Working on Pilots for the MTL GP35's

I will probably need several pilots for my Geeps before all is said and done, so I worked out an easily reproducable method so they would all look alike.



I have to cut off the backside of the coupler box so there is enough clearance to remove and replace the shell on drive mechanism.



You can see that the upper and lower halves of the coupler stick out the back of the coupler box now. Even the spring is visible, but the coupler actually still works well.



Assembly is easy, just drop the coupler in the new pilot cradle, with the center pin inside the screw hole, then superglue the pilot cradle lid on.
When the glue is set, use a fine Gyros saw in the Dremel to cut the backside of the coupler box off.

Next I have to form the plow, which takes a few minutes with a half round needle file to form the curvature of the plow face, then file a bevel around all sides to make it look like a blade.

Finish by supergluing on the plow mount bracker around the bottom of the coupler onto the pilot front, then superglue on the plow.

I used the same Gyros saw in my dremel to cutoff the coupler from the front truck of the MTL GP35.

Last I just have to superglue the pilot in that gaping hole in the front of the GP. I only do the front with a pilot mount, and leave the rear coupler as truck mounted so I still have all the turning radius.

I learned about turning radius (or lack of) with my AZL SD-45's, so I will leave rear couplers as truck mounted.

-Robert

 

Robert,

i can see all the Z scalers lining up for orders

 

Robert, are those parts laser cut, because Its exactly what I am looking for to finish my GP39.
Let me know if you can make extras.

John

 

Send me your address, and I will mail you a set.


-Robert

 

The pilot and plow are made from laser engravable sign acrylic. It is a lot like styrene, but a little softer.

It takes a bit of work to form the plow. I use a half round needle file to file away the concave plow surface, while the plow piece is still in the sheet of acrylic, and sitting on a flat surface. That makes it easy to hold while filing.

After the surface looks concave enough, I remove the plow from the sheet, then file a bevel on all backside edges of the plow till it looks right.

Next comes about 30 seconds of fine sanding with a piece of 400 grit sandpaper, then cleanup of the "Fuzz" that builds up with a sharp exacto blade.

I made 4 pilots with plows in 1 hour last night, so I would have enough for all my geeps. That's 6 total I have made so far.

I was not planning on making these a kit because of the fine cutting, sanding, and filing required. The first one took me an hour to make, but that was more of drawing out the parts and adjusting the size of parts.

The second one I made, which was yesterday, came 2 months after I made the first one, and took about 1/2 hour. I have all the correct tools, so I did not mess up anything. One slip-up in the assembly can ruin either the coupler, or the plow.

I kind of expect MTL to come out with a pilot conversion like they used to have for all the older N Scale locomotives, and BLMA to offer etched Stainless Snow plows in various styles any time now.

-Robert

 

Robert, thanks for the pilot and plow. I am almost finish with the GP39. The snow plow will be the icing to the cake. No more big hole in the front. By the way, the kit was very easy to assemble. I dont think it's that hard to sand the plow. Just have to sand it slowly and carefully.

 

I also sent a set to Steve in New Zealand to test out. If you guys feel that they are worth offering as a detail for GP35 owners, then I might go ahead and make up a run of 100 sets for sale.

-Robert

 

OK, I'll do it! Give me a week or so to make them into kit form.

-Robert

 

-Robert