Is there a way to produce a Santa Fe GP7M like the one in the photo below, without scratchbuilding the nose and/or cab? GP7 rebuild another one Are these called GP7M, or GP7R, or something else? I would love one or more of them, as they look a bit "tidier" than a CF7.
Alan, JnJ Trains made a CF7 shell. If they made it with the angled cab, that would be the only source for one that I know of. For the nose, you could just cut down the high nose like the real thing. Btw, they are called GP7u. Dwight
I started building one of these in N scale a few months back as I see them all the time on BNSF local jobs or in yards (they really are everywhere it seems). I started with a standard GP9, SD40-2 snoot nose and I think an SD60 cab. The cab was really taking shape when all of the sudden things went wrong. I left a good amount of squadron putty on top of the cab to fill in a gap and it sorta ate the plastic. Really ticked me off to say the least, and haulted that project (I might start up on it again soon). Hope this helps you Alan.
Thanks Dwight and Craig, I will look further into this. Not sure when I would get around to it as I have loads of locomotive repainting/decalling/upgrading/detailing to do first. But I would like one or two of these for switching and local jobs, as I think they just look great!
Ahhhh... a Topeka cab! Start with a PhII GP7. The nose is a straight drop but the cab is another matter. I reckon you could start with a 35-series cab (as Craig suggests, a SD60) and build the roofline up and kitbash the numberboards rescued from the nose lowering. Those side sills would be fun - NOT! Detail Associates make the A/C unit, I believe. Gary.
I notice that one of the photos has a slotted side sill, but the other has had it cut away. Guess which one I will do?
Here is the "other" side of ATSF 1316 http://abpr.railfan.net/february00/02-28-00/aTSF1316ClovisNMDec81.jpg and a broadside of ATSF 1344 http://www.railfan.net/railpix/ABPR/july01/07-25-01/Image1.jpg eNjoy
Kinda looks like a "teenager" loco. Big head, small body... Wonder what it wants to be when it grows up? It does look neat, that's a lot coming from a "Bullet" guy. Viva TGV, Talgo, ICE, etc.!
On this photo you can see the original line of the cab roof slope, with the higher roof section apparently welded above it. Note the cab roof Did they use a standard cab, but then add a higher roof? And if so, why? Did they only use very tall crew members in these?
Go on - do the slotted side sill. I dare you! I think the cabs were built specifically for these rebuilds by ATSF shop forces. Gary.
I do think a Japanese Shinkansen Bullet train by Kato would look GREAT in GN colors, Big Sky Blue or otherwise.... If only they were cheaper....
Hey Hemi! Turn 'round preacher... your preach'n to the choir. Found a slightly dented 1st release TGV on eBay last year, got it for $75, than the add-on set for 450 at a show. Ya know the more I look at the "State-side"motive the more I kinda like it. Hmmm... Freight by America , Passenger by Europe/Japan. Hmmmm... That's the ticket!
Hey Allan, I'm in the process of building on right now. I started with a GP9 and cut the nose. The photo I had from a BNSF book showed a cab that looked like a standard angled cab, so I used a Kato GP35 cab. It is not finished yet, perhaps Craig can give more hints on building this beast. This one I'll paint in the yellow and blue when my BN crazed wife is not looking No orange and green this time
Well you have really done it this time Alan! It's 12:09am and I have school tomorrow but I'm sitting here working on my GP7 rebuild. I'll have pictures for you guys soon. I forgot that I had them but this model will include see through grills and fans, oh, and of coarse, a few BLMA detail parts!
Alan, While the GP35-type cab might work, you'd wind up with more of a GP11, an Illinois Central Gulf rebuild out of their Paducah (KY) shops. I built a GP7U back in my HO days using an Athearn GP7, chopping the short hood, and using a modified cab from a CF7 (from Rail Power Products)- by modifying I mean shortening the cab length to fit. Both the CF7 and GP7U rebuilds used the Topeka Cabs. I still have that locomotive, painted black & lettered for the Oklahoma, Red River & Texas (a subsidiary of the Paris & Mt. Pleasant), and it runs well on my club's HO layout. Personally, I'd like to see a chopnosed Geep on here. I have an Atlas GP7 I'd like to modify for the P&MtP. So Craig, when you get yours done, could you show pics & a "how-to" on chopping the nose?
I hope to have a pic for you guys sometime this week. I have spent more time on this model then probably all of my others to date (I think about 6 hours on the cab alone!). I'll post ASAP.
