7mm Poor man's Alamosa.
- Thread starter Scale7JB
- Start date
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Two different phases, the short cab pertains only three phases,
Phase :- Railroad, Units ordered
1a :- ATSF 35, CB&Q 30, D&RGW 13, KCS 10, RDG 20, SAL 1.
1b1 :- C&O 2, L&N 20, N&W 44, NYC 10, Phelps Dodge 1.
1c1 :- B&O 77, L&N 9.
All others had the extended cab on the LH side only.
There are dozens of other detail difference across the phases.....if your anorak rustles so.
Phase :- Railroad, Units ordered
1a :- ATSF 35, CB&Q 30, D&RGW 13, KCS 10, RDG 20, SAL 1.
1b1 :- C&O 2, L&N 20, N&W 44, NYC 10, Phelps Dodge 1.
1c1 :- B&O 77, L&N 9.
All others had the extended cab on the LH side only.
There are dozens of other detail difference across the phases.....if your anorak rustles so.
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
Yep, Lionel is a Phase 1, Williams is Phase 2 cab. Personally I must admit I was impressed with how good the Williams shell is; I'd never looked too closely before as most of the Williams stuff I've seen pictures of has looked like the toy end of 3-rail.
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
Just one is the 2nd man's side front handrail, seen in those photos. On both models it drops too close to the cab door, the bend should be closer to the stanchion, thus:-
Edit - note Alco trucks. They were taken off Soo Line's old FA1s that were traded in to EMD for these GP30s; refurbished & re-used, to save some money. The Soo was nothing if not frugal.....
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mickoo
Western Thunderer
Not strictly true, several Phase 1 batches have extended cabs, 1b2, 1c2, 1d, 1e, a total of 477 units in phase 1 with extended cabs, about 60% of Phase 1 production.
Source The Stylish EMD GP30 | witherspublishing if you're really into GP30's
The handrail is, as you say, wrong for all variants.
Quite a few Railroads traded in old running gear on new units, there's a batch of GE's (CSX nee SBD, nee SCL) running around on Blombergs which look kind of neat. WP had a batch as well.
Jordan or Plymouth Mad
Mid-Western Thunderer
mickoo
Western Thunderer
With a yellow hood? No, afraid notYou haven't got a normal, plain blue anorak like the rest of us, have you Mick...
Some things I know a little more about than is generally considered healthy
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
I did a bit more of a thing.
That’s quite a bit of progress for just a few days at the moment. Body now at correct ride height, though I’ll swap out the nuts and washers for a properly made spacer at some point.
Might even get on and cut out another chassis for the other body..
JB.
That’s quite a bit of progress for just a few days at the moment. Body now at correct ride height, though I’ll swap out the nuts and washers for a properly made spacer at some point.
Might even get on and cut out another chassis for the other body..
JB.
Big Train James
Western Thunderer
Regarding the ride height, be aware that there are two different bolster versions for the P&D trucks, one for the F units and the other nominally for the Red Caboose gp9. They yield two different mounting heights as the frames for the two differ in design.
I believe the F unit bolster is taller, although it's been a while since I've visited the topic. I also believe the bolster should be marked for one or the other, but the same caveat applies.
Lastly, Right-O-Way does a conversion set for the P&D trucks to convert them to p48.
Jim
I believe the F unit bolster is taller, although it's been a while since I've visited the topic. I also believe the bolster should be marked for one or the other, but the same caveat applies.
Lastly, Right-O-Way does a conversion set for the P&D trucks to convert them to p48.
Jim
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
Spot on Jim!
These came off a pair of F units, so i have had to raise the heights of the mounts, no big deal, I’ll just make some spacers up relating to the height of one 8ba nut and 4 washers.
I did speak to Jay during the week about the P48 bolsters and wheels, and yes all sorted, thanks. Going to order a set when Richard next places an order, plus the wiper pickups and mounts that he and Sarah Griessenbock (spelling?) have produced as well.
JB.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Rustles GP30 anorak,Thanks for all the info chaps.
I’ve had a good look through images of RG GP30’s and looks like they had both cab varieties..
JB.
3001 - 3013 short cab
3014 - 3028 extended cab, but the radiator grills are mixed about in this batch, probably a detail too far that
Anorak stowed back in closet
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
Well, another year, and another O scale March Meet has been and gone.
Thoroughly enjoyable, non-stop, excitement at every turn weekend away with the chaps.
Particular thanks to Richard for getting me over there, Jim for his excellent value storage facilities and Stephen for being the Ochre Turtleneck's wingman.
I have the studio up at the moment on a hifi shoot, and whilst at a natural break thought best to get the larger purchases out to photograph whilst I could. Takes a good couple of hours to set it all up so take advantage.
I've snapped the three main purchases. Ironically the main event, a nicely weathered Precision Scale M-75 4-8-2 Mountain, is still sitting in Jim's basement as I only found it at the show 15 minutes before checkout time (the show is in the hotel's conference room), and the bags had been packed with the precision of a slide rule the night before. No chance of swapping stuff about unfortunately.
So first up, a D&RGW L-132, a model for which I have been hunting for a couple of years now. Pretty much the same tractive effort as a big boy (L-132 132,000lbs - BigBoy 135,000lbs). Normally I wouldn't have gone for something quite so big, but I'm very much into seeing this running on the same layout as the On3 Mikado's K36/37's etc which did happen at Dual gauge Alamosa. This loco was actually bought from a private seller at the beginning of the year, but Jim has kindly been looking after it for me and passed it to me at the show.
Unfortunately it took a pretty big whack during shipping resulting in quite considerable damage to the cab, and some to the front too. Not enough packaging and the cab over hang had bent at almost literally 90º down on itself. I was hoping I could get away with cutting the old roof off and affixing a new bit of shaped brass sheet but the cab sides have been pushed forwards into the running boards on the side of the boiler which has resulted in two large kinks in the cab side sheets. Not sure you'll ever get rid of those, so new cab it is.. This was always a project anyway as the model is nearly 60 years old, released in 1968! Amazing detail for its time, but surely deserves an upgrade in the 21st century - watch this space.
Next up, another model that has been eluding me for a while. Well that's not entirely true. There was one vendor in the states that has had one for sale for quite a few years, but at a very high price which I just couldn't warrant/afford.
This is the Rio Grande Prospecter Budd 2 car railcar. These ran the overnight service between Denver and Salt Lake City from 1941-1942. Why such a short time frame I hear you ask, well that's because they were rubbish in real life. Hopeless reliability and underpowered for rocky mountain railroading, often breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Berlyn Loco Works seem to have gone to town with the accuracy on this one as the model isnt great either. Looks like just the pickups need adjusting then we can give it a proper test.
Far too Early for my time frame, but far too beautiful a model to say no to, especially when Trainz.com had a sale which brought the price down to something far more stomachable.
Lastly an impulse purchase. I already have a powered version squirelled away in the storage unit, but I look forward to seeing this one and the powered version running together as a lash-up when I get the chance. At around £170 it was a no brainer this one. Good thing about the GP7/9's in the early days is that you could also pair them with anything including F/B units that were no longer required on the express passenger trains. Plenty of variation (and fun) to be had.
Just need some space now !
JB.
Thoroughly enjoyable, non-stop, excitement at every turn weekend away with the chaps.
Particular thanks to Richard for getting me over there, Jim for his excellent value storage facilities and Stephen for being the Ochre Turtleneck's wingman.
I have the studio up at the moment on a hifi shoot, and whilst at a natural break thought best to get the larger purchases out to photograph whilst I could. Takes a good couple of hours to set it all up so take advantage.
I've snapped the three main purchases. Ironically the main event, a nicely weathered Precision Scale M-75 4-8-2 Mountain, is still sitting in Jim's basement as I only found it at the show 15 minutes before checkout time (the show is in the hotel's conference room), and the bags had been packed with the precision of a slide rule the night before. No chance of swapping stuff about unfortunately.
So first up, a D&RGW L-132, a model for which I have been hunting for a couple of years now. Pretty much the same tractive effort as a big boy (L-132 132,000lbs - BigBoy 135,000lbs). Normally I wouldn't have gone for something quite so big, but I'm very much into seeing this running on the same layout as the On3 Mikado's K36/37's etc which did happen at Dual gauge Alamosa. This loco was actually bought from a private seller at the beginning of the year, but Jim has kindly been looking after it for me and passed it to me at the show.
Unfortunately it took a pretty big whack during shipping resulting in quite considerable damage to the cab, and some to the front too. Not enough packaging and the cab over hang had bent at almost literally 90º down on itself. I was hoping I could get away with cutting the old roof off and affixing a new bit of shaped brass sheet but the cab sides have been pushed forwards into the running boards on the side of the boiler which has resulted in two large kinks in the cab side sheets. Not sure you'll ever get rid of those, so new cab it is.. This was always a project anyway as the model is nearly 60 years old, released in 1968! Amazing detail for its time, but surely deserves an upgrade in the 21st century - watch this space.
Next up, another model that has been eluding me for a while. Well that's not entirely true. There was one vendor in the states that has had one for sale for quite a few years, but at a very high price which I just couldn't warrant/afford.
This is the Rio Grande Prospecter Budd 2 car railcar. These ran the overnight service between Denver and Salt Lake City from 1941-1942. Why such a short time frame I hear you ask, well that's because they were rubbish in real life. Hopeless reliability and underpowered for rocky mountain railroading, often breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Berlyn Loco Works seem to have gone to town with the accuracy on this one as the model isnt great either. Looks like just the pickups need adjusting then we can give it a proper test.
Far too Early for my time frame, but far too beautiful a model to say no to, especially when Trainz.com had a sale which brought the price down to something far more stomachable.
Lastly an impulse purchase. I already have a powered version squirelled away in the storage unit, but I look forward to seeing this one and the powered version running together as a lash-up when I get the chance. At around £170 it was a no brainer this one. Good thing about the GP7/9's in the early days is that you could also pair them with anything including F/B units that were no longer required on the express passenger trains. Plenty of variation (and fun) to be had.
Just need some space now !
JB.
Stephen
Western Thunderer
I've got your back - unless driving through West Garfield, then it's everyman for himself!
Ochre turtleneck's need to be the adopted dress cope for all MoM's going forward......
The Prospector is a cracker - you definitely got a bargain there, and Rule No.1 applies without shadow of a doubt.
Cheers,
Stephen
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
But it kinda looked alright. It wasn’t until I checked after getting home that I realised where we had driven through..
JB.
richard carr
Western Thunderer
JB
Was it worse than Gary ?
Richard
Was it worse than Gary ?
Richard
Brian McKenzie
Western Thunderer
I just had to look up the reputation of West Garfield:
"The neighborhood's 21 murders in 2014 occurred at a rate of 116 per 100,000, giving this neighborhood the highest murder rate in Chicago. In a city that sees 2,000 shootings per annum, they occur in West Garfield Park at a rate of 411 per 100,000."
-Brian McK.
"The neighborhood's 21 murders in 2014 occurred at a rate of 116 per 100,000, giving this neighborhood the highest murder rate in Chicago. In a city that sees 2,000 shootings per annum, they occur in West Garfield Park at a rate of 411 per 100,000."
-Brian McK.
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
Gary looked worse, but Dalton felt worse..
Not many people around in West Garfield Park. Maybe because it’s so bad.
Reminds me of a drunken walk home through South London many years ago when I missed the last train.
JB.
