dave_long Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 I thought it about time I got this thread going, hopefully this is going to charter my challenge of creating a NS GP38-3 #NS 5807 from a old Bluebox GP50. Norfolk Southern began their GP50 modification programme back Feb 2004 and now Altoona works have outshopped 37 GP38-3s in the range #5801 - 5837. I've opted to recreate NS 5807 as seen below. The proto photos posted in this topic were taken by Erik C (from diesel detailer forum) and has given permission for these to be posted here. The NS GP38-3 rebuild programme has taken a batch of their older (mostly ex-SOU) Highhood GP50s and completely replaced the cab and short hood with 88" low nose. The long hood had only a few modifications. One of the main reasons for the rebuild was the engine downgrade the 645F3 engines were converted to a 645E. Also a Aircon unit was added to the cab roof. The middle radiator fan was totally removed and plated over with a square panel as opposed to a round which seems popular amongst other rebuild programs. The turbo system was removed and replaced with blowers (which means a lot of bodywork alteration), a AUX power unit was also installed. NS also decided that with the new cab that they would change their operations and switch to short hood forward. For those that are interested too: - AR15 main alternator, D87 traction motors, and Super Series wheel slip control retained from GP50 - Classified by NS as power group 1, 4 axles of power, 5 axles of extended range/high capacity dynamics Anyway onto the model: The Athearn GP50 is pretty decent base model considering how old the moulding is now. Although the Athearn BB model has the low short hood anyway it's a few mm too short and needs to be replaced with a 88" nose courtesy of Cannon & co. The image below show 5807 in a comparison shot next to the stripped BB GP50 There is a lot of work to be done, parts to be added and parts to be scratchbuilt. I'm building this and keep track of it online as this is the basis for my demo at the TVNAM show in June. Hopefully this will be seen as a building walk through, there was a similar thread on the old rmweb which seemed a hit. I'll be using many off the shelf parts and also building a few parts myself. I'm hoping to highlight to people who are thinking about doing this kind of mod that its not as daunting as it might look and to show people this side of the pond whats available for doing such conversions and that it could be worth all the effort! Thanks for reading Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Much appreciated, Dave. Look forward to following your progress. It's a popular (and important) loco. Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelmaker87 Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Dave, I mailed your coupling bushes out to you this a.m. Postage came to $1.05, I owe you some dollars back. Send me your Paypal and I'll get 5 bucks returned to you. Cheers, Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 Thanks Pete, Tony, pm sent and many thanks. The starting point for this project I decided on was replacing the blower housing as its the angled type on the GP50 model. I would need the later EMD curved top blower housing. In the same area are the smaller and larger inertial filters these I took the opportunity to replace also. I decided to sand down those filter grilles as I would be removing the blower housing and the inertial filter hatch/vent on the roof, so I thought that just sanding the filter grilles back would help keep some strength to the bodysides. This is base model: blower housing The blower housing was then chain drilled and then opened out, lots of filing and sanding is then required to tidy up the area that the blower housing occupied. Now that the blower housing has been removed the filing of the grilles can be completed and the holes that have been drilled are for the application of glue for when the new filters are ready. inertialgrilleandblower Shows the replacment Cannon and co blower housing. replacingblower Regards Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
long island jack Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 looking forward to following tale, especial when we get to the pilot detail,i've got a few bb GPs to detail Ray from deepest west cumbria Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northpoint Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Dave- is this the one you are going to show at the Trent Valley show? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted February 5, 2012 Author Share Posted February 5, 2012 Nick yes this is the GP38-3 which will form the basis of the demo. There will also be the next project which will be an ex CR blue NS GP40-2. Plus my Chicago CIRY SW9s. Edit: also I'll be doing a Sergent couplings demo, a how to on building the kit and showing them working, the public will be able to try them out too. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northpoint Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Nick yes this is the GP38-3 which will form the basis of the demo. There will also be the next project which will be an ex CR blue NS GP40-2. Plus my Chicago CIRY SW9s. Edit: also I'll be doing a Sergent couplings demo, a how to on building the kit and showing them working, the public will be able to try them out too. Dave Looking forward to it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 I've managed to remove some of the old athearn parts and clean up a few bits. The cab has gone that was the easy bit, but the subbase is a little more involved being part of the walkway. I managed to pick up a few tools at the exhibition at Stafford. The flush cutting razor saw from Zona was used to slice the nose and sub base from the body, a bit of a mixed blessing really as the blade is very flexible, so can wander slightly which it did but I made sure that it wandered upwards so as not to saw through the walkway piece. The plastic that was left was cleaned up using a scalpel and then several pieces of grit paper. As you can see this was the starting point and what I'm aiming for: The removal of these parts does leave this part of the body quite weak, Cannon recommend a piece of .040" styrene sheet cut to fit inside the sills from the front to just under the long hood to help with stability during the hacking. I didn't go this route purely because I got such a good easy cut with the flush cutting razor saw that it didn't create much strain at all on the body. I used the scalpel to scrape off parts of the plastic and then finished it off with 400 grit. I'm not to concerned about scratches on the walkway at this point as the anticlimbers are getting replaced and brass walkways will be laid in due course. This is what it looks like now: Now thoughts turn towards adding details to the short hood, so out came the photos again just to check the boxes that make up the sub base. I have the Cannon & co subbase kit which very generously has enough parts for 2 full sets, however and its quite a big however are can't get what I need from the one kit! Here's the prototype (excuse the anatomical dirt graffiti!) : As you can see from the photo that the box on the left has the 2 singular vents, and the distinctive hinges at the bottom on both the boxes. Now I can make this out of the kit for one side only. I don't have a view of #5807 from the other side, but looking through RR archives you can see that both sides are identical. Here's what I can get out of the kit: I will as you can see have to remove the second vents to leave just one from what I can make out I'll be removing the lower vent. I can make another box from a similar piece identical to the small box and add the step shield from another piece but the longer box has no similar part, so I shall try and find some spares or order another kit . Thanks for keeping with me folks... Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 You could get some Plasticine (modeling dough), put a ball of it on a flat surface, place something on top to flatten the ball, Press the box top into it and remove it carefully, then cast it using fibreglass resin - I use Davids Fasglas- You might need to put a VERY thin smear of cooking oil to act as a release agent - it worked for me when I cast the sideframes for my boxcab bogies, The Fasglas is exothermic (it gets hot!) but as soon as it has set - about 7 or 8 minutes remove it from the mould and lay it on a flat surface otherwise it may develop a curl Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_long Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Thanks Jack, A very good idea that, I might use it on other items, do you think it would lose the small details like the recessed catches. Its also a quite thin part too. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Dave - it should retain them - - You can really only experiment but if the part is thin, use a bit of contiboard or something else stiff to press it into/onto the plasticine applying even pressure, My bogie-sides were a little thick so the backs got rubbed down on sandpaper, The castings seemed reasonabe matches for the originals, showing spring details etc - If they seem too delicate epoxy them to some thin plasticard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CraigZ Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I had a look in my little box of Cannon leftovers - I used the parts you need on another project else I would have posted them over to you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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