Post by fr8kar on Jun 30, 2017 14:17:43 GMT -5
Missouri Kansas Texas acquired some GP39-2s from Kennecott Copper in 1984. These locomotives were originally equipped with high visibility cabs and high clearance fuel tanks, among other modifications for their use in Kennecott's mines. I've been interested in these locomotives ever since I first saw them, but my first exposure to them was after they arrived on Katy property. After spending so much time studying them and drawing various parts, I can't help but want one as-built. Maybe one day.
Anyway, these locomotives couldn't just go from Kennecott's mine's to Katy's territory. They required some modifications to be placed into service on the Katy, the most extensive of which were cutting down the 88" nose and lowering the cab. This wasn't cut and dried since the cab had a lower roof than the standard EMD cab. This required an addition to the cab to be added to clear the door swing of the top row of cab interior doors on the electrical cabinet.
In order to know how to model the modified cab and nose, I needed to know more about the locomotives as-built. For all my searching online I couldn't find enough high resolution photos of the locomotives' original configuration to get very far. It was at this point in my quest I benefited greatly from the generosity of Don Strack, who went through his archives upon my request to find some original photographic prints of Kennecott GP39-2s shortly after their delivery to the mines. He provided the photos to me and I was able to derive a lot of information about various details from these high resolution scans. Thank you, Don!
Since then I've been working on CAD drawings of both the fuel tanks and cab/nose of what are otherwise pretty standard Phase II GP39-2s. I started with the fuel tank, which was designed to fit the Athearn Genesis GP39-2 frame.
Several months ago, I 3D printed one of these through Shapeways. Here it is after a little cleanup and Tamiya Fine Surface Primer:
The second photo shows a dial gauge installed in the side of the tank. This is a Cannon part; I just designed a hole for the gauge. The fuel fillers are also Cannon parts. Sometimes it's good to print a part and other times it's better to use a superior part. When I can I use the better part.
Other times it's not so easy. I think I could buy enough Cannon cabs and cut them up to make a high visibility cab or a modified cab for one of the Katy diesels, but in this case it's much easier to draw it and print it. So I've modeled the cab and short hood in CAD in both original and modified versions. I intend to 3D print these parts soon, but I'm waiting on a long-promised change to be implemented at Shapeways. Anyway, here's a screenshot of the hopefully soon-to-be-printed cab and nose:
So that's it for now. I still need a GP39-2 to cut up for this purpose, but I'm hoping in the next month or so I'll have it. Right now I'm still reeling from the arrival of my Scale Trains SD40-2s. Expensive, but worth it!
Anyway, these locomotives couldn't just go from Kennecott's mine's to Katy's territory. They required some modifications to be placed into service on the Katy, the most extensive of which were cutting down the 88" nose and lowering the cab. This wasn't cut and dried since the cab had a lower roof than the standard EMD cab. This required an addition to the cab to be added to clear the door swing of the top row of cab interior doors on the electrical cabinet.
In order to know how to model the modified cab and nose, I needed to know more about the locomotives as-built. For all my searching online I couldn't find enough high resolution photos of the locomotives' original configuration to get very far. It was at this point in my quest I benefited greatly from the generosity of Don Strack, who went through his archives upon my request to find some original photographic prints of Kennecott GP39-2s shortly after their delivery to the mines. He provided the photos to me and I was able to derive a lot of information about various details from these high resolution scans. Thank you, Don!
Since then I've been working on CAD drawings of both the fuel tanks and cab/nose of what are otherwise pretty standard Phase II GP39-2s. I started with the fuel tank, which was designed to fit the Athearn Genesis GP39-2 frame.
Several months ago, I 3D printed one of these through Shapeways. Here it is after a little cleanup and Tamiya Fine Surface Primer:
The second photo shows a dial gauge installed in the side of the tank. This is a Cannon part; I just designed a hole for the gauge. The fuel fillers are also Cannon parts. Sometimes it's good to print a part and other times it's better to use a superior part. When I can I use the better part.
Other times it's not so easy. I think I could buy enough Cannon cabs and cut them up to make a high visibility cab or a modified cab for one of the Katy diesels, but in this case it's much easier to draw it and print it. So I've modeled the cab and short hood in CAD in both original and modified versions. I intend to 3D print these parts soon, but I'm waiting on a long-promised change to be implemented at Shapeways. Anyway, here's a screenshot of the hopefully soon-to-be-printed cab and nose:
So that's it for now. I still need a GP39-2 to cut up for this purpose, but I'm hoping in the next month or so I'll have it. Right now I'm still reeling from the arrival of my Scale Trains SD40-2s. Expensive, but worth it!
