ATSF GP40 1347 is finished.
Feb 24, 2021 16:35:35 GMT -8
kentuckysouthernrwy, rmcroadster, and 4 more like this
Post by fishbelly on Feb 24, 2021 16:35:35 GMT -8
I finally finished my Nostalgia ATSF GP40.
The electronics setup for my Atlas/ Roco GP40 project. All the electronics are sitting on my all in one speaker/DCC-sound/Power Pack board. This is then glued to the top of the motor using silicon sealer. Everything else is stock Atlas/ Roco. The trucks had been completely disassembled and cleaned thoroughly. When reassembled, all the gears were lightly oiled.
Here I have connected all the wires from the head light and rear light to the DCC board.
In this photo you can see the additional weight I added inside the cab. Also you you can see the new system I designed for mounting the shell to the frame that includes an all new draft gear box. If you would look just in front of the brass blocks, You will see the mounting hole for the screws to go through the frame and thread into a nut that is located in this mounting hole.
The finished model. Let me go over what was done to it.
1. Trucks are pretty much stock. To all the side frames I added the brake line plumbing between the brake cylinders. I then added a speed recorder to the front left journal.
2. The frame was modified to accept my my draft gear box system that allows me to mount the shell to the frame.
3. For the fuel tank. The first thing I did was to polish the tank smooth. I then cut 0.060" off each end of the tank to square it up. After that I added back the 0.060" with some same thickness sheet styrene. Then I cut the screw driver slot to 1/4" wide and filled it with 1/4" wide styrene. After al the glue had dried with the styrene, I contoured all the plastic to the shape of the tank and filled any seams. Next I cut a hole in the tank to mount a fuel gauge and I added a fuel filler.
4. Pilot plates got the full treatment. I had to since I created a new draft gear box. A new buffer plate was added as well as all the MU hose and brackets and coupler lift bars. Lastly the plow was installed after painting and assembly.
5. I used a set of Kato GP35 hand rail and stanchions. I had to add an additional stanchion just before the last on on the long hood. I filled the hand rail in with a piece of brass wire matching the diameter of the Kato hand rail pipe. In doing this, all the holes had to be filled on the shell and new ones located and drilled.
6. Fitting the Kato hand rail set required me to lengthen the blower duct just a little. This was actually good since it was just a tad short anyway. It also squared it off on the end as it should be. I also designed a set of photoetch tread plate. I felt the model needed just a little more to help it along and the tread plate does that well.
I did not approach this model to be super detailed. Just enough work to help it along. That means I did not replace the cab or the battery boxes. The shell is mostly stock except for the roof.
I forgot to add at the beginning of the first slide. Prior to any work being done to the model, I cleaned up all the mold parting lines.
7. On the shell, I removed all the cast on grab irons. I designed a new tool that would allow me to relocate them and make sure all the holes were in alignment with each other. Since the model does not have a grab iron on the top or side of the nose. The tool has the location for them as well. New grab irons were made with Tichy bronze wire. The NBW detail is from P-B-L (https://www.p-b-l.com/). Part number is 1-PBL-111.
8. On the nose, I filled in the nose light notch. I did this by drilling out the existing nose light, Squaring up the cuts and the filling it with a piece I cut from a Cannon & Co. nose.
9. The cab windows were a real sore point on this model. Well most of the model is a real sore point, but the windows were just pathetic. I designed new ones and had them laser cut. They fit really tight and I do not have to glue them in. On the cab roof I filled the horn holes and located a new hole for a new horn.
10. The cab roof got the complete Cannon & Co. treatment. From the inertial blower hatch to the last radiator fan. I also trimmed off the fan hatch and used an etched Plano hatch. The Plano hatch has the correct profile where as the model does not and does not leave room for a sand hatch. Both the front end and rear received a new Cannon & Co sand hatch. Other items are Plano etched lift rings and a DA can antenna.
11. At the back end, I filled in the number boards. I used the models number boards and then I filled in around it with a mixture of dental acrylic power and CA. This mixture hardens really good. Once dry I can trim, slice and sand it.
12. The class light molded on lenses were trimmed off and holes drilled for new ones. I was going to light them, but then got lazy and said forget bout that.
13. With all the work done on the model, it was time to paint it. It first received a coat of white primer paint. Then a coat of yellow. I masked the yellow and then shot the blue. All teh paint on this model is by Tru-Color. The pilot plates, frame, trucks and fuel tank are black.
14. Things I overlooked. Mu hoses are from Kato. I used I Humbrol Metal Kote for the metal parts. It is a polishable paint. Couplers are from Kadee. The coupler lift bar is bent wire and my own bracket design. Plows and ground lights are from DW as well as the horn. Underframe bell, windshield wipers and rear fan grab are from DA. Jack pads are from my stash of Railflyer parts. Blower duct step light is from my own photo etch design. Decals are from Microscale except the class light gsket which is from my own design printed by Highball Graphics.
With all the extra electronics and brass weight added. this model weighs in at 16.0 oz.
The electronics setup for my Atlas/ Roco GP40 project. All the electronics are sitting on my all in one speaker/DCC-sound/Power Pack board. This is then glued to the top of the motor using silicon sealer. Everything else is stock Atlas/ Roco. The trucks had been completely disassembled and cleaned thoroughly. When reassembled, all the gears were lightly oiled.
Here I have connected all the wires from the head light and rear light to the DCC board.
In this photo you can see the additional weight I added inside the cab. Also you you can see the new system I designed for mounting the shell to the frame that includes an all new draft gear box. If you would look just in front of the brass blocks, You will see the mounting hole for the screws to go through the frame and thread into a nut that is located in this mounting hole.
The finished model. Let me go over what was done to it.
1. Trucks are pretty much stock. To all the side frames I added the brake line plumbing between the brake cylinders. I then added a speed recorder to the front left journal.
2. The frame was modified to accept my my draft gear box system that allows me to mount the shell to the frame.
3. For the fuel tank. The first thing I did was to polish the tank smooth. I then cut 0.060" off each end of the tank to square it up. After that I added back the 0.060" with some same thickness sheet styrene. Then I cut the screw driver slot to 1/4" wide and filled it with 1/4" wide styrene. After al the glue had dried with the styrene, I contoured all the plastic to the shape of the tank and filled any seams. Next I cut a hole in the tank to mount a fuel gauge and I added a fuel filler.
4. Pilot plates got the full treatment. I had to since I created a new draft gear box. A new buffer plate was added as well as all the MU hose and brackets and coupler lift bars. Lastly the plow was installed after painting and assembly.
5. I used a set of Kato GP35 hand rail and stanchions. I had to add an additional stanchion just before the last on on the long hood. I filled the hand rail in with a piece of brass wire matching the diameter of the Kato hand rail pipe. In doing this, all the holes had to be filled on the shell and new ones located and drilled.
6. Fitting the Kato hand rail set required me to lengthen the blower duct just a little. This was actually good since it was just a tad short anyway. It also squared it off on the end as it should be. I also designed a set of photoetch tread plate. I felt the model needed just a little more to help it along and the tread plate does that well.
I did not approach this model to be super detailed. Just enough work to help it along. That means I did not replace the cab or the battery boxes. The shell is mostly stock except for the roof.
I forgot to add at the beginning of the first slide. Prior to any work being done to the model, I cleaned up all the mold parting lines.
7. On the shell, I removed all the cast on grab irons. I designed a new tool that would allow me to relocate them and make sure all the holes were in alignment with each other. Since the model does not have a grab iron on the top or side of the nose. The tool has the location for them as well. New grab irons were made with Tichy bronze wire. The NBW detail is from P-B-L (https://www.p-b-l.com/). Part number is 1-PBL-111.
8. On the nose, I filled in the nose light notch. I did this by drilling out the existing nose light, Squaring up the cuts and the filling it with a piece I cut from a Cannon & Co. nose.
9. The cab windows were a real sore point on this model. Well most of the model is a real sore point, but the windows were just pathetic. I designed new ones and had them laser cut. They fit really tight and I do not have to glue them in. On the cab roof I filled the horn holes and located a new hole for a new horn.
10. The cab roof got the complete Cannon & Co. treatment. From the inertial blower hatch to the last radiator fan. I also trimmed off the fan hatch and used an etched Plano hatch. The Plano hatch has the correct profile where as the model does not and does not leave room for a sand hatch. Both the front end and rear received a new Cannon & Co sand hatch. Other items are Plano etched lift rings and a DA can antenna.
11. At the back end, I filled in the number boards. I used the models number boards and then I filled in around it with a mixture of dental acrylic power and CA. This mixture hardens really good. Once dry I can trim, slice and sand it.
12. The class light molded on lenses were trimmed off and holes drilled for new ones. I was going to light them, but then got lazy and said forget bout that.
13. With all the work done on the model, it was time to paint it. It first received a coat of white primer paint. Then a coat of yellow. I masked the yellow and then shot the blue. All teh paint on this model is by Tru-Color. The pilot plates, frame, trucks and fuel tank are black.
14. Things I overlooked. Mu hoses are from Kato. I used I Humbrol Metal Kote for the metal parts. It is a polishable paint. Couplers are from Kadee. The coupler lift bar is bent wire and my own bracket design. Plows and ground lights are from DW as well as the horn. Underframe bell, windshield wipers and rear fan grab are from DA. Jack pads are from my stash of Railflyer parts. Blower duct step light is from my own photo etch design. Decals are from Microscale except the class light gsket which is from my own design printed by Highball Graphics.
With all the extra electronics and brass weight added. this model weighs in at 16.0 oz.
. Glad you didn't get carried away with details or stuff.... 
