Hi,
can anyone give some pictures(top -side and front view/ also drawings) of the front &rear handrails of a Canadian built Gmdd SD40-2 . Are there any companies, possibilities for modelrailroad parts in HO?
Christian from Germany!
Is there a particular series you have in mind? I haven’t done a lot of close comparisons of the handrails, but there are a lot of variations between different railways and Canadian Pacific went for SD40-2s in a big way and there are many different variations just in their fleet.
That said, you can bend your own handrails from brass wire to match the correct pattern, using something similar to Athearn or A-Line/RPP formed wire stanchions (http://ppw-aline.com/detlloco.htm), or etched or cast stanchions like Smokey Valley (http://www.smokeyvalley.com/Catalog.htm).
Like Chris said, they are rare, I have seen some on CITX marq’s,(here in the US -Iowa), but do not know if that is your desire, the Athern models are the American version & will be incorrect if “your” prorotype has the BC Rail & other Canadian ‘Ladder’ or ‘Slotted’ type steps like many of our Canadian Prototypes have, look at the stepwells first, & then get the real & only offering by Railflyer that will be 100% accurate. (or try to Scratch Build it, & then by them from RFMP)…
(OK, If someone else offers steps that can P87 match a Canadian Prototype, other than RFMP, please chime in, as of now, as I do not know of others, or used other products, sorry - ChadR)…
I have a couple I have to ‘Make’ Pilot F & R Irons for & it can be intimidating, but well worth it.
They will have to be hand made, but then again, well worth the unique model!
Christian: Although it is on a Backburner now, I do have a replacement Step Kit as I spoke about, & will have to live up to for this unit… This is a Kato SD40-2Mid, that Will Be a B.C.Rail Unit, it has the bottom step outward, then two Ladder/Slotted Steps, the Pilot Grabs are Vertical, & very wide. I have a feeling they are what you are thinking about.
Notice the Pilot Rails & the Steps on these Units, very much worth modelling!!
I have many pictures of CN’s GMD SD40u’s SD40-2’s and SD40-2W’s. Are you interested in any of these type of loco?