ATSF GP7u

[sailormatlac]

Very nice twin GP7!

Matt

[faraway]

Thanks a lot for the kind words

[lajry]

Reinhard
Sent this thread to Scott Perry of Santa Fe Prototype Modelers in hopes to get some info on the difference between the Topeka & CF7 angle cabs & some more historical info on same. But he's a very busy person being a Chief of Police.

[lajry]

Joerg has sent my GP7u cab. Now to get my Warbonnet GP7 ready!

ATSF 2831 GP7 BLT 12/52 in Black & Silver Zebra stripes, Warbonnet 8/26/72, rblt/rnum GP7u 2119 5/78.

[faraway]

Joerg has sent my GP7u cab. Now to get my Warbonnet GP7 ready!

ATSF 2831 GP7 BLT 12/52 in Black & Silver Zebra stripes, Warbonnet 8/26/72, rblt/rnum GP7u 2119 5/78.

Great news. Looking forward to read your experiences soldering brass and looking at first photos.

ps. Walthers and many more are out of drop steps but my preferred "detail parts supplier" Atlas has plenty of SD24 drop steps at a very nice price on stock

[faraway]

My third GP7u started in May 2011 with a brass GP7u I felt in love with at Caboose Hobby's in Denver. Back home it got "merged" with a P2K drive and lower part of the body. It got dressed in various ATSF and BNSF outfits but never really fit my roaster.
I stumbled over the ATSF 2778 when I got an interest into the MAW. The ATSF GP7 2778 became ATST GP7u 2203 and did fit my model. No dyn breaks, angled cab, front light in cab and all the decoration on the cab roof inclusive the unique positioned antenna in front of the A/C.
The ATSF 2778/2203 was sold and became the IHRC 344 and ended up as the WAER 344 but never made it to the MAW (The WAER 345 became the MAW 4).

The prototype is a perfect choice for a run down engine and it requires a lot of patches (ref to the patch thread). I did so far not remove the ditch lights even the prototype had none. I assume the prototype got scrapped shortly after the year 1999 (last photos). However I will use it occasional as a short line switcher on my 2000+ layout. Small font letters to form "WAER" at the cab side are on order as well at drop steps.

I am thinking if the two BNSF GP7u might be converted into MAW 4 and CNUR 5...? That would be a nice trio

[lajry]

Look what showed doing a little internet surfing today looking for GP7u pix & info.

Here's how Scott Perry did a GP7u & slug back in 2005:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.pbase.com/superfleet93/santa_fe_gp7uslug&page=all">http://www.pbase.com/superfleet93/santa ... g&page=all</a><!-- m -->

Here's Gene Crosset's "master power roster with specifications and references" on ATSF GP7u slug mothers & slugs:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.atsfrr.net/resources/CrossetGene/ATSF_master_diesel_roster/GP7/reference.htm">http://www.atsfrr.net/resources/Crosset ... erence.htm</a><!-- m -->

BTW found only 3 GP9u pix in California on Fallen Flags but none of GP7u.

And guess who's GP7u models shows up the most on Google images LOL: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://tinyurl.com/qhn8fad">http://tinyurl.com/qhn8fad</a><!-- m -->

[faraway]

The ditch lights and MU cable did not match at all. The front (and back) got a cleanup job and the handrails are plain yellow.

[lajry]

Reinhard
Guess Big Blue had a hiccup as my post about the BNSF GP7u 3800 slug mothers got lost. Have found a bunch of pix of both ATSF Warbonnet & BNSF H1 versions.
Here's a bunch on RR Picture Archives: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?id=BNSF&Page=27">http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoLi ... SF&Page=27</a><!-- m -->
And here's some saved in my Picasa: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://tinyurl.com/o67e3ce">http://tinyurl.com/o67e3ce</a><!-- m -->
And here's a YouTube of BNSF 3838 w/ slug on point pulling 20+/- ethanol (?) tank cars out on main to the yard:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xDP8vx3Du8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xDP8vx3Du8</a><!-- m -->
My WAG is they went from ATSF Warbonnet to BNSF H1 between 2006 & 2008.

[faraway]

I could not resist and started to "down grate" the other two GP7u to MAW engines. Work is still in progress.

[lajry]

Why not have your shortline RR be RP Ry for Rail Progress.

[faraway]

I completed my GP7u engines with decals, details etc. All went fine until I started weathering. The long hoods are heavy weathered from the stacks. That went quite well but I did far to much on the cab and short hood. All messed up when I tried to recover with 50% alcohol. The yellow paint got soft and I had to stop. I was also surprised to get the nasty "white shadow" problem with only 50% alcohol. So another layer of dull coat was required. But to my surprise it did not completely remove the white shadow problem. The alcohol did also help to emphasize the poor positioned lettering.

I am not happy at all with the result. The prototype has very dirty long hoods but the cab and short hoods are surprisingly clean on that old stuff....
I better go to bed now




Did only light weathering on that third engine. A good decision!

[lajry]

Usually Santa Fe never let their locos get that bad looking. But yours are on shortlines that probably don't have the facilities much less the money for cleaning. So you're OK w/ some "over" weathering. BTW what do those initials stand for?

[faraway]

Usually Santa Fe never let their locos get that bad looking. But yours are on shortlines that probably don't have the facilities much less the money for cleaning. So you're OK w/ some "over" weathering. BTW what do those initials stand for?

Wiki says "The C&NC Railroad, also known as the Connersville and New Castle Railroad (reporting mark CNUR), is a Class III short-line railroad that connects the cities of Connersville and New Castle in eastern Indiana"
I think they got all kind of unused engines from that area (Indiana, Ohio) to keep the MAW at life. They did even save the time to patch it from CNUR to MAW.

[faraway]

Bright day light does not improve the situation at all


Only small improvement that could be done are new decals


Best news is my limited eye sight. They are a bit to dark from 3 ft distance... and without glasses at all they look pretty fine :o