Trainline GP9's


D

d_sinsley

Member
Hello,

I just bought two trainline GP9's. I bought them because they are about the only low hood versions I can find. I needed the low hoods for my prototype. Anyway, how hard are they going to be to convert to DCC. I have never done it before but it doesn't sound to tuff. I just wonder if anyone has had any experience with these units. Also, will the Proto 2000 running gear fit under the trainline shell. I plan to detail the shells out to make them look as good as possible. I just haven't heard much good about the trainline locos.
 
The motors are already isolated from the frame so it's just a matter of clipping wires and soldering them to the decoder. Beware that the wires are most likely not color coded so you may have to adjust CVs for direction of travel and remap the lights.
 
DCC helps the running of those a lot, they start smoother and run nicer at slow than on straight DC. Otherwise they weren't that bad chassis wise, the body detail wasn't as good as stuff out there now.
 
trainline

I am glad to hear that they will run nicer on DCC. I have no experience with DCC. I haven't had a layout since I was 13 and now I am 40. I am slowley building up the stuff neccesary for building one. Getting rolling stock, locos and buildings and such.

Detailing the bodys is high on my list. I like that as much or more than building the layouts. This is proto type specific so thats the choice for the low hood version. I am also building 25 custom log flats. There is no kit that even comes close so highly modified 40' flats are the starting point. High detail on the locos will make them sharp when I am done.
 
Did they have dynamic brakes? I ask because I purchased a Trainline a while ago with the intent of making it a GP10 for the ICG. I didn't realize at the time that the IC didn't do dynamics on the Paducahbuilts (or on the original GP7s and GP9s). I haven't decided if I will do some reconstructive work or just paint it up for a fictional shortline.
 
I am just learning all the names and parts and what they do. I have heard of Dynamic breaks I have no idea which little bit this would be. I am learning though so any insite would be nice.
 
By the way, the Walthers model is not the best model to use for a kitbash project. The details are really rough and if you're nitpicky, you may need to replace the handrails as the stanchions are too short.
 
The reason for using the walthers kit is it is the only low hood. All the other gp9's that I have found are high hoods. I didn't/don't feel confident in chopping a high hood down. The hood itself is no big deal its the front windows headlight and building the cab up that scares me. I have looked and can't find a GP7/9 SP 7/9 cab aftermarket. I take that back in my 08' catalog I did find one. At any rate thats why I chose the walthers loco.

It will be torn down to nothing. all the details save maybe the doors will be replaced. My prototype does not have original fans and they have winterization hatches on the back. So it will be a rough platform to build up a correct prototype. In fact I am getting a tour of their shop in a couple of weeks to take a couple hundred photos of the locos. They are great people down there and they take time out for people like me. One thing I am looking forward to is that each of the locos are slightly different due to a long service life. These guys maintain things to a T I have been in the cab of #103 and you could have eaten off the floor. So each will be built as close to correct as I can. I have enjoyed pouring over the net and catalogs looking at detail parts and comparing photos that I have now.

My layout is secondary to building and making the stuff to go on it. My layout is a piece of paper and a dream. I enjoy fiddling with the locos and the building so much that i haven't started the layout yet. In addition to the locos I am building 20 to 25 log flats correct for the prototype using Red caboose 40' flat cars. I bought the decks, skeleton and a few details in bulk from them. Unpainted, I am cutting the decks of the actual decking off and have to modify the skeleton to make it right add AFS ride control trucks and detailing the AB brake system. I am hand building the bunks out of brass for weight.

Boy I got off track. Maybe Ill start a thread showing off my work so far. I have a SW1200 that is painted and awaiting assembly and a baywindow caboose that is done. Log cars and some box cars in various stages of being done. and now going to work on the Geeps.
 
Well, since the Trainline GP9 has that long single windshield, for more detail and an easier (but more expensive) kitbash, you can get a Proto 2000 GP9, then get a Proto 2000 GP18 with the low nose, swap the cabs, the noses, and voila.
 
I like those, They arn't right exactly for one the nose extends past the battery box to far and some other little things but It would be very workable. One thing I like is the front number boards. The cox and trainline are all wrong. This one is more accurate. The trainline and cox are way to small. On my prototype they seem to have filed these areas in and painted the letters on IE not lit up. I'll verify this when I am down there but the GP 18 amd the real thing have bigger oval number boards instead of the little narrow rectangle ones.

I wish I could pick up only the shells. Hi Details makes a nice cab that may work also and Cannon has a hood that would do if Hi details doesn't.

Well I have the cox and since it will be the dummy it will also be the experiment. If I don't get what I want I will take a hard look at the 18's and 9's to make a good looking unit. If the trainline doesnt work out I'll have the proto 2000 gp9's no matter what either used after market cab and hood or gp 18's.

Either way, good find and I'll file it away if the trainline doesn't work out the way I hope then I'll try it out.
 
It will be interesting to see what you do with this loco, I've just purchased a Walthers GP9 myself with a view to super-detailing it for my freelance railroad..

It's interesting what diburning said about the stanchions, I have some Smokey Valley ones that I was thinking of using on it as they are slightly taller than the factory fitted ones and I feel the handrails are a little too thick.. I don't have any exact dimensions for any prototypes, but they just look a little over scale to me...
 
Well he has had some real good insight to these locos thats for sure. The rails on the cox are just plain nasty ugly. they are flat. I think the smokey mountain ones were the ones I was looking at also. Somewhere I saw a set of rails for the GP9 but will probably buy stanchions and do my own brass wire. I would have never thought about it but now when I am down taking pictires I will measure the real ones and see what a scaled version should be.

Its going to take some work but just because he suggested I should use a different loco makes me want to do this one even more just to prove I didn't screw up and buy the wrong loco;). Just kidding. I do think I can make it look awsome with all the nifty parts out there. Since I am trying to get these as close to the real thing as I can most of the detail is coming off anyway. Like I said before about all that is staying on will be the doors. I am not sure if I had a proto that I wouldn't do the same thing. I totally stripped my SW1200 down and will use all new parts on it and its a proto. I only left the front radiator grill which I wish I would have changed and the doors. Cannon makes doors and thought about going all new doors to to get it perfect but yikes that is alot of work.

I will post pictures. I am thinking of doing a write up on all the custom cars and locos I am doing. But for sure will show the steps of this particular loco. Actually the one I am doing is not a walthers anyway its a cox but they have to be the same mold they look identical so it should work. People will get to see the good bad and ugly of my first kit bash. Actually not the first but the first I will complete.
 
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