08-25-2011, 08:45 AM
A set of short-, long hood and cab has been left from the the GP7u kit bashing based on the Hallmark brass unit. Another P2K Santa Fe P2K was on the shelf too.
It was a natural wish to have another GP7u made of that residual components. I am been afraid to do the complicate GP7u cab but I found out a small series kept the original round roof on the cab. The Santa Fe 1311 had dynamic brakes, the front light in the nose, the simpler round roof and made it as the 3821 into the BNSF area. I have to ignore two differences
a. the Santa Fe 1311 has been used as a slug mother doing switching in the Chicago area
b. the BNSF 3821 could be found on photos taken after 2003 with brand new BNSF colors only.
However, I "assume" the 3821 has been BNSF patched with it's original Santa Fe colors prior to 2003.
You are very welcome if you know another BNSF GP7u with dynamic brake bulbs (they are plated over), lamp in the nose, round roof and still in Santa Fe colors with BNSF patch (and might be used in the LA area after 2000).
There is a nice introduction with photos how to do the conversion with the angeled roof. I did use that for the low hood. The new front of the cab was a problem. I have not been to optimistic to get it well from a piece of styrene and the number boards with a frame are another open topic. I solved it by using the parts of the cab of a spare Athearn CF-7 2563 shell.
Currently is the number board unit and the cab front wall waiting for the glue to set. The low hood is only put but not glued in place now.
I want to avoid to do much putty and sanding but to keep the original yellow paint as is where ever possible and to the paint job with a brush only. That is the reason why I did not follow the directions and did not sand the fireman's side of the low hood totally flat. The old number boards have been closed with the unused parts from the low hood to get the yellow color. The Athearn CF-7 window wall color fits the P2K yellow very well.
![[Image: Img_0867.jpg?t=1314282056]](http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/ae149/faraway52/Misc-1/Img_0867.jpg?t=1314282056)
It was a natural wish to have another GP7u made of that residual components. I am been afraid to do the complicate GP7u cab but I found out a small series kept the original round roof on the cab. The Santa Fe 1311 had dynamic brakes, the front light in the nose, the simpler round roof and made it as the 3821 into the BNSF area. I have to ignore two differences
a. the Santa Fe 1311 has been used as a slug mother doing switching in the Chicago area
b. the BNSF 3821 could be found on photos taken after 2003 with brand new BNSF colors only.
However, I "assume" the 3821 has been BNSF patched with it's original Santa Fe colors prior to 2003.
You are very welcome if you know another BNSF GP7u with dynamic brake bulbs (they are plated over), lamp in the nose, round roof and still in Santa Fe colors with BNSF patch (and might be used in the LA area after 2000).
There is a nice introduction with photos how to do the conversion with the angeled roof. I did use that for the low hood. The new front of the cab was a problem. I have not been to optimistic to get it well from a piece of styrene and the number boards with a frame are another open topic. I solved it by using the parts of the cab of a spare Athearn CF-7 2563 shell.
Currently is the number board unit and the cab front wall waiting for the glue to set. The low hood is only put but not glued in place now.
I want to avoid to do much putty and sanding but to keep the original yellow paint as is where ever possible and to the paint job with a brush only. That is the reason why I did not follow the directions and did not sand the fireman's side of the low hood totally flat. The old number boards have been closed with the unused parts from the low hood to get the yellow color. The Athearn CF-7 window wall color fits the P2K yellow very well.
Reinhard