I recently put an Athern GP38-2 between a Kato SD40-2 and a P2K GP 38-2… I keep looking at it and looking again… the running plate is definitely higher than either of the other tow locos’ plates and I think the whole thing sits higher… Is this usual? Have I not got the shell on right? If it’s on right is there a mod to sit it down lower?
Anyone else experienced this?
TIA [:)]
I’m not alone! Whew!
When you get down to it the P2K hood is shorter than the Athearn hood as well. Measure them from the walkway to the top of the hood in the same places. The size of the hood differs .0025" while the walkway height differs .004" for a total of .0065".
Athearn’s blue box diesels have always been too high. There was an article in a magazine quite some time ago on how to lower them, so someone has been thinking about it.
Bob Boudreau
Don’t you have to machine the frame or something? Whats really amazing is the hood differences. Guess they were reviewed. [:I]
Oh Rats! I just put a several years old Overland SD40-2 into the string… it matches the Athern!
AAARGH!
The Athern is a recent RTR… (guess they have kept to their existing standard so it will match up to earlier locos. (Which is sensible… if frustrating).
Anyone know where that article is?
The Athearn BB loco’s were built like this for many years do the the motor size. Most of there hoods are higher and wider than the P2K’s. The produced allot of the diesels this way clear back to the 1950’s with the release of the GP9 and GP30. In other words if you bought a brand new BB GP9 today, it is still the old casting die they used years ago, but with the better drive, trucks, chassis, and details on the shell. This is no secret either, it just been the past 10 years that people are really seeing the difference in the size of the hoods. Cirrect me if I am wrong here someone, but did Athearn retool with the RTR loco’s like the GP35 and some of the other GP’s to make them true to scale and get away from the over stuffed look next to a P2K?
You know, if you look at prototype photos, sometimes it looks as though different models with the same basic frame and trucks mismatch as well. Not sure if this is uneven rail, wreck damage or both, but it’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
Guy,Watch for different phases of the GP38-2…Every locomotive is either a early or late production run.These runs include different phases of body detail…Also the problems with the P2K GP38-2 details including the short hood was discussed on the Atlas forum some time back.Its your call if you want to look it up or not on the Atlas forum.
ICRR1964,It seems to me that Athearn is currently not producing any of the wide bodies…Since they show very little of the old “fatties” in stock…
The new GP35 I believe is the RPP shell…However this GP35 sports prototype specific details applied according to road.I have 4 of the C&Os…These are very nice locomotives and IMHO since I own both brands on par with the Kato GP35…These newer GP35s t’ain’t nothing like those older wide body GP35s.[:D]
Thanks BRAKIE, I have not bought one of the GP35’s yet in the RTR yet. I noticed they have allot more roads to in this unit. Don’t see one in IC though. But am thinking of CB&Q being the first purchase in the RTR.
Guys,I forgot to mentiom the P2K GP38-2 comes with 2 different nose types…The standard nose and the 88" nose…
When I mentioned “hood” I was reffering to the distance from the top of the long hood to the walkway. Should have clarified that. As for phases, I’m sure that they are both earlier phases; ie chicken wire radiator grills and no Q fans.
Interesting how the walkways on a P2k GP38-2 and an Athearn GP60M are about even. The coupler pockets on the 60M are higher than the P2K, but what still seems weird is the difference in the cab height between both 38Dash2s. Personally I think the P2K looks better as far as overall look. Just my opinion, tho.
Well,this can be solved by checking the Athearn and P2K GP38-2 against the Atlas GP38-2…[;)]
The original Illinois Central did not have any GP35’s. The ICG acquired the GP35’s from the GM&O. If you want an ICG GP35, you will need to have them running on the ALCO trucks used on FA trade-ins by the GM&O when they had their GP35s built by EMD. The old Blue Box Athearn was incorrect. The Illinois Central did have GP28s. So hopefully we will not see any Illinois Central “Green Diamond” GP35s from Athearn, but ICGs would be a welcome sight.
Mike Tyl
I’ve been thinking about having an odd “wandering” ICG loco… who’s GP35 would fit the bill best and where might I get the ALCO trucks please?
Was a GP 28 derived from something or a new build? Is there an H0 model?
…and did anyone do a “grey”(?) and orange ICG loco at all?