, 2015 10:06:45 GMT -8
 RC, use one of the Proto radiator sections that looks closest on an Atlas U30C PHS-1 body. then ad correct sideframes from Atlas,and details needed,will this be a passenger Red unit,or a freight Blue Unit ? pics seen here show GSC trucks under the Red just delivered units. Good Luck,and post Pics !! Spikre 
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Post by The Ferro Kid on Jul 22, 2015 10:17:51 GMT -8
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Post by Spikre on Jul 22, 2015 10:34:54 GMT -8
 RC, if memory is correct,the U28CG is the same 67'3" length of most other late phase C-Boats. so don't get side tracked by the length. all late C-boats had the extra space for the S/Gs behind the cab and before the long hood front air intakes. this was similar to the C628 having the S/G space behind the cab in the long hood. EMD was odd by putting the S/Gennys at the rear of the long hood on the SDP35/40/45s,and GP40P/P-2s. some EMDs of that era had S/Gs in the short hood area. but those are bashes for another day. Spikre
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 22, 2015 10:56:33 GMT -8
Thanks for the info. Sounds like the hard part is going to be getting hold of a Proto U28B shell.
Spikre, if I ever get going on this project, and that's a big if since it's way out my era, it would be set up for passenger service in red ans silver.
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Post by Spikre on Jul 22, 2015 13:21:59 GMT -8
 RC, don't forget the divided Fuel Tank. interestingly got in a number of U28CG and U30CG pics from a friend in Georgia earlier today,but just looked them over a little while ago. but maybe You should consider one red,one blue bonnet U28CG ? the internet does strange things at times ! Spikre
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 22, 2015 13:52:30 GMT -8
Is the fuel tank the same as the U30CG tank?
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Post by eh49 on Jul 22, 2015 14:24:44 GMT -8
If anyone would use modular tooling and do the big C Boats I bet we would see a U28CG. Of course, a U30CG Cowl unit would also be nice also. Are you listening ScaleTrains?
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Post by atsfan on Jul 22, 2015 19:41:29 GMT -8
If anyone would use modular tooling and do the big C Boats I bet we would see a U28CG. Of course, a U30CG Cowl unit would also be nice also. Are you listening ScaleTrains? Hopefully what they are hearing is SD40-2. 100x the sales of a U28CG. |
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 22, 2015 20:48:31 GMT -8
If anyone would use modular tooling and do the big C Boats I bet we would see a U28CG. Of course, a U30CG Cowl unit would also be nice also. Are you listening ScaleTrains? Hopefully what they are hearing is SD40-2. 100x the sales of a U28CG. Look, we get it. You want an SD40-2. I want one, too. But you are trolling the wrong thread. |
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Post by atsfan on Jul 23, 2015 2:43:57 GMT -8
Hopefully what they are hearing is SD40-2. 100x the sales of a U28CG. Look, we get it. You want an SD40-2. I want one, too. But you are trolling the wrong thread. Amazing now anyone saying something anyone does not like is trolling. Thus, so are you. The fact is it is very relevant to say that the odds of a manufacturer like Scale Trains is going to make this very niche engine out of the gate are extremely long. If you think otherwise wait by the inbox for the announcement. |
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Jul 23, 2015 5:55:44 GMT -8
Look, we get it. You want an SD40-2. I want one, too. But you are trolling the wrong thread. Amazing now anyone saying something anyone does not like is trolling. Thus, so are you. The fact is it is very relevant to say that the odds of a manufacturer like Scale Trains is going to make this very niche engine out of the gate are extremely long. If you think otherwise wait by the inbox for the announcement. Actually doing a U28CG, should a company do a U28C is not out of the question with today's modular tooling. A U28CG is no harder to pull off with a U28C, than a high nose SD40-2. When GE built the U-Series they planned for the addition of a steam generator on the six axle C's. On the Santa Fe U28CG's the section behind the cab and before the engine room is the only thing slightly different from a standard U28C. The three spotting features are the box on the roof, some louvers and the intake screen. If Athearn can do chop nose GP9's and Topeka cabs making the section between the engine room and the cab a separate casting should be well within the abilities of current technology. Think the construction of a Highliners shell. The U28CG would yield about as many paint schemes and numbers as the FP45 and Athearn made a lot of Genesis FP45 models. |
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Jul 23, 2015 6:18:22 GMT -8
Ryan, in the 1980's, Model Railroader ran an article on turning an Athearn U28C into a U28CG. I still remember that it was pretty simple.
I'd start with an Atlas U30C. You'll need a second U30C sill for extra equipment boxes on the fireman's side. The U28CG had nine compartments and the Atlas model has six. You'll also need to bend your own hand rails. The long hood fireman's side handrail is different on the U28CG from the U30C.
Now you'll also need a Proto U28B shell. The venting by the engine room is represented as three separate screens. On the U28CG it is one solid screen so you'll need to make a new screen. The U28CG has extra louvers on the equipment boxes on the engineer's side. Archer louver decals will be needed. The square steam generator box on the roof will need to be scratch built. There are two small louver sets on the side of the hood under the steam generator box. Archer louver decals are your friend.
As far as the fuel/water tank. There are two fills instead of one. The water side has washout plugs on the side of the tank should you want to get fine. John Tyson did the same plugs on his Rock Island E8 build earlier this year.
It is a doable build. So which scheme?
As built in the 350 series red and silver warbonnet with black trucks and tank
350 series red and silver warbonnet with silver trucks and tank
7900 series with red and silver warbonnet with silver trucks and tank
7900 series in blue pinstripe
7900 series in yellow warbonnet with silver trucks
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 23, 2015 6:25:37 GMT -8
Look, we get it. You want an SD40-2. I want one, too. But you are trolling the wrong thread. Amazing now anyone saying something anyone does not like is trolling. Thus, so are you. The fact is it is very relevant to say that the odds of a manufacturer like Scale Trains is going to make this very niche engine out of the gate are extremely long. If you think otherwise wait by the inbox for the announcement. This thread is about how to make my own U28CG, not how to sit by and wait for a manufacturer to do it for me. If you have learned anything about how I approach model railroading in the 15+ years I've been on the old Atlas forum and now this one, you know I'm not in the business of waiting around. Insinuating yourself into any and every random thread to discuss your pet concern/project is the very definition of trolling. I'm with you on the point that yes, a nice SD40-2 would be great, but it is a needless distraction in this thread. |
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 23, 2015 6:37:55 GMT -8
Ryan, in the 1980's, Model Railroader ran an article on turning an Athearn U28C into a U28CG. I still remember that it was pretty simple. I'd start with an Atlas U30C. You'll need a second U30C sill for extra equipment boxes on the fireman's side. The U28CG had nine compartments and the Atlas model has six. You'll also need to bend your own hand rails. The long hood fireman's side handrail is different on the U28CG from the U30C. Now you'll also need a Proto U28B shell. The venting by the engine room is represented as three separate screens. On the U28CG it is one solid screen so you'll need to make a new screen. The U28CG has extra louvers on the equipment boxes on the engineer's side. Archer louver decals will be needed. The square steam generator box on the roof will need to be scratch built. There are two small louver sets on the side of the hood under the steam generator box. Archer louver decals are your friend. As far as the fuel/water tank. There are two fills instead of one. The water side has washout plugs on the side of the tank should you want to get fine. John Tyson did the same plugs on his Rock Island E8 build earlier this year. It is a doable build. So which scheme? As built in the 350 series red and silver warbonnet with black trucks and tank 350 series red and silver warbonnet with silver trucks and tank 7900 series with red and silver warbonnet with silver trucks and tank 7900 series in blue pinstripe 7900 series in yellow warbonnet with silver trucks The 350 series with silver trucks is the version I am interested in. When you point out the engine room venting and the need for a new screen, am I correct in thinking it's a square mesh screen, like on the early U30C? Roof shots are hard to come by. Any details I need to look out for on the roof, especially the steam generator box? Another way to ask this is: are there any differences between steam generator boxes from the U28CG to the U30CG? Thanks for the help. Learning that these engines were used between Oklahoma City, Fort Worth and Temple - the territory I run for BNSF - has sparked my interest in them. |
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Post by The Ferro Kid on Jul 23, 2015 7:24:36 GMT -8
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Jul 23, 2015 8:11:55 GMT -8
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Post by GP40P-2 on Jul 23, 2015 8:28:04 GMT -8
Great thread laying out the details on how to do one of these. At one time I would have really wanted to build one of these, but forced downsizing will have me watching this with interest from the sidelines. Nice detail shots of the steam genny side Jim. I think Ryan and Jim should each build one!
If I give up on a silly idea of doing a Rock Island U28B, then I may have a undec P2K U28B shell available (somehow got it when I really need an early U30B version).
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 23, 2015 9:58:04 GMT -8
The photos are very helpful. Thanks!
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Post by mlehman on Jul 24, 2015 11:32:37 GMT -8
Never felt I needed one, as I'm not a Santa Fe modeler, but this was a very cool passenger loco in its subtle differences from other GEs. While I like my F units -- and that's pretty much it, only relatively few occasions when a GP-40 stepped in with a heater car on the Rio Grande -- I've always like the look of hood units with steam generators. Too bad GE had room to stash the air tanks below deck, otherwise we could've ended up with "torpedo"-equipped U-boats?!?  Kinda cool that between Ferro's link and Jim's pics we have images of 351, 357, and 359 all in the same spot in Chicago, then 357 miles away in Texas. It was a small group, but got around. Thanks for the pics. |
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Post by SCL618 on Jul 25, 2015 7:22:15 GMT -8
The photos are very helpful. Thanks! Ryan, Atlas makes two different U30C sills, a Phase 2 with 8 battery boxes and a Phase 3 with 6 battery boxes. I looked over some prototype photos and saw most of the U28CG's have a Phase 2 sill configuration with 8 battery boxes and the additional handrails on the fireman's side. The engineer's side also appears to match save for the addition of large louvers. The smaller battery vent louvers on the fireman's side may require you cut some of the Archer switcher lovers into thirds and apply them towards the front step wells. I checked Atlas' site and couldn't find any of the U30C part numbers needed, nor any of the exploded parts diagrams. The best thing to do is look for any of the following roadnames at this point: CB&Q, C&O, Chessie, C&NW, D&H, MP, SOO, and SP Atlas Phase II U30CsATSF 357 engineer's sideU28CG fireman's side |
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Post by The Ferro Kid on Jul 25, 2015 9:19:30 GMT -8
Rivarossi having announced a Phase I GE U28C, if those early U-Boats continue to sell at an acceptable level, seems a natural progression might be all the U28C variants. Of course, there's Murphy's Law that commercial models quickly follow modelers bashing their own. Not sure what the critical mass may be in terms of how many have to be working on their own, but Murphy knows...
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Post by Spikre on Jul 25, 2015 9:35:27 GMT -8
?? makes one wonder if the K-M 4000C Cab unit will follow the early GE C Boats ? that would be reverse of how Rivarossi did things in the 60s. but overall the GEs will sell better than the K-Ms. time will tell. Spikre |
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 25, 2015 11:23:50 GMT -8
The photos are very helpful. Thanks! Ryan, Atlas makes two different U30C sills, a Phase 2 with 8 battery boxes and a Phase 3 with 6 battery boxes. I looked over some prototype photos and saw most of the U28CG's have a Phase 2 sill configuration with 8 battery boxes and the additional handrails on the fireman's side. The engineer's side also appears to match save for the addition of large louvers. The smaller battery vent louvers on the fireman's side may require you cut some of the Archer switcher lovers into thirds and apply them towards the front step wells. I checked Atlas' site and couldn't find any of the U30C part numbers needed, nor any of the exploded parts diagrams. The best thing to do is look for any of the following roadnames at this point: CB&Q, C&O, Chessie, C&NW, D&H, MP, SOO, and SP Atlas Phase II U30CsATSF 357 engineer's sideU28CG fireman's sideThanks for the heads-up. I have one of those MP U30Cs. I'll have to get it out and take a closer look at it. |
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Post by theengineshed on Jul 25, 2015 11:54:47 GMT -8
?? makes one wonder if the K-M 4000C Cab unit will follow the early GE C Boats ? that would be reverse of how Rivarossi did things in the 60s. but overall the GEs will sell better than the K-Ms. time will tell. This talk of K-Ms has set my heart a flutter...  |
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Post by Donnell Wells on Jul 25, 2015 14:14:08 GMT -8
I'm pretty sure there isn't an HO scale U28CG available, with the possible exception of brass. So does anyone have any ideas how to make one using the Atlas drive?
Hi Ryan,
I have a U28CG in the queue, however, mine will be built using Athearn blue box components, i.e. shell and drive. My goal is to try an use as much of the original model as possible, and then enhance the model from there. This will likely include a plethora of scratch-built parts, custom etchings, and after-market detail parts, a can motor, code 88 wheels, scale couplers (this may be the opportunity to make the switch to Sergent couplers). Lastly, will add custom-bent handrails. I will narrow and modify the shape of the stock Athearn GE nose, but the hood will remain "fat". The extra width hood is not as prominent or noticeable on the older Athearn GEs as it is on the EMDs, at least to me.
I purchased a bunch of Igarashi can motors from a seller on eBay some time ago and had some custom flywheels made with hex openings to accept Athearn hex dogbone drive shafts. I will probably have to design a motor mount to fit them onto the Athearn frame similar to what Brian Banana did here: www.6axlepwr.com/MOTOR_MOUNT_MADNESS.html
Donnell
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Post by fr8kar on Jul 25, 2015 18:37:06 GMT -8
Donnell, if you want to make a motor mount like Brian's, you could easily 3D print it. Since you wouldn't be concerned about detail, you could print it in an inexpensive material.
I admire how you set challenges for yourself to build high quality models using the original Athearn tooling. In many ways the old tooling holds up. While it's not on the same level as your efforts, I tried to build a model that would look at home with my Tangent models using the Athearn PS4740. It turned out pretty good, but the error in the size of the hopper bays is a little distracting.
For a project like this U28CG, I want to get as much right as possible. The Atlas line of U-boats seems like the easiest way to arrive at an accurate, good-running model with the least amount of effort. Obviously, some things aren't going to be easy, but compared to the task you are setting before yourself, it's a walk in the park.
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Post by Great-Northern-Willmar Div on Jul 25, 2015 19:20:25 GMT -8
Donnell, if you want to make a motor mount like Brian's, you could easily 3D print it. Since you wouldn't be concerned about detail, you could print it in an inexpensive material. I admire how you set challenges for yourself to build high quality models using the original Athearn tooling. In many ways the old tooling holds up. While it's not on the same level as your efforts, I tried to build a model that would look at home with my Tangent models using the Athearn PS4740. It turned out pretty good, but the error in the size of the hopper bays is a little distracting. For a project like this U28CG, I want to get as much right as possible. The Atlas line of U-boats seems like the easiest way to arrive at an accurate, good-running model with the least amount of effort. Obviously, some things aren't going to be easy, but compared to the task you are setting before yourself, it's a walk in the park. You mean like doing this to a blue box Athearn DD40?   |
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Post by Donnell Wells on Jul 26, 2015 6:36:26 GMT -8
Donnell, if you want to make a motor mount like Brian's, you could easily 3D print it. Since you wouldn't be concerned about detail, you could print it in an inexpensive material. I admire how you set challenges for yourself to build high quality models using the original Athearn tooling. In many ways the old tooling holds up. While it's not on the same level as your efforts, I tried to build a model that would look at home with my Tangent models using the Athearn PS4740. It turned out pretty good, but the error in the size of the hopper bays is a little distracting. For a project like this U28CG, I want to get as much right as possible. The Atlas line of U-boats seems like the easiest way to arrive at an accurate, good-running model with the least amount of effort. Obviously, some things aren't going to be easy, but compared to the task you are setting before yourself, it's a walk in the park.
Hi Ryan,
I hadn't thought about 3D printing, but now that you mentioned it, it may be something to consider. I will agree that Atlas will likely give you the best results using their shells and drive, and the Athearn PS4740 is wider and shorter in height compared to the Tangent car. If you do use them together, it would probably be better to separate them by at least one car.
However, getting back to the U28CG, I don't even have a train to pull yet, but this particular locomotive is so unique, I had to have one. Now after seeing the above pictures, it seems that I am going to need at least two units! (Man...I need to hurry up and finish my workshop!)
Donnell |
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Post by roadkill on Jul 26, 2015 6:39:33 GMT -8
Donnell, if you want to make a motor mount like Brian's, you could easily 3D print it. Since you wouldn't be concerned about detail, you could print it in an inexpensive material. I admire how you set challenges for yourself to build high quality models using the original Athearn tooling. In many ways the old tooling holds up. While it's not on the same level as your efforts, I tried to build a model that would look at home with my Tangent models using the Athearn PS4740. It turned out pretty good, but the error in the size of the hopper bays is a little distracting. For a project like this U28CG, I want to get as much right as possible. The Atlas line of U-boats seems like the easiest way to arrive at an accurate, good-running model with the least amount of effort. Obviously, some things aren't going to be easy, but compared to the task you are setting before yourself, it's a walk in the park. You mean like doing this to a blue box Athearn DD40? Stop toying with us!!! We want to see progress on that beast!!! |
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