I realy REALY want this in HO.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=145535
Allan.
Shouldn’t be hard at all, since P2K & Athearn make GP38-2’s in HO. Fire up the airbrush, buy the decals and you’re good to go.
[#ditto]
Looks like you’ll need to modify the trucks though, don’t see the dampening struts on them.
Rick
Good catch - looks like this unit may have begun life as a straight GP38. Seems to have the short dynamic housing, no sight glass, Blomberg B trucks, and while it’s hard to tell conclusively from a front angle, the cab looks like the pre-1972 version. Assuming that’s the case, the Atlas GP38 may be a better start.
Alternatively, if you start with the Athearn Dash-2 you can swap the truck sideframes to get the correct ones.
Does Microscale offer decals for this scheme yet?
I’m not much of a BNSF fan, but you have to love a picture of a freashly painted or clean locomotive! Not saying that dirt and grime is a bad thing, but they look so much better in this state!
The most recent Trains had a brief news item about BNSF purchasing GP38-2s remanufactured from older locomotives.
Looking at this one, and the length of the radiators and spacing of the cooling fans at the back, it looks like a GP40 that has been de-turboed, the center cooling fan has been removed, and a paper filter box has been cut into the front portion of the dynamic brake blister.
In HO, I’d start with an Atlas GP40, substitute the dynamic brake hatch with an angled paper air filter one from the Atlas 9119 Early/Modified GP38 (not available as a separate part yet, but soon I’m told), and remove the center cooling fan. It would be an almost perfect match. I’m doing almost exactly the same conversion for my freelance road, using a spare dynamic brake hatch from an Atlas 9119.
A fair number of GP40s have become GP38s to satisfy the demand for these highly reliable and versatile locomotives. Some conversions keep all three cooling fans from the original GP40 configuration.
Regards,
Mike
Interesting, one of the captions below the pictures says she started life as a GP35.
Very possible, now that I look at the photo more closely, it might be a former GP35. On first glance, the sills and fuel tank shape look more like a GP40, but Phase 2 or late GP35s did have the same features (most GP35s (Phase 1a,b,c), had a deeper sill and different fuel tank profile amongst other things). At this photo’s angle its hard to judge the length of the unit and space between the fans, which would provide the best visual clues to it being a former GP35.
If it is a former Phase 2 GP35 its going to be a lot harder to model, no commercial model being available. One could choose one of the other rebuilds that are based on a GP38 or GP40, or Phase 1 GP35, or make do with a Kato or Athearn RTR GP35 as a starting point.
Regards,
Mike
Wow thats a nice one!
i think i saw the loco on someone elses ho layout but wasnt sure if it was a custom or he boguth if so fromwhat company
Out of curiousity I googled on “BNSF 2003”. Another forum provided a rundown on all of the GP38-2 rebuilds that BNSF is receiving. According to the information posted there, which came originally from LocoNotes, BNSF 2003 was remanufactured from UP 9962, a GP40.
Combining an Atlas GP40 with the modified dynamic brake hatch from an Atlas 9119 GP38 would do the trick. Or, get an Atlas 9119, and obain an Atlas GP40 long hood, it would amount to the same thing. Of course other detailing and painting would be needed, but all in all its a straight forward project.
Regards,
Mike
I ride METRA over the BNSF every workday and although the “arrow” or “speed” or whatever logo looks good on the side of cars, I don’t much care for it on engine noses.
Oh well, progress…
I am impressed with the photography!!
If the GP35 attribute is correct then BNSF 2003 is a GP35 rebuilt to GP38-2 standards. GP38-2s (as was typical with the -2 line) had the overhanging lip(?) at the rear of the cab, as well as the waterglass vision port (or whatever its called) on the right hand side. For some reason or another I can’t envision BNSF including these features in rebuilds of GP35s since they are, essentially, cosmetic - although admittedly the waterglass feature does have a functional value.
You have to start with a GP35 and the very first thing to go has be the turbocharger.
You’re going to need some photos (both sides and the roof) to get this one contest=quality accurate.
Keep us posted!!!
According to information I posted previously, this particular unit was rebuilt from a GP40, which is consistent with its appearance. It appears that the photo caption is in error in that respect. Some of the later units in this same series are rebuilt from GP35s. This is readily apparent in the photos that I have tracked down since my curiousity was piqued.
You are correct in stating that few cosmetic changes occur when this kind of rebuild is undertaken. Only the bare minimum required to accomodate the internal changes usually get done. For example, cutting the dynamic brake blisters back to accommodate the paper air filter box, and removing the center cooling fan. One ends up with a mix of spotting features that can take a bit of effort to interpret. Thats one of the reasons that I like modelling this kind of unit, its a bit different, and tells a bit of a story to an observer.
That paint job is spectacular, almost flourescent.
Regards,
Mike
Yep… Counting the handrail stanchions (it has 10), it appears this unit is the same length as a GP40, not the 3-feet-shorter GP35 (which has one less long hood handrail stanchion at 9).
Microscale set #87-1623 is appropriate for this paint scheme.