EMD’s GP60M and GP60B units.
Athearn’s HO models were and still are very popular, I myself have two.
But what about us N Scale modelers? These models are not commercially available as of yet, and custom built models are far and few between, not to mention expensive.
If your an N Scale modeler, what are your thoughts on the GP60M and GP60B. If this loco were mass produced would you buy one or two? Hands up all those who would like to see this model released.
They are nice units, but I think a big reason behind these not being mass produced is that only one road (okay, two if you count those that went on to BNSF) ran these.
I believe the only reason Athearn did them was because they purchased the RailPower tooling. RailPower made the shells and frames that no one else would do (such as the CF7) and they were made to fit Athearn trucks, motors, etc.
Otherwise I doubt they would have been made in HO other than brass. Smokey Valley does (or did!) offer the cab and dynamic brake assembly to modify an Athearn GP50 into a GP60M.
Not sure if we’ll see one in N though…
Is there a ready made loco platform like a GP 38 or 40 that could be used or are the 60’s longer?
I have both the GP60 and GP60B shells. They are resin and I believe that they were made by JnJ. They have very nice detail and full pilots with pre-drilled holes for MT 1015 couplers. The Atlas GP40 handrails are an exact fit.
The GP50 and GP60 used the same platform and were very similar externally. I would imagine a GP50 could be kit bashed with an American Safety Cab from an SD70 series frm various manufactorers. Now the problem is an N scale GP50. I on the other hand I would buy be them. I love Santa Fe, it turns out it took me getting into model railroading to realize yellow is my other favorite color, so I would buy them. Even if they were produced in BNSF only I would still buy some, but I also consider myself to be a locomotive collector. I don’t know what it is, I just love the diesels.
With the influx of all the new big 6 axle motive power in N scale I think the 4 axle roadswitchers are starting to just become re-runs. Atlas has done a lot of them, and odds are if Atlas doesn’t make it you can kitbash it from an Atlas loco (wow that was really Atlas heavy). I think the best bet would be either FVM or Kato making these, possibly Athearn. Athearn’s selection is small, and they tend to do some of the lesser-run units (4-8-8-4 Big Boy anyone? the 4-6-6-4 Challengers mighta been run by more roads but still kinda few). However, the influx ofd the big 6 axles might open the door for locos like the GP50, GP60, and GP60M/B b/c if you model trains on the BNSF, what better loco to add to your consist of two SD70ACes or ES44ACs or w/e the heck BNSF is running than a 4 axle EMD roadswitcher from the end of the GP line? I think it would benefit the companies to produce the CF7 though, because while these were an ATSF rebuild, they’re everywhere today on a ton of shortlines! I know the Pee Dee River Railway here in SC has one or two. and yes, there is a resin shell to convert a gp9 into a cf7.
First of all, yes, there are JnJ resin shells for N Scale, so you don’t have to bash one, but you do have to build it
Kato used to make a GP50, so the money has been spent on tooling already. but a GP40 frame could work. and of course LL used to make a GP60.
Your kitbash won’t work though, because the Safety Cab on the 60M is completely different from the teardrop cab on a 60/70M. Those cabs taper to the front. the 60M is a full body cab all the way.
The 60M cab is like a mashup of the F45 Cab and the 3 window SD60M cab.
Also, the HO Smokey Valley Cab is no longer available AFAIK.
I have a Kato GP50. To make it DCC ready you either have to mill the frame or modify the sill to fit an Atlas GP40/40-2 frame by removing the cross bracing and file a little bit of the inside of the front and rear sill. It takes about an hour. BE CAREFULll when cutting off the cross pieces and shaving the front and rear. TAKE YOUR TIME and you will get a great DCC ready engine. You can also use the Aztec TM3013 replacement frame and hardwire a decoder.