Large Scale Central

Help with current kitbash project

General Discussion
#1

Hi,

I’m just wondering if anyone can help me please?

I’m currently bashing a USAT GP7 into a phase I N&W GP18 (ex NKP), with the progress posted on our large scale forum here in the UK, please have a look if you are interested:

http://www.gscalecentral.net/kit-building-bashing-scratch-build/norfolk-western-gp18-project/

I’ve hit a piece of detail on this engine and I’m not sure exactly what it’s purpose is, and I would really appreciate any help or suggestions you could give me as to it’s function! The white arrows in the two following photos show the piece I’m referring to:

My first thought was that it was part of the sand lines as it appears to be some kind of piping and hose, but the second photo seems to show that these are already in place. The unusual thing is that it is only over the rear truck on the fireman’s side of the loco… Is this a specific feature of the GP18? This part also seems to be present on photos of GP18s in other liveries so I don’t think it is a N&W (or NKP) specific addition…

Any help or suggestions you could give me would be gratefully appreciated!

Many thanks in advance,

Gavin

#2

Gavin

Guests cannot view the image?

Maybe you can copy and paste the picture?

#3

Posting an image on LSC isn’t straightforward Select post reply form the bottom of this page. (not the one in the dialogue box) click the freight shed button in the dialogue box right click the file you want and select open in new window (do not left click it will put a broken link in the dialogue box) click over to the new window and right click the picture. select “copy image” Come back to the dialogue box and paste. You should see the image in the dialogues box. Click enter to ad text below the image. Tom I will delete this post as soon as I see that you have your images working. Boomer And from John Caughey: You have just received a new message from John Caughey: Skill needed: open 2 pages and go from one to the other. Open your Freight shed, Open your thread where you want pic. At bottom in Reply click on Tree icon. Go back to freight shed, move mouse over pic names. Thumbnail pics open and you pick the pic you want, Don’t open, Right click on name and chose Save Shortcut. Open thread page with open reply editor. Where it says URL click and paste the shortcut. Click insert. Pic is entered. Click the Enter key a couple of times to drop cursor below pic. Add text or next pic. John Please click the following link to login and view it: http://www.largescalecentral.com/messages/view/id/989

#4

Hi guys, thanks for the help.

Please accept my apologies for the broken links as this is my first time posting an image here, I didn’t realise that would happen! I changed the post above following your kind instructions John, if this doesn’t work could you please let me know, and delete this message if necessary.

Many thanks,

Gavin

#5

better photo of what he’s looking at

Crossing the Boulevard

#6

Many Thanks for the photo Mark, that is exactly what I was referring to!

#7

Hiya Gavin, your pics are posted, I see. Sorry about my previous post which went flying off before I had edited it… Those instructions came to me from a couple of fellow LSC ers a few months ago. Messy as my post was, I see it helped. So I won’t bother editing it now!

Anyway, Gavin, FYI, the only person who could delete your message is yourself, and I suppose our venerable listowner, Bob McCown, who has a policy of not doing so, BTW.

Good to see you posting. Stick with us and believe me it will be worth it.!!!

Oh, and as for those little pipes, I haven’t a clue.
But then I’m a steamy, so I wouldn’t, would I?
I did know it was a GP9 though, which is pretty good for a steamy, but I wouldn’t have known the front from the back, honestly!

Cheers!

#8

Amazing detail and weathering on your facebook page

(https://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t31.0-8/1658194_1438038163101794_553101418_o.jpg)

#9

Thanks again John, and thanks for the kind words Mark! Our line was featured way back in the Dec 2010 issue of Garden Railways (with a bloody nose GP9 on the front cover) but a lot has improved and developed since then that I’m almost a bit embarrassed!

Here is a quick photo of the bash so far if anyone is interested:

Details include:

new 48’ cap top fans,

re-worked intake grills,

new louver details on both sides of the loco, on the long hood and beneath cab,

new mars light casting (3D printed) on the nose,

new dual fixed beam headlight castings,

removed the extra steam boiler detail on short hood,

new firecracker antenna on cab roof,

fully detailed truck frames.

I’m currently working on the loco frame, re-doing the side skirts, the pilots and the underbody piping detail on the fuel tank and air reservoirs, hence my current question on the trucks!

Thanks again,

Gavin

#10

Gavin,

My guess is that it could be the engine water drain outlet. Locomotives don’t use antifreeze so when they are shut down in cold weather so the water must be drained (or loco kept running). The pipe is in the right location below the water and oil tanks directly behind the prime mover. The pipe isn’t attached to the trucks, but rather the frame.

#11

Thanks for the input Craig! Much appreciated!

That would make quite a lot of sense as I’ve seen a few pictures of GP18s where they just have the angle cock but not the pipe or hose connecting it. Would I be right in assuming then that it might be a flexible hose then? I’m just thinking how best to approach it from a modelling perspective!

Thanks again, I really appreciate the input .

#12

Gavin

I’m not sure but I tend to agree with Craig on his thoughts …maybe this will help I don’t have the time to read it (or the interest) but I will definitely follow your build!

http://www.trainweb.org/WPRRINFO/EMDGP20Manual-12.html

#13

Hi David,

Many thanks for that link, that’s great! Even if it’s not relevant it will definitely make some perfect bed time reading for a nerd like me :slight_smile:

I’ve been posting my progress on our forum over here in the UK, but I didn’t realise that guests couldn’t see it. If people are interested I would be more than happy to post some pictures here too, I really do appreciate the feedback.

Thanks again for your help guys!

#14

Gavin Smart said:

If people are interested I would be more than happy to post some pictures here too, I really do appreciate the feedback.

Thanks again for your help guys!

Gavin

We love pictures here, especially me cause I hate to read and speculate what one is doing or trying to do. A picture say’s 1,000 words …right?

#15

No problem!

Here are a few photos of my progress so far. I’m no real rush with this so I’m just plodding away, doing a little bit as and when I can, and learning more about the prototype as I go! These are in no particular order and just show some of the detail I’m working on:

Thanks again, G

#16

Looks good so far …now I know why you asked about the louvers in the BL2 thread!

#17

David Russell said:

Gavin

I’m not sure but I tend to agree with Craig on his thoughts …maybe this will help I don’t have the time to read it (or the interest) but I will definitely follow your build!

http://www.trainweb.org/WPRRINFO/EMDGP20Manual-12.html

Guess you’ve never drained a locomotive in the field, or added water cause the cooling water was leaking out…

It’s not the air reservoir drain valve…

I stand by my original guess! The fill valve on more modern locomotives (ie SD40-2).

EMD procedure for draining a SD40-2.

  1. Open the drain valve located at the floor in front of the engine. This will drain the engine, radiators, water tank, oil cooler, and air compressor.

  2. With the cab heater supply valves open, cab heaters and associated piping are drained by opening drain valves located at the locomotive underframe under the left side of the cab.

  3. After cooling system pressure has been released and draining has slowed, remove the wate tank fill cap to allow faster draining.

Bold my addition.

#18

Gavin Smart said:
Thanks for the input Craig! Much appreciated! That would make quite a lot of sense as I’ve seen a few pictures of GP18s where they just have the angle cock but not the pipe or hose connecting it. Would I be right in assuming then that it might be a flexible hose then? I’m just thinking how best to approach it from a modelling perspective! Thanks again, I really appreciate the input .

The hose is a rubber hose, about that same diameter as the brake pipe line (1 1/4"). As you pointed out it can be missing, or it can be present. Granted I’ve never ran a GP18, but the setup on EMD locos is pretty similar from one model to another. For modeling it, I would suggest heat shrink tubing.

#19

Many thanks again Craig, that’s great info. It’s exactly what I was looking for. I suspected it had to be something like that but it is always good to have a knowledgeable eye look over it to make sure I’m on the right lines!

Best wishes,

Gavin

#20

Great mods and detail Gavin. I like those PITA louvers ;). And I’ve learned what the two drain tubes could be on the BL2.