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Hello Modelers~,
So I was given the opportunity to finish an uncompleted model.
Remembering my first professional kitbash model was back in 1979 when I made a highly detailed Western Pacific GP-20 high nose (sorry no pics, back then I had only a polaroid one step and the film was old and didn't come out well) from a low nose GP-20 which I ended up cutting open cab doors, with most lights and lots of basic handmade details, albeit DC. The model should be out there somewhere today?
Anyway, I digress; So when I was asked if I could finish an existing unfinished model. I was excited, but then he said when he was younger he got to operate for a few hours a particular similar engine and wanted his to reflect the prototype to some degree. Then, I was really excited to try it!
So below is what I came up with trying to upgrade an O-Scale basic 3rd rail/sunset Models plastic/brass model to reflect the Sacramento Northern GP-7 #712.
Pic 1) Shows the prototype and goal for this build.
Pic 2) Shows the model as presented to me.
Pic 3) Shows the non-dynamic option.
Pic 4) Shows the rearview.
Pic 5) Shows the wrong light housings for this build.
Pic 6) Conductor side view with Dynamic blister installed.
Pic 7) Engineer’s side view.
Pic 8) Close up of rearview. Note the speedometer is in the wrong location on the rear truck.
Pic 9) Front close-up view. Note the bell and horn cluster are mounted on the short hood roof.
Pic 10) The existing QSI sound decoder and wiring harnesses.
Pic 11) Ok, with the major sub-assemblies separated and ready for closer inspection.
Pic 12) First thing I notice is the railing mounting pins were protruding inside a bit too far and hitting parts of the frame plate.
Pic 13) A better top view of the pins which some were not allowing the walkway base to rest flat on the frame plate.
Pic 14) I removed the front headlight housings and step rungs to allow for filling in and smooth sanding of the angled short hood nose.
Pic 15) Once the angled noses were sanded smooth I could get a better look at filling in what wasn’t needed to match the prototype.
Pic 16) I sanded any parting lines and grit blasted the shell as part of the paint prep.
Pic 17) Next I started marking the locations of the holes on the skirts and drilled out the molded on fuel cap and installed the new fuel tube.
Pic 18) Next I started drilling the end holes of the oval shape access holes on each side skirt and installed the hand fabricated fuel cap which sticks out on each side a bit per the prototype.
Pic 19) Well a lot of hand drilling followed up by lots of hand filling. (Next time I’ll set the milling machine to be a bit more precise).
Pic 20) Plenty of filing on the inside as well.
Pic 21) Both drilled and filed side skirts (here is where I realized I’m stupid and forgot to drill one hole a bit lower from the other 3 like the prototype had.
Pic 22) Next I filed down the fuel tank molded filler cap ring and filled in the recessed fuel cap hole and applied the putty filler.
Pic 23) Shows both sides needed the same attention.
Pic 24) First of many sessions of putty, sanding, putty, sanding…
Pic 25) More putty, more sanding, more putty, more sanding. Does this ever stop?
Pic 26) Not wanting to see another fuel tank, I focused on adding the sanding lines for both truck's front and rear.
Pic 27) Sanding lines on trucks are a nice detail that gets overlooked too often by modelers.
Pic 28) Next I fabricated the pilot slant bracing and the toilet drain pipe on the front pilot (another nice detail that is often overlooked).
Pic 29) One note the coupler cut bars and step platforms are operating and made sure during the painting process they continued to operate.
Pic 30) The steps had nice see-through hole detailing.
Pic 31) One note here; the pilot footboards would have to be removed and filled in with thick sheet brass and yup, more sanding.
Pic 32 was left blank on purpose...
Pic 33) Shows a better angle of the completed bracing and drain piping w/brackets.
Pic 34) Pilots get grit blasted and you can see the footboards are gone and filled in.
Pic 35) The custom-made truck light housings were installed along with the relocated bell w/air line added with the side skirts.
Pic 36 & 37) Here you can see how the pilots are bolted on for fit n finish.
Pic 38) The fuel tank is attached as well for part of the mock-up process.
Pic 39 & 40) Time to test fit everything.
Pic 41 & 42) Testing the truck articulation with the sanding hoses on is a good idea at this point.
Pic 43 & 44) The walkway base sits nice and flat on the frame plate.
Pic 45- 48) Show the brass sand filler hatch covers and mounts built and installed.
Pic 49-52) Next I had to cut up an E-unit winterization hatch into 6 pieces (which was too wide and not long enough. So after some measuring, I made the cuts needed and soldered this jigsaw puzzle together to a GP-7/9 hatch, and added the screen and mounting pins.
Pic 53) With the shell mocked on with the brass horn cluster repositioned to the correct location on the long hood roof.
Pic 54) Next I attached the dynamic blister.
Pic 55) Next I installed all 3 brass castings and made sure to shave to fit n finish a little better than originally done.
Pic 56) The fans were deburred and mocked up.
Pic 57) Next the fan grills with the winterization hatch cover.
Pic 58) After the second coat of this pearl green, I knew this model was going to need many following coats. Holy cow!
Pic 59) I made a couple of test sprays to see how many coats were needed. The magic number was 7-9 coats in areas. This was a see-through paint for sure.
Pic 60) All parts get the same coatings as well.
Pic 61) Slowly the right color tone starts to show.
Pic 62) Next I start the final assembly and fit n finish.
Pic 63) The model is starting to look like something.
Pic 64) Walkway deck is on.
Pic 65) Checking shell against any wires that might get pinched.
Pic 66-68) Model is secured on the frame and final inspection of all parts for fit n finish.
Pic 69) Just to give a peek at how many wires are ready inside.
Pic 70) Final deck wires are routed and connected.
Pic 71) Resistors connected to the decoder and soldered to the wire leads.
Pic 72) Shows the final wiring harness. Decoder CV’s adjusted and model test ran for operation.
Pic 73) Close-up view of the decaling of the rear long hood nose.
Pic 74) Close-up view of the decaling of the front short hood nose.
Pic 75) Conductor side lettering view.
Pic 76) Front angled overall view.
Pic 77 & 78) Show the finished front pilot views.
Pic 79) Engineer side view.
Pic 80) Overall side engineer’s side view.
Pic 81) Rear pilot view. Note: walkway end chain left down on purpose for conversations along with an air hose or two tucked in an up position.
Pic 82) Overall top view. Note fan grills are black and fan blades are silver.
Pic 83) Nice bright yellowish headlights/rear lights.
Pic 84) With number board, walkway, class lights, and cab interior lights on.
Pic 85) Conductor side view with all likes on. Note under frame truck lights.
Pic 86) Engineer’s side view with all lights on.
Pic 87) Rearview with all lights on.
Pic 88) Top view with exhaust stack light glows.
I hope this pictorial gives you some ideas for detailing your next Geep model.
While this model was a lot of work, it was also a lot of fun building!
Thanx Thom…
So I was given the opportunity to finish an uncompleted model.
Remembering my first professional kitbash model was back in 1979 when I made a highly detailed Western Pacific GP-20 high nose (sorry no pics, back then I had only a polaroid one step and the film was old and didn't come out well) from a low nose GP-20 which I ended up cutting open cab doors, with most lights and lots of basic handmade details, albeit DC. The model should be out there somewhere today?Anyway, I digress; So when I was asked if I could finish an existing unfinished model. I was excited, but then he said when he was younger he got to operate for a few hours a particular similar engine and wanted his to reflect the prototype to some degree. Then, I was really excited to try it!
So below is what I came up with trying to upgrade an O-Scale basic 3rd rail/sunset Models plastic/brass model to reflect the Sacramento Northern GP-7 #712.
Pic 1) Shows the prototype and goal for this build.
Pic 2) Shows the model as presented to me.
Pic 3) Shows the non-dynamic option.
Pic 4) Shows the rearview.
Pic 5) Shows the wrong light housings for this build.
Pic 6) Conductor side view with Dynamic blister installed.
Pic 7) Engineer’s side view.
Pic 8) Close up of rearview. Note the speedometer is in the wrong location on the rear truck.
Pic 9) Front close-up view. Note the bell and horn cluster are mounted on the short hood roof.
Pic 10) The existing QSI sound decoder and wiring harnesses.
Pic 11) Ok, with the major sub-assemblies separated and ready for closer inspection.
Pic 12) First thing I notice is the railing mounting pins were protruding inside a bit too far and hitting parts of the frame plate.
Pic 13) A better top view of the pins which some were not allowing the walkway base to rest flat on the frame plate.
Pic 14) I removed the front headlight housings and step rungs to allow for filling in and smooth sanding of the angled short hood nose.
Pic 15) Once the angled noses were sanded smooth I could get a better look at filling in what wasn’t needed to match the prototype.
Pic 16) I sanded any parting lines and grit blasted the shell as part of the paint prep.
Pic 17) Next I started marking the locations of the holes on the skirts and drilled out the molded on fuel cap and installed the new fuel tube.
Pic 18) Next I started drilling the end holes of the oval shape access holes on each side skirt and installed the hand fabricated fuel cap which sticks out on each side a bit per the prototype.
Pic 19) Well a lot of hand drilling followed up by lots of hand filling. (Next time I’ll set the milling machine to be a bit more precise).
Pic 20) Plenty of filing on the inside as well.
Pic 21) Both drilled and filed side skirts (here is where I realized I’m stupid and forgot to drill one hole a bit lower from the other 3 like the prototype had.
Pic 22) Next I filed down the fuel tank molded filler cap ring and filled in the recessed fuel cap hole and applied the putty filler.
Pic 23) Shows both sides needed the same attention.
Pic 24) First of many sessions of putty, sanding, putty, sanding…
Pic 25) More putty, more sanding, more putty, more sanding. Does this ever stop?
Pic 26) Not wanting to see another fuel tank, I focused on adding the sanding lines for both truck's front and rear.
Pic 27) Sanding lines on trucks are a nice detail that gets overlooked too often by modelers.
Pic 28) Next I fabricated the pilot slant bracing and the toilet drain pipe on the front pilot (another nice detail that is often overlooked).
Pic 29) One note the coupler cut bars and step platforms are operating and made sure during the painting process they continued to operate.
Pic 30) The steps had nice see-through hole detailing.
Pic 31) One note here; the pilot footboards would have to be removed and filled in with thick sheet brass and yup, more sanding.
Pic 32 was left blank on purpose...
Pic 33) Shows a better angle of the completed bracing and drain piping w/brackets.
Pic 34) Pilots get grit blasted and you can see the footboards are gone and filled in.
Pic 35) The custom-made truck light housings were installed along with the relocated bell w/air line added with the side skirts.
Pic 36 & 37) Here you can see how the pilots are bolted on for fit n finish.
Pic 38) The fuel tank is attached as well for part of the mock-up process.
Pic 39 & 40) Time to test fit everything.
Pic 41 & 42) Testing the truck articulation with the sanding hoses on is a good idea at this point.
Pic 43 & 44) The walkway base sits nice and flat on the frame plate.
Pic 45- 48) Show the brass sand filler hatch covers and mounts built and installed.
Pic 49-52) Next I had to cut up an E-unit winterization hatch into 6 pieces (which was too wide and not long enough. So after some measuring, I made the cuts needed and soldered this jigsaw puzzle together to a GP-7/9 hatch, and added the screen and mounting pins.
Pic 53) With the shell mocked on with the brass horn cluster repositioned to the correct location on the long hood roof.
Pic 54) Next I attached the dynamic blister.
Pic 55) Next I installed all 3 brass castings and made sure to shave to fit n finish a little better than originally done.
Pic 56) The fans were deburred and mocked up.
Pic 57) Next the fan grills with the winterization hatch cover.
Pic 58) After the second coat of this pearl green, I knew this model was going to need many following coats. Holy cow!
Pic 59) I made a couple of test sprays to see how many coats were needed. The magic number was 7-9 coats in areas. This was a see-through paint for sure.
Pic 60) All parts get the same coatings as well.
Pic 61) Slowly the right color tone starts to show.
Pic 62) Next I start the final assembly and fit n finish.
Pic 63) The model is starting to look like something.
Pic 64) Walkway deck is on.
Pic 65) Checking shell against any wires that might get pinched.
Pic 66-68) Model is secured on the frame and final inspection of all parts for fit n finish.
Pic 69) Just to give a peek at how many wires are ready inside.
Pic 70) Final deck wires are routed and connected.
Pic 71) Resistors connected to the decoder and soldered to the wire leads.
Pic 72) Shows the final wiring harness. Decoder CV’s adjusted and model test ran for operation.
Pic 73) Close-up view of the decaling of the rear long hood nose.
Pic 74) Close-up view of the decaling of the front short hood nose.
Pic 75) Conductor side lettering view.
Pic 76) Front angled overall view.
Pic 77 & 78) Show the finished front pilot views.
Pic 79) Engineer side view.
Pic 80) Overall side engineer’s side view.
Pic 81) Rear pilot view. Note: walkway end chain left down on purpose for conversations along with an air hose or two tucked in an up position.
Pic 82) Overall top view. Note fan grills are black and fan blades are silver.
Pic 83) Nice bright yellowish headlights/rear lights.
Pic 84) With number board, walkway, class lights, and cab interior lights on.
Pic 85) Conductor side view with all likes on. Note under frame truck lights.
Pic 86) Engineer’s side view with all lights on.
Pic 87) Rearview with all lights on.
Pic 88) Top view with exhaust stack light glows.
I hope this pictorial gives you some ideas for detailing your next Geep model.
While this model was a lot of work, it was also a lot of fun building!
Thanx Thom…
Attached Files
For the record, I have here some 11 different types of thinner, and only one I had a little leftover in an unmarked paint bottle that seemed to work somewhat ok.
Thanx Thom...
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