I am pondering a kitbash of an ATSF GP60M & GP-60B in N scale using an Atlas GP40 shell & chassis and an Atlas SD60M cab for the GP60M. For the GP60B I am planning on using a Bachmann GP50 high hood shell w/Atlas GP40 chassis. The KATO GP50 is of course the prefered base for both of these conversions, but is so hard to get a hold of. I had never thought of using the Bachmann unit for the B unit until recently. Since it already has a high hood it should be a snap. I just wish the Bachmann's shell quality was up to par. What do you think?
Go for it!! Somewhere I've also seen a brass kit for the EMD widecab. You have to fold it though. Also I have several Bachman GP40s. They do just fine with some superdetailing and new paint. Pair 'em up and they will crawl with the best of 'em. To get the best detail out of it, make sure you strip the original paint totally.
The GP40 was an undec unit. The botchmann SD50 is in the brake fluid as I write this. It looks like I will have to use the blower off the SD60M shell as well. I had one that I cut from an SD60M last year during my SD75M kitbash but I have moved since and can't find it in any of my parts boxes.
Hi Brian, This is a project I have been, and done. I to used started out with an Atlas GP40 mech and went from there. I think you will find the most challenging part is to make the DB housing, as they have grills in the center of them and MANY angles. Yes, the blower from an SD60 is just about right on and a fan from a Kato SD40-2 is right on for the DB fan. Oh, and you will also need to cut off the old exhaust stack and add on the raised one like on the SD60M. Don't get me wrong, this is NOT an easy project, I even gave up on making the GP60M cab (I wanted things exactly right and things werent going the way I plan). If you are going to try to scratch build the cab, you will need to start out with the three window cab, as the nose does not go toward the middle as it does on the two window shell. The GP60 conversion was in my product line for a short while. If I get some extra time one day I just might take out the parts, refinish them and make them even more perfect and once again add it to the detail part list. Hope my blabbering helps!
Forgot to mention that I've also seen a GP60 shell from J&J before. I don't believe they are currently available but if you hunt around...sure would make everything easier!
Using the ATLAS SD60m cab still leaves you a lot of scratch builing to do for the cab.You need to change the side windows and widen the nose because the 60 m cab nose is tapered and the GP60 nose is straight.There was an article in Model Railroader sometime back about bashing the GP60 m and the guy scratched the whole cab.There are N scale drawings of the cab pieces needed in the article. <marquee>North American Rail Alliance</marquee> [ 14 March 2001: Message edited by: Catt ]
I have decided against ising the Botchmann GP-50 shell as is is junk. It is WAY too wide and would look comical next to the Atlas bashed SD-60M. I have already fineshed scratch building the cab following the MR article as my SD-60M cab is still in the mail from Atlas.
