A GP9 & scratchbuilding question


P

PARKINGLOT

Canadian Railfan
Well, I think for a first post, this will be a doozie. I'm 22, and in the last 6 months I've gotten back into model railroading, thanks to my father-in-law and brother-in-law. I actually went to my 2nd train show in years this last sunday. When I was first in model railroading, I was probably like 10 or 11 years old, as lots of other boys are. I had one of those "eaZy" track layouts, that I expanded a little. Nothing big. Recently, to get back into it (as I gave the little pieces I had away when I lost interest) I bought a cheap Model Power CN GP9 off e-bay for a whopping 5 bucks or so. New-in-box, but still, kind of a cheap loco (I wasn't going to spend big bucks on my first purchase back into the hobby) I also picked up a CN boxcar during a trip with my FIL & BIL to the local hobby store. That's my entire rolling stock, for now. I'm planning on picking up a bunch of rolling stock in the near future, once I get this issue sorted out.
I drive truck for a living (great job for a 22-year-old), I actually pickup and deliver new cars from various factories and railyards (hence part of the layout I'm planning)
What I would like to do, I'm planning on purchasing a "nicer" CN GP9, and what I would like to do is, turn my Model Power GP9 into a yard slug. I've already got the locomotive and slug in mind I'd like to model (CN #7210 GP9, and Slug #254, rebuilt from a GP9), as I've seen it plenty of times at the shipping yard at the GM plant in Oshawa, On.
I plan to get some bi-level auto carrier rolling stock, and I want to model that loco-slug setup.
My question is, how would I do this? could I cut up the body of the Model Power unit? I would I need to use other materials? I wouldn't mind keeping the lights working, if possible, but that's not a huge concern.

Any and all help would be appreciated, thanks!
 
for referance, this is what I'm planning to try and model:

pictures%5C20858%5CCN7210%20254-070818%20Oshawa,%20ON%202.JPG
 
Welcome back to the hobby parkinglot. The model power engine could be used as a starting point for the slug. What really matters is how accurate you want to model that set of power.
The mother is a GP9RM, rebuilt by CN. There are several big differences between it and a stock GP9 that you can buy. But if you are looking to capture the feel of the prototype, a standard GP9 will do fine. Kaslo Shops made a resin body for the GP9RM if you are interested, but they can be hard to find. http://www.kasloshops.com

As for the slug. If an unpowered slug is all you need, the model power engine will work out fine. You'll need to pull the motor out as it won't be tall enough to keep that motor. If you leave the same trucks, you can still have power in it to run lights. You can cut the fuel tank off to make a more accurate model, as the slugs don't have fuel tanks. The easiest way to make the shell would be to cut everything off at walkway height and build the sides and top out of styrene. Use the ends from the model power shell cut down for the slug's ends.

Have fun with this project. Slug sets always make cool models!
 
You'll need to order some dummy SW1500 trucks from Athearn for that slug (or you can overlook the difference between them and the Blombergs on the geep). If you need louvers for the slug's body, try Plano Model Products. They have some etched louvers that will help break up the otherwise flat expanse of sheet metal that is the slug's sides.
 
CP9302 said:
The mother is a GP9RM, rebuilt by CN. There are several big differences between it and a stock GP9 that you can buy. But if you are looking to capture the feel of the prototype, a standard GP9 will do fine. Kaslo Shops made a resin body for the GP9RM if you are interested, but they can be hard to find. http://www.kasloshops.com
Click to expand...

what are the differences between a "regular" GP9, and a GP9RM? That's something I haven't figured out yet.

CP9302 said:
As for the slug. If an unpowered slug is all you need, the model power engine will work out fine. You'll need to pull the motor out as it won't be tall enough to keep that motor. If you leave the same trucks, you can still have power in it to run lights. You can cut the fuel tank off to make a more accurate model, as the slugs don't have fuel tanks. The easiest way to make the shell would be to cut everything off at walkway height and build the sides and top out of styrene. Use the ends from the model power shell cut down for the slug's ends.
Click to expand...

I figured on pulling the motor, as well as the driveshafts and gears out of the trucks. That is, unless I get some of those dummy SW1500 trucks. I will look up those Plano Model Products louvers.
I'll have to get some styrene from the local hobby place, it sounds like...
 
The two main differences between a GP9 and a GP9RM are the fuel tank and the cab/short hood.

The fuel tank on a GP9 is round and on the GP9RM it is angular. Kaslo makes a replacement part for the fuel tank that fits the Proto 2000 GP9. This would be an easy fix using the Kaslo part.

All GP9's were built with a high short hood, the nose was as tall as the cab. When they were rebuilt, most railroads put a short nose so the engineers could see better. The chopped nose is another easy kit bash.

The hardest change for the GP9RM is the cab face. Most chop nosed GP9's have a flat front window and door section, but the CN ones are angled. You could adapt a cab from an Atlas C424, but even that is not the same.

Hope that helps some.
 
Try this:

http://www.planomodelproducts.com/461.htm

(You can order direct from Plano)

And it looks like the SW1500 dummy trucks don't show up on the parts listing on the Horizon site, but the power trucks do. You could easily remove the gears, which has the added benefit of metal wheels and pickups which could help with wiring it for lighting or additional pickup for the mother locomotive. See here:

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH39022
http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH39021

Of course, they're on backorder...
 
Welcome aboard PL! In the fall (and sometimes in the spring) I am instructing down at Aylmer at OPC (I'm with the OPP) so we should have a coffee sometime. :)

FYI, don't know if you know this or not but there is an amazing train shop in London called Doug's Trains. He quite simply has EVERYTHING. Wish he was closer to me. He has lots of detail parts in stock there.

Mark
 
PARKINGLOT said:
where in london is that? never heard of it....
Click to expand...

Its a great little shop. There is so much stuff crammed into this shop you can hardly turn around. Its worth the 2 hour drive from Windsor for me.

Here's a map:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=doug's+trains+london+ontario&ie=UTF8&ll=42.987132,-81.229649&spn=0.028191,0.058365&z=14&iwloc=A&om=0

Edit: That link doesn't work very well, I guess it is too long, anyway Doug's is at 561 Horton St E in London
 
Hey PL,
Here's a slug I started a few years ago, but never got to finishing.
Not the best pic...
Also, here's a photo (not one of mine) of a similar unit, but not the one I was modeling.
I have tons of pics if you need any, I'm a "paid railfan" in the summer so always in the yards.
Rico

PS: I used to be a trucker, but I'm okay now. :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Rico said:
Hey PL,
Also, here's a photo (not one of mine) of a similar unit, but not the one I was modeling.
Click to expand...

is that CN #264 is a modelled one, or real? that's a good job on it if it's a modelled one, that's basically what I'm shooting for. Good to see what it might look like.
 
PARKINGLOT said:
where in london is that? never heard of it....
Click to expand...

It took me maybe 20 minutes tops from the Comfort Inn in St. Thomas. :) Like Fred says it is CRAMMED full of stuff. I'm gonna make it required semi-annual trip when down your way.

Great to have you on board bro - this is an awesome group here.

Mark
 
Hey PL, this is just a pic I gleamed from the net... I lost my pics when the 'puter crashed so will have to scan some more in.
If you need any pics of a certain # let me know!
Rico
 
well, I checked out Doug's the other day. Seems like a cool place, escecially for scratchbuilding stuff. Picked up a pack of a couple styrene sheets and some cement, so now I've just got to cut up the GP9's body one of these days. Still browsing Ebay until the next train show for another cheap GP9 for the lead unit too....
 
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