First build started: RLK GP9 1703 and SD18r 1800

[acollins]

Hey Folks, here is my two first builds. I started both this this weekend, and with the help of Erik (c415rock), have gotten them this far.

1703 started off as a P2K UP GP20 488. After trading its long hood for a GP7 long hood, and having its cab replaced with a Atlas SD24 cab, it started to take shape. It will be detailed with a mixture of DW, DA and MBE parts.

Here is a picture of the actual 1703 taken in 2005 before it was scrapped in 2008:



Here is the beginning of the the chop nose:



Next. is the first attempt of "patching the old number boards, headlight and the cut seam. Also replaced the single center windshield with a
dual set from a Athearn GP40-2 cab. 



After speaking with Erik, he suggested that I try Mr. Surfacer 500. I removed the putty, and took a Sunday trip to locate some. After locating
some Mr. Surfacer 1000, I figured I'd give that a try. Also added a early Pyle headlight and DA Exhaust stacks. Here is that result:



After over doing it with the Mr. Surfacer, I removed it all and tried again. After a little sanding and a little more less Mr. Surfacer, here is the next result.



Here is the latest up date, a little more fine sanding and some more filing. Also filled in the access ports on the frame as well, here is where its at now:



While working on 1703, I was also working on 1800. Taking the best parts of what I had learned and further picking Erik's brain, and produced the much improved results of 1800. Here is a picture of the actual unit prior to is scrapping in the spring of this year:



Here is the start of my 1800:



It will be modified with a new center windshield group, will also be detailing with DW, DA, MBE and Plano gear as well. 1800 Started life as a Undec Atlas SD24, very similar to the prototype.

I would like to weather the all weather doors on the cabs of both units, Erik suggested using Railflyer's door set, but at the cost of $9.00 per unit, it would certainly exceed my budget. Especially since after this two, I have another 15 GP7/9/10/18/20s planned. They were all fitted with the all weather door. Has anyone else tried modeling the all weather door?

 I was looking at using the P2K doors, but they are smaller and much thicker than the door on the SD24 cab.

Thanks for looking, and a very big thank you to Erik for your patience and your help.

Comments or feedback would be greatly appreciated, as this my attempt to be a producing member around these parts .

Thanks,

Alex

[jeff323]

Your off to a good start Alex.I'm look forward to watching these get built.

[c415rock]

Hi Alex,

Looking good. I am glad I was able to help you out.

Shoot me a text I have a new idea for the cab door.

Erik

[lyled1117]

While it looks looking you're doing fine with the GP20 short nose, just to put out the thought ..... you could get an SD24 shell (low nose version) and cut the nose off of it. I'm doing that arrangement to improve a P2K GP18. The nose and the cab obviously fit each other, some notching on the left and right sides of the nose is needed to fit the walkways. The level of detail on the Atlas nose is better than the GP18's by far, I can't speak for the GP20 you have. For example, on the original nose of the GP18 there is no nose side step indent at all. Again, just putting out an idea just in case it helps

Lyle

[antlorch]

These are looking pretty good so far. Your off to a great start so keep it going and keep sharing your process..

[acollins]

Oct 6, 2013 23:16:31 GMT -5 jeff323 said:

Your off to a good start Alex.I'm look forward to watching these get built.

Jeff,

Thanks I look forward to making progress and I will show them a long the way!

Alex

[acollins]

Oct 6, 2013 23:49:42 GMT -5 c415rock said:

Hi Alex,

Looking good. I am glad I was able to help you out.

Shoot me a text I have a new idea for the cab door.

Erik

Hey Erik,

Thanks man, you have been a tremendous help. I can't thank you enough.

On my way to get that paint and I'll shoot you a text in a bit.

Alex

[acollins]

Oct 7, 2013 0:02:19 GMT -5 lyled1117 said:

While it looks looking you're doing fine with the GP20 short nose, just to put out the thought ..... you could get an SD24 shell (low nose version) and cut the nose off of it. I'm doing that arrangement to improve a P2K GP18. The nose and the cab obviously fit each other, some notching on the left and right sides of the nose is needed to fit the walkways. The level of detail on the Atlas nose is better than the GP18's by far, I can't speak for the GP20 you have. For example, on the original nose of the GP18 there is no nose side step indent at all. Again, just putting out an idea just in case it helps

Lyle

Hey Lyle,

Thanks for the idea, but I'm not making a GP20 . Its going to be a ex SP GP9E. This one is a oddball as it has a really late Ph III frame or a GP20 frame. It was built as SP 5602, but haven't been able to find pictures of it then. I've seen pictures of it when it was SP 3001 and 3192, and the frame is there then. Its the only SP GP9 I've seen with it.

I can (and will) use that idea when I start my RLK 2099 model.

Thanks much,

Alex

[acollins]

Oct 7, 2013 6:40:19 GMT -5 antlorch said:

These are looking pretty good so far. Your off to a great start so keep it going and keep sharing your process..

Thanks Ant,

I can only wish to be half as good as a majority of the modellers around here. But as Erik has reminded me from the start of this,
practice makes perfect.

Alex

[lyled1117]

Oct 7, 2013 11:01:39 GMT -5 acollins said:

Hey Lyle,

Thanks for the idea, but I'm not making a GP20 . Its going to be a ex SP GP9E. This one is a oddball as it has a really late Ph III frame or a GP20 frame. It was built as SP 5602, but haven't been able to find pictures of it then. I've seen pictures of it when it was SP 3001 and 3192, and the frame is there then. Its the only SP GP9 I've seen with it.

I can (and will) use that idea when I start my RLK 2099 model.

Thanks much,

Alex

Oops!!    That's what I get for posting at midnight, need to read a little bit more LOL.  I came back to this post to edit it , realizing you were doing a chop nose and the sloped top of the SD24 nose I suggested would be wrong, you needed a flat one as well as the step recess probably doesn't exist on the prototype you're doing. I intended to correct myself, you indirectly beat me to it. 

Lyle

[acollins]

Oct 7, 2013 12:18:15 GMT -5 lyled1117 said:

Oops!!    That's what I get for posting at midnight, need to read a little bit more LOL.  I came back to this post to edit it , realizing you were doing a chop nose and the sloped top of the SD24 nose I suggested would be wrong, you needed a flat one as well as the step recess probably doesn't exist on the prototype you're doing. I intended to correct myself, you indirectly beat me to it. 

Lyle

It was a very good tip regardless this build or one down the line . Thanks again!

Alex

[Canadian Atlantic Railway]

Two unique and very different units. I like the blue and white hockey stick scheme the best of the two. Is there a decal set available or are you having them made?

[acollins]

Oct 7, 2013 17:52:16 GMT -5 Canadian Atlantic Railway said:

Two unique and very different units. I like the blue and white hockey stick scheme the best of the two. Is there a decal set available or are you having them made?

There is the Black and yellow decal set available from Highball. The blue and white decals, I am having custom made. If your interested in a set, I can add you to order if you would like. I don't have a price or any other details at this point. Send me a PM if your interested and I will save your info.

Thanks,

Alex

[acollins]

Thank you for the compliment Vince!

Alex

[emd16645]

Alex,

Check your PM for some decal info.

Chris

[acollins]

Hey folks,

I mentioned that I had another bunch of GPs. Since I have to wait for detail parts, I started a third one to go along with this first build group.

This one is a GP7u. The actual engine was numbered 1756, and was built as DTSL 49 in April, 1952. It then became GTW GP7 6049, before being sold to Railink in 1998 and being rebuilt as their 1756. It received frame damage some time prior to 2006, and was retired shortly their after, with it finally being cut up in 2008. Here is pic of it sitting in the dead line in Hamilton.



The walkway for this one started on a CN painted GP7 that I traded from Kris here on DD, with the power train coming from a GP9 I had parted out years ago. The long hood and short hood is from a ATSF GP7 that I had purchased from Andy here on DD as well. Coupled with a high hood Atlas SD24 cab, Atlas Uboat cab. Here is the picture prior to shopping.



Started by modifing the pilots to accept a snow plow on the one head and be a flat plate on the other. Next I moved on to the low nose, chopping it the same way as I did RLK 1703s. Instead of filling in where the headlight and numberboards, 1756 (along with 1702, 1755, 1757 and 1808) had them just plated over. The other unique thing with this group of units is that it appears that who ever rebuilt them used GE cabs for the numberboards and center windows. I do plan on modelling all of them that had this feature. Anyways, here is a picture of the front and rear to see what it looks like now.





There was the obvious gap in the roof line between the GE cab and the EMD cab, so thats why the piece of plastic is sticking up. I will be sanding that down once the glue really sets. The long hood needs another dip in the 99%, but gives the general feel.

Anyways, hope I'm not going to annoy people with adding engines to the posts as I go, but they will all get worked on as time goes.

I do appreciate the encouragement, and it will be a driving force for me to keep working on these and not forget about them. Oh wait, the wife won't let me forget about them....she's upset....something to do with the Proto 2000 box pile in the office. Where else am I suppose to keep 15 GP9s?

Thanks again guys,

Alex

[eoin]

Great work Alex. If you are doing GP-9-4s in RaiLink. There is ex-Mackenzie Northern Railway 4000,4002,4003 & 4004. According to are holly book up here (Canadian Trackside Guide) they were all exx-SP GP9E. In 2012 4003 was transferred from CB & CNS railway to Southern Ontario. Thanks for the pic's at least now I know how to start my units MLW's, EMD's & GMD's 39+ & counting. Again great work!

[CP_8530]

Looks like some good progress there. That RLK 1703 looks like an early GP9 with later air tanks and fuel tank retrofitted. Odd. It's got an early Phase 1 GP9 long hood, so your GP7 hood might be a bit off in louvre & vent details.

I've got a RLK 1756 as a rainy day project. Maybe someday I'll finish it. What decals are you planning to use?

[acollins]

Oct 7, 2013 22:59:17 GMT -5 @ir1799 said:

keeping them on one thread makes it easier to follow just remember what your doing to which one

the 3rd one you posted shows your getting adept at low nose surgery

looking good will be a nice fleet you'll have

Thanks for the compliment.

The nice thing about all of them is they are all unique in some fashion. Not one GP was the same at Railink. That makes it some what easier.

Alex

[acollins]

Oct 8, 2013 1:19:11 GMT -5 eoin said:

Great work Alex. If you are doing GP-9-4s in RaiLink. There is ex-Mackenzie Northern Railway 4000,4002,4003 & 4004. According to are holly book up here (Canadian Trackside Guide) they were all exx-SP GP9E. In 2012 4003 was transferred from CB & CNS railway to Southern Ontario. Thanks for the pic's at least now I know how to start my units MLW's, EMD's & GMD's 39+ & counting. Again great work!

Thank you for the compliment!

Sounds like quite the collection your gonna have.

The GP9-4s are on the list. I'm doing 4000 myself. 4001, 4003 and 4004 are being done for me. They need a few mods that I'm not comfortable doing at this point. 4001 is the only one with the Lakeland and Waterways logo on the side instead of Railink. It's been on the GEXR since those units moved east in 2001. 4002 is now in GWI orange and numbered 1705. 4000 was scrapped in 2008 due to cooper thieves.

Alex