No ordinary SP GP38-2

[Zunnan]

A while ago I picked up an Athearn RTR GP38-2 lettered up for the SP for a more than reasonable amount. Not a bad model all told and runs surprisingly well, but as any Espee fan will very quickly point out theres more wrong with it than is right. The most obvious error is the lack of the trademark SP light package, but the details go much deeper than this. The short hood modelled is 81" where the SP units were delivered after this changed to 88" so the front pilot is also too short with the incorrect anticlimber. The handbrake is also the wrong type, it should be a wheel operated brake. Theres no plough fitted, which all SP GP38-2s carried, and for my chosen prototype the supplied trucks are Blomberg M when I will be needing Blomberg B. This should give a clue as to which group of Geeps I have chosen, only 6 were so fitted. Also to be added are icicle breakers, snow shields and an attempt at snow visibility aids; and keep the entire thing under the £50 price tag.

 

The base model with most of the required detail highlighted to turn it into #4839.

 

And after a visit from the hacksaw required to remove the worst offending parts of the model. Queue an order for more than a few detail parts from Cannon & Co, Details West and a few other places and the hatchet job can soon begin to take shape.

 

Cannon & Co 88" nose and correct anticlimber with the pilot cut back for the coupler cut bar effectively turns the model into a proper SP GP38-2, all that is needed is the light package grafting in to the nose kit.

 

Details West parts added (plough, aircon, horn, nose lights etc) and a dusting of primer and at this point I could dig out the Scarlet and Lark Gray paints and number it up for just about any GP38-2 that has had the L shaped windscreen removed.

 

Compared with a real GP38-2 its not looking too bad for a £25 model, even in undercoat...although its not 4840 that I'll be doing 4839 is near identical but kept the Mars light longer (into UP ownership), which gives me a bit more leaway with operating periods. Various snow shields and a new set of feet and this little Geep is ready for the paint shop.

 

This brings the build up to date, complete with the unpainted aircon unit which 4839 always seemed to be photographed with. All that is required is steps picking out in white and the fabrication of the roof mounted icicle breaker, ideally poseable in upright and retracted position, so brass construction is likely. My little project over Christmas no doubt, trying to make something robust enough for repeated handling...oh, and fitting the heater to the horn which I just noticed hasn't been done now that I look at the photo! Hopefully some judicial weathering will hide the difference in shade of Lark Gray too (more importantly tone down the clearcote finish!) DCC sound while I'm thinking of it too perhaps! Roots blown 645 Mmmmmmm...Did I say £50 budget? Oh dear!

[alcoRS1]

looks good, I have an SP RS-11 I still need to finish.

[pH]

Model it like this and you wouldn't need the a/c unit . That's a nice model of an unusual prototype.

[Jon Grant 4472]

Nice modifications. A little weathering will blend in those two greys nicely

 

On your 'finished' photo, I can't make out whether or not you found some glazing to represent, what I assume are, disc windscreen wipers, but look like eyes from the front.

 

There used to be a few glazing kit companies out there but most seem to be only available second hand these days

 

Jon

[Oldddudders]

A very nice piece of work, indeed. I first came across this approach in 1984 in Model Railroader, with a chap called Zenk doing something similar on a Blue-Box Athearn, also SP, which seems to have been the road that demanded most extra "bits" on locos others would keep in vanilla flavour. My impression is that in 2010 more and more out-of-the-box models have the add-ons applied, thus reducing the market for those useful suppliers you have used. A pity if you have the skills - as shown here.

[trisonic]

Good work!

If you don't mind me asking: What resource did you use to get such detailed info on individual SP Locos?

 

Many thanks, Pete.

[Zunnan]

I used the Espee Modellers Archive which gives basic details of the locos which the SP had with where possible a photograph of individual locomotives and some info on the detail differences between batches of locomotives. I then trawled through RailPictures for the 6 locomotives modified for snowfighting for more views around them.

 

So far I've only represented the all weather windscreen with circles of plack paint on the original glazing unit, which hardly shows up to be honest, but when I can source flush glazing I'll try using some form of transfer. I've seen wargaming target sights used for this kind of thing in H0 so will probably go the same route eventually. Another thing I've missed from doing to this model is the exhausts, which need modifying to flush 12" round through a square plate. Something else for the to do list, and its getting more tempting to do the lift rings and source the 'Q' fans fitted to the prototype. I really can see the rest of the body needing a repaint by the time I've finished...well, at least that'd fix the colour match issue between Athearn and Floquils renditions of Lark Gray!

[Oldddudders]

Something else for the to do list, and its getting more tempting to do the lift rings and source the 'Q' fans fitted to the prototype.

Lift rings do add value. I did a number of Stewart F units some years back, and they really improve matters IMHO. Mind you, Stewart kindly moulded placements for them, so even I knew where to drill! It's some years since I had any Athearn hoods, so can't recall whether these have the placements marked.

[Glorious NSE]

Yes the Athearn shell has dimples for lift rings.

 

Really nice work there!

[CraigZ]

Nicely done, particularly cutting in the light package. The Athearn GP38-2 is still the best starting point for a 38-2. The Atlas and Proto models have some pretty ugly dimensional issues. Unfortunately Athearn's not yet gotten round to upgrading the 38-2 tooling but it's said to be on the table to do so along with their GP40-2 and GP50 models.

 

The concensus for 'best' Q fans are in fact the Athearn parts used on their Genesis models. I have a set of the old PIA brass casting on a model and the Athearns put them to shame. And personally I've gotten to the point that if I'm going to mess around with noses, I'm replacing the cab with the Cannon part as well...for another $8 the improvement is striking.

[F-UnitMad]

... DCC sound while I'm thinking of it too perhaps! Roots blown 645 Mmmmmmm...Did I say £50 budget? Oh dear!

As a DCC Newbie (and failure so far!! ) I'll be interested to see what you use & how it's installed.