Red Caboose GP9 kits - ALL builders/Models/Info/References welcome

[Yorkshire Dave]

3873 was an ex-SSW GP9 (3651). SSW GP9s were phase III models with the large 48'' fans. During it's rebuild to GP9E 3873 acquired a GP20 style 48'' fan housing on the rear.

However, SSW GP9s never carried SOUTHERN PACIFIC lettering - they only appeared with COTTON BELT on both the initial black widow and later bloody nose paint schemes.

3873 acquired SOUTHERN PACIFIC lettering in preservation.

 

[mickoo]

3873 was an ex-SSW GP9 (3651). SSW GP9s were phase III models with the large 48'' fans. During it's rebuild to GP9E 3873 acquired a GP20 style 48'' fan housing on the rear.

However, SSW GP9s never carried SOUTHERN PACIFIC lettering - they only appeared with COTTON BELT on both the initial black widow and later bloody nose paint schemes.

3873 acquired SOUTHERN PACIFIC lettering in preservation.

I read somewhere that the extended 'cooling tower shaped' style fan shroud was an attempt to aid cooling in tunnels, an attempt to stop hot exhaust radiator air recirculating back down into the side intakes, a precursor to elephant ear shrouds and later tunnel motors.

How true or effective it was I'm not sure, but it seems logical to me as I don't think the cooler group was upgraded in the GP20 over the GP9, despite the extra HP and heat the turbo installation had. GP20's always appear to have suffered cool air breathing, quite a few UP engines had numerous extra grills in the body doors.

 

[Overseer]

As I mentioned the Canadian National GP9s on Flexicoil trucks I thought I would post the following photos taken of 4803 at the Toronto Railway Museum in September 2018. Hopefully they will be of use to someone.

 

[Rob R]

Fraser,
4803 is a GP7, early handrails, louvres in different positions etc.

Just different enough to make it a pain to make one from a GP9.
Rob

 

[Overseer]

Fraser,
4803 is a GP7, early handrails, louvres in different positions etc.

Just different enough to make it a pain to make one from a GP9.
Rob

Ah yes, I knew that when I took the photos. I even have a copy of the CN diagram somewhere for their class GR-15a. The steam loco style headlights should have reminded me. Being a GP7 would mean it has a 36" dynamic brake fan set at the roof top level instead of a 48" fan on a raised section of roof between the resistor grid pods. Another good plastic carving challenge. Maybe I will stick with Canadian Pacific GP9s, they had more standard louvre vent locations while CN seem to have specified Louvre locations to suit their sign writing locations.

 

[Overseer]

At risk of boring everyone with photos of a GMD built GP7, I found some more photos taken on a different day in September 2018. I have left out some more portrait shots. This loco would be quite easy to build from the RC GP9 kit, just move some of the louvres and add some more louvres, fill in the holes in the valance, shift a few hood doors around, modify the roof around the dynamic brake pod, change headlights and a few other bits and pieces. Easy. And distinctly Canadian National.

 

[JasonD]

Aye caramba...! I'm packing for Sunday NMRABR Stokenchurch ... well, apart from having to type this ... anybody want some FlexICoil trucks? KeilLine w/m kit. Oh, and PSC GP7 handrail stanchions (plastic)? Where did I put that tea??
Jason

 

[Rob R]

Des Plaines Hobbies still have 25 kits in stock for $60 according to their website
Wrong scale for me though...

Only 23 now.

 

[Overseer]

Only 23 now.

In boxes that would be. Not sure how many they actually have, they will run out at some point. Good value and a good basis for accurate models of all the permutations of GP7 and GP9, not to mention SWEEPs etc, etc. The problem is the body is more accurate and subtly detailed than any of the more recent RTR GPs, such as the Atlas GP35, MTH GP38-2 and others which all have the hood doors, latches etc protruding more than they should and look bit chunky in comparison.

 

[Jordan]

I mentioned the Canadian National GP9s on Flexicoil trucks ...

Just remembered my Atlas SW1200RS has Flexicoil trucks. Of course, actually obtaining Flexicoil trucks as spares from Atlas might be another problem entirely - but they are out there.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Another good plastic carving challenge. Maybe I will stick with Canadian Pacific GP9s, they had more standard louvre vent locations while CN seem to have specified Louvre locations to suit their sign writing locations.

It would be very easy to make a CN GP9 GR-17g (4496-4501 series) from the RC kit. Only one of the louvres (louvers) requires moving to accommodate the early CANADIAN NATIONAL lettering.

These are the louvres which would have to be relocated.


On my HO version I cut out the requisite louvre from the door and relocated it to it's correct position and filled the hole in the door with a piece of plasticard. This is my HO model (Proto 2000) of CN 4500 and the moved louvre is below the first N of CANADIAN NATIONAL. The bell is on the front as the CN operated long hood forward. I also made a new smaller fuel tank and threw loads of extra detail parts on the model.



Modelling CN GP9s is another rabbit hole - as I found out . You have to pay attention to the number series, trucks, valence detail, etc, etc....... And the fuel tanks since the Canadians naturally quoted the capacity in Imperial rather than US gallons.

 

[richard carr]

I decided it was time to embark on this project, so the first thing I thought I should do is test the chassis. S& JB has kindly donated an Atlas F9 unit to use it's chassis, here it is sat on the rolling road.






And here is a little video of it running

As you can see it's not the best runner so I opened up one of the bogies and found that both the gears on each axle have split, not a surpsrise really. They should get changed on the conversion to P48.

So next I moved onto the body





Mine also need more headlights to go beneath those in place, fortunately these are in the kit.





It is starting to look like one now, it all goes together very easily, I have just been following the instructions, step by step.


I bought a Weaver GP38-2 at Stokenchurch last week. I want to convert this to P48, so the first job was to strip it down to get the wheels off.




The body comes off reasonably easily, the fuel tank just pulls off and then you can unscrew the body. leaving this inside.





And once it is all apart you can finally get the wheels off with wheel puller.


Richard

 

[Scale7JB]

Richard, is it possible to open up the gear tower on the Atlas F9 trucks to clear out and re-grease?

JB.

 

[JasonD]

Richard, is it possible to open up the gear tower on the Atlas F9 trucks to clear out and re-grease?

JB.

I feel rather embarrassed about F9s, so instead shall I tell you about my last two great weekends with four young grandsons...?

I bought my first Atlas/Roco F9 in the early '70s from Beatties in High Holborn when they were dumping F9 and 4 frt car sets for £9.99. But those were the days when you could buy a meal and drink 2 pints of mild and bitter and go to the cinema for about £5/10/0.

Old F9s and bits in a box. I'll add that to the American O-scale lists I have to make. For example, I picked up a box of carved up F9s that a mate of mine was converting into E8s, until he decided to switch to 3-1/2"(?) gauge trams....

GP9s are 1ft longer than F-units. But don't worry, RC added the slightly lengthened chassis to the kit after a while and if your kit doesn't have them, I may have two. The F9 drive shaft (about 30mm long, distorted figure 8 cross-section) needs lengthening. I did this with 1" or so lengths of original (grey) Plastruct square-tubing, cut the Atlas shaft in half, push-fit and glue.

Oh, sorry JB, yes, do it on a plain-coloured tray with edges.
Jason

 

[richard carr]

JB

I didn't try to do that, but the wheels ran in sprung brass bearings, there was plenty of grease still present.

Richard

 

[Scale7JB]

I feel rather embarrassed about F9s, so instead shall I tell you about my last two great weekends with four young grandsons...?

I bought my first Atlas/Roco F9 in the early '70s from Beatties in High Holborn when they were dumping F9 and 4 frt car sets for £9.99. But those were the days when you could buy a meal and drink 2 pints of mild and bitter and go to the cinema for about £5/10/0.

Old F9s and bits in a box. I'll add that to the American O-scale lists I have to make. For example, I picked up a box of carved up F9s that a mate of mine was converting into E8s, until he decided to switch to 3-1/2"(?) gauge trams....

GP9s are 1ft longer than F-units. But don't worry, RC added the slightly lengthened chassis to the kit after a while and if your kit doesn't have them, I may have two. The F9 drive shaft (about 30mm long, distorted figure 8 cross-section) needs lengthening. I did this with 1" or so lengths of original (grey) Plastruct square-tubing, cut the Atlas shaft in half, push-fit and glue.

Oh, sorry JB, yes, do it on a plain-coloured tray with edges.
Jason

Thanks Jason, Beattiesin Holborn, that takes me back. A rather nice hotel and restaurant now I think.

I did wonder in the drive shafts needed lengthening, thanks for that. I do still have one more F9 in stock for my other GP9, but I still have a scratch to itch in trying to do a F9 A-B unit. Which shows are you at next?

JB.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

It is starting to look like one now, it all goes together very easily, I have just been following the instructions, step by step.

Probably makes a change to build a kit where the parts pratically fall together

One thing you may wish to attend to is fill any moulding dimples before installing permanently. Photos can be cruel .



As I modelled a SSW variant which originally had the full SP light package I fabricated the gyralight and warning light mounting plates from plasticard. The red is car headlight repair tape to represent the plates fitted after the lights were removed.

 

[Scale7JB]

How/where did you make/source the lifting eyes?

JB.

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

The lift rings/eyes are from P&D Hobby - PDP 1027 Lift rings, EMD, brass (14)

 

[Scale7JB]

The lift rings/eyes are from P&D Hobby - PDP 1027 Lift rings, EMD, brass (14)

Cracking, thanks!