03/31/2010
| GP38-2 SUPER MODELS |
This is the Athearn side. Note the cutout for
the DB section. The small cutout on the
right side is for the small tab under the
inertial filter hatch.
the DB section. The small cutout on the
right side is for the small tab under the
inertial filter hatch.
This side is for the Atlas GP shells. All the
little cutouts are for the protrusions on the
inside of the shell.
little cutouts are for the protrusions on the
inside of the shell.
The above and below photos are of the shells in place. The shells fit VERY snug over the tools and do not
need any other fixture to secure them.
need any other fixture to secure them.
Now do not think that just because I made this tool I can simply load of a shell and start cutting. I wish it
was that simple. My mill is trued, but that does not mean the models are also trued. There are a few things
that can ruin your model. First of all you need to pay attention to the ejector pin marks under the hood.
Some are recessed and some are not. This can offset the model a bit on the tool. I made sure all the pin
marks were cleaned up. This still does not true the model on the tool. It is close, but not 100%. Somewhere
there is a high point and I will show you in the next three photos how I find it.
was that simple. My mill is trued, but that does not mean the models are also trued. There are a few things
that can ruin your model. First of all you need to pay attention to the ejector pin marks under the hood.
Some are recessed and some are not. This can offset the model a bit on the tool. I made sure all the pin
marks were cleaned up. This still does not true the model on the tool. It is close, but not 100%. Somewhere
there is a high point and I will show you in the next three photos how I find it.
In this photo you can see I cut ONLY the top bin of the inertial filter hatch off. I did not cut it all the way
down to the roof. That would have been a huge mistake because I do not know where the high point is. In
the above photo though you can see the high point. It is in the forward left hand corner of the hatch. I am
safe here because I still have the hatch itself to cut off, but now I know what I am dealing with.
down to the roof. That would have been a huge mistake because I do not know where the high point is. In
the above photo though you can see the high point. It is in the forward left hand corner of the hatch. I am
safe here because I still have the hatch itself to cut off, but now I know what I am dealing with.
The next thing I do is bring my milling bit to the high point corner and start lowering the bit until it just
barely contacts the top of the inertial filter compartment. Notice I did not say hatch, but rather
compartment. That is because I want to now take the hatch off.
barely contacts the top of the inertial filter compartment. Notice I did not say hatch, but rather
compartment. That is because I want to now take the hatch off.
Here you can see the hatch is removed and the forward left of the compartment has just a small amount
milled. You can also see that there is still some hatch that needs to be removed. This is easily done with a
sanding block. I do the same thing for the removal of the radiator hatch. I find the high point and then start
from there. After I remove the surface details from the top, I move the milling bit to the side and remove
the inertial filter screens and the radiator grills.
milled. You can also see that there is still some hatch that needs to be removed. This is easily done with a
sanding block. I do the same thing for the removal of the radiator hatch. I find the high point and then start
from there. After I remove the surface details from the top, I move the milling bit to the side and remove
the inertial filter screens and the radiator grills.
In this photo you will see the finished surface detail removal. I have also sanded the areas milled. These
parts are now ready for Cannon & Co. parts as well as the Plano radiator hatch. Naturally none of these
parts are going to go on yet, I have a lot more cutting to do.
To finish off this first page, I have two more areas to address. Those being the front and rear pilot faces.
These models are going to be completely rebuilt from the ground up and a new frame is being designed
for them so I need to completely clean off the pilot plates and prep them for detailing as well. Three of the
five units will have the 81" nose and two will have the 88" nose with switcher style steps. The two photos
below will show the pilots cleaned up.
parts are now ready for Cannon & Co. parts as well as the Plano radiator hatch. Naturally none of these
parts are going to go on yet, I have a lot more cutting to do.
To finish off this first page, I have two more areas to address. Those being the front and rear pilot faces.
These models are going to be completely rebuilt from the ground up and a new frame is being designed
for them so I need to completely clean off the pilot plates and prep them for detailing as well. Three of the
five units will have the 81" nose and two will have the 88" nose with switcher style steps. The two photos
below will show the pilots cleaned up.
The above and below photos show the cleaned up pilot faces. There are still some sanding scratches in
them, but these will be cleaned up with more sanding prior to detailing. As you can see with the above
photo, this will be a unit with an 88" nose since the anti climber has been removed.
them, but these will be cleaned up with more sanding prior to detailing. As you can see with the above
photo, this will be a unit with an 88" nose since the anti climber has been removed.
Besides the removal of the air reservoirs and jacking pads, that is about it for taking off the surface detail.
The next step will require some serious surgery to remove the long hood end, nose and cab sub base.
Along with this will be the removal of the ECAFB. All my units will use the welded in ECAFB, but since I am
removing the cab sub base the molded in ECAFB will go along with it and a new Cannon & Co. ECAFB will
replace it.
The next step will require some serious surgery to remove the long hood end, nose and cab sub base.
Along with this will be the removal of the ECAFB. All my units will use the welded in ECAFB, but since I am
removing the cab sub base the molded in ECAFB will go along with it and a new Cannon & Co. ECAFB will
replace it.
This photo will certainly narrow down what units I may be building. Maybe not a lot, but you do now know
they are all non-DB units with short stacks. Here you can see that I have modified the exhaust stacks. I
first drilled a series of holes through the stack and cut the centers out. I then milled the stacks to be just
barely above the bolt heads. I used the mill because I do not trust myself to cut the stacks evenly across
by hand. After milling the stacks down, I cleaned out the centers better and thinned the stack walls.
Time to scrub up and perform the necessary surgery.
they are all non-DB units with short stacks. Here you can see that I have modified the exhaust stacks. I
first drilled a series of holes through the stack and cut the centers out. I then milled the stacks to be just
barely above the bolt heads. I used the mill because I do not trust myself to cut the stacks evenly across
by hand. After milling the stacks down, I cleaned out the centers better and thinned the stack walls.
Time to scrub up and perform the necessary surgery.
I am going to just get right into starting this project. This article is more about construction rather than
what prototype these five GP38-2's are going to be. So let me get started here.
My first task at hand is to determine what surface details I want to remove and replace and what details I
want to completely cut out and replace. The surface details will come off first and then the complete
removal of detail. Naturally I will be using a good supply of Cannon & Co. parts to re-detail these models.
Since I do own a small mill, I like to utilize this machine. It makes some aspects of modeling a lot easier. I
am also designing a completely new frame for these models. This frame will utilize the Atlas motor and
retain the Athearn trucks, but will allow the deck to be at prototype height off the rail head. Also a new fuel
tank will be designed to use with the frames.
So to make my surface detail removal easier I designed a simple tool to hold the shell and allow me to mill
off the details. One side holds an Atlas GP shell and the other holds an Athearn GP shell.
what prototype these five GP38-2's are going to be. So let me get started here.
My first task at hand is to determine what surface details I want to remove and replace and what details I
want to completely cut out and replace. The surface details will come off first and then the complete
removal of detail. Naturally I will be using a good supply of Cannon & Co. parts to re-detail these models.
Since I do own a small mill, I like to utilize this machine. It makes some aspects of modeling a lot easier. I
am also designing a completely new frame for these models. This frame will utilize the Atlas motor and
retain the Athearn trucks, but will allow the deck to be at prototype height off the rail head. Also a new fuel
tank will be designed to use with the frames.
So to make my surface detail removal easier I designed a simple tool to hold the shell and allow me to mill
off the details. One side holds an Atlas GP shell and the other holds an Athearn GP shell.