Conrail GP15-1 build... JUST DO IT.

[nachoman]

very cool!

[MGWSY]

I would be interested in a set of decals. Just PM me and let me know how much.

[Green_Elite_Cab]

oh cool, i like that article, and i like how it looks. to bad that paint didn't last long! Still a neat prototype though.

[Puddlejumper]

Just a quick update.





And under different light.


Next: Frame, trucks, fuel tank and details such as grabs, lift eyes, train control box, plows, etc.

[bdw9535]

Dave,

Looking good, but you might want to check on the black glare panel on the short hood, don't believe that CR painted them on the GP 15-1's.

Bruce

[tomustang]

Dave,

Looking good, but you might want to check on the black glare panel on the short hood, don't believe that CR painted them on the GP 15-1's.

Bruce

It's there

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Tom, you gotta learn the difference between rust and black, my friend. Many of these GP15-1s worked out in industrial areas like steel mills, and their upper surfaces are blown away. just look at the GP38-2 behind the GP15-1 in the first picture.

ITS ALL RUST. trust me.

[Puddlejumper]

I agree with GEC, that 1666 and 1661 are rusty. The 1643, however, I think is painted. It is my belief that the anti-glare panel on top of the short hood appeared around the same time as the white frame stripe and black-on-white numberboards.

It is hard to distinguish between black and rust in many cases, making it very difficult to distinguish between "phases" of CR's paint scheme. As far as I can tell, there are no fewer than 9 variations of CR's paint scheme, NOT including special schemes. CR painted, EMD painted, GE painted, CR white stripe, GE white stripe, CR Quality, CR Quality Reverse, EMD CR Quality, GE CR Quality. It is very hard to see when the black walkways and nose top appeared, so I use the white frame stripe and numberboards as my reference point. If you guys want I can clarify my phases better in a future post, as far as I know, there is no official CR phase list like there is for CSX, BNSF, etc.

Look at this link... <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/emd/gp151/gp151.html">http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/emd/gp151/gp151.html</a><!-- m --> scroll down to 1699. I believe you can barely see the nose is, indeed, painted black on top.

But this one looks blue. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.nslocos.com/ns1453.html">http://www.nslocos.com/ns1453.html</a><!-- m -->

On the bright side...
A. I like the black.
and
B. while searching for black nose tops I found the next GP15-1 I am going to model
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.nslocos.com/ns1427.html">http://www.nslocos.com/ns1427.html</a><!-- m -->
Was CR 1654 the only GP15-1 with a large can opener??

[tomustang]

Tom, you gotta learn the difference between rust and black, my friend. Many of these GP15-1s worked out in industrial areas like steel mills, and their upper surfaces are blown away. just look at the GP38-2 behind the GP15-1 in the first picture.

ITS ALL RUST. trust me.

And I've already told you how paint works, black gets (which fades first) painted over blue. There is rust, but there was black first which faded or oxidation occurred. If the blueprint involves black then there is black painted there. Furthermore, why would the rust be perfectly lined out, exactly where the black is.

[Green_Elite_Cab]

It is hard to distinguish between black and rust in many cases, making it very difficult to distinguish between "phases" of CR's paint scheme. As far as I can tell, there are no fewer than 9 variations of CR's paint scheme, NOT including special schemes. CR painted, EMD painted, GE painted, CR white stripe, GE white stripe, CR Quality, CR Quality Reverse, EMD CR Quality, GE CR Quality. It is very hard to see when the black walkways and nose top appeared, so I use the white frame stripe and numberboards as my reference point. If you guys want I can clarify my phases better in a future post, as far as I know, there is no official CR phase list like there is for CSX, BNSF, etc.

I think the anti-glare thing is an afterthought anyway. For example, look at these C40-8s



<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.flickriver.com/photos/jimfrazier/tags/roof/">http://www.flickriver.com/photos/jimfrazier/tags/roof/</a><!-- m -->

its all blue when its new, and it fades dark.

Was CR 1654 the only GP15-1 with a large can opener??

looks like it, I haven't noticed any smaller ones.

[Green_Elite_Cab]

And I've already told you how paint works, black gets (which fades first) painted over blue. There is rust, but there was black first which faded or oxidation occurred. If the blueprint involves black then there is black painted there. Furthermore, why would the rust be perfectly lined out, exactly where the black is.

No, the paint doesn't work that way. Anti-glare panels are new. Just by the fact that there are C40-8s running around without an anti-glare panel makes it more than likely that GP15-1 (which is 1979 vintage) didn't have the anti-glare either.

Whats more, the NIKE GP15-1 would be from this eariler time period, not the later ones.

You find me a "blueprint" from the late 70s that says the nose should be black. you won't.

Its "perfectly outlined" because its a flat surface that allowed the rain water and other corrosive dirt and grime to settle on it. the sides don't rust so much because stuff gets more easily washed off of it. You can see this on old cars.

[Puddlejumper]

Ahhh... but the Nike GP15-1 was painted in 1994, after the anti-glare panels were fairly common. ORIGINALLY yes it most certainly had a blue nose. and it is possible that it always had a blue nose but we have no photos to prove it.

6707 painted in 1991. Definitely black. Also 6712. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/emd/sd50/sd50.html">http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/emd/sd50/sd50.html</a><!-- m -->

The GP38-2 is the same vintage as the GP15-1. This page clearly shows black, blue, and rusty noses. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/emd/gp382/gp382.html">http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/emd/gp382/gp382.html</a><!-- m -->

I agree that on CR-Altoona painted engines the anti-glare panel was an afterthought. It may have been hit or miss at best. But it was definitely on the spec sheet from EMD beginning with the SD60M through the last units, the SD70s. It also started with GE around C40-8W #6170 from the factory. These were delivered in the early to mid 90's so I have to believe that it would also be on the Altoona spec sheet as well. Which means that any Altoona repaints *should* have the black nose as well, whether or not it was actually applied on a per unit basis.

Regardless, no need to bicker. I am leaving the black panel. Sometimes we have to agree to disagree.

Thanks for all of the interesting discussion!

[Bob C]

If one wants to be really picky, some/most units, with or w/o anti-glare black, received safety anti-slip texture (coarse sand-like coating, painted over) on top of the nose and sometimes over the "textured-plate" walkways. The edges were so straight that the panels were likely "masked" for application of grit, then painted over, though I observed results only - not the coating process. Bob C.

[tomustang]

Ahhh... but the Nike GP15-1 was painted in 1994, after the anti-glare panels were fairly common. ORIGINALLY yes it most certainly had a blue nose. and it is possible that it always had a blue nose but we have no photos to prove it.

6707 painted in 1991. Definitely black. Also 6712. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/emd/sd50/sd50.html">http://crcyc.railfan.net/locos/emd/sd50/sd50.html</a><!-- m -->

I agree that on CR-Altoona painted engines the anti-glare panel was an afterthought. It may have been hit or miss at best. But it was definitely on the spec sheet from EMD beginning with the SD60M through the last units, the SD70s. It also started with GE around C40-8W #6170 from the factory. These were delivered in the early to mid 90's so I have to believe that it would also be on the Altoona spec sheet as well. Which means that any Altoona repaints *should* have the black nose as well, whether or not it was actually applied on a per unit basis.

Regardless, no need to bicker. I am leaving the black panel. Sometimes we have to agree to disagree.

Thanks for all of the interesting discussion!

I agree dave, 1994.. right in time frame for the glare panels.

Bruce's observation, best part about being a conrail modeler

Chris, the problem is the faded black or dirty panel looking exactly the same as the rusted hood (top) on the GP15-1's. I see the difference with the earlier GP15-1 as I can find ones with fresh paint which are cleaned that are blue hock: You're dash 8C clarified it

[Puddlejumper]

And to think some people think Conrail's paint scheme is boring! We could probably write a book on variations alone! My goal is to model each paint variation including special units. NOT including patched former road schemes. Still, I may have my work cut out for me!