EMD GP18 Intake Grill Photos

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

Hello all,

I am planning to build an O scale Red Caboose GP9 kit as a GP18. Of course, the most significant challenge will be to reproduce the GP18 air intake grilles. Unfortunately I have not been able to locate a close-up photo of a GP18 grill with sufficient resolution to serve as a modeling reference.

Can anyone help me out here?

Thanks,

Charlie

2

A quick search found this. Hope it helps!

3

NorthWest,

Thanks for the link. I had actually found this photo too, and I had high hopes, but when I zoom in, I still can’t quite make out two things:

  1. If the horizontal bars are straight or if they have a series of s-shaped bends, sort of like a wire pulled out of a piece of window screen.

  2. If the assembly behind the grille is made up of vertical blades like a smaller version of the shutters on an RS3.

I can probably fake it, but I’d much rather know for sure what I’m trying to model.

Charlie

4

Looking at this photo, it appears that they are curved. Note that while this is an export unit, above the frame it is a standard GP18.

Yes.

5

There’s also a picture of a GP18 grill on page EMD-58 of “The Second Diesel Spotter’s Guide”. The horizontal (and vertical) bars or rods are straight. The horizontal are overlaid onto the vertical. The cross-section shape of either is not obvious. I THINK the rods are a rounded rectangular section, but am not sure. If so, the rods are thicker (taller) than they are wide. The ends of the horizontal rods bend in towards the carbody. The ends of the bars appear to be attached to a mounting base.

Note also the drip sheet above the assembly.

Ed

6

Thanks, Ed.