So, have any of you concocted a rebuild program for your railroad and produced units from it? I was driving around the BNSF today and I noticed a couple of GP39Ms and 39Es and was wondering if this kind of thing were regularly modeled? I know the spotting features are minimal. It's a long tradition in the real world what with Santa Fe's CF-7s and even BN's old executive BN-1 and Ben-2 which were essentially F38-2s. Then their's CSX's Road slugs. I'm really curious to read and see what you all have come up with.
One of my many current projects is an SP ALCo slug. I've used an old RSD frame with a Sagami motor and a scratchbuilt shell and fuel tank. Sorry no pics yet
I am not sure if this qualifies, but I have taken some extra body shells and re-built them. Specifically, I have some BN GP 39 E's and GP 39 M's. I used Atlas GP 35 body shells and modified them as EMD and MK rebuilds. I just swap the shells when I want to change them from GP 35's to more modern GP 39 E's/M's. There is really not much to the modification. The Micro-Scale decals that I used help make the visiual difference.
About the most I've done recently is chop noses on several GP7s, and add a modified cab from a CF7 shell on another chopnosed GP7. Oh yes, I did take a Mantua GP20 shell, remove the turbo exhaust, and add non-turbo exhaust stacks and a paper air filter. Result- a GP20M. In the past, I've taken GP35 shells and made them into GP35Ms by removing the dynamic brakes and turbo exhaust and adding paper air filters and nonturbo exhaust. Two became Kiamichi RR diesels, while a third became MP 2605. In the works is an SD9 I got off of eBay that will get (yep, you guessed it) a chopped short hood and new angled cab, somewhat like what happened to the MILW, DMIR, and MRL (and yes, I know they didn't have angled cabs, but what the hey, I'll try it out).
BN used an angled cab on a few SD-9s. 6158 comes to mind. I can't think of the others off the top of my head. [ 24. February 2004, 21:10: Message edited by: doofus ]
Atlas is just shipping a "factory" rebuild in N scale - their BNSF GP39m, clothed in a GP30 body... I have a GP30 undec on order, which is slated for similar treatment, only it will stay end up in the yellow/blue warbonnet scheme as #2449, a unit I see around here regularly.
