georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Mar 8, 2009 23:18:47 GMT -5
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sarge
Chairman
Posts: 1,132
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Post by sarge on Mar 8, 2009 23:37:14 GMT -5
Interesting.......Verdy intersting............   |
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Mar 8, 2009 23:38:43 GMT -5
Hi, yall! I have lurked on the group for some time and have found all sorts of great information and models and I commend all of you. I found this group through one of the members, Anthony Lorch. My name is Hank Stephens, hailing from the Georgia/Alabama line in Lanett, AL. I model modern prototype freelance railroading in the from of the Georgia Road. It along with regional Alabama Midland and rebuilder Stephens Railcar keep me pretty busy. I am in the design stages of a layout, and do a lot of freelance kitbashing based on what I see prototypes doing such as MPI, NRE and PRSX. I post occasionally on Trainorders.com, and am a moderator of the PFMSIG Yahoo Group dedicated to proto freelancing. Stephens Railcar is a medium size rebuilder of locomotives and railcars based in Alabama in the greater Birmingham area. Along with being the principal contract shop for Georgia Road, it also dabbles in EPA compliant rebuilds through its TGX Program, standing for Third Generation eXtreme rebuild Program. The first TGX units were introduced a few years ago under the 65 series (GP65M, SD65, SD65M) using what is now the 710G-T1 EMD powerplant. With Tier 2 standards going into effect in the last couple of years, the program moved to the new standard also, but due to problems getting the 710 kits, had to look for an alternative in the Caterpillar line. (At the time I had no idea that CAT would buy Progress Rail, but I liked the UP MP20B-3 CAT rebuilds with the "backward exhaust"). The CAT engines will meet and beat Tier 2 requirements, so the 65 series became the 65ME series (E standing for enhanced emissions control). While the original TGX units were mainly internal rebuilds on GP50, SD50 and SD60 cores with only the flared radiator as the major spotting feature, the new 65ME series is more radical. The dynamics were moved to the rear of the unit and it used the larger canted SD90 type radiator core, fuel injection and enhanced particulate filtration. My first picture is the actual components of the rebuild. These are: P2K cab and frame (note that the blower duct on the conductor side was removed on this unit as it has split traction cooling like the 70 series Athearn Genesis SD70M long hood with daynamics cut out and moved to rear ahead of SD70 hood end RPP SD90 radiator assembly--I had one laying around so I used it. My next one will be scratchbuilt from styrene matching the RPP general dimensions. Overland SD60 drive (the P2K drive works too, but I built this one out of spare shells so I had no drive and chassis for it. Here is the assembled unit...  |
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Post by johnnetzlof on Mar 8, 2009 23:38:56 GMT -5
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Mar 8, 2009 23:42:40 GMT -5
The unit still needs a load of detail parts and a completely redesigned internal air intake and electrical panel. Here is a drawing of the unit, showing all the details...  |
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sarge
Chairman
Posts: 1,132
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Post by sarge on Mar 8, 2009 23:44:21 GMT -5
Welcome aboard and great projects |
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Post by Randy Earle on Mar 8, 2009 23:46:22 GMT -5
Holy Smokes! Look at that workbench!!! I don't have a workbench, but if it did it would have 37 locomotives on it. Nice work and welcome to the Detailer!!!! ;D PS: if you can, please downsize your photos at Photobucket to 800 pixels wide. The pix are too wide and we have to scroll from side to side to read what you are saying. Thanks! |
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Post by johnnetzlof on Mar 8, 2009 23:47:13 GMT -5
Ah, I've been seeing your drawings around for a while, good, believable work, as well as witht he paintschemes!
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Mar 8, 2009 23:49:20 GMT -5
Here is the SD40ME shell-- It started with a Athearn BB SD40T-2 will everything cut away behind the internal air filter, and sections of the hood of a P2K SD60 hood (the same one that donated its walkway to the SD65ME). This unit maintains much more of the original core  |
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Mar 8, 2009 23:56:34 GMT -5
Here are a couple of miscellaneous shots from the bench or the Stephens Railcar shop floor, depending on the depth of your imagination. This full out view shows a GP40ME ahead of the SD65ME, The GP40ME is a 3000hp former FEC unit with a 710 12cylinder ECO. The unit had no dynamics, so it got the most modern iteration in an attempt to make them as efficient and cool as possible. Georgia Road is rebuilding may of its FEC and IC units to these standards (in my world, Georgia Road got the IC instead of CN a few years after purchasing the FEC from ST Joe in the mid 1990s)  Also, here is the current Georgia Road "Driven to Service" scheme. There are no plans to repaint current power into the new scheme unless they go in for wreck repairs or major capital overhauls.  |
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Mar 9, 2009 0:00:28 GMT -5
Last one for the night. I mentioned the Alabama Midland RR regional that forms the third side of my triad of concepts. Here are some drawings with the old Billboard and then the current "Dixie Line" schemes. The first shot features a Radio Remote Control Locomotive or RRCL along with an ex CNW SD45 that lost its cab in a grade crossing collision. The OLS graphic is a purposeful statement on that unit!   |
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Post by johnnetzlof on Mar 9, 2009 0:05:57 GMT -5
Reminds me of the BaylLine's scheme!
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Post by Randy Earle on Mar 9, 2009 0:10:23 GMT -5
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Mar 9, 2009 0:12:08 GMT -5
Sorry about the picture size--I figured out how to cut and paste the photolinks and will try to reduce accordingly...
I got the idea of the AMRR from the MKT scheme. The newer version is a knock off of the Bayline, a shortline that I have visted many times. The Bayline and the AMRR pool power so it would not be unusual to see Bayline and AMRR power mixing out of Dothan and Albany,GA. The AMRR occupies most of the old CofGA in Alabama and Southwestern GA.
Thanks for all the nice words. I really have gotten a lot of inspiration from the work I have seen here.
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georgiaroad
Chairman
Purveryor of all things of the prototype freelance GEORGIA ROAD
Posts: 250
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Post by georgiaroad on Mar 9, 2009 0:17:36 GMT -5
I had an article from an old MR on doing the SD30--interesting build up to the SD30-2 (not sure what to call it). Too bad railroads tend to shy away from such labor intensive designs. Guess complaints on bumped heads and extra material doomed the 30 series curves.
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Post by icghogger on Mar 9, 2009 10:02:41 GMT -5
Very Nice Work, Hank!!
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Post by Jack Napier on Mar 9, 2009 20:57:03 GMT -5
WOW! It's great to see you on the board Hank! Those TGX Rebuilds Look awesome, as does the new GARD scheme. |
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