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Post by ChessieFan1978 on Jan 4, 2013 10:59:26 GMT -5
Has anyone here ever fit a Kato GP35 Drive/chassis with a Proto GP30 Shell. I have 3 Proto 2000 GP30's that are dummies because they will not run with my Atlas and Kato models. If you have did the conversion, could you show me what needs done to fit the shell and chassis together. Pics would be best. Thanks.
Matt
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Post by delmarvarailfan on Jan 4, 2013 17:34:43 GMT -5
Yes! I would love to see this too. Need some circa 1982 RDG patch GP30s for Conrail on the Delmarva Peninsula to run with my Kato GP35s in PC patch paint. Wondering how to make the conversion for two years now.
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Post by CP_8530 on Jan 4, 2013 19:21:26 GMT -5
Has anyone here ever fit a Kato GP35 Drive/chassis with a Proto GP30 Shell. I have 3 Proto 2000 GP30's that are dummies because they will not run with my Atlas and Kato models. If you have did the conversion, could you show me what needs done to fit the shell and chassis together. Pics would be best. Thanks. Matt Why won't they run together? Do the P2K's run much slower? The Diode board for directional lighting in the P2K's has been known to increase the starting voltage of the units, in effect making them slower. Remove that and hardwire it and the units should at least come close to Kato/Atlas speeds. |
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cr8220
Probationary Member
Posts: 3
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Post by cr8220 on Jan 4, 2013 21:26:37 GMT -5
Hi Matt yes it can be done it is pretty simple to do. i have done this to 2 of mine. A little bit of milling or cutting is all that is needed. Most of the heavy work is on the conductors side. 1st is for the brake lever to clear the weight. 2nd there is material that needs removed above the fuel tank to clear the shell. 3rd is in front of the flywheel on the engineers side for part of the cab to clear. I then filed the coupler pocket down to reuse the proto coupler box. That was the most time consuming part. I will try to post some photos this weekend to help you.
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Post by slowfreight on Jan 4, 2013 22:19:40 GMT -5
Ditto to what Mrdan and cr8220 said. I have 2 GP30's and I've done both fixes. Yank the board and in short order your P2K will speed match a Kato, but if you like the better mechanism you'll just need to spend some time filing and hacking until the shell drops on correctly.
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Post by ChessieFan1978 on Jan 4, 2013 22:42:56 GMT -5
Look Forward to the pics CR8220
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cr8220
Probationary Member
Posts: 3
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Post by cr8220 on Jan 6, 2013 16:32:22 GMT -5
Matt Here are the links to photos for you. The bare metal areas in the pics are where I modified my frames. I forgot to tell you I moved the screw hole for the coupler box to fit. 1st pic is the nose modification.  2nd pic engineers side mod  3rd is overall conductor side  4th is close up of conductor side  5th is another close up.  6th is coupler pockets  7th another of the coupler pocket  I hope this helps you. Ed |
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Post by mrlfan on Jan 6, 2013 19:38:59 GMT -5
Matt I have been putting Kato guts in Protos for a few years now for people. I have a mill in my train room that I use to do this. Let me know if you need help.
Glenn Hoover
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Post by ChessieFan1978 on Jan 11, 2013 9:27:12 GMT -5
thanks guys!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2013 17:09:18 GMT -5
I have done at least 10 to 12 Kato GP35 frames to mount the P2K GP30 shell on. They look and operate much better.
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Post by Randy Earle on Jan 13, 2013 23:49:57 GMT -5
I have done at least 10 to 12 Kato GP35 frames to mount the P2K GP30 shell on. They look and operate much better. The GP35 you got from me was set up for a 30. |
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Post by diesel on Jan 24, 2013 22:41:11 GMT -5
because they will not run with my Atlas and Kato models. I love the Kato GP35 too, they do run way better than the P2k. I will be looking for another one this weekend at Springfiled, BUT You can speed match them even closer (& almost anything) if you use decoder pro & DCC. P2K SD60s are usually slower ect. |
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pcfreek
Probationary Member
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Post by pcfreek on Feb 12, 2013 15:34:52 GMT -5
there is another way - instead of using a kato GP35 I have been buying old Stewart F-units. the trucks and motor mounts are designed to fit into an Athearn drive. you use the proto frame and fit the stewart drive components .it may take a few minutes with a dremel to make room for the wires coming up from the trucks and making some clearance for the motor but it isn't that hard. I have done 3 GP30s, 1 GP20, 5 GP9s and a GP7 all P2K, oh and also an Athearn GP40-2. I can usually find used stewart f's for about $40.00 at train shows so it's a cheap conversion and when done they will run with any atlas or kato just look for the pre-bowser F-units for the Kato guts
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Post by shuttleman on Sept 9, 2014 8:43:17 GMT -5
Thanks for the great photos CR8220. I am doing several Milwaukee Road GP30's using undec Proto GP30 shells and Kato GP35 drives.
My problem is that Milwaukee GP30's had Alco type "B" trucks. Can anyone give me a suggestion on what side frames would work on
Kato trucks? Thanks.
Tom Kidd
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milw199
Superintendent
Beaded crossbucks FTW
Posts: 180
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Post by milw199 on Sept 11, 2014 16:12:08 GMT -5
I think Stewart had some sideframes that would fit the Kato EMD truck.
The problem is that the ALCo truck (9'-4" wheelbase) is actually a bit longer than the EMD truck (9'-0" wheelbase), which requires a shorter fuel tank to fit. To do it right, Kato/Atlas ALCo trucks might fit, but I'm not sure.
The P2K models that needed the ALCo trucks had them, with proper wheelbase, and a shorter tank.
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trev
Road Foreman
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Post by trev on Sept 20, 2015 6:53:44 GMT -5
A Front Range GP30 shell practically just drops onto the Atlas/Kato gp35 chassis. Just a wee bit of sanding on the shell inner and reverse the gp35 fuel tank and heypresto, job done.
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pacbelt
Chairman
Building Layout #11!! ;)
Posts: 682
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Post by pacbelt on Sept 29, 2015 3:53:14 GMT -5
I'll just throw this out there... Since the P2K uses an Athearn motor, a Genesis motor would slip right in!  That's assuming that the motor is your only issue. |
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Post by CP_8530 on Sept 29, 2015 9:39:02 GMT -5
I'll just throw this out there... Since the P2K uses an Athearn motor, a Genesis motor would slip right in! That's assuming that the motor is your only issue. Don't count on it. Converting an Athearn gold motor to a Genesis involves milling out the inside of the frame cavity on many Athearn units. Athearn even went so far as to retool some frames (SD45) to allow an easier conversion. On a P2K, you have that large weight to deal with as well as the motor cavity. |
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pacbelt
Chairman
Building Layout #11!! ;)
Posts: 682
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Post by pacbelt on Sept 30, 2015 11:51:58 GMT -5
 Well Lookie here! It's a GENESIS motor, MOUNTED in my old Athearn blue box U28B!!!  Didn't have to modify a THING. I DO have to measure for what size dogbones, and each end is different. |
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Post by CP_8530 on Oct 2, 2015 8:51:02 GMT -5
Amusing. You'll note I said "most" and not "all" - certain units like the Athearn F7's and Trainmasters either have wider or non-existant motor cavities, making them an easy swap. Others like GP38-2's, SD40-2's, SD45's, etc (and Proto Geeps) have the motor sitting recessed in a cavity that needs milling. As well, there are a variety of different Athearn Genesis motors out there - the longer more common Roco-made ones present more of a headache.
But, go ahead and try that on a Proto 2000 GP9 or GP30, you'll find it's not that easy of a drop-in fit...
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