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Post by TBird1958 on Sept 4, 2016 8:36:07 GMT -8
Happy Labor day weekend guys! Here are a couple of Atlas GP-7s that I've rebuilt the handrails on after both had suffered accidents (I've never, ever seen the handrails for China production units available as parts anywhere), and were out of service. I found some Brass Kemtron sets on ebay and after a little clean up primed them with Scalecoat silver then shot the lower portion with TCP D&RGW Aspen Gold, then using a Post It note as a mask I shot some black to finish them. A simple wooden jig held them in place so I had all the paint work done in under a half hour. The new handrails are bent from Tichy .015 Phosphor Bronze. On the D&RGW most of the GP-7s were off the roster by 1972, with many going to the Rock Island as part of a three way trade with EMD for GP40-2 credit. Thanks for looking, Mark One unit was repainted into the new image large lettering - 5103, here it's paired with 5101 leading a short local in the late afternoon sun.  5101, in much more typical colors, the simple "switcher scheme".  |
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Post by tankcarsrule on Sept 4, 2016 9:33:15 GMT -8
I love the big radiator!  |
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Post by SOMECALLMETIM on Sept 4, 2016 9:34:21 GMT -8
I'm at school for 4 months so I took along a few projects to work on to include this Central Valley bridge kit. I'm modifying it to closer match with a Missouri Pacific prototype used on my branch line working off of the following Joe Underwood photo of a similar Mopac bridge. The fun part will be modeling the eyebars which no one makes. I'm thinking finding someone who has a laser cutter to cut the eyebars out of .015 styrene. Anyone know of anyone who has a laser cutter who could cut these for me? I still need the measurements of the eyebars.   |
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Post by riogrande on Sept 4, 2016 9:56:17 GMT -8
Nice looking geeps Mark. I believe it was GP7 #5108 which lasted into the 1980's so that would be a good candidate for a long lived geep. I don't think Atlas's GP7 is correct for the latter phase GP7's IIRC. But Athearn Genesis could step up to the plate; I don't think they've run switcher scheme D&RGW GP7's yet.
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Post by tony45324 on Sept 4, 2016 11:05:15 GMT -8
I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far ! Here are a couple test pics I took under new layout lighting.   |
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Post by captainmudflap (AL) on Sept 4, 2016 13:02:49 GMT -8
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Post by nebrzephyr on Sept 5, 2016 5:54:31 GMT -8
Mark...nice job on the handrails. Atlas at one time offered the "new, improved" handrails as parts for the GP7. I ordered a couple sets for some older Atlas GP7's I have. BUT, I think your hand formed ones look much better.
Bob
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Post by mrsocal on Sept 5, 2016 6:25:20 GMT -8
Hi everyone, I haven't posted anything in a while. Here is one of my current builds, IM 4750.  |
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Post by SD90 on Sept 5, 2016 19:14:50 GMT -8
Very nice weathering job Scotty!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2016 5:05:44 GMT -8
Happy Labor day weekend guys! Here are a couple of Atlas GP-7s that I've rebuilt the handrails on after both had suffered accidents (I've never, ever seen the handrails for China production units available as parts anywhere), and were out of service. I found some Brass Kemtron sets on ebay and after a little clean up primed them with Scalecoat silver then shot the lower portion with TCP D&RGW Aspen Gold, then using a Post It note as a mask I shot some black to finish them. A simple wooden jig held them in place so I had all the paint work done in under a half hour. The new handrails are bent from Tichy .015 Phosphor Bronze. On the D&RGW most of the GP-7s were off the roster by 1972, with many going to the Rock Island as part of a three way trade with EMD for GP40-2 credit. Thanks for looking, Mark One unit was repainted into the new image large lettering - 5103, here it's paired with 5101 leading a short local in the late afternoon sun. 5101, in much more typical colors, the simple "switcher scheme". Nice looking set Mark. I like these Atlas GP7's. They can be built into some rather fine looking models. Parts for these are VERY hard to find. Hopefully when Atlas reruns them, they will also stock parts. I have some Kato/Atlas ones that I am working on now and would really like the upgraded truck side frame sets. Brian |
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Post by TBird1958 on Sept 6, 2016 8:25:39 GMT -8
Thank you Brian,
It'll be interesting to see the re issue of these, the shell itself seems pretty nice, the chassis casting is the weak part. For all the good running qualities and weight the detail isn't great and it's a lot of work to modify them - i.e. the fuel tank on the Rio Grande ones, it should be much smaller.
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Post by Chet on Sept 6, 2016 8:45:16 GMT -8
Here are a couple of photos of one of the towns, Logan, at one end of my point to point layout.   |
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Post by Spikre on Sept 6, 2016 8:58:21 GMT -8
?? BGB, have You tried the sideframes from Stewart/Bowser F units ? they are the same gearbox and plug rite in. have used them on the powered Atlas GP7s here. and use the Atlas sideframes on a few dummy GP7s built up from parts here. Great Pics this Holiday !! Spikre  |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2016 9:10:20 GMT -8
Thank you Brian, It'll be interesting to see the re issue of these, the shell itself seems pretty nice, the chassis casting is the weak part. For all the good running qualities and weight the detail isn't great and it's a lot of work to modify them - i.e. the fuel tank on the Rio Grande ones, it should be much smaller. Yes, yes and yes! I am working on one right now. Almost ready for paint. I did put a 1200 gallon fuel tank under it. I look forward to the re-issue too. It appears Atlas is keeping the die cast frame, but they are removing all the cast on pilot plate details. Also they cut the fuel tank out and put in plastic fuel tank options of an 800 gallon and 1600 gallon tank. With what they did to it, they could just go ahead and also offer the 1200 gallon tank as well. That is OK though. I can add my own 1200 gallon tank parts. I may have to get a few of these new ones and then re-motor with Kato motors. The Atlas model using the Kato tooling is still a GREAT model to start with. For my roster, I need about 3 or 4 GP7's and was deciding between the P2K, Athearn or Atlas. I think I am going to go with Atlas. With the changes Atlas made, they are the best phase I GP7 to start with ( of course I HAVE to put the disclaimer "in my opinion") and again, I like the weight. Brian |
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Post by captainmudflap (AL) on Sept 6, 2016 11:33:32 GMT -8
Here are a couple of photos of one of the towns, Logan, at one end of my point to point layout. S-U-P-E-R-B setting/scenery! Well done, in all respects...Chet Regards, AL |
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Post by bdhicks on Sept 6, 2016 16:53:20 GMT -8
I haven't been doing a whole lot of modeling, but I have been building up my ore train so it's about the length I want, although it's not quite all unique numbers and I need to dig out the airbrush and try to get the loads to match as well as do some weathering so that the different colors of some of the runs of ore cars don't stand out so much.
Not having any prototypical place to run it, I decided to take a video at the most obviously non-prototypical location available to me. Keddie Wye is between Proctor and Duluth, right?
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Post by kentuckysouthernrwy on Sept 6, 2016 16:59:17 GMT -8
I haven't been doing a whole lot of modeling, but I have been building up my ore train so it's about the length I want, although it's not quite all unique numbers and I need to dig out the airbrush and try to get the loads to match as well as do some weathering so that the different colors of some of the runs of ore cars don't stand out so much. Not having any prototypical place to run it, I decided to take a video at the most obviously non-prototypical location available to me. Keddie Wye is between Proctor and Duluth, right? That's quite a train. |
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