Nearly four years in the making...............EL GP35
Nov 1, 2021 17:45:41 GMT -8
kentuckysouthernrwy, scl1234, and 9 more like this
Post by fishbelly on Nov 1, 2021 17:45:41 GMT -8
This model started as a Kato phase Ib. I started building this model about 4 years ago for a friend and I finally finished it today. I am sure he will be VERY happy to finally receive it this weekend at the Raleigh train show. I am going to surprise him and when he is away from his module, I will place it on there for when he returns. He does not even know I have a flickr page nor does he visit this forum so I am not worried about him seeing it now.
He wanted it as a runner and somewhat pretty basic out of the box sort of which means limited detail parts added. For instance, it is supposed to have sunshades, but he did not want those on there. They snap off very easily in a club running environment. He did not want to deal with parts breaking off. The trucks and fuel tank got detailed because those are robust parts and will not be damaged. Pilot plates are all Kato parts. I did move the coupler back a bit to a more prototypical distance off the pilot plate. Grab irons are from Tichy. Grab iron NBW's are from PBL. I had to replace all of them because I wanted them to match. All GP35's have straight grabs on the nose face and on the top of the nose and this requires a swap in position with where the grab iron is and the NBW is. Cab front and rear windows are from AMB. I did add DA windshield wiper sets. These are in a position where they will not ever get damaged. Lift rings are from Plano. I did offer to do the roof line in Cannon & Co. parts, but he declined do to the possibility of someone putting a finger through one of the fan grills. The Details West intake shields are not designed for a GP35 so I had to cut and splice a set to be shorter. This model is about as close to an out of the box model as I have ever built.
EL GP35 2562 Phase Ib2 by Brian Banna, on Flickr
EL GP35 2562 Phase Ib2 by Brian Banna, on Flickr
I took this photo to show the fan modification. The button on the top of the fans is to tall and rounded. It needs to be flattened out a bit. I put the shell in my mill and cut the button down to where the edge curves over the top. I then blended the edge into the curve again with a sanding stick. I then drilled a 0.010" diameter hole through the center of the pan.
This photo also shows the roof overlap joint. I had found photos of this unit in the era he models and it sported two different horns. At one time it had a three chime and then another a five chime. My friend chose the five chime.
He wanted it as a runner and somewhat pretty basic out of the box sort of which means limited detail parts added. For instance, it is supposed to have sunshades, but he did not want those on there. They snap off very easily in a club running environment. He did not want to deal with parts breaking off. The trucks and fuel tank got detailed because those are robust parts and will not be damaged. Pilot plates are all Kato parts. I did move the coupler back a bit to a more prototypical distance off the pilot plate. Grab irons are from Tichy. Grab iron NBW's are from PBL. I had to replace all of them because I wanted them to match. All GP35's have straight grabs on the nose face and on the top of the nose and this requires a swap in position with where the grab iron is and the NBW is. Cab front and rear windows are from AMB. I did add DA windshield wiper sets. These are in a position where they will not ever get damaged. Lift rings are from Plano. I did offer to do the roof line in Cannon & Co. parts, but he declined do to the possibility of someone putting a finger through one of the fan grills. The Details West intake shields are not designed for a GP35 so I had to cut and splice a set to be shorter. This model is about as close to an out of the box model as I have ever built.
EL GP35 2562 Phase Ib2 by Brian Banna, on FlickrEL GP35 2562 Phase Ib2 by Brian Banna, on FlickrI took this photo to show the fan modification. The button on the top of the fans is to tall and rounded. It needs to be flattened out a bit. I put the shell in my mill and cut the button down to where the edge curves over the top. I then blended the edge into the curve again with a sanding stick. I then drilled a 0.010" diameter hole through the center of the pan.
This photo also shows the roof overlap joint. I had found photos of this unit in the era he models and it sported two different horns. At one time it had a three chime and then another a five chime. My friend chose the five chime.
