Walthers Trainline GP9M?

[Zephyr]

A few photos of the finished product. I decided to leave the dynamic breaks (although RI did not have these historically, a modern RI would probably need them) and I left the single window pane because I really like the looks of it on this little critter. Now to install the DCC and test the operations...

Before:

After:

 

[quadk]

You did a really stand up job on it!!! My compliments!!!

I really like the nose decals and the colors.

Great job!!

 

[macjet]

How in the world are you repainting these so fast? I'm still struggling to get my first one done.

 

[Zephyr]

Thanks Ken! That comes as a real compliment after seeing the work you did on yours. And thank you again for helping me with the details.

macjet - don't worry, I have been working on this project for well over a month, as evidenced from the date on the first page of this thread!

 

[jbaakko]

very cool!

 

[OldGettysk]

Ditto very nicely done !!

 

[UP2CSX]

Looks pretty good for one of those nasty wide-body Athearn shells.

 

[Railroad Joe]

Once again, VERY COOL!!!

Anxiously awaiting more present day Rock Island equipment......

 

[Zephyr]

Thanks again, guys. I am hoping to get to more 4-axle old-timers for the modern RI like the Alco C415, Fairbanks-Morse H15-44, and GE U28B in the near future... I am very interested in modeling locomotives that the Rock used to have that could feasibly still exist today.

 

[UP2CSX]

I'd love to see an ALCO C415 in the new Rock scheme but your maintenance forces would have to be awfully good to have one of those running today. I don't know how the RI did with them but the SP hated them. They were used mostly as transfer units from Taylor Yard in LA to the City of Industry yard, mostly in pairs, in hopes one would still be running when it got ot the CoI yard. They were all on the Tayor Yard dead line by 1977. I know one got sold to a paper company and one went to Fundidora Monterrey, a Mexican steel company. I think they kept it running until about 1992. There were a few non-SP units runing in things like dinner train service on tourist lines until the mid-90's but I think all the ones left are museum pieces. The Mexican unit is on display in a city park in Monterrey, still with the full SP light array.

 

[Zephyr]

Right, we will do our best to keep it running. But because it will be retired within a short time, it probably won't be painted in the new red/black scheme. I'm thinking more along the lines of the old blue/white scheme.

Burlington Junction Railway appears to still be operating one.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=193649&nseq=3

 

[UP2CSX]

Yeah, that's the one I was thinking of. It was sold off to a paper company and it ended up with the Burlington Junction. I think they have two more inoperable units they are cannibalizing for parts. Hmmm...the Burlington Junction operates on ex-RI trackage. Maybe it's a candidate for inclusion in your new Rock Island fleet.

 

[windbag]

If you want odd power on the Rock Island, Rio Grande GP7s went to the RI, kept the D&RG paint, but were restenciled with the RI logos while they were being used, #4206, 4205, 4203 which became 4288. Late 1973 or so. See page 40-41 of RIO GRANDE DIESELS A PICTORIAL HISTORY - VOL. 2 by Joseph A Strapac.

 

[OGhoul]

Hey!!! That's my engine!!!

I was the one that kitbashed and detailed that 9M. It didn't go to bad for a Walthers model. The engine is very quiet but as someone else had said, not a real heavy puller. I added some weight to it which helped out a lot. When I bought the engine though is was just planned for local and switching duties.
Overall I am happy with the engine for what you pay for it.

Also, thanks Alcomotive for the compliment!!

Dread thread resurrection here, lol.

I too admire your GP9M mods. How did you do your number boards?

Thanks!
Tim

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

The closest I've come to getting one of these is building one that has a Walthers GP9m body and frame. The trucks, motor and shafts are Proto and Athearn. Another one I built has the Walthers GP9m body. The rest is Front Range, Athearn and Proto. I run them at ;east a few times a week. The two are permanently mu'd and have jumper wires joining the pickups of both locos together. I have a third GP9m I'm working on that has the Walthers body and an older GP9 frame. It has an Athearn motor and Proto 1000 AAR trucks. One drive shaft is complete. I still need to make a piece for the other shaft.